How is a Drolet heat commander supposed to work?

[fields_mj]

As long as flue temps don't get too low, start gooping the chimney up at the top...

I actually have a question on that. Since I have a barometric damper, it seems like it would be impossible for my flue temps to be very hot as I'm always mixing in a healthy amount of room temp air. One thing that everyone has always said about the HC and kumma is that they leave the flue/chimney extremely clean. I always assumed that was because the creosote gets burned with the other gasses in the fire box. I can visibly see the smoke burning when I'm looking up at the aux air tubes, but if I lift the barometric damper a little, I can still see some smoke going through the flew, and I can obviously see it coming out the top of the chimney. I'm not saying that its not a lot less than with the old unit (haven't paid enough attention to say that), but when I peak down the barometric damper, I DO see a fair amount of build up on the remaining horizontal section of the flew (after the damper).

I was assuming this was because my G draft isn't working right yet, but I'm not actually convinced of that based on what everyone is saying about how it works. If its supposed to be closed during the majority of the smoky burn phase (as opposed to the charcoal burn phase), and its pumping in more oxygen because its cycling, it seems like my fire would burn hotter and there for cleaner. I supposed the extra oxygen coming in from the bottom could also reduce the oxygen coming in through the P draft and Aux air tubes, there by reducing the amount of gasses getting burned before exiting into the flue which would explain the increased buildup. Ugh, always something to be confused about...

As a new development, I noticed last night that my blower isn't actually kicking on. I'm going to pull one of the RTD connections off its terminal in a little bit to see if it will still kick into high when it detects an over heat. If it does, I may try running it at a different speed other than the standard low speed. Can anyone tell me which wire goes with which speed. I think I have the low speed written in my notes from a conversation with their tech support, but I don't think I have the others.

They are sending me a new CPU board, but they don't have any in stock in the US, and they only send shipments down from CA every 3 weeks or so, and they have to go through customs. IE it will probably be late Jan before I get it, but could be a little later.

 

[brenndatomu]

I actually have a question on that. Since I have a barometric damper, it seems like it would be impossible for my flue temps to be very hot as I'm always mixing in a healthy amount of room temp air. One thing that everyone has always said about the HC and kumma is that they leave the flue/chimney extremely clean. I always assumed that was because the creosote gets burned with the other gasses in the fire box. I can visibly see the smoke burning when I'm looking up at the aux air tubes, but if I lift the barometric damper a little, I can still see some smoke going through the flew, and I can obviously see it coming out the top of the chimney. I'm not saying that its not a lot less than with the old unit (haven't paid enough attention to say that), but when I peak down the barometric damper, I DO see a fair amount of build up on the remaining horizontal section of the flew (after the damper).

I was assuming this was because my G draft isn't working right yet, but I'm not actually convinced of that based on what everyone is saying about how it works. If its supposed to be closed during the majority of the smoky burn phase (as opposed to the charcoal burn phase), and its pumping in more oxygen because its cycling, it seems like my fire would burn hotter and there for cleaner. I supposed the extra oxygen coming in from the bottom could also reduce the oxygen coming in through the P draft and Aux air tubes, there by reducing the amount of gasses getting burned before exiting into the flue which would explain the increased buildup. Ugh, always something to be confused about...

As a new development, I noticed last night that my blower isn't actually kicking on. I'm going to pull one of the RTD connections off its terminal in a little bit to see if it will still kick into high when it detects an over heat. If it does, I may try running it at a different speed other than the standard low speed. Can anyone tell me which wire goes with which speed. I think I have the low speed written in my notes from a conversation with their tech support, but I don't think I have the others.

They are sending me a new CPU board, but they don't have any in stock in the US, and they only send shipments down from CA every 3 weeks or so, and they have to go through customs. IE it will probably be late Jan before I get it, but could be a little later.

The extra air coming in the G damper would indeed make it burn dirtier...wood burns cleaner with air over fire, rather than under. Old wood/coal stoves often had the ability to change if it was air over/under based on which fuel you were burning...coal doesn't like air over at all.

Are you seeing creosote, or dry soot? I recently checked the Heat Commander flue, which my sister is using now, by sticking my hand in the baro and feeling around...it was just dry dark grey to black soot powder...but she is FINALLY, after all these years fighting it, burning very dry wood.
Once you get it working as designed I think you'll see the flue clean up some...but there will always be a little buildup from cold starts/etc.