EKO Primary and secondry air therory

[Kemer]

Just trying to get a handle on the therory of how the system real works.The only diagram I've seen is a small pitcure.What do the small screws really do ?It looks like there is a small plate or something that blocks or opens the flow.What is the path that the air travels for both primery and secondry air.I'm just guessing on what I think but would really like to be sure.My brother has his up and running and mine will be soon.Each hour he has it running it is getting better but at first it was really smoking.Thanks for any help

 

[Nofossil]

Just trying to get a handle on the therory of how the system real works.The only diagram I've seen is a small pitcure.What do the small screws really do ?It looks like there is a small plate or something that blocks or opens the flow.What is the path that the air travels for both primery and secondry air.I'm just guessing on what I think but would really like to be sure.My brother has his up and running and mine will be soon.Each hour he has it running it is getting better but at first it was really smoking.Thanks for any help

The metal plate that the fan is mounted on is the outer wall of a chamber that's pressurized by the fan. Air from that chamber can enter the upper chamber through two openings near the top, and can enter the secondary combustion nozzle via tubes embedded in the refractory floor of the upper chamber.

The two small screws adjust the amount of air that enters the secondary combustion nozzles. On the EKO 25, the factory setting is 3 1/2 turns counterclockwise from 'closed'. Turning them CCW will increase the percentage of air that goes to the nozzles.

There is a third setting - the shutter that restricts the inlet(s) of the fan(s) themselves. I think of that as the master throttle setting.

I would start with the factory settings and concentrate on getting my technique perfected. There are a few variables - the mix of really dray and sort of dry wood, the mix of sizes, the whole fire building process, how long to wait for reloading, and so on.

If you're getting smoke at the factory settings, you're probably burning wood that's too green and too large. Start with really dry wood, and add a mixture of dry and green once it's going. Wood that's too green (above about 40% moisture) just won't work.

 

[heaterman]

"Start with really dry wood, and add a mixture of dry and green once it’s going. Wood that’s too green (above about 40% moisture) just won’t work."

Nofossil gets it!