Damper and saving some wood?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here

hearthon

Feeling the Heat
Dec 6, 2019
297
hearthon
Hello everyone, I just recently installed a drolet escape 1200 and absolutely love it. I've had two fires and kept them both small trying to break in the stove.

My question is, after I had my first fire it went through all of my wood. I thought it would of left some wood in the stove for me. Coming from kamado style bbqs this is not acceptable! I was wondering if I install a damper will it save me some wood for next time because it'll cut the fire out quicker?

Also on my second burn that I just did the Temps got to 300f and I tried closing the air all the way but they still climbed to 400 before starting to go down. So another reason why a damper seems necessary.


Someone said I don't need one because my chimney isn't that tall (about 10 feet) but will it help me save wood for the next burn and help my turn down the temp faster?
 
It's supposed to burn thru all the wood. I highly doubt you need a damper with a 10 foot chimney.
 
Why not keep some wood for next time? I'm surprised it supposed to burn all the wood. During shut down as you guys know it smokes a lot creating probably a lot of creasol. Thought a damper would help all of this.
 
I mean if you want to have a chimney fire then by all means keep trying to smolder your wood and keep it from burning all the way.
This is a wood stove not a bbq, so don’t try to operate the stove like it is one. Where was that temperature taken from? Single wall flue pipe? Or the stove top? If that’s the stove top that’s not even operating temperature yet.
 
It was the top of the stove, I just emailed my company to see what range they recommend on the stove top and pipe.
So your saying I should let the fire rip until it burns itself out.
 
Why not keep some wood for next time? I'm surprised it supposed to burn all the wood. During shut down as you guys know it smokes a lot creating probably a lot of creasol. Thought a damper would help all of this.
It shouldn't smoke during shut down at all just at start up
 
You can cut back the air to slow the fire down but even then it should burn through all the wood eventually. If you want to save some for later, keep it out of the stove. When it's down to coals you can add some more wood to keep the fire going.
 
With a small stove like that the only way you are going to have hot coals left is if you load every 6 hours or so.
And depending how and where you are taking that temp, 300-400* is nothing.
 
It smokes during shut down right know but maybe that's because I'm only letting it run for an hour or so to break her in.
Or you don't have enough draft. Or you aren't getting it up to operating temp
 
The temp was taken at the stove top, what do everyone recommend for stove top temp 500-700?

The draft is good for sure, when I open the door no smoke comes into the room. I'm not letting it get up to temp right now because I'm doing the break in.
 
The temp was taken at the stove top, what do everyone recommend for stove top temp 500-700?

The draft is good for sure, when I open the door no smoke comes into the room. I'm not letting it get up to temp right now because I'm doing the break in.
Just because you don't have smoke spillage doesn't mean there is enough draft to support secondary combustion. But you won't know until you have a real fire
 
Just because you don't have smoke spillage doesn't mean there is enough draft to support secondary combustion. But you won't know until you have a real fire
At the temp of 400 the flame seems to be dancing off of the top of the stove if that means anything. I've never seen anything like it.
 
At the temp of 400 the flame seems to be dancing off of the top of the stove if that means anything. I've never seen anything like it.
That's a good sign at temps that low you will probably be ok. As long as you fix your roof
 
Congratulations on the new Drolet. It will take a littel time to learn how to operate the stove. With the very short chimney, it may or may not be operating correctly if a secondary burn is not being achieved, but it may work. The Drolet breathes easily. For sure this will be nothing like running the Kamado. Once the break-in is done, we will need you to show and tell us how you are running the stove. Some helpful info would be to know:
  1. how dry is the firewood?
  2. how much wood is loaded in the stove?
  3. how far closed is the air control once the fire is burning well?
  4. is there any smoke coming out of the chimney when the fire is burning well?
  5. do you see spouts of flames coming from the secondary tubes at the top of the firebox?
  6. Temps on the stovetop and flue are helpful guides
Pictures are helpful.
 
Congratulations on the new Drolet. Take time to learn how to operate the stove. With the very short chimney, it may or may not be operating correctly if a secondary burn is not being achieved, but it may work. The Drolet breathes easily. For sure this will be nothing like running the Kamado. We will need you to show and tell us how you are running the stove. Some helpful info would be to know:
  1. how dry is the firewood?
  2. how much wood is loaded in the stove?
  3. how far closed is the air control once the fire is burning well?
  4. is there any smoke coming out of the chimney when the fire is burning well?
  5. do you see spouts of flames coming from the secondary tubes at the top of the firebox?
1) I firewood I believe is a few years old but it's not covered but is sun bleached.
2) the first time wasn't much and this time I loaded it pretty good maybe 80%
3) I didn't close the air I left it full open until I hit target temp then closed it fully and it sat arohnd 400 for a hour to break in
4) I haven't noticed any smoke from the chimney but the paint is smoking so that might make it harder to see
5) I've seen the fire re burning from the top for sure at the temp of 400.


Thank you very much, I have one more break in burn to do today and then tomorrow ill be running it over 500f and see how she runs. I'm in a high wind area with nothing around except houses. And my pipe is for sure over 2 feet from my roofline, maybe even e.
 
The chimney needs to be at least 2 ft over the roofline 10 ft away.
[Hearth.com] Damper and saving some wood?
 
Shut the air in increments... slowly. My stove I go from full open to get to temp to half open to 3/8 open to 1/4 open, usually at least 5 minutes each step. Full to half to 3/8 I don't usually get any drop in flue temperature but it slows the rise down. 3/8 to 1/4 I get a temperature drop, then it rises again. A healthy fire has secondary combustion (floating flames or jets coming from the burn tubes) AND "lazy" primary flame on the wood.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wildflush
Shut the air in increments... slowly. My stove I go from full open to get to temp to half open to 3/8 open to 1/4 open, usually at least 5 minutes each step. Full to half to 3/8 I don't usually get any drop in flue temperature but it slows the rise down. 3/8 to 1/4 I get a temperature drop, then it rises again. A healthy fire has secondary combustion (floating flames or jets coming from the burn tubes) AND "lazy" primary flame on the wood.
I'll try that next time to slowly turn down the temp. I'm going to have a fire today and let it get to 400-500f and let that run for a bit before shutting it down.
 
Ya mine is not 10 feet away but I think I have a good draft
It looks like your chimney top is above 2 ft above the roofline. If it drafts well enough at 45 or 50º for good secondary burn, then that's ok.