Considering adding a damper to my Selkirk system. Have a few questions.

[russell1047]

I have a drolet escape 1800 with Selkirk double wall stove pipe (telescoping). I realized I can load my stove north/South this week. In the process I also learned I likely need a damper because that thing took the hell off like I've never seen before. I was actually nervous seeing it burn that hot. It burnt through a full load in two hours. So my question is can I keep the telescoping section after I install the damper? I assume the drill holes won't line up after placing the damper right?

 

[all night moe]

Besides possible to much draft, it sounds like you have to much air feeding the fire.
More info is needed. How old is your setup? Could you possibly need a new door gasket?

 

[russell1047]

Besides possible to much draft, it sounds like you have to much air feeding the fire.
More info is needed. How old is your setup? Could you possibly need a new door gasket?

It was installed in January. This is the 3rd month I've run it. Usually I run it east/west and the burn isn't crazy like that and when I get the vent all the way closed I get nice slow flames and the top I get the secondary burn (but very very gentle). I could get a good 6 maybe 7 hours of a burn if I did everything right. North/South though and I could actually see the jets from the secondary burn extending 4-5 inches aggressively with the vent all the way closed. Granted I probably don't need to change much but sometimes it would be nice to be able to get it to burn hotter with ease. Just not without losing control. If that makes sense.

 

[all night moe]

I'm not familiar with your stove. 6-7hr burn time sounds on par.
Other members will chime in.

 

[kborndale]

How tall is your chimney?

 

[russell1047]

How tall is your chimney?

I don't have the exact height right now but I want to say 20-22.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

The Selkirk double wall damper is quite expensive. Over $150 least expensive I've seen.

Instead of playing 20 questions, please take a picture of your stove, stove pipe and chimney so we can see what you're working with. Trying to visualize is difficult.

Pictures will make this process a lot simpler.

 

[russell1047]

The Selkirk double wall damper is quite expensive. Over $150 least expensive I've seen.

Instead of playing 20 questions, please take a picture of your stove, stove pipe and chimney so we can see what you're working with. Trying to visualize is difficult.

Pictures will make this process a lot simpler.

Good point. I don't have a picture of the whole stove pipe. It's a telescoping section hooked up to the ceiling round piece (forget the correct terminology).

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Good point. I don't have a picture of the whole stove pipe. It's a telescoping section hooked up to the ceiling round piece (forget the correct terminology).

The round piece is called a chimney ceiling support bracket or something along those lines. Every company calls them a little different.

Your stove pipe is double walled straight up to chimney pipe at the ceiling of the first floor and straight up through the 2nd floor and out the roof. Looks like a support bracket there too?

The top of the chimney is at least 2 feet higher than anything within 10 feet? Specifically the roof ridgeline? A little hard to tell from the pic.

This might be an issue of a small learning curve for you.

Tell us more about the n/s fire that took off. Was it a fresh start warm or cold stove? Bed of coals how thick?

At what point did you start closing down the air intake?

Run us through the whole experience.

 

[russell1047]

The round piece is called a chimney ceiling support bracket or something along those lines. Every company calls them a little different.

Your stove pipe is double walled straight up to chimney pipe at the ceiling of the first floor and straight up through the 2nd floor and out the roof. Looks like a support bracket there too?

The top of the chimney is at least 2 feet higher than anything within 10 feet? Specifically the roof ridgeline? A little hard to tell from the pic.

This might be an issue of a small learning curve for you.

Tell us more about the n/s fire that took off. Was it a fresh start warm or cold stove? Bed of coals how thick?

At what point did you start closing down the air intake?

Run us through the whole experience.

So yeah I went extra safe and put supports at the ceiling level and roof level since the roof support also made sure the proper distance was kept from combustibles. And yes I made sure to follow the rule 10-2-1? Or whatever it is. It's two feet higher than the ridge line.

And yes I'm still trying to learn how to get the most from my burns (sometimes the flame goes out because I closed the air intake too early).

