How high up for a damper?

[rudysmallfry]

Well, it's almost time to start the shoulder burning season again. I'm going to add a damper to my setup. How high up the pipe do you put it? For some reason, 18" sticks in my head, but who knows why. Right now, my single wall pipe come out of the top of the stove, 20" to an elbow, another 24" to the wall thimble and out. It's a Hearthstone Heritage if that makes a difference.

 

[fossil]

Lots of folks say 18" up for a thermometer. I don't think it really matters for a damper (or a thermometer). I've seen dampers just above the flue collar and anywhere higher up. Why do you feel you need a damper, do you have a problem with too much draft? Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah I have never seen much difference with damper placement. I have to have one on the 30+' pipe out of the basement and it is right at the wall thimble. Just because it made the pipe config easier since it is a pre-made damper section of pipe.

Just somewhere where you remember to open it before you open the stove door.

 

[begreen]

You don't want it to bind on the next fitting, so I would put it at about the 12-15" level.

 

[tfdchief]

As Rick said doesn't matter. Somewhere in the 20 inches before the elbow. I put one in day one....... Just in case.

 

[tfdchief]

Wow. The mods are quick. Beat me to all of it.

 

[fossil]

Just piling on, Chief Steve. As always, you're more than welcome to join in.

 

[rudysmallfry]

Would 18" up, just before the elbow connection work, or do I have to put it mid pipe? Putting it just before the elbow would give me ease of cleanout.

Rick, I do have a tad too much draft. I have struggled with a slighter lower than normal stone temp and moderately lower burn times than other Heritage users. Last year I bordered on a few runaway fires when I packed the stove full. I figure for $20 or so, it's a cheap way to find out if it will help keep the stove hotter and burn my wood longer.

I recently discovered that my baffle is not tied down with those wire clamps that others have, so that very well might be the cause of all my problems. I will taking that out soon and posting pics for you experts to see if I need a new one and instruction on how to properly tie it down.

 

[BrotherBart]

What's the chimney setup?

 

[rudysmallfry]

Single wall 18 - 20" to elbow > 24" to wall thimble. Once it hits the thimble, it's 18' class A chimney.

 

[ridemgis]

For what it's worth ( and I've only got a year with the heritage), this stove runs such high flue temps that a damper should ship with the stove. Mine is installed on the stove collar with a telescoping double wall set-up above.

Total chimney height from collar to cap is 24 feet. That makes a strong draft and the damper is a must have.

 

[rudysmallfry]

Holy cow! I'm having enough issues with 18'. If I had 24' of draft, I think it would suck me up the chimney. Glad to hear the damper works for you. Did you ever experiment with single wall pipe, or start with double? I've been thinking about trying the double for years, but always end up staying with the single since I usually cold start every day and like the heat that the single wall provides while the stove is heating up.

 

[tfdchief]

Rudysmallfry, For what it is worth, I used double wall because, being in my business, I just wasn't comfortable with one 24 gauge piece of steel between me and fire in my house. And it allowed me to get my stove a little farther back in the corner.

 

[BrotherBart]

With that pipe setup I ain't believing overdraft is an issue.

10-4 on the 24 gauge piece in the house Chief. Everybody does it but it has always made me uncomfortable. I didn't go much better but went with 22 gauge. Welded seams.

 

[rudysmallfry]

As I mentioned before, it very well could be the baffle. I didn't even know it was supposed to be secured down since I bought the stove new and it arrived that way. I'm sure even a small gap where it was supposed to stay in place could be the cause of my over fire problems. That being said, when I load the stove and then have to sit there with my fire extinguisher in hand as the pipe temp climbs above 800, I think I have a problem somewhere.

 

[BrotherBart]

With none of my stoves do I worry about a pipe temp of a grand on a fresh full load. Now a stove top temp of eight hundred is a whole nother thing. The offgassing of a new full load is gonna make for hot flue temps. The pipe is rated for 1,000 continuous.

Others may feel differently of course.