Do I have too much draft

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WellSeasoned

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I have 18' pipe straight up from my yotul stove, single story house. When I had the stove installed last year, I had them add another 3' section from the 15' they said would be ok, because I read here on hearth my particular stove loves good draft. I agree, but I feel I have too much. My stack temps I feel are too high, always hovering around 900* even if the stove to is at 400* to 600*. Can I safely remove a 3' section and see where my stacks temps end up?

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That's pretty warm, but it makes sense that the stove top is only 4-600. All the heat is going up the pipe. Any chance of an air leak? Check gaskets? Something doesn't seem right, but 18' isn't anywhere near excessive.
 
I did the dollar bill test. The ash pan door, all is right. The main door, all is tight as per the stove manual.... except is alittle looser by the door handle, but not where I can wiggle the dollar bill up and down. I tried a lighter, and with the stove and pipe, flame didn't move in toward the stove at all. I forgot to mention I have an OAK (outside air kit). I questioned possibly needing a damper last year, but would rather not go that route. Thx

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That is a bit perplexing. I had about 20 ft on our Castine and the flue rarely got up to that range unless I spaced out the air control. I have to wonder if the flue thermometer is correct. How does the fire look when burning? Did you have the top off the stove this summer for cleaning?
 
Green.... I have not done any maintenance except a quick sweep of the chimney and a flashlight check throughout the stove. I bought the probe thermo 3/4 into last season, stove top is 50 to 75 deg too low compared to my ir meter readings. I leave the air open until the stove is just about up to temp, then begin to turn it down. If there is a leak, how do I find it? The installers didn't put in any screws at the ceiling box where the pipe meets it, so I added a 1"self tapping that goes through both pipes (dbl wall). The stove has gotten hot once, around 900*F, When I smelled the stove paint or a hot metal smell, but no orange glowing.

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Here's your problem, once you get the flue up to temp start shutting the air down.

I have always gone by what the stove top said and how the fire looked. I only just installed the probe 3/4 into last season. I'll give that a try and report my findings, thx be well

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Here's your problem, once you get the flue up to temp start shutting the air down.

Good advice . . . with the Jotul (note Jotul with a "J" ;) ) Oslo -- the Castine's bigger brother once I have the temp up with the probe thermo in the stack I do as Dairyman said . . . I start to close down the air and what generally happens is the stove top temp will go up and the stack temp will either stay around the same temp or dip down a bit.
 
Yep, believe it or not, you could actually be giving it too much air that can actually cool the stove but heat up the pipe. Play with the settings, I am sure you have a sweet spot in there somewhere.
 
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I agree on closing that draft some a whole lot sooner. We go by the flue temperature mostly as to when to start dialing down but it does not take long.

As for reducing that chimney by 3', there is no reason you can't. But it remains to be seen how much that would help. I took 4' off ours just for kicks and our chimney is too short now but it works just fine.
 
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Isn't it amazing the amount of information you can get from this site!!! Just so you don't feel bad it took me over 2 years to learn how to start a good fire and keep it going and now going into my sixth season I don't even think about it just do it, it's all 2nd nature.

Like most are saying you have to find your sweet spot, it may take some time but you will get it.

Good luck and enjoy the nice warm evenings and your furnace doesn't come on even when it's frigid outside.

Brian
 
I had terrible over fires and could not figure it out for the world until I finnaly called my dealer and they called Jotul who sent out a rep. It turned out that a bunch of there stoves had bad gasket cement and that was the culprit. For some reason there cement did not dry all the way and cure properly which let air in, as soon as I removed cleaned and replaced the cement and gaskets the over fires stopped. This may not be it but that was my experience.

Pete
 
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You guys are all awesome. I have been going by stove top temp all along. I will certainly go by the flue, and give you all my results. Pallet pete, sending a pm, I think I may have some cement problems after all down in the dog house. Thx

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I guess one advantage of running the way you have is that you must not have accumulated barely any creosote!!! 900 stack temps are a little toasty for my liking. Once my stack temp reaches 600 I start turning it down...

A
 
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So if I'm watching flu temps, the "good" zone is between 400 and 800, at what temp should I start to close it down? Thx

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With my stove ( same air control ) I let the flue get to 400F then close it to 3/4 open wait for the flue to hit 600 then put it between 1/2 and 3/4 air depending on the outside temp and it will cruze at 600f on the flue and 450 stove top. If Its colder I will close it in steps to 1/4 air and the stove top will get to 600F and hang there.

Pete
 
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I NEVER get stack temps over 600 degrees. Usually, after the fire settles in and it's a-cruisin, I maintain around 550-600 degrees. The secondarys just "laze" away......
 
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I NEVER get stack temps over 600 degrees. Usually, after the fire settles in and it's a-cruisin, I maintain around 550-600 degrees. The secondarys just "laze" away......

My probe hit 800 this morning but that was before i started adjusting the for load of 3 birch split and one oak split.
 
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I tried this method, and it stayed at about 600F, room for improvement, but getting there. I feel like a dumb arse for doing it wrong all last year, and the wood I ended up going through. Oh well, drink another beer I guess. Be well

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I tried this method, and it stayed at about 600F, room for improvement, but getting there. I feel like a dumb arse for doing it wrong all last year, and the wood I ended up going through. Oh well, drink another beer I guess. Be well

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We ALL go through the learning curve. Sometimes we "tweak" things and have to do it all over again. That's what makes this site so nice, and the people on here are PRICELESS tools in your woodburning arsenal....
 
I tried this method, and it stayed at about 600F, room for improvement, but getting there. I feel like a dumb arse for doing it wrong all last year, and the wood I ended up going through. Oh well, drink another beer I guess. Be well

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Don't feel bad i am still learning also.
 
WellSeasoned: don't feel bad. My Osburn 2300 is 2 years old. And only at the second half of last winter did I really get a feel for how to heat it. My temps are usually between 400-500. Personally I would not want the temps any higher as I feel that it would be wasting heat up the chimney.

Since mine has a bypass damper it took me some time getting used to it (how long to leave it open, close it, wait, adjust, etc).

HOwever, now you have learned and this winter will be 10 times more fun to heat!

A
 
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We're all learning. That's part of the fun of wood burning. And we all make mistakes. Some are just more stubborn about learning from them. >>
 
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