Is fire supposed to stop roaring when you lock the latch???

[Lewisthepilgrim]

ok so I'm having an issue. I've got the fire ROARING right now. But the door is open a tiny little bit (like 1/4'' crack).

As soon as I pull tight on the handle to really clamp the door shut, the fire dies WAAAAAYYYY down and stops roaring. It will still burn... but it is definitely not roaring anymore.

I don't think its a draft issue, because I can see the flames rolling over and over and getting sucked way up the front of the stove. The secondary ignition pipes are lighting the gasses like crazy!

What would cause my fire to die down like this??? Is it being starved for air somehow? Would not 100% super dry wood cause this? (aged 2 years, but just kept out back in the open)

The stove is just NOT getting as hot as I would like it to be...

I only have the intake air adjustment on my stove, I don't have a flue damper.... would this help get my temps UP ??

 

[oldspark]

How long you had this stove and a stupid question, do you have the draft open.

 

[Lewisthepilgrim]

I Just got the stove, its a couple year old Sumers heat from Lowes. Yes the intake air is open all the way.

 

[oldspark]

OK the routine is we need details of your chimney and wood.

 

[Dix]

Add your stove to your signature line, Lew, please.

Welcome to the forums !

 

[Lewisthepilgrim]

OK the routine is we need details of your chimney and wood.

Chimney is 7.5''x 7.5'' BRAND new clay liner (previous owner never used it). Single story house, Chimney height is aprox 13 feet from where the stove pipe enters the brick chimney , all the way to the top...No cap.

Wood is aged 2 years, piled up behind my house (no cover)....

I have been just pulling wood from the pile and throwing it right in the stove. Should I dry it out a little somehow first?

I am just not happy with the temp my stove is burning !

 

[oldspark]

I hate to be the one to tell you this but that chimney is a little on the short side.

 

[Lewisthepilgrim]

I hate to be the one to tell you this but that chimney is a little on the short side.

Short eh? Whats recommended?

So you think its a draft issue?

What about wood, do you guys dry your wood out inside for a couple days before burning?

I will see If I can messure my exact chimney legnth tommorrow.

 

[Dix]

Lew, is that an Englander?

 

[Lewisthepilgrim]

Lew, is that an Englander?

just updated my sig. Its a Summers heat from Lowes. And yes Its the same company I think

 

[Shari]

Sounds like too short of a chimeny, no 6" stainless liner = bad draft.

 

[Battenkiller]

I hate to be the one to tell you this but that chimney is a little on the short side.

Coupled with an oversized cross-sectional area. 6" round flue has 28 sq.in. 7"x9" (8x12 nominal size) has 63 sq.in.

 

[Lewisthepilgrim]

I hate to be the one to tell you this but that chimney is a little on the short side.

Coupled with an oversized cross-sectional area. 6" round flue has 28 sq.in. 7"x9" (8x12 nominal size) has 63 sq.in.

wow really? so I'm over my 2.5 X the 6'' .... I'm gonna climb up there tommorrow first thing and double check my meassurements.

I actually have a 6'' liner out next to my shed. Guess I should throw it in huh??

Whats the recomended height for a chimney in my situation?

 

[cptoneleg]

I hate to be the one to tell you this but that chimney is a little on the short side.

Coupled with an oversized cross-sectional area. 6" round flue has 28 sq.in. 7"x9" (8x12 nominal size) has 63 sq.in.

wow really? so I'm over my 2.5 X the 6'' .... I'm gonna climb up there tommorrow first thing and double check my meassurements.

I actually have a 6'' liner out next to my shed. Guess I should throw it in huh??

Whats the recomended height for a chimney in my situation?

Is this your first fire?? My chimney is only 13' to 14' I thought it needed to extend above roof x feet. When I shut the door my stove slows down a little till it gets going good.

 

[Lewisthepilgrim]

I hate to be the one to tell you this but that chimney is a little on the short side.

Coupled with an oversized cross-sectional area. 6" round flue has 28 sq.in. 7"x9" (8x12 nominal size) has 63 sq.in.

wow really? so I'm over my 2.5 X the 6'' .... I'm gonna climb up there tommorrow first thing and double check my meassurements.

I actually have a 6'' liner out next to my shed. Guess I should throw it in huh??

Whats the recomended height for a chimney in my situation?

Is this your first fire?? My chimney is only 13' to 14' I thought it needed to extend above roof x feet. When I shut the door my stove slows down a little till it gets going good.

been burning about 2 weeks. yeah I'm a newb My fires have only been lasting a few hours, definitely not lasting all night.

 

[MasterMech]

The colder it gets outside the better your chimney will work.

 

[Lewisthepilgrim]

ok So I just measured the flue diameter, its actually only 7.5'' x 7.5'' square flue(interior diameter)

Tommorrow I will climb the roof and measure chimney height.

The colder it gets outside the better your chimney will work.

Good to know !

 

[Loco Gringo]

The colder it gets outside the better your chimney will work.

Thats where I was going. Bet it was rather mild out last night wasnt it?

 

[iceman]

Your stove will perform much better with a liner...
Do you hear any hissing when you put wood into the stove?

 

[shawneyboy]

Short chimney w/ 2 90's ? big chimney w/ no liner! Mild temps. These are the ingredients for a not so good burn.

 

[pen]

I agree on the chimney being an issue, but just wanted to be certain in regards to the wood that it was cut, split, and stacked 2 years ago?

If it was logs, or even rounds, or even splits just thrown in a heap, that would might not be ready.

pen

 

[Wood Duck]

If the secondaries are firing and flames are rolling in the draft, why isn't that a strong enough burn? My stove gets hottest with healthy (but nor roaring) flames and lots of secondaries. My stove takes an hour or so to get to full temperature.

 

[iceman]

The chimney height might not be perfect but its within operating height...
He def needs a liner and 45s would be better but in this case it seems like he is operating the stove right...
My fire only "roars" for me when the door is open... Sounds like draft and possibly not completely dry wood are taking his stove longer to get going...... Which is NORMAL under these conditions...
Once you have all coals in your stove reload, CLOSE the door completely, leave air lever so that it is all the way open and wait ... Eventually the wood will catch once it does let it go another 5 minutes then close the air to halfway. Another 10min close almost all the way and leave it .. if the fire dies out (no secondaries" give it more air ....
This could take 30 mintues or more depending on your wood/draft...it also might take less time..
It would really benefit you to get a stove top therm... This way it would be easier for you to know when to throttle back and you could actually see your stove getting warmer without the roaring..
When I have less than ready wood I have to reload at a higher temp otherwise the stove will take forever to really get going

 

[Shari]

If the secondaries are firing and flames are rolling in the draft, why isn't that a strong enough burn. My stove gets hottest with healthy flames and lots of secondaries. My stove takes an hour or so to get to full temperature.

From a basically 'cold' stove this morning at 6am (last fire was lit around 6pm last night) it took me around 40 minutes from start to final air turn down. Depends on type of wood, how seasoned your wood is - and - outside temp.

 

[oldspark]

"The chimney height might not be perfect but its within operating height" It's 13 feet with two 90's and an oversize flue, IMHO that does not fall into specs, even if his wood is prime I dont think he will ever be happy with how the stove works. Even if he puts 45's in there and a liner it will be barely good enough, but you never know until you try it.