fire goes out with blower

[strongarm]

Hello, this is my first post and I would like to introduce myself by asking a strange question. I installed a 1978ish smoke dragon (honestly a fire dragon) last January. Its a Nashua wood burning stove. My father purchaced it new and burned with it a max 5 years. I decided to take it becouse it was collecting dust and oil prices were getting stupid. Stove pipe is 5' sigle wall, and chimney pipe is 15' triple wall duravent. The stove cranks, not as well as the newer epa stoves, but it cranks. 20 degrees out 78 in. We plan on upgrading when the economy gets better. My problem is when it is 2 below and i leave the blower on after choking the stove, fire goes out. If i don't have the blower going there is not a problem. The house is small 1100sq ft badly insulated cape. Stove is on the first floor, and the blower helps alot. Am I stuck with not using the blower and just use radiant heat? Using 2 year well seasoned maple, large coal bed, 300 to 500 stack temp before choking down.

 

[bokehman]

Am I stuck with not using the blower and just use radiant heat?

If the fire is going out it means you demanding more BTU's from the stove than the fire is producing. What you need is a thermometer. With that you will be able work out how to set the stove so the temperature doesn't start to fall once the fan is switched on. Packing more fuel in might be enough. If not you will need to give it more air too. And obviously if you are running the fans, i.e. taking more heat out of the stove, you're going to need to consume more fuel.

 

[fossil]

As suggested, I'd have to suspect the problem you're experienceing has more to do with what you're doing with the combustion air supply and/or fuel load than the fact that the blower's running. Rick

 

[BJ64]

I can see both bokehman and Rick's points being the case.

For the blower is there any way we could slow it down with a rheostat? My Lopi has such a switch and it is nice to turn it down or up.

 

[strongarm]

I am using a thermometer, and packing the firebox, but i don't think i can give it too much more air, it will burn too fast for a overnight burn, from experience with this stove. What you say makes sense. I think becouse of the ineffiencey of the stove i am stuck with not using the fans. Thanks for the input.

 

[fossil]

How 'bout Bobby Joe's idea? Are your fans just on/off...or do you have control of the speed at which they run? It's gotta be possible to put a speed control of some sort in the circuit. Rick

 

[fossil]

BTW, strongarm...I forgot to say Welcome to the forums! Rick

 

[strongarm]

BJ64 thanks for the idea. I will check on a reostat. If I can slow the blower down It may help. There is no need for blower now but it will help when the temps really get low.

 

[BJ64]

Whoa! We are not done yet! I forgot to welcome you to the forum also. %-P

We want this to work for you.

Let's try loading the stove about half full and see what happens. I am thinking by loading the stove full it may be killing the air flow.

If this works you may still be able to use the blower. We may not get an all night burn and have to reload late in the night, but we will get to the objective of staying warm with the blower and not using much oil.

I think Rick had a saying about loading the stove full to make it run cooler and half full to make it run hotter. That is true with my stove and it has to do with air flow in my case.

Let's try loading half to two thirds full.

 

[strongarm]

Thank you Rick, I have only on or off with fans untill i can try to slow them down with a reostat or thermostat??

 

[fossil]

It'll require just a bit of homework on your part. Find out everything you can about the blower motors on your stove in terms of electrical characteristics...voltage & frequency are pretty much no brainers, but what's the power draw (amps?), and are they old low-tech motors, or are there any electronic components invloved in their operation? Odds are, you can find an inline speed control that you plug into the wall, plug your fans into it, and you got it. But just don't run down to Radio Shack and say "I need a rheostat!". Rick

 

[BJ64]

Thank you Rick, I have only on or off with fans untill i can try to slow them down with a reostat or thermostat??

If you have an electrical supply house in the area, there are usually some electricians hanging out there. That would be a place to get good advice and make a purchase in one place. They will need to know the amp rating of the blower motor to be able to help. That should be on the label near the voltage information. This will not react to stove temp but it will be a cheaper way to adjust fan speed and find a max.

There is always a learning curve associated with a new stove. You have some cause and effect experiments ahead of you. What you learn from this will be useful to others like yourself so please keep us posted.

 

[strongarm]

Good point Rick, I will check out Grainger supply. I believe the motor is a Dayton, I will need to do my homework. Radio Shack has yet to help. Thank you again for your help. I will continue with the trial and error untill then. I wish I found you guys a year ago. You have all been a great help.

 

[bokehman]

i don't think i can give it too much more air, it will burn too fast for a overnight burn, from experience with this stove.

OK, the other way to get more BTU's in your overnight burn is denser fuel. What wood are you burning?