Drolet HT2000/HT3000 Over Draft Issues

[rtrev37]

Hello Everyone,

I have the DROLET HT2000 and wanted to share a nasty little secret that many HT2000 stove owner may have never known. Although this stove's performance is exceptional, some , if not all, may experience an over draft issue that causes your HT2000 to burn alot faster than usual.

This winter, I have been burning really dry wood but have noticed that the burn time was usually between 3-4 hours. However, I also know that burn length can also be very subjective. For my purposes, 3-4 hours means going from its usual highest temp and back down to 300 degrees. I also noticed that after reading the 500 degree or more mark, I can shut down the main damper completly and keep it going with the secondary air intake. The gasification process is not only beatiful but astonishing. I never totally fill my stove but do average about 5 logs to start my burn and 3-4 logs there after to keep it going.- and this is where the 3-4 hour burn time begins. This burn time has caused me to wonder how can anyone get 10 or more hours of burn time as some have claimed on this stove?


After reading around for a while, I came across someone referencing the secondary air intake beinging located under the ash pan door. This seondary air intake for the HT3000 is located inside the ash pan just above the door. Unfortunately, this secondry air intake is unrestricted which can cause your wood to burn a lot faster than desired due to a possible over draft in your stove. Based on what i had read and have tried, you can partially block this air intake with a piece of noncombustable material - furnace tape is what I have used. The result being, a more controlled burn with longer burn time. I have increased my burn time to 6-7 hours with the same amount of wood and no longer needing to reload at the 300 degree mark because the house remained a lot warmer due to the time increase of heat output. Now, i just reload after 8-9 hours , at about 175-200 degree and start the process over again. with over night burn of 12 hours, i still have enough coal to start a new burn, which is something i was not able to do before this fix.

However, this story does not end here. I had emails the SBI company and shared my situation, concerns and furnace tape usage, to ensure I would not comrpomise my stove. To my amazement, SBI not only confirmed the possible over draft issues wth this stove and the usage of furnace tape, as a temporary fix, but have also sent me the secondary air damper that can be self installed to the Drolet HT2000. Well why did they not mentioned that option at all from the beginning? I am guessing that this secondry air damper usage may decrease the efficiency of the stove and its why they do not mentioned it (guess, guess guess only).

THE POINT IS: If you have a Drolet HT2000 and have draft issues with a fast burn time, getting the Secondary Air iIntake Damper is an optional self installation gaget you can get from SBI. The same concept applies for the HT3000, yet i do not know if they have a seocndary air damper for this model, since the unrestricted air intake is located insde the ash pan and i dont own the HT3000. But asking will definetly not hurt. However, you can also use the furnace tape or any noncombustable material to cover a portion of that air intake and see how well it works for you.

Hope this helps.

 

[begreen]

These stoves are easy breathers which makes them great for single-story installs. If the draft is strong due to a tall flue system another option is to add a key damper in the stovepipe to bring the draft back down to within spec. It's not uncommon for a 3+ cu ft stove to have a 10 hr burn time. Longer burn times usually require a full load of wood to achieve this.

What is the part number for the Drolet secondary damper? Is it fixed or adjustable depending on the stage of the fire?

 

[rtrev37]

These stoves are easy breathers which makes them great for single-story installs. If the draft is strong due to a tall flue system another option is to add a key damper in the stovepipe. It is not uncommon for a 3+ cu ft stove to have a 10 hr burn time. Longer burn times usually require a full-load of wood to achieve.

What is the part number for the Drolet secondary damper? Is it fixed or adjustable depending on the stage of the fire?

The product number is SE36763 and seem to only be issued for problems with overdrafting. its has to be bolted to the air intake under the door with screws. Once bolted, It has a protruding handle that you can use to open and close to adjust the secondary burn.

i have a 2 story house and it keeps both levels warm enough to keep the electric heat off on the entire house during the winter. the most I filled the stove was at 3/4 or less but never full capacity. Now, I only fill it 2-3 times a day.

 

[Woodcutter Tom]

Could you please post a picture of your secondary air intake?

I am trying to determine the difference between 'under the ash pan door' (HT2000) and 'inside the ash pan' (HT3000). The diagram on page 45 of the HT3000 user manual leads me to believe it is similar to what I have.

Is it similar to this picture? This is a view with the ash pan removed and looking toward the rear of a stove. The round circle contains a plug, which can be removed when scraping ashes into the ash pan.

Also, what is your stove top temperature when you are generating high heat from the stove.

Thanks.

 

[rtrev37]

Could you please post a picture of your secondary air intake?

I am trying to determine the difference between 'under the ash pan door' (HT2000) and 'inside the ash pan' (HT3000). The diagram on page 45 of the HT3000 user manual leads me to believe it is similar to what I have.

Is it similar to this picture? This is a view with the ash pan removed and looking toward the rear of a stove. The round circle contains a plug, which can be removed when scraping ashes into the ash pan.

Also, what is your stove top temperature when you are generating high heat from the stove.

Thanks.

That looks like the ash cleanout and not the secondary air intake. On the HT2000, it’s a square hole about 2”x2” outside and above the ash door. I’ll attached a pic but since I do not have the HT3000, I can not give the exact location but heard it’s in the front of that cleanout plug that can be removed.

 

[rtrev37]

Could you please post a picture of your secondary air intake?

