I have a C550 without the Skamol inserts in the baffle plates. It's just cast iron. I've seen a minor secondary burn maybe a handful of times, nothing like what you'd expect, and burn times are in the 2-4 hour range. Door gaskets replaced yearly, the flue is insulated with rockwool at the throat but no block-off plate and the chimney is insulated SS installed in 2023 when the (new-to-me) unit was installed.
22ft chimney on first floor, house is leaky on all floors, dryer is on the same floor and bathrooms/range hood on second floor. When cold, if I light a typical fire, even top-down, I'll fill the room with smoke and it won't draft. When completely cold I can feel a trickle of cold air coming in from the negative draft. If I get a raging paper fire going within 5-10 seconds it will prime the chimney with minimal smoke, or if I use gel firestarter/alcohol that will burn first and also prime the chimney without smoke. Question below.
Questions:
Would upgrading to the newer plates with the Skamol insert help with the secondary? (https://www.rockymountainstove.com/jotul-c550-rh-baffle-plate-157045/)
https://theatmosfire.com/products/air-damper - this product says it wraps around the pipe and pre-heats it and has a thermal switch to keep it warm. I don't want to do in-line because getting that chimney on through the flue throat was an absolute bear and there's no extra clearance for anything to be removed/replaced. If I put this low enough on the draw-down collar could that transmit enough heat in to the chimney to keep it primed? We're out of the house enough that we'll let it go completely out at least once or twice a week, so re-priming the draft is necessary.
Thanks in advance.
22ft chimney on first floor, house is leaky on all floors, dryer is on the same floor and bathrooms/range hood on second floor. When cold, if I light a typical fire, even top-down, I'll fill the room with smoke and it won't draft. When completely cold I can feel a trickle of cold air coming in from the negative draft. If I get a raging paper fire going within 5-10 seconds it will prime the chimney with minimal smoke, or if I use gel firestarter/alcohol that will burn first and also prime the chimney without smoke. Question below.
Questions:
Would upgrading to the newer plates with the Skamol insert help with the secondary? (https://www.rockymountainstove.com/jotul-c550-rh-baffle-plate-157045/)
https://theatmosfire.com/products/air-damper - this product says it wraps around the pipe and pre-heats it and has a thermal switch to keep it warm. I don't want to do in-line because getting that chimney on through the flue throat was an absolute bear and there's no extra clearance for anything to be removed/replaced. If I put this low enough on the draw-down collar could that transmit enough heat in to the chimney to keep it primed? We're out of the house enough that we'll let it go completely out at least once or twice a week, so re-priming the draft is necessary.
Thanks in advance.
