Ash in Flue problem

[kgryder]

Last winter I installed a Econoburn 100. It has done an excellent job of heating the house and water. My fuel oil consumption hasn't gone all the way to zero but it's getting close.
When I was cleaning out the stove last spring I decided to see how the flue looked. It's a new insulated 8" metal flue, 15' total. I have a a tee at the bottom of the flue and can take the cover off the bottom and look up the flue. When I did I found the tee was about half full of the very fine ash, like you get in the bottom of the boiler. I assumed this must have been the results of me not cleaning out the ash often enough.
So this year I have been keeping the boiler cleaned out very regularly but I'm still getting ash collecting in the flue.
I'm burning mostly dry oak and maple and there is no buildup in the flue. Flue draws ok but not enough to keep it from smoking when the doors open.
Anyone else had this as an issue? Any thoughts?

 

[webie]

For my Tarm its not an issue its normal .
Thats why they call it ( FLY ASH )
Seriously the intense burn that we get in the gasifiers creates a vacuum draw up the chimney and this light ash is pulled up with the heat and smoke . If that didn't happen we would never have to clean our heat exchanger tubes which would be really nice .

 

[WoodNotOil]

I have to empty my chimney clean out seasonally. This is a normal part of running a gasser. Sounds like your system is doing what it is supposed to. Good idea putting in the tee with cap, it will make a nice clean-out for your system.

 

[pybyr]

When I did a seasonal cleaning on my system (Econoburn 150) in early Fall 09, I, too, was astonished at the amount of fine ash that I found in the flue.

I then replaced elbows with tees in order to be able to check and clean the flue more easily in the future.

 

[wantstoburnwood]

Same here I haave lots of ly ash in my flue pipe . Maybe excessive but I clean out my pipe monthly . There is absolutely no creosote in the pipes at all just ash and a bit of soot

 

[NNYorker]

Sounds normal to me. I have a 6" flue with a reducer right off the exhaust---6" double wall black to the ceiling and 6" triple wall thru the attic/roof--approx. 16' total. I have a tee with a barometric damper mounted as you do. When the ash reaches the bottom of the BD I clean the tee out. I started burning late Oct 09 and have cleaned it twice--about 3" of ash to the bottom of the BD. Sometimes with the right conditions your flue just won't draw. I have a manometer mounted to keep track of draft. You MAY have to add to your flue but I would get a measurement on your draft---Dwyer Mark II manometer--about $35 http://cgi.ebay.com/Dwyer-Mark-II-M...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c1082ac30 Cheaper than a section of pipe and you can maintain your draft by adjusting your BD. You'll never stop ALL the smoke but opening the door only after your load has burned down to coals will eliminate a lot.

 

[kgryder]

Thanks for the comments, sounds like my situation is not unique. I think I will add a short section of pipe to the bottom of the tee so I don't have to worry about the ash clogging the flue and be done with it.
This winter has been a hard one for us folks in the southern appalachians but my Econoburn has been great. My biggest problem is that I've used more wood then planned. I've had to start on wood I assumed would be for next winter, it's dry enough but not as dry as what I had been using. Maybe things will break soon.