Isle Royale Owners, What are your Stack Temps?

[Kobeman]

Hello, I'm a new IR owner. Tonight I loaded it up with 4-5 medium splits of oak and ash. I took it up to 500 stove top and then cut air back in stages to full closed, Had great secondary action and what, In my opinion, was too much primary fire. Anyhow the griddle was at 600, (blower was running about half speed) but my flue temp (probe) was reading 700-750. Knowing I have alot of draft, and High winds, i had the key damper full closed whole time. Having flashbacks from the old Acclaim stove taking off, I covered half of the air hole in the rear till the stack dropped to 600 then uncovered and all was ok. Burn time