I am trying to determine the difference between 'under the ash pan door' (HT2000) and 'inside the ash pan' (HT3000). The diagram on page 45 of the HT3000 user manual leads me to believe it is similar to what I have.

Is it similar to this picture? This is a view with the ash pan removed and looking toward the rear of a stove. The round circle contains a plug, which can be removed when scraping ashes into the ash pan.

Also, what is your stove top temperature when you are generating high heat from the stove.

Thanks.

My top temperature ranges between 700. -850 with a magnetic stove top thermometer. Normally it’s at 700 but other times it can reach 850 if I close down too late. However, even when I close the damper at 300, eventually it will go up to 700 regardless. Yet, the stove works best at this range and seem normal for this stove. The back of the stove was not hot and the sides are ok due to the secondary shield it has by design.

I had an old Fisher that worked well between 300-400 and anything above 500 was way too hot to the point that it would glow. But that only occurred once. For the HT2000, 700 is ok...

What stove do you have? And what is your top temperature read out?

 

[ABMax24]

I'm on the fence about whether this information should be shared on a public forum, it's great to help other users with similar problems fix overdraft issues. The problem comes in regards to emissions, and the regulations surrounding them. From my understanding this kit from SBI invalidates the emissions certification on this stove, and if the authorities catch wind of this it could land SBI in hot water.

SBI does have a few different solutions to overdraft on their stoves, and their tech department is more than willing to help provide support and solutions to their customers problems. In the end I've found a flue damper to be most effective method of draft control on my stove anyway, but this is also a device that can invalidate the emissions certification of a stove.

 

[Woodcutter Tom]

That looks like the ash cleanout and not the secondary air intake.

Thanks rtrev, Your intake is different than mine.
The rectangular hole behind the ash cleanout is the secondary air intake. It looks like the HT3000 might be the same configuration if the stove is like that manual states.

What stove do you have? And what is your top temperature read out?

I have a Drolet Escape 1500. The highest STT I have ever had was 570.
I am working with SBI about this. I have a thread about Secondary Flames from Primary Air that I will update later today with current information.

 

[blades]

For whatever reason the first round of EPA rules eliminated control of the secondary air intakes by most if not all MFG. This was /is a very unfortunate turn of events in my opinion. ( not to mention the number of mfg.'s with excellent designs that just plain shutdown rather than expend countless dollars on marginal ideas of the EPA.)

 

[begreen]

For whatever reason the first round of EPA rules eliminated control of the secondary air intakes by most if not all MFG. This was /is a very unfortunate turn of events in my opinion. ( not to mention the number of mfg.'s with excellent designs that just plain shutdown rather than expend countless dollars on marginal ideas of the EPA.)

Several 2020 PE stoves have a regulated secondary air system using the EBT. I think some Supreme stoves also regulate the secondary.

 

[rtrev37]

Thanks rtrev, Your intake is different than mine.
The rectangular hole behind the ash cleanout is the secondary air intake. It looks like the HT3000 might be the same configuration if the stove is like that manual states.


I have a Drolet Escape 1500. The highest STT I have ever had was 570.
I am working with SBI about this. I have a thread about Secondary Flames from Primary Air that I will update later today with current information.

I read your post on secondary air. i shared a pic of myHT2000 Secondary air as well. I just turned on my stove with about half or a little less than half way of wood and stopped between 600-50....now stable between 550 for a while...... seems like each stove is different with Drolet. (obviously - as I answer myself lol)...

have you tried removing the door pin and adjusting the door handle, to make the door seal tighter? Seems as though this shlould be a normal process over time, as the seal wears down. The problem is, i cant pull the darn thing out!!....

 

[Woodcutter Tom]

I read your post on secondary air. i shared a pic of myHT2000 Secondary air as well. I just turned on my stove with about half or a little less than half way of wood and stopped between 600-50....now stable between 550 for a while...... seems like each stove is different with Drolet. (obviously - as I answer myself lol)...

have you tried removing the door pin and adjusting the door handle, to make the door seal tighter? Seems as though this shlould be a normal process over time, as the seal wears down. The problem is, i cant pull the darn thing out!!....

I adjusted mine just last week. Mine was hard as "^%#$" to pull out. But I got it eventually. Be careful not to use the door frame as a lever point. The gasket can become damaged if pinched. I used vise gripes and keep twisting it. Bent a bit but not seriously.

 

[Doneill]

When I installed my chimney and ht2000 I put in a flue damper because I didn't know what kind of draft I would get. Glad I did. Being able to control the exhaust makes this stove so much more efficient. I'm able to keep the flue temps 400-500 with a smaller fire that lasts way longer. A nice slow burn is easier to achieve and creasote buildup has been less. I'm much happier with this stove now and my Aspen lasts much longer.
I close the exhaust to about 45degrees and intake to the 2 mark for best results.
I can't find anything with that SBI number, thats interesting I don't think they mentioned that accessory in the manual.

 

[burnie]

I just started playing with my new ht2000 coming from an old SD. There is no comparison between them! I've managed to get stove temp. of 700 with mostly just flame on the secondary burn.

I kept my old pipe with the flue damper and I'm glad I did. Shutting down the secondary burn seems counter intuitive, where there's flame there's heat?

My first few full burns were not lasting very long. I took your advice and damped it about 1/2 way and that made all the difference. I still have the high temp. on mostly secondary burn but the load is lasting much longer.