Holy crap, HOT F602

[begreen]

The draft still sounds strong. Are you closing the pipe damper all the way once the fire is burning well? Is there a secondary air intake on the back of the stove? That would be the next place I would look at. If there is a identifiable and accessible secondary intake hole, I would try temporarily closing it off 50% as a test .

 

[nola mike]

I'm keeping the damper open. If I close the damper, or block the secondary intake, or close off the airwash I can keep the peaks under control. But then I off gas and spend the majority of the burn coaling. I shouldn't have to do all that though, it shouldn't overfire in stock form.

 

[begreen]

Almost any stove will be prone to overfire if the draft is too strong. They are designed and tested within a certain draft spec.

But then I off gas and spend the majority of the burn coaling.

Explain in more detail. Why is having a overhot stove better?

 

[nola mike]

It isn't. But peaking at 700' for a few minutes and then spending 4 hours at 400' isn't great either. I'm just trying to find out whether I have a problem with the stove or I just need to tweak the system.

 

[begreen]

Have you tried closing down the flue damper completely once the stove is burning well and then opening up the air a little?

 

[JenLynn]

Have you tried closing down the flue damper completely once the stove is burning well and then opening up the air a little?

I have a brand new stove and brand new pipes. After the stove is up to temperature I close damper all the way. Secondary lights beautifully. Less air is more with my 602

 

[begreen]

I have a brand new stove and brand new pipes. After the stove is up to temperature I close damper all the way. Secondary lights beautifully. Less air is more with my 602

By damper do you mean the air control on the stove or a flue damper? It sounds like you have a well balanced system. About how long is the secondary burn before coaling stage?

 

[JenLynn]

By damper do you mean the air control on the stove or a flue damper? It sounds like you have a well balanced system. About how long is the secondary burn before coaling stage?

Sorry, I meant flue damper. I close the air control on the stove about half way and secondary burn begins. Using two envirobricks gives me 2 to 2.5 hours. I could easily use a third brick.

 

[JenLynn]

We use it in a very small cabin on weekends

 

[nola mike]

@begreen , tried shutting the flue damper last night, but maybe too late in the burn (stovetop 500's). Still didn't seem to do a ton. I did then shut down the secondary air, which helped more. But really, at that point there is very little air that should be entering the stove. I have been burning mostly liberty bricks (maybe 3/4) just for reproducibility, but that could have something to do with it. A few other thoughts for now:
1. Wondering if my 5" /27' chimney has something to do with it? Most use 6" with an adapter to the stove. Don't know if this increases or decreases my draft.
2. I have zircar panels for the side burn plates rather than the stock cast iron.
3. Lastly, I bit the bullet and ordered a new entire upper burn chamber. Unfortunately that's going to involve another near complete teardown to install. But I'm still wondering if unregulated secondary air is my problem. This should take that out of the equation.
4. I've replaced gaskets about a zillion times, but we'll have new ones for the rebuild.

 

[nola mike]

Well, have had some time since the air chamber install. Basically not much difference in the burning. Stove rebuilt, fired, then gaskets replaced (still no difference). I'm pretty confident at this point that the stove is in proper shape. I did re-introduce the air gap in the front glass per factory specs, so that's letting in more air than before the rebuild.

What I'm doing now is closing the flue damper completely. I can have it completely closed even from a cold start, but it takes longer to catch. I'm closing it early though, then closing the main air control to keep the fire just above a smolder. It usually still ends up all the way closed when using bricks/super dry oak, otherwise maybe open a sliver. Doing this I can keep the cookplate in the 800's, and the temps right behind the plate are in the 7-800's at the hot part of the burn. Seems like I end up with a firebox of coals doing this with temps ~500's for a couple of hours after the flames die out, and it takes much longer to get the stove up to temps. If I'm home, I open up the air fully at that point.

If I wait too long to turn down the air, or let the flames get going, I still top out in the mid 900's on the cook plate.

Keep in mind, this is all with the flue damper completely closed.

 

[nola mike]

Here's where I keep the flames. Not exactly roaring. 800's behind the cook plate at this point.