F3500 working too well

[Tberg]

I'm a new owner of an Regency F3500. Stove is working great but maybe too good. I get temps of 800°F+ above the cat with the air dampered right down. Is this too hot as I can't decrease the air in at all anymore.

Idea is to install a stove pipe dampener to reduce air out of chimney.

The temperature has been -34°C outside lately so I think this could be causing the increase in draft

Chimney is 18' double wall with 1.5" 30-30° elbow and then 4' double black stove pipe.

Could this have too much draft?

As well as any other F3500 thoughts, concerns with veteran users.

Thanks
Tberg

 

[begreen]

I get temps of 800°F+ above the cat with the air dampered right down

-34ºC will certainly strengthen draft. Were winds strong too?

Where is this being measured and how? Cat thermometer, stove top thermometer, flue thermometer?

 

[Nigel459]

I’m going to say yes, at 22’ chimney and -34C there’s a good chance your draft is a little strong. That’s about as tall as one of my chimneys (also all inside the envelope) and the same (unregulated secondary tube) stove behaved verrrrry differently, in a good way, after moving from that to a 15’ chimney. Same low setting, same wood, lazier flames, more heat per load, longer burns.

That said, even if your 800 is stove top, it is right above a cat that likes to operate around there or sometimes significantly higher, possibly up to 1200+. I don’t know the Regency’s tendencies but in some other brand cat stoves the cats will show temps up to 1500. How’s your burn time? Can you load it up, get it going up to temp and char wood etc, then cut it back and see lazy wispy flame and slow-floating secondaries that last for many hours? Or does vigorous flame fill the firebox until coaling?

 

[Tberg]

I’m going to say yes, at 22’ chimney and -34C there’s a good chance your draft is a little strong. That’s about as tall as one of my chimneys (also all inside the envelope) and the same (unregulated secondary tube) stove behaved verrrrry differently, in a good way, after moving from that to a 15’ chimney. Same low setting, same wood, lazier flames, more heat per load, longer burns.

That said, even if your 800 is stove top, it is right above a cat that likes to operate around there or sometimes significantly higher, possibly up to 1200+. I don’t know the Regency’s tendencies but in some other brand cat stoves the cats will show temps up to 1500. How’s your burn time? Can you load it up, get it going up to temp and char wood etc, then cut it back and see lazy wispy flame and slow-floating secondaries that last for many hours? Or does vigorous flame fill the firebox until coaling?

With temps above -10C yes it would burn all night 8 ish hours with lazy flames (dry pine). With the recent cold temps -34C without wind chill not getting the long burns and no lazy flames.

My thought is to put a damper on the stove pipe above. Maintaining chimney height and clearances above roof top. Any one have experience with dampers on stove pipes and the pros/cons involved.

Thank you for your response so far.

Tberg

 

[Tberg]

-34ºC will certainly strengthen draft. Were winds strong too?

Where is this being measured and how? Cat thermometer, stove top thermometer, flue thermometer?

I'm measuring this temp on the top of the stove above the cat with an infrared thermometer.

 

[Woody Stover]

My thought is to put a damper on the stove pipe above. Maintaining chimney height and clearances above roof top. Any one have experience with dampers on stove pipes and the pros/cons involved.

On my SIL's stove, the flue damper I had in there from her previous stove cut the burn slightly. I recently put in a second damper, and it appears to have cut the burn by a similar amount.
The first damper you may be able to install yourself, if it's pretty low in the pipe. For a second damper, you have to be able to reach up the pipe with the damper plate in hand, then have an assistant feed the rod through, guided by you, who can feel how the rod is coming through the plate. It was easily accessible on the T5, once I pulled the clip and took the baffle out.

 

[bholler]

With temps above -10C yes it would burn all night 8 ish hours with lazy flames (dry pine). With the recent cold temps -34C without wind chill not getting the long burns and no lazy flames.

My thought is to put a damper on the stove pipe above. Maintaining chimney height and clearances above roof top. Any one have experience with dampers on stove pipes and the pros/cons involved.

Thank you for your response so far.

Tberg

The only con of a stack damper is that it makes it a little more difficult to clean