Need Help New Insert and can't keep flame

[kipper]

As the title says I got a Drolet 1400-1 Escape Insert from Northern Tool yesterday and when I start the fire with the door cracked it fuels real good. When I close the door the flame goes away. I have hot bed of coals right now and when I open the door I can get it flaming good, when I shut the door the flame goes down and eventually goes away.

I have the draft lever al the way open and the wood is oak that is not all the way seasoned. I have achieved a high enough temp so the blower will come on. If I did not knwo better I would think that the draft door is not opening all the way.

What are yoru thoughts ???

 

[asb151]

What exacly do you mean by "not all the way seasoned". How long since the oak was cut?

 

[kipper]

It was cut about 8 months ago and spilt about 2 months ago. As soon as I open the door it seems to ge the oxygen needed. I just put a fatwood stick in there and it burned nice.

 

[lobsta1]

It was cut about 8 months ago and spilt about 2 months ago. As soon as I open the door it seems to ge the oxygen needed. I just put a fatwood stick in there and it burned nice.

Hate to say it, but you have at least another year of seasoning to go on red oak. Especially in the humidity you have in your area.
Al

 

[Log Splitter]

The wood may be some of the problem, but tell us about your installation. Did you run a liner up your chimney? Is there a blocking plate? Also, are you sure you have the air supply all the way open? Check your directions and make sure.

 

[kipper]

I have the insert sitting in my fireplace with a 8 in tall piece of ducting attached to the top fo the insert to make sure the smok goes straight up the chimney. I have checked and re-checked the draft control to make sure it is open and re-read the instructions and it appears to be correct. The funny thing is that the draft control lever just moves a plate on the bottom of the insert. I would have thought it would have moved something on the top. I will try some seasoned wood today. Another thing is when I open the door all the way the smope comes out in to the room.

 

[PA Plumber]

I have the insert sitting in my fireplace with a 8 in tall piece of ducting attached to the top fo the insert to make sure the smok goes straight up the chimney. I have checked and re-checked the draft control to make sure it is open and re-read the instructions and it appears to be correct. The funny thing is that the draft control lever just moves a plate on the bottom of the insert. I would have thought it would have moved something on the top. I will try some seasoned wood today. Another thing is when I open the door all the way the smope comes out in to the room.

Ahhh. That "smoping" could be an issue.

How old is the house? What about opening a window just a tad to see if the draw is better? And yes, I would definitely burn fully seasoned firewood as much as you can. That green Oak is surely adding a creosote lining to your chimney.

Also, is there a chance you didn't remove the knockout for the draft? We just purchased a new Pacific Energy product and there was a knockout that had to be removed so air could get into the base.

 

[kipper]

Ok, Is your draft lever at the bottom of the insert? That is what is throwing me off. It is really wierd if i leave that door open just cracked the fire burns really nice.. The house is 30 years old and I tried the window last night, no help.

 

[PA Plumber]

Ok, Is your draft lever at the bottom of the insert? That is what is throwing me off. It is really wierd if i leave that door open just cracked the fire burns really nice.. The house is 30 years old and I tried the window last night, no help.

Yes. The air enters from the bottom of the stove, up the back (steel channel in the fire chamber), across the top, and directed down over the glass. A little is allowed to come out below the door, but very little.

The hole for the actual air intake is only 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Believe me, it is plenty!!! With dry wood, it only takes about 15 minutes to go from 150 deg F in the morning to 400 deg F.

 

[kipper]

ok. how do you keep the smoke from coming out in to the room when you open the door?

 

[PA Plumber]

ok. how do you keep the smoke from coming out in to the room when you open the door?

1. Keep the chimney clean. I've been burning all year and just got my first couple of "puffs" of smoke into the room last week. I cleaned the chimney Monday and no more "puffs" into the room. (Only removed about 4 cups of soot but it was right at the bottom of the vertical riser and blocking the chimney just a tad.)

2. Open the door very slowly. Keeps from creating a negative draft situation in the room.

Following are two pictures of our stove. The first shows the draft control in the front and the second shows the knockout opening I had to remove before using the stove.

There are a couple of knockouts I could have used. Only one is necessary to allow air into the base.

 

[mga]

ok. how do you keep the smoke from coming out in to the room when you open the door?

if you have a hot fire brewing, and your damper isn't shut, and no major obstructions in your flue, you shouldn't get smoke in your house when you open the doors.

however, if you have a semi-closed damper, smoke will flow back when opening the doors. sounds to me like you have restricted air flow. smoke coming back in just means it's not getting out of the fireplace quick enough.

 

[PA Plumber]

I should have mentioned, we do not have a damper control on the riser pipe out of the top of the wood stove. Only a draft control at the bottom of the unit.

Stove design may have something to do with smoke rolling back into the room. We had a Silent Flame that heated very well (extremely ineffecient and consumed wood at an alarming rate!) but would roll a plume of smoke into the room no mater how clean the chimney was, how hot the stove was, or how slowly the door was opened.

 

[kipper]

Ok, I think I am going to take it back and go back to the open fireplace. There seems to be way to many variables for me. With the open fireplace I can burn stuff that I cut and split last month and no smoke in my house.

 

[Log Splitter]

I have the insert sitting in my fireplace with a 8 in tall piece of ducting attached to the top fo the insert to make sure the smok goes straight up the chimney. I have checked and re-checked the draft control to make sure it is open and re-read the instructions and it appears to be correct. The funny thing is that the draft control lever just moves a plate on the bottom of the insert. I would have thought it would have moved something on the top. I will try some seasoned wood today. Another thing is when I open the door all the way the smope comes out in to the room.

You really need to run a liner all the way up your chimney. A blocking plate would help as well, but not as much as having that stove pipe run all the way to the top. I'd think the 8" stub is the reason you are getting smoke back in the house.

The other problem might be related, but it sounds more like you are not getting any air into the firebox with the door closed. I'm not familiar with your stove but PA Plumber has some good advice regarding the knockout.

 

[kipper]

Yeah, I am thinking the same thing about the liner. It is too much of a hassle to mess with this thing. It's like all the stars have to be lined up for it to work. I will be conten with the open fireplace and will just have to make do.

 

[Log Splitter]

Yeah, I am thinking the same thing about the liner. It is too much of a hassle to mess with this thing. It's like all the stars have to be lined up for it to work. I will be conten with the open fireplace and will just have to make do.

Don't give up, man! Once you get that EPA insert running you'll never want to go back to an open fireplace. The heat output is dozens of times better, and the long burn times will make heating your house with wood easy.

I pulled up your owner's manual off the web. That looks like a decent stove to me. Go back and pick up enough 6" stainless steel pipe to make it out the top of the chimney. It is a bit pricey, but you'll save that much in heating bills in a single season.

Good luck!

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Im not sure that is an EPA stove.....




Your entire set of problems will be cured by installing a full liner up your chimney. Your stove cant draft properly with the Partial chimney you are giving it now.



.

 

[A. Stanton]

Check your flue cap. You need at least 5" of clearance from the top of the flue.

 

[Brush Hog]

Is the stub just stuck up in the chimney with no block off plate ? If it is that's why your not getting enough draft through stove. The air is bypassing stove and going right up chimney. I put and insert in about two weeks ago with liner and have not problems what so ever. Some stoves they say you can terminate into chimney with a sealed block off plate but would recommend the liner. I WOULDN'T go back to open hearth. Your just wasting time and money. It'll pull more heat OUT than it'll put INTO your house. My house is at 70 degree's and furnace hasn't come on since this morning. The wife open air intake instead of closing before she went to work but she learning. The liner isn't all that hard to do. I recommend the flex one piece liner.