Osburn 1600 insert

[Carto]

Hello all... I'm fairly new to my Osburn 1600 insert (burned it for three seasons). It is an early 1990's model and from what I can tell a non-cat EPA stove. It is being used as a free-standing unit with 6 feet of interior flue exposed to a roughly 700 sq. ft. shop.

I was considering adding a flue damper to this setup and before doing so, wanted to get input from other Osburn owners on this subject. Have others added a flue damper and has it improved your burn times and heating capabilities? I have been unable to find results using dampers with Osburn units.

Many swear by using dampers to improve overall heating and further control their stoves output. Would their be any adverse affects to adding a flue damper to my setup?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks.

 

[jqgs214]

Paging Elk to the Code offenders room!

 

[Jimbob]

Paging Elk to the Code offenders room!

..... :lol:

 

[Carto]

Paging Elk to the Code offenders room!

Care to expand upon the "code offenders" comment?

 

[velvetfoot]

It might be the insert-as-free-standing-stove thing.

 

[Carto]

Thanks Velvetfoot for your response.

To expain further and provide more details:

I do not understand how it could possibly be a code violation. The unit has a built in fireshield and is placed appropriately (to code) from combustibles (i.e. the rear wall and ceiling). Further, I placed cement board (with a one inch airspace) on the wall behind the unit and flue pipe as it travels up to the 90 to exit the room. I also placed cement board (with airspace) on the ceiling at the 90 prior to entering triple wall stainless steel pipe which goes through the wall. All of this cement board was placed to ensure that no single wall pipe is exposed to an unprotected combustible surface within code limits.

My real question revolves around the use of a flue damper as explained in my original post.

Thanks.

 

[elkimmeg]

I think some of the concern voice earlier is installing an insert that is only tested and approved to be installed into a safe NFPA 211 compliant masonry fireplace.

There are some stoves made by Lopi that can either be free standing or inserts.


As for the damper question: I am having a hard time answering that question, thus almost encouraging to to continue using a stove in an application it is not approved for

 

[begreen]

How tall is the flue? If the flue is not very long to begin with, I wouldn't throttle the draft down even further. A blower will probably recover more heat.

 

[Carto]

How tall is the flue? If the flue is not very long to begin with, I wouldn't throttle the draft down even further. A blower will probably recover more heat.

Thanks both to Elk and BeGreen for your replies.

The flue length is 18 feet total from stove to cap. Is this too short to be adding a damper?

Thanks!

 

[Gooserider]

Technically the only way an insert can legally be installed per codes is if it is placed into a properly functional NFPA fireplace, or if it is listed to be put into a ZC fireplace. There are a FEW inserts, mostly older ones that can also be used as free standing stoves with the addition of a leg kit, or with other modifications, but if so, it will say so, along with any required changes, in the manual. I think this is the code violation being mentioned. It sounds to me like you are trying to do the "right thing" and I give credit for that, but you can't make a legal install no matter what you do, if the unit isn't listed for use the way you are using it. There are also potential issues with it being in a shop environment.

That said, an 18 foot stack is not really tall enough to need a damper, especially since you have at least one 90* bend in it (you subtract 5' from the effective stack height for each 90). If anything, you may well be to SHORT as if you have two 90's then your effective height is only 8 feet, and most stoves look for 12-15' as a minimum...

Gooserider