I want to say when I did this one it was the third load of the day. I read that my stove can take splits n/s. So once the second load had maybe two hours of burnable coals I grabbed a bunch of splits and filled it up as much as I could while keeping space between to burn. It definitely took more pieces that way. Maybe fifteen minutes later with the intake open, the box was fully going and I started turning it down incrementally. Before a half hour hit the box was going at mach 5. I closed the intake and it didn't change a bit. I never saw any pipe turn red but it definitely got the hottest I've seen it with the secondary burn strong enough to be able to make out all of the air holes. I just sat and watched it nervously with my chimfex and extinguisher checking outside occasionally and around the stove. The wind speed was super high. I think like 50mph. Maybe I'll try it again tomorrow and see if wind was the factor.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

So yeah I went extra safe and put supports at the ceiling level and roof level since the roof support also made sure the proper distance was kept from combustibles. And yes I made sure to follow the rule 10-2-1? Or whatever it is. It's two feet higher than the ridge line.

And yes I'm still trying to learn how to get the most from my burns (sometimes the flame goes out because I closed the air intake too early).

I want to say when I did this one it was the third load of the day. I read that my stove can take splits n/s. So once the second load had maybe two hours of burnable coals I grabbed a bunch of splits and filled it up as much as I could while keeping space between to burn. It definitely took more pieces that way. Maybe fifteen minutes later with the intake open, the box was fully going and I started turning it down incrementally. Before a half hour hit the box was going at mach 5. I closed the intake and it didn't change a bit. I never saw any pipe turn red but it definitely got the hottest I've seen it with the secondary burn strong enough to be able to make out all of the air holes. I just sat and watched it nervously with my chimfex and extinguisher checking outside occasionally and around the stove. The wind speed was super high. I think like 50mph. Maybe I'll try it again tomorrow and see if wind was the factor.

Excellent on the chimney 12-2-3; well at 20-22 feet you're sporting a chimney with a really good draft. (most likely) add high winds and woosh! In your case, I would consider adding the flue damper as that will let you slow the draft down to a manageable level. If your building N/S on a reasonably good bed of coals, I would watch for the wood to start burning and then dialing it down from there. I have an old woodstove and If I'm not careful it will burn my entire re-load of wood in 2-3 hours. I do just what I just told you. Get the wood just burning and start shutting down the intake and the damper.

You might experience some dirty glass but every stove is different.

Let us know how it goes tonight.

I'd also recommend a stove top magnetic thermometer and an IR thermometer. You can get them online, for a reasonable amount of $$. The IR at a minimum, though it won't measure flue temps through a double wall stovepipe.

 

[stoveliker]

This

filled it up as much as I could while keeping space between to burn.

is the problem imo.
Filling it up you need to pack it tight. No space between the splits as that leads to too much surface area accessible to burn.

Play stove tetris instead. You get more wood (fuel) in,.so longer burns, and a better controllable fire.

 

[russell1047]

Excellent on the chimney 12-2-3; well at 20-22 feet you're sporting a chimney with a really good draft. (most likely) add high winds and woosh! In your case, I would consider adding the flue damper as that will let you slow the draft down to a manageable level. If your building N/S on a reasonably good bed of coals, I would watch for the wood to start burning and then dialing it down from there. I have an old woodstove and If I'm not careful it will burn my entire re-load of wood in 2-3 hours. I do just what I just told you. Get the wood just burning and start shutting down the intake and the damper.

You might experience some dirty glass but every stove is different.

Let us know how it goes tonight.

I'd also recommend a stove top magnetic thermometer and an IR thermometer. You can get them online, for a reasonable amount of $$. The IR at a minimum, though it won't measure flue temps through a double wall stovepipe.

Sounds good. I have a stove top one but it gets stuck occasionally. It was literally off the scale at this point though. That's why I was kind of nervous. I think I'll look into an IR one though. I'll try it tomorrow night and report back. Thank you

 

[russell1047]

This

is the problem imo.
Filling it up you need to pack it tight. No space between the splits as that leads to too much surface area accessible to burn.

Play stove tetris instead. You get more wood (fuel) in,.so longer burns, and a better controllable fire.

