creosote icicles

Hello Everyone
I'm new here, and thought I'd asked the more experinced too possibly answer an issue I'm having with my new stove, and chimney. We recently (this past winter) had a chimney fire, it wasn't bad but opted for me too replace my old setup. We had a new chimney put up (8" tile lined 8" thimble), and installed a Harman SF 2500A wood/coal warm air furnace (uses 7" stove pipe). This system limits the damper thru the thermostate too control the stove temperature. But I've bypassed this setup because it was snuffing the stove too much, and we were getting a very dirty chimney consisting of glazing, and moisture. Including making black icicles up top of the chimney outside. I've been running the setup much hotter constantly, not letting it snuff itself. But still have moisture collecting (freezing/dripping) outside at the top of the chimney. It's still creating black icicles at the top, but not quite as much. I know my wood is seasoned very well, and dry. I've attached a pic of the mess. What the heck could be causing this issue. This is driving me crazy. Anyone have any insight? It would be greatly appreciated.

DavidJinPA

Stove pipes reading around 325/350. The wood is good, and seasoned too.

Thanks Griz.. I cranked her up too 375/400 (guess more or less) and she dried up in a day... I still think I'm going too go over too harbor freight too grab a moisture meter for saftey sake, and edjumicational reasons. Though,,,Now I have a problem with burning a large amount off wood. Plus I'm only getting about a 5 hour burn down too a bed of hot coals. Think she'd burn out totally in about 6/7 hours if left untouched. I ordered a flue gas thermometer so I can fine tune this bugger for better/longer/more efficient runnning time. I hope someone on here is familiar with this type of set up, because the 2 local places that sell them "don't have the time too help me with it". Any help would be a greatly appreciated....

DJinPA

The majority of the wood tested around 15/20%. I'm guessing the wood wasn't/isn't the problem. At least I can keep track of that for now. Thanks for the masonary heads up too! I'll post more discoverys, and questions soon I'm sure. Tired for now. Thanks for all the insights...
Posted a pic of the beasty for ya's too

front view

Yea Laynes this things built sweet. Super quality craftsmanship. She's a tank. My last unit was a 30 year old Glenn Wood wood furnace built in Lititz PA. This things like a Cadilac compaired too it. This unit does have a natural draft, but is increased electronically (opening more) by demand from the themostate. Our house is 1500sq ft so it really dosn't demand too much from the stove via the thermostate. Most of the time it kicks heat automatically thru the ducting when the plenum reaches 160deg. Once the plenum reaches 130 the blower shuts off. We've been having 9 too 15deg nights, she's easily kept the houses core temp at 75, and out rooms in the upper 60's. We've hit low 80 in the mid 30's.. Thats with our incorrectly undersized ducting too.. I think if we had the correct ducting thru the house I could get the house up too 90 no prob, lol.. I haven't had the time too experimnet with the coal thing yet... I believe (guessing coal needs less air) it would burn coal more efficiently but I get my wood for free. I think I'm going too have to modify the damper on the front too. The two holes on the front of the damper door don't give it enough air too keep the wood fire hot enough, and it smolders badly. Manufacturer says they do, but they don't. Thats whats caused the icicles for sure. I believe I'm going too have too tap a set screw into the damper door, so I can tune it (cracking it open 16th"too 1/8") for best burns with wood. This ones really go me thinking. But like I've read here, burning woods an art not a science.... Funny, but True..

Too respond too some of this let me start off with the quotes. So we (I) don't get confused,lol

(1) "Do you have an ash cleanout door? I have seen similar problems with cool air leaking by the ash door and cooling the exhaust gasses and condensation occures similar to what you are experiencing"

(1a) No clean out door is present. Their is a 12" deep trap below the thimble, the pipe must be removed too clean it out. I've taken a lighter flame, and gone around the pipe at the thimble. Some air (enough too pull the flame into the crack) is leaking into the thimble, would this be enought too cause problems? What kind of "caulk" could I use around the stove pipe that would handle that temp.?

(2) "As an experiment I would loose the cap the Cap prevents the normal flow upward and the smoke looses momentum and hitting cold air condensates to cresote form"

(2a) I started originally operating the stove without the cap, and had the creo problem. Since I've put it on it, and it isn't running at high output with the cap I've noticed condensation on the bottom middle of the top section of it. This really has me boggled. I'm worried rain/snow would enter, and increase this problem..

(3) "You mention you use your forced draft unit runs almost constat. Doesn’t your wood furnace get way too hot getting that much air?"
(3a) No forced draft is present, it draws air naturally. (see pic attached) the thermostate opens the draft if more heat is needed increasing the fire in the box. This rarely happens due too the temps it keeps the house just by regulating temps in the plenum.

(4) "It appers your plenium blower isnt connected to a cold air return, does it seem to work ok that way?"
(4a) As the stated above "The ducting through out the house is undersized". The ducting pro's I've spoke with recommended I run it off, and leave as many doors inside open leaving a "natural" draft down the cellar steps. Seems too be working fine, except when an a outer rooms door is closed. It does get slightly cooler in that room. Not bad though. They said the return duct would possibly under limit the air going too the blower motor, and could over limit it. Plus restrick flow back into the house. (thats a whole other project,, argggg)

[quote author="reaperman" date="1171229073"]Laynes69

"My forced air blower is located under the main firebox door, so when it blows, it blows directly at wood level, sometimes under the wood piled in the firebox.
Your burn times arent much out of line with mine. I've been burning larger rounds (8")
This will leave me with coals in the morning, (8hrs). But thats a full load each night. /quote]
Reaper I'm only getting 5hr burns and its out. Not 8hrs. Also I don't have a blower itno the fire bx. Confusing me here now!
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Anywho. Its been a week since last I cleaned it, and the temps actually in the lower 30's today so I thought I'd see whats collected. Also I've cranked her up hotter, and the only really bad thing I found was about a 1/8th inch of liquid creo in the bottom of the trap. No creo flakes or anything else in their just the syrup like liquid. (picture attached).. The liner (picture attached) wasn't really even worth running a brush down, but I did it anyhow too see what collected. Wasn't much of anything. The top of the chimney did have a solid glazing outside on it (picture attached) from where it was I guess rolling inside the cover before escaping it. I removed the cover for now too experiment, and see if it's better without as mentioned above..

Rest of the pics