Smoke, out the chimney.

[Slacker]

I'm starting my second year with my Drolet HT2000. I am using wood that has been seasoned 5+ years. I get my stove up to temp, 500+ stovetop 270 or so 18" up the single wall pipe. My secondaries are kicking it good. Everything seems perfect inside. I go outside and there is visible smoke coming from my chimney Everything I read on here states that I should be smoke free. What am I doing wrong???

 

[jatoxico]

Could just be water vapor. If it dissipates quickly it probably is. If it's visible for a good long way (20' or so) try adding more air and see if it goes away.

 

[firefighterjake]

Most likely water vapor . . . although it is possible the wood could be too dry and there may be some smoke -- although I strongly suspect it's water vapor.

 

[Squisher]

Bump your temps up a 100 degrees and report back.

 

[jrems]

It is possible the wood can be too dry. It will out gas faster than the secondary can re-burn. I had this issue with some kiln dried wood that was under 5% , if I mixed in some 20% wood and burned ok without smoke. In this case the smoke would be black if the wood is too dry.

 

[kennyp2339]

Do you reduce your air control all the way?

 

[Dobish]

i have been having a similar situation. I need to get a video of it, but sometimes it looks like steam, and other times I think it is smoke. I didn't think that my wood would be too dry, but some of it is coming in at 8% or so..... I have tried adding more air, but that just seems to blow the smoke out faster!

 

[Supersurvey]

Could you post picture?

 

[begreen]

White "smoke" that dissipates in 10-20 seconds is probably steam. Grey or black smoke that lingers for more than 30 seconds is wood smoke.

 

[Highbeam]

White "smoke" that dissipates in 10-20 seconds is probably steam. Grey or black smoke that lingers for more than 30 seconds is wood smoke.

There's a fine line between smoke and steam when it's white. When it's steam it will exit the cap clear and then form into whiteness some distance from the cap, like a foot, and then usually dissipates within 10 feet or so. If the whiteness is constant, from cap until it dilutes into the air then it is likely more than steam.

Also the stink. White smoke is stinky and heavy, usually sinks to the ground.