Is my T-stat funky? BKK question...

[Beetle-Kill]

The T-stat on my stove has never allowed it to burn well much below a 1.75 setting.
Right now, it's cold enough outside to see your breath, so yeah, I have a fire in the stove.
Currently, T-stat on 2, fans off, Cat @1250, stove top @390, flue @350. Pine slab wood in box.

It's 10:00 pm , I'll turn it down to 1.5 for the next hour, see what happens, then report in.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

11:05- here's the results, T-Stat @ 1.5 for the last hour
Cat @ 520, stove top @260, flue @ 200

So, going from a 2 setting to a 1.5 setting on the T-stat has dropped the temps. by half in one hour. This does not seem normal.
BKVP- give me some feedback on this one.
Anyone else have this happen to you?

 

[jeff_t]

On my stove 1.5 is just barely completely closed. You can take the top cover off the thermostat and see how it works. Those temps are pretty close to mine, but I only have the cat probe that came with the stove. How long has the load been burning, and how big was it? Is it burned down enough that there isn't a lot of smoke for the cat to burn?

Do you have an Ultra? I think the thermosats are different on the Classic and Parlor. At least a different part number.

 

[Lanningjw]

11:05- here's the results, T-Stat @ 1.5 for the last hour
Cat @ 520, stove top @260, flue @ 200

So, going from a 2 setting to a 1.5 setting on the T-stat has dropped the temps. by half in one hour. This does not seem normal.
BKVP- give me some feedback on this one.
Anyone else have this happen to you?

How long had you been on the number #2 setting?

 

[Todd]

I don't know the answer but you could email BK or PM BKVP with your question. I had a question last week, emailed BK and about 15 minutes later BKVP called me To discuss my questions. He has also answered my PM's.

 

[Todd]

Could it have something to do with your elevation?

 

[rdust]

Could it have something to do with your elevation?

That's what I was wondering. These stoves are draft sensitive due to the low burn temps. I'm guessing the draft is much different at higher elevations requiring more chimney height than normal?

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Elevation could play a part, I don't know.
the stove is a Parlor model, and the wood was good. Box was 3/4 full and had been stable on the 2 setting for an hour and a half prior to my little experiment.

 

[begreen]

It sounds draft challenged. High altitude can require more flue height. Describe the complete flue system on the stove including elbows, connector pipe and chimney.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

I would agree about the draft. Pipe length and rise are at the min. right now. Would a 1 or 2 ft. piece noticably help?
More curious about this than anything. I normally run the fans, with the T-stat above 2.

 

[begreen]

Maybe. Describe the current flue setup. Is it 8", any elbows, how tall?

 

[Beetle-Kill]

It's a twisty mess, hardly ideal. 8" pipe and it goes like this.-
Dbl. wall about 3' up from top of stove, ties into 2- 45's to provide an offset. Another foot and a half through the ceiling box to an elbow. Follows roof pitch in the attic
(6/12 pitch) for about 6'. Verticle from there, about 5' to the cap.

 

[jeff_t]

BK recommends 14'. I was a little under 13 when I started. It worked ok, but I added 3' after about a month. Everything worked better. Not night and day, but noticeable. It's a straight shot, by the way.

I haven't looked at my thermostat when the stove is cold, but 1.5 is closed when it is burning. Really, take the cover off and look at it. Two screws and it comes right off. It's just a cover, nothing will come apart or shoot out at you.

 

[begreen]

Yep, but that is 14ft straight up and at lower altitude. I think it will take more than a ft or two of pipe to improve draft here. Start with adding 3 ft.and brace the exterior pipe at 5ft. above the roof penetration.

PS: Are the elbows in the attic both 30º class A pipe?

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Everything in the attic is class A. It even protrudes about 8" below the ceiling line, so I had to fab a custom box for it.
I've got a pretty good stove supply shop in Breckenridge, I'll see what he's got on hand.
Adding 3' is gonna make it a pain to clean.

 

[daleeper]

On my stove 1.5 is just barely completely closed. You can take the top cover off the thermostat and see how it works. Those temps are pretty close to mine, but I only have the cat probe that came with the stove. How long has the load been burning, and how big was it? Is it burned down enough that there isn't a lot of smoke for the cat to burn?

Do you have an Ultra? I think the thermosats are different on the Classic and Parlor. At least a different part number.

I think the only difference on the thermostat between the models is the length of the shaft the control knob is attached to.