I'll try that as well. I wasn't sure how tight I should pack it.

 

[Murray01]

50 mph winds will stoke a fire

 

[begreen]

I'll try that as well. I wasn't sure how tight I should pack it.

Pack it well. North South loading lets the boost and airwash air travel right down the length of the splits. E/W loading acts like a dam in front of this air supplying the fire.
Here is this morning's fire. It's all softwood with a top down start. Normally I load thicker splits, but this is what was on the top of the pile. The second picture is the coal bed 10 hrs later.

 

[Max W]

I have a drolet escape 1800 with Selkirk double wall stove pipe (telescoping). I realized I can load my stove north/South this week. In the process I also learned I likely need a damper because that thing took the hell off like I've never seen before. I was actually nervous seeing it burn that hot. It burnt through a full load in two hours. So my question is can I keep the telescoping section after I install the damper? I assume the drill holes won't line up after placing the damper right?

Can you install the damper in the exposed section of the inside pipe and still have room to slide the pipe to take apart or put together?

 

[moresnow]

Maybe fifteen minutes later with the intake open

Sounds like the existing coal bed and high winds required turning down your primary air much quicker and in larger increments.
If you can stay ahead of the load you should be able to see a nice benefit to n/s loading.
Good luck.

 

[all night moe]

Can you install the damper in the exposed section of the inside pipe and still have room to slide the pipe to take apart or put together?

Sounds like the existing coal bed and high winds required turning down your primary air much quicker and in larger increments.
If you can stay ahead of the load you should be able to see a nice benefit to n/s loading.
Good luck.

Combination of these 2 suggestions....and the Tetris packing splits N/S, commented earlier.

 

[russell1047]

Can you install the damper in the exposed section of the inside pipe and still have room to slide the pipe to take apart or put together?

You mean in this section of the telescope? Yeah I would still have plenty of room. I wasn't sure if the damper has to go between the stove and the stove pipe.

 

[russell1047]

Excellent on the chimney 12-2-3; well at 20-22 feet you're sporting a chimney with a really good draft. (most likely) add high winds and woosh! In your case, I would consider adding the flue damper as that will let you slow the draft down to a manageable level. If your building N/S on a reasonably good bed of coals, I would watch for the wood to start burning and then dialing it down from there. I have an old woodstove and If I'm not careful it will burn my entire re-load of wood in 2-3 hours. I do just what I just told you. Get the wood just burning and start shutting down the intake and the damper.

You might experience some dirty glass but every stove is different.

Let us know how it goes tonight.

I'd also recommend a stove top magnetic thermometer and an IR thermometer. You can get them online, for a reasonable amount of $$. The IR at a minimum, though it won't measure flue temps through a double wall stovepipe.

This is my first burn this morning. They usually go this way where the flames are usually at the top of the stove.

 

[russell1047]

This is my first burn this morning. They usually go this way where the flames are usually at the top of the stove.

Combination of these 2 suggestions....and the Tetris packing splits N/S, commented earlier.

Alright I'll try that on the next load. Thanks everyone

 

[russell1047]

Pack it well. North South loading lets the boost and airwash air travel right down the length of the splits. E/W loading acts like a dam in front of this air supplying the fire.
Here is this morning's fire. It's all softwood with a top down start. Normally I load thicker splits, but this is what was on the top of the pile. The second picture is the coal bed 10 hrs later.
View attachment 343107 View attachment 343108

Second load of the day. Trying N/s. Couldn't find a short piece for that void. I immediately closed the air completely. Will update later

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Second load of the day. Trying N/s. Couldn't find a short piece for that void. I immediately closed the air completely. Will update later

looks good from here! 😁 Check out this N/S load N/S Loading There are a lot of posts in that thread and it can be interesting! I read it every day

 

[russell1047]

looks good from here! 😁 Check out this N/S load N/S Loading There are a lot of posts in that thread and it can be interesting! I read it every day

Thanks I'll check it out. Looks like the fire still has some pretty good velocity and I expect it to increase more. Definitely not going to get the lazy mesmerizing burn this way I think.