She still running away

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DavidJinPa

New Member
Hearth Supporter
Feb 7, 2007
23
Lancaster, Pa
I added a damper too my Harman SF-2500-A, and with it closed 100% she still burns wood like a blast furnace. I tried burning wood last night for the first time this season. Last year after having the problem I switched her too coal, and she ran great so I never tackled the wood issue. With the drastic fluctuation we've been having I figured I'd give wood a go again this fall. I added a in pipe damper, and thought I could slow down the burn drastically. Started off with a very small started fire, and all seemed well. When I added larger pieces once again away she went. Door temp hit 600, and stack temps hit 1200, and this was with the damper closed up 100% I had too keep the door vents open75%, or it started too do the dreaded combustion motor sounds it did last year. Would a barometric damper be the next bet on getting this thing under control, and burning smoother?

Chimney spec in 30' with a 6" stainless flex liner.

Thanks, DJinPa
 
David, there is something drastically wrong and until you figure it out, don't put much wood in it for sure!

Are you sure the draft control is working? Perhaps the draft is not closing at all. And no, I don't think a barometric damper will help. You already have a damper in which is better than the barometric dampers.
 
Dave it sound like you mite have to switch the air supply from coal (Air blown thru the bottom) To wood ( air fed from the top) There might be a cover that needs to be moved or a different damper control . I had a old cook stove that had 2 air supplies and there was a plate that had to be moved in my old VC vigilant . check it out
 
Actually wellbuilt I did have only the top vents open for the woodburning. I only use the bottom ones when coal is being burned. Dennis the seals are in great shape, and the stove is only 1.5yrs old. Its like I either have too much, or not enough draft. Never the perfect amount. Like I stated earlier it starts acting like a darn motor if I cut it too far back trying too slow it down. Yes she'll do a heck of a back fire on me too if I mess with it trying too find the sweet spot. The damper is dead center in the pipe, and turns just fine. It just baffled me that the damper didn't settle the fire in like I thought it would. Plus I really thought shutting the baffle in the pipe would have been overkill, but even that didn't stop it. I'll attach pic's of the pipes when I get a chance. I do have the pipe doing pretty direct into the thimble, maybe I need two ninety degree turns too slow it more?
 
Well I got her to simmer down a bit. I put two ninety deg elbows in the pipes with about about two foot of horozonal pipe in the setup, and I am able too burn with temps up the pipe at 500/600, and the door at 400/500 averages. I can only add, and have a small amount of wood in the stove burning at one time. Kind of a pain because it needs tending ever 1 or 2 hours, and cannot be "loaded up" for an all night burn. I have the in pipe damper set too 90% closed on average, and if too much wood is added it still has the run away tendencys, so small burns are probubly all I'll be doing with wood until its time too burn coal in her. I think next fall I'll try the barometric damper next, that might be the final needed ingredient. She's a picky bugger.........
DJinPa
 
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