Something new today

mikebinthesky · Jan 10, 2016

First full season burning with a Napoleon 1402.Slightly different weather conditions today,light snow,wind,high 20's.Its been unseasonably warm here in NE Ohio so this is about as cold as it has been during the day.
I run my stove fairly hot(500-550) close the air down and get good burns.Wood is good and dry-been burning the same mostly oak,maple mix all season.
I have used aprox two cords so far this yr.
So to my question-this morning i loaded stove as usual(smallish dry splits w/kindling),air wide open, lit up with a little paper.All is well.Fire was rolling on top of box like it always does so i shut the door.This is usually when the fire really takes off and within a half hour im closed up and good to go.
Today when i shut the door the fire went out!
I opened door and re-ignited fire and went through this same process about 6 times.Now after about two hours,i am at coal stage and a real fire never did start with the door closed.Each time i shut the door it acted as if i was closing the air all the way(weak secondaries and all).
Cap is a bit dirty,does not look sticky or gooey.I say this from the ground cause i am unfortunately extremely afraid of heights.50's ranch style home so i can see it fairly well.
In my limited experience it is acting as if is choked out via intake air or liner/cap.
Anything i can check without calling the chimney dude out to the house?
Sorry for the long post-tried to answer all the questions i could before they were asked.
Great,great site and you all are incredibly patient and helpful to newbs like myself.Thanks in advance.

jb6l6gc · Jan 10, 2016

Had the same kinda draft with my furnace today and i know chimneys clean and cap as I did entire system two days ago. I'm just on the other side of Lake Erie to you so our conditions today are probably relativly similar. I'd chalk it
Up to warm day and high pressure
Possibly if you know your chimneys clean.

jb6l6gc · Jan 10, 2016

Could be clogged cap or chimney in need of clean as well too. You could pop stove pipe off and check pipe and chimney visually. If u have a thimble then a 90 You can use an inspection mirror with lights like i do

claydogg84 · Jan 10, 2016

Is it possible you grabbed some wet wood out of your stacks?

mikebinthesky · Jan 10, 2016

Something else that may or may not be noteable is that the wind here is coming out of the NW at around 25 mph.Wind here comes out of SW 99% of the time.

mikebinthesky · Jan 10, 2016

claydogg84 said:
Is it possible you grabbed some wet wood out of your stacks?

Not the whole load but a piece or two possibly

claydogg84 · Jan 10, 2016

mikebinthesky said:
Not the whole load but a piece or two possibly

Have you tried to burn again? Do so with wood you know is dry and see how it goes.

jb6l6gc · Jan 10, 2016

Best thing I've found for cleaning stove pipe believe it or not is I've marked my stove pipe sections with a high temp pain markers for ease of reassembly. Trust me on this makes life so much easier. I then take them outside and use my air compressor and just blow it all out. Takes two seconds no fuss no muss

mikebinthesky · Jan 10, 2016

jb6l6gc said:
Best thing I've found for cleaning stove pipe believe it or not is I've marked my stove pipe sections with a high temp pain markers for ease of reassembly. Trust me on this makes life so much easier. I then take them outside and use my air compressor and just blow it all out. Takes two seconds no fuss no muss

This is an insert with no indoor access to liner.Very tight fit in my fireplace

jb6l6gc · Jan 10, 2016

Guess only option would be a soot eater then or topside.

jb6l6gc · Jan 10, 2016

Is stove damper operating correctly

mikebinthesky · Jan 10, 2016

jb6l6gc said:
Guess only option would be a soot eater then or topside.

