HELP! Please!

[4RESTWONDERER]

Hello I have a Vermont casting 1975 defiant that I have installed in my basement.
it has a separate flu from my furnace but resides in the same chimney. Which is about 5 ft off the hight of the roof at one point but about level with the peak of the roof. The stove is piped to the chimney with a 8inch stove pipe, that eneters the thimble.
I have dry ash wood between seven and 12% humidity that i have been burning. However i am having an issue with the stove reaching a high heat and maintaining it especially after the two position(open or closed) damper is closed.

I can have the stove burning at 500 drgrees which is th hottest ive been able to get it, and about 20 minutes after i close the damper the stove will cut out to 200 degrees, it will butn for 8 hrs but it is not creating enough heat to heat the room.

My dads friend is a builder, who has been burning his whole life, he came over to inspect the stove for me and agreed that the stove should be burning alot hotter. Even with the thermostat door all the way open in the back.

 

[fbelec]

how have you been testing the moisture content? where when and how?

 

[4RESTWONDERER]

I purchased a new moisture meter. I check it on every bundle of wood prior to bringing it into the basement, it ranges on a scale of 7-12%. It does not sizzle when being burned. However it is new wood from dead standing trees. I thought it might be my wood and my friend brought over a large pile of his dry aged wood and it did not make a difference.

 

[fbelec]

just checking. if you try to test with meter at a cold temp and not have it fresh split it will give a false reading. time to run a brush down the chimney to see if it is clear. if not either the primary air port is blocked

 

[4RESTWONDERER]

I had it swept early this fall, and the incoming airport is visibly clean.
Is theyre a way to test the stove independently of the chimney?
Should i buy a woodstove and see if there is a change?
Can i start a small fire in my cleanout to test the chimney independently of the wood stove?

 

[swestall]

Did you examine the thermostatic control to see how that is working?

 

[Corey]

Hate to say it, but this forum is full of these posts... stove in a basement... typically with another combustion appliance or two... stove won't draft, won't make heat, etc.

... Vermont casting 1975 defiant ... installed in my basement....separate flu from my furnace but resides in the same chimney. ...The stove is piped to the chimney with a 8inch stove pipe, that eneters the thimble.

Stove pipe enters the chimney and then what... that is it... just chimney from there on up??

I have dry ash wood between seven and 12% humidity that i have been burning. However i am having an issue with the stove reaching a high heat and maintaining it especially after the two position(open or closed) damper is closed.

So doesn't sound like the wood is at fault. Though obviously the stove/basement/additional combustion appliance/unlined flue are all working against you as far as draft. So likely that closing the damper will make it even worse.

I can have the stove burning at 500 drgrees which is th hottest ive been able to get it, and about 20 minutes after i close the damper the stove will cut out to 200 degrees, it will butn for 8 hrs but it is not creating enough heat to heat the room.

Well, there is certainly no law that says you have to close the damper, and if it is only 'two positions' as you say, it doesn't sound like it was really meant to control the fire. So possibly leave the damper open and control the fire with intake air?

My dads friend is a builder, who has been burning his whole life, he came over to inspect the stove for me and agreed that the stove should be burning alot hotter. Even with the thermostat door all the way open in the back.

Move it up to the main floor, give it a properly lined and insulated flue and it will likely take off like a rocket! Other than that, about all you can do is make sure all 'negative leaks' (where the flue could pull in air) are sealed. Is there any gap where the pipe enters the thimble? Any gap around an ash clean-out, any other openings where air can leak in? If so, all those need to be sealed so the only way air can get in is through your stove.

Might also try putting a box fan at the top of the stairs to 'stuff' the basement full of air and create a slight positive pressure. This will offset the natural draft of the house and help make up for other appliances in the basement also trying to draft air out.