Check out my new Enviro M55 install...

[JBiBBs5]

Wow looks really nice.

I have a M55 Steel being installed next month. I didn't get OAK spec'd out, and now I'm thinking I shoudl have. The installer said it wasn't needed. Now I'm thinking it just may be.

It seems like most of the installers try to avoid the OAK and I'm not really sure why. When I was quoted the installer said that it wasn't even necessary and it would only be extra expense.

I can tell you first hand that the M55 is a powerful machine and after feeling the intake last night there is no way I'd go without the OAK.

 

[Millsk]

I'm curious to how OAK affects fire box temp and over all stove efficiency. Seems to me that you may run a lower fire box temp. With 20 degree outside air being fed into the unit.

 

[GrahamInVa]

I'm curious to how OAK affects fire box temp and over all stove efficiency. Seems to me that you may run a lower fire box temp. With 20 degree outside air being fed into the unit.

The temperature of a pellet stove flame is around 1500-2000 degrees. The outside air being 40-50 degrees colder probably has little effect.

My OAK is integrated into my vent, so the outside air is actually heated up before retching the stove. Once again, probably has little effect.

Without a OAK you suck cold air through cracks in the house which effectively lowers the temp inside your home and I've heard it can feel drafty.

 

[save$]

I'm curious to how OAK affects fire box temp and over all stove efficiency. Seems to me that you may run a lower fire box temp. With 20 degree outside air being fed into the unit.

The temperature of a pellet stove flame is around 1500-2000 degrees. The outside air being 40-50 degrees colder probably has little effect.

My OAK is integrated into my vent, so the outside air is actually heated up before retching the stove. Once again, probably has little effect.

Without a OAK you suck cold air through cracks in the house which effectively lowers the temp inside your home and I've heard it can feel drafty.

My home is fairly tight. Once I had the OAK installed, I felt that the flame was more brisk on the same settings. Overall, it improves the burn and heat production.
Stands to reason. If you ck the exhaust comming out of your stove, keep in mind that air feeding that burn had to come from somewhere. With no OAK, that air was sucked into your home, mixed with the room air (wasted heat and drafty) exhausted out. With OAK, all the exhaust has come from outside air with no negative pressure sucking cold outside air into your home.

 

[jtakeman]

I have done the trials with or without OAK. I found exhaust temps dropped little with cold air from the OAK. My check was timed with an alarm. Temp checked after 2 hours. If money wasn't so tight I had planned on getting a data logger and posted the graphs with or without OAK. The data logger would record outside air temp/humidity and the actual exhaust temp. And sample every 6 seconds for 24 hrs.

I'll ask the Mrs. for one on my birthday or xmas gift!

 

[imacman]

Congrats on the new stove....looks great!

Do NOT use PVC for the OAK.

BTW, the stove stink could have been reduced a lot if the stove had been pre-burned outside on Med-High for a couple of hours.

 

[Nicholas440]

Thats a very nice looking stove. What I would like someone to explain is if the stove uses a 3 or 4 inch exhaust vent why would anyone want to use a 2 inch OAK ? Doesnt it make sense to use the same volume of air going in as the exhaust vent uses going out ?


This puzzles me... Seems almost all the OAKS I see here mentioned are 2 inches only..

 

[Millsk]

Air expands when heated.

 

[JBiBBs5]

Thats a very nice looking stove. What I would like someone to explain is if the stove uses a 3 or 4 inch exhaust vent why would anyone want to use a 2 inch OAK ? Doesnt it make sense to use the same volume of air going in as the exhaust vent uses going out ?


This puzzles me... Seems almost all the OAKS I see here mentioned are 2 inches only..

Millsk is right, air does expand when heated. My exhaust is 4" and the oak will be 3" so there's really not that big of a difference.