Thank you-i will look into this.

mikebinthesky · Jan 10, 2016

jb6l6gc said:
Is stove damper operating correctly

It sounds as if it is.Has same resistance,makes the same noise it always does when i close it.I have three decent sized oak splits in there right now and things are looking better.Temp is climbing.Weird

jatoxico · Jan 10, 2016

mikebinthesky said:
It sounds as if it is.Has same resistance,makes the same noise it always does when i close it.I have three decent sized oak splits in there right now and things are looking better.Temp is climbing.Weird

May have a been wind or atmospherically induced inversion. After 2 cords it's probably time for an inspection and sweep.

claydogg84 · Jan 10, 2016

mikebinthesky said:
It sounds as if it is.Has same resistance,makes the same noise it always does when i close it.I have three decent sized oak splits in there right now and things are looking better.Temp is climbing.Weird

Wet wood requires more air to burn. That's why the fire was good with the door open, but not when closed. Oak takes a couple years to really season, so try to make sure you've given it enough time in the stacks.

mikebinthesky · Jan 10, 2016

We have a wind adivisory til 7pm and the winds will graduall shift back to SW by AM.I'm kinda curious to see if this changes anything.Fire is currently buning ok,definitely different though.

jb6l6gc · Jan 10, 2016

Same here
Not quite getting my usual draft
On my furnace chimney

mikebinthesky · Jan 10, 2016

jb6l6gc said:
Same here
Not quite getting my usual draft
On my furnace chimney

Good to know,I apologize if i jumped the gun on this one.I watch the stove close,knowing that i am inexperienced.

jb6l6gc · Jan 10, 2016

Better safe then sorry.

jatoxico · Jan 10, 2016

mikebinthesky said:
I watch the stove close

It's part of the fun. It's possible the wood could be better, it almost always can. On the other hand I've had similar problems in the past. Sometimes it just don't wanna burn and had to struggle through a load w/o getting anywhere. And then, even though nothing has changed the second load is better (but not great) because the flue is warmed up some.

I got a 5 bucks that says things go back to normal once this weather passes but still recommend you inspect and sweep. Two cords through in your first full season is enough.

Shari · Jan 10, 2016

mikebinthesky said:
"........,wind,high 20's

Wind should not be a factor.......... temp is awesome for a wood fire.

mikebinthesky said:
Wood is good and dry-been burning the same mostly oak,maple mix all season.

Unless that oak has been cut/split and stacked for 2-3yrs.+ I would question the oak. Personally, I don't burn oak - I don't have enough storage space to let firewood set 3 yrs. before I burn it.

mikebinthesky said:
"............ lit up with a little paper.".

Have you ever seen the ash paper can leave behind? It can get interesting if that paper ash floats up and clogs the screen on your chimney cap. Check out Super Cedar fire starters here: https://www.supercedar.com/

mikebinthesky said:
"Each time i shut the door it acted as if i was closing the air all the way(weak secondaries and all).

Equals wet wood and/or clogged chimney cap screen.

mikebinthesky said:
"I say this from the ground cause i am unfortunately extremely afraid of heights....."

Answer: Sooteater http://www.gardusinc.com/sooteater.html

jatoxico · Jan 10, 2016

Shari said:
Wind should not be a factor.

Don't agree with that at all.

Bigsby · Jan 10, 2016

jatoxico said:
I got a 5 bucks that says things go back to normal once this weather passes

Watching this thread since I've had the occasional fire that's given me fits but not as severe as the OP is describing. I would think with the colder temps along with the brisk wind, a strong draft would be easier to attain than with the fires he's had in warmer temps so just scratching my head why this weather would be an issue. Not doubting you just curious as to why?

ckr74 · Jan 10, 2016

jatoxico said:
Don't agree with that at all.

I get some very healthy draft when the wind is blowing hard. Maybe a little too much.

mikebinthesky · Jan 10, 2016

Wind has now shifted to West,still around 25mph,though gusts are fewer and farther between.Winds were fairly turbulent this morning.Outside temps are around the same.Current fire is doing good(keep in mind it was built on healthy coal bed/as opposed to startup)Very interested to see how tommorow morning startup goes.I will post results.I do not have a moisture meter(will get one) but this oak sure clinks when tapped together.Loads are mixed with well seasoned maple.pic is current with air closed.

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