What am I doing wrong>

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Recently I purchased an Englander 30 for my daugher. Built the pad Saturday and tomorrow will grout the tile. On Saturday we did a short burn out doors, lasted about 20 minutes. Did another on Sunday for about 30 minutes. Want to do another tomorrow. Here's the problem...manual says to start a fire an close the door. If I do that the fire will be out in about 10 seconds. Have to leave the door cracked about 1/4" to keep the fire going. After the first burn I clean out the fire box and checked to see where the air enter the unit and if the air was getting into the fire box. Used the blower on my vaccum and air could be felt coming out of the small ledge above and behind the door. Tried working the damper and it would shut off the air supply. So that seems to be working. Have about 4' of chimney installed for the burn off process. Where am I going wrong? Any help would be greatly appeciated.
 
It's just not drafting well because of the lack of any meaningful chimney length. Try adding another section or two of stovepipe on it. You probably will have to keep the door cracked slightly. Don't sweat it.
 
I'm thinking that 4' of pipe isn't enough to get a good draft going for you. During that short of a time period it sounds like the fire is barely getting going, and coupling that with short pipe you're not having a fire that is going to sustain itself with the door closed. I had the same issue after repainting a Fisher for my Dad years ago. Burned great in his house when installed, but it wasn't happy with a short piece of pipe outside for curing the paint. Others here will be chiming in, as there are plenty of those stoves out there, and folks are darn happy with them too!
Larry
 
I agree with Rockies and CS. These new stoves depend on draft to operate. My stove requires at least 15-feet of pipe to operate according to the manual. After running the stove a few times, I even thought of adding more. Without the draft from a stove pipe to pull fresh air into the firebox, the fire just went out as you observed.

WaterBoss made a good point. There are many happy 30 NC owners out there. You have a good stove.
 
On a side note, I always leave the door cracked on my 13 NCP when I first light a fire. I probably leave it cracked until the stove top reads between 200 and 250F, then I close it and begin adjusting the air control.

This may not be necessary, but it gets the stove going quicker, and up to temp faster which is always going to be better at keeping creosote from accumulating in your chimney. Its just how I do it.
 
Yeah I did my 30-NCL burn-ins outside too. You will have to use small very dry pieces of wood and keep the door cracked. A stove that needs a 15 foot chimney for best operation hasn't got much of a chance to rock and roll with four or five feet of pipe. You are just trying to cure paint right now and it is operating as to be expected. Just cure the paint, install it and it will do just fine once it is tied to the taller pipe.
 
Well then...just leave the door cracked and do it again.

The objective is to just burn off the smelly manufacturing process and do a few break in fires so what if the doors open to accomplish that? The main thing is to keep an eye on it so so it doesn't get too hot the first few fires and it looks like you did that OK...I would say you're tracking pretty good so far.

That Englander 30 will be fine once it's set up inside...no worries about that stove.
 
Why not just install the stove and do the burn-in with the windows open (and maybe a fan in the window to help)? Full flue = good burn.

Is the Englander so different from other stoves that it shouldn't be cured inside?
 
I had about three feet of pipe on my 13 and I also had to have the door cracked till the fire was well established. Just get it going good and slowly close the door till it starts drafting.

I was amazed at the amount of heat it put off and how long it burned with just a few sticks and such.

TG
 
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