Key Damper Question

[thedriver]

I've got a Drolet Blackcomb 1.9 cf. stove . 23 ft . of inside chimney lined with 5.5 smooth wall steel liner, and 3 ft. of 2 wall pipe with 2 - 45* . 1 at stove and 1 at chimney. VERY good draft I've got lots of silver maple to burn . burned 3 cords last winter. got 8 cords left. we all know it burns hot and a bit faster. however I did notice the silver maple can get a bit out of control ( over burn or run away ) only once and a while if you are not paying attention . ( small splits - to much intake air or to good of a draft ) .large splits and less air made a HUGE difference. almost perfect. once we got it figured out we're good to go. heating the entire house from the basement. me and the wife just love burning .so I got a DSP key damper to help control the draft, that I learned from this forum ( thanks ). my question is why do some dampers look like they are solid and totally close off and some are not as closed off and much less restrictive like the DSP that I got ??

 

[BrotherBart]

Because you don't want to kill yourself with CO because it can't go up the chimney?

 

[thedriver]

Because you don't want to kill yourself with CO because it can't go up the chimney?

that's for sure, only if your dumb enough to shut it all the way. I would think it would be illegal to mfg. something that could be that dangerous . I thought there was more to the differences than that. thanks

 

[BrotherBart]

Specs on the DSP damper say that it displaces 4.5 inches of the pipe. So there is space around it and it doesn't block off the whole pipe. Same difference as for the ones with the holes in them that are the same width as the pipe.

 

[thedriver]

Specs on the DSP damper say that it displaces 4.5 inches of the pipe. So there is space around it and it doesn't block off the whole pipe. Same difference as for the ones with the holes in them that are the same width as the pipe.

I do understand that and how it works. it's pretty simple stuff. so there are some mfgs. that just don't have the space around it or any holes in it and no real " spec " .( CO problem ). seems like the design is really the spec of the mfg. for whatever their reasons may be safety or otherwise. thanks

 

[BrotherBart]

Actually the specs for flue dampers is detailed in UL 737 section 7.2.

 

[thedriver]

Actually the specs for flue dampers is detailed in UL 737 section 7.2.

so the UL737 section 7.2 specs a flue damper that can kill you from CO. I'm confused per your first answer . I have seen dampers that are totally closed off. if the UL sets the spec.

 

[BrotherBart]

You seem confused by all of my answers. There is no law that says anything has to be made to UL safety specs. There are key dampers that are safe and there are key dampers that are not safe.

 

[begreen]

Fortunately the unsafe variety are uncommon.

 

[thedriver]

You seem confused by all of my answers. There is no law that says anything has to be made to UL safety specs. There are key dampers that are safe and there are key dampers that are not safe.

than why didn't you just say that in the first place to just answer my question and save all the confusion. how would I know that .key dampers is something I knew little about, that's why I asked.

 

[thedriver]

Fortunately the unsafe variety are uncommon.

thank you , that's good to know.