New-used Buck 26000 Issues

[sfpcservice]

Hi Everyone,

I just picked up a used buck fireplace insert. I have it installed and am using it, but whenever I open the doors to add wood, smoke billows into the living room. The damper is open fully and my chimney is clean. I don't have the trim strips installed yet and am wondering if that will make a difference? The manual on the buck site said you're supposed to be able to burn with the doors ope, but I just don't see how that would be possible! Thanks for your help! What am I doing wrong?

 

[Rob From Wisconsin]

Is your chimney lined?
Is it an exterior (cold) chimney?
What is the size of your flue?

 

[Dave_1]

All about chimneys

-snip-

3. Sluggish performance: smokey fire, hard to get a hot fire burning.

Large, cold chimneys, like old brick ones, suck up the heat from the exhaust, causing slow draft build up.

Size the flue to match the stove and use an insulated chimney to keep exhaust hot and moving quickly; never use an air-cooled chimney


http://www.woodheat.org/chimneys/chimneys.htm


The Evil Outside Chimney

(Read the chapter)

http://www.woodheat.org/chimneys/evilchim.htm


Chapter 6: Woodstove Problems

-snip-

Maximum Flue Size: Current codes and standards generally recommend that the chimney flue be no larger than three times the cross-sectional area of the stove's flue collar. Anything over three times larger will very likely result in serious venting problems, not to mention potentially- disastrous chimney fires due to increased creosote buildup in the flue.

http://www.chimneys.com/burning_secrets/chapter_6.html#Smoky

good luck with it ;-)

 

[gzecc]

I have a 28000 (same as yours but bigger) draw works fine with the doors open. Actually it sometimes looks like a fire wind storm with the doors partially open.
I would bet you don't have a connection between the insert and your chimney.
PS. I am surprised your legally able to burn wood in the bay area.
Are Happy Meals still outlawed?

 

[sfpcservice]

I have a 28000 (same as yours but bigger) draw works fine with the doors open. Actually it sometimes looks like a fire wind storm with the doors partially open.
I would bet you don't have a connection between the insert and your chimney.
PS. I am surprised your legally able to burn wood in the bay area.
Are Happy Meals still outlawed?

To answer several of the questions, yes our chimney is an outside brick chimney, and it is not lined. Today I bought an HVAC vent stack that fits nicely over the firebox flu and ran 4" flex line up passed the smoke chamber into the top portion of the chimney. That seemed to help a tiny bit, but there is no way I'll be able to burn with the doors open. Our house inst really that tight, it was built in 78 so I don't think it's a feed problem. The fireplace flu is about 10x12 and the opening on top of the stove is about 14x4. I'll read up on the articles. I'm guessing I'll need to line my chimney from top to bottom for this to work right?

 

[Rob From Wisconsin]

I have a 28000 (same as yours but bigger) draw works fine with the doors open. Actually it sometimes looks like a fire wind storm with the doors partially open.
I would bet you don't have a connection between the insert and your chimney.
PS. I am surprised your legally able to burn wood in the bay area.
Are Happy Meals still outlawed?

To answer several of the questions, yes our chimney is an outside brick chimney, and it is not lined. Today I bought an HVAC vent stack that fits nicely over the firebox flu and ran 4" flex line up passed the smoke chamber into the top portion of the chimney. That seemed to help a tiny bit, but there is no way I'll be able to burn with the doors open. Our house inst really that tight, it was built in 78 so I don't think it's a feed problem. The fireplace flu is about 10x12 and the opening on top of the stove is about 14x4. I'll read up on the articles. I'm guessing I'll need to line my chimney from top to bottom for this to work right?

Not a good/safe fix.

The liner needs to connect to the stove & run the entire length of the flue.
The liner needs to be stainless steel (304 or 316).
The liner also needs to be wrapped with insulation.

 

[Dave_1]

sfpcservice,

"I’m guessing I’ll need to line my chimney from top to bottom for this to work right?"

Correct as Rob has stated.

And since the S.F. area is a mild climate such will also impede your stove's operation.

Thus the chimney is even more important in your situation.

Google chimney operation & or search this website to get some info on what your up against.

Good luck with it. ;-)

 

[sfpcservice]

So I lined my chimney from top to bottom with 4" flex pipe and a cap at the top of the chimney with a direct conection at the bottom to my stove. The draft is quite a bit stronger, but still not adequate to run the stove with the doors open. I used some liner I had laying around from an old gas insert for a "proof-of-concept", so I'm not out any money. Before I drop $500 on all the materials I need, what size and shape liner should I be using? My stove has a rectangular outlet at the top and is an older buck 26000 or 28000, not sure how to tell which exactly.

 

[gzecc]

So I lined my chimney from top to bottom with 4" flex pipe and a cap at the top of the chimney with a direct conection at the bottom to my stove. The draft is quite a bit stronger, but still not adequate to run the stove with the doors open. I used some liner I had laying around from an old gas insert for a "proof-of-concept", so I'm not out any money. Before I drop $500 on all the materials I need, what size and shape liner should I be using? My stove has a rectangular outlet at the top and is an older buck 26000 or 28000, not sure how to tell which exactly.

Go to http://www.servicesales.com/stove_parts/buck_parts.html
for stove id and I think they even have an install manual on line.
That 4" pipe could be 1/2 as large as needed.