high flue temps???

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pyroboy

pyroboy

Member
Oct 18, 2015
48
northwest ohio
Hello everyone...I have another question regarding the operation of my new PE summit. It seems once I get the stove up to temp after a reload and turn the primary air control all the way down and the secondaries take action, my flue temps rise with my stove top temp. when my stove top temps get to up to cruise temp of around 600, my internal flue temp taken with a condar probe thermometer is always 75-100 degrees higher than stove top temp. Anyone have an idea what im doing wrong?? It seems like I could cut primary air more because im still having robust lower flaming but the air shutter is closed as far as I can close it without modification. it seems like this is also lowering my burn times because the wood is burning too fast? any advice would be great
 
Why do you think something is wrong? Sounds to me like you've got quality fuel and the stove is running great.
 
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I don't know? I suppose from other threads ive read, I thought my flue temps would be lower than stove top when air is killed. plus it seems that my actual flaming portion of burn cycle goes rather quickly. yes I do have nice dry wood and shes burning hot, no complaints there. just feels like I could shut it down a little more if it were possible???
 
did the dollar bill test on the door gasket and I slightly tuned that but it seems good
 
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Sounds like high flue temps to me...FWIW
What's your chimney like? You may have high draft
 
honestly its only about 16' total. 4' of 6" double wall stove pipe with 2 45's through the wall to a tee, leading up to 12' of class A chimney. its all boxed in up the side of the house in a insulated faux chimney box with stainless cover
 
I was considering taking my dremel to the air lever stop so that I can completely close it off if I wanted to. I do also live out in the country in the wide open, no wind blocks, always breezy
 
Some have battled excessive draft by stuffing steel wool inside the air intake hole. I'm not all that familiar with your stove, but that may help.
 
when the air shutter is "closed" its still open like a good quarter inch across a circle, like the moon when its crescent shaped. im just surprised at the amount of lower flames im getting with secondaries. they are dancing around pretty good still. which to me seems like its eating up my fuel too quickly. so is the steel wool idea just kind of like a filter to slow the air entrance to the fire?
 
pyroboy said:
I was considering taking my dremel to the air lever stop so that I can completely close it off if I wanted to. I do also live out in the country in the wide open, no wind blocks, always breezy
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Could work, I'd leave it so that the air is not completely closed off though. What about simply putting a manual damper in the stove pipe?
I'm familiar with your area, my wife used to live in Toledo...windy out in the country!
claydogg84 said:
Some have battled excessive draft by stuffing steel wool inside the air intake hole. I'm not all that familiar with your stove, but that may help.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure steel wood is a good idea...believe it or not it is EXTREMELY combustible. Google it, there are utube vids
I used aluminum foil to block off some air holes on my VZ stove, it made a big difference!
 
brenndatomu said:
Could work, I'd leave it so that the air is not completely closed off though. What about simply putting a manual damper in the stove pipe?
I'm familiar with your area, my wife used to live in Toledo...windy out in the country!

I'm not sure steel wood is a good idea...believe it or not it is EXTREMELY combustible. Google it, there are utube vids
I used aluminum foil to block off some air holes on my VZ stove, it made a big difference!
Click to expand...

Maybe I misspoke.. But I thought for sure members here have used it.
 
claydogg84 said:
Maybe I misspoke.. But I thought for sure members here have used it.
Click to expand...
No, I think you are right, people have done it, just may not be a good idea. I don't know if some off that SS scratchy stuff that they make for scrubbing dishes would be any better?
 
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pyroboy said:
when the air shutter is "closed" its still open like a good quarter inch across a circle, like the moon when its crescent shaped. im just surprised at the amount of lower flames im getting with secondaries. they are dancing around pretty good still. which to me seems like its eating up my fuel too quickly. so is the steel wool idea just kind of like a filter to slow the air entrance to the fire?
Click to expand...

Yes, the idea is to slow the air down going into the stove. Keep in mind if you modify the slide mechanism for the air control you have the potential of turning the stove into a smoke dragon by completely snuffing the air out. Wait for a more knowledgeable member to chime in on the steel wool. It is in fact combustible, but members have used it effectively.
 
my coaling stage seems good, for instance I threw 2 medium splits onto coal bed at 7:00 this morning, left for work, returned at 530 to a warm stove and live coals when I turned them over. its just my actual flame time seems short? I cant seem to produce "lazy" flames. as for the stove pipe damper, I just installed new double wall pipe with this install and really didn't want to have to change it already, but may have to I guess
 
pyroboy said:
I just installed new double wall pipe with this install and really didn't want to have to change it already, but may have to I guess
Click to expand...
No need to change it, just pop it apart and throw a damper in it...very easy to do
 
I was reading a post from 'begreen" recently and he was saying that his internal flue temps are average 100 degrees below stove top or so, mines like the opposite so I think im losing excessive heat up the chimney maybe?
 
actually its quite difficult to get mine apart because I couldn't get a telescoping piece short enough so theres no play in taking the pipe apart I have to pull the stove out of the way to get the play to unhook it, but it can be done
 
Yeah, mine is that way too, hafta unbolt the legs and drop it down...PITA
 
I have a Lopi and I have the same problem. I have tried everything!!!! I have a much longer flue 24-26' I have given up and just deal with it.
 
I think im going to do a slight mod with my dremel, I wont necessarily close it off completely every load but, based on the winds, I will have the option to close it down more if needed
 
the key damper right above the stove collar also is a decent idea though
 
Before cutting with the Dremel can you use a magnet to choke off some of the air intake?
 
I used long rectangular block type magnets (used in cows stomachs to catch metal) to block off my primary adjustable air. Mine is a lever with a dial like inlet. I placed it on the other side of the stop to close it off nearly completely whrn the lever is completely down. I do keep that in mind and never close it all the way. Works great if I forget to close down soon enough. I can catch and stop a possible over fire!
 
I sometimes have higher flue temps than I would like and it's usually too much draft on a windy day. We've had some very strong winds this week, so I suspect you have too. I bought and installed a flue damper a week ago and I'm still playing with it a bit before I post my findings. It was a hundred bucks for an 8" double wall but so far my early results have been that I can control the fire and temperatures with more accuracy. IOW, less heat going up the chimney.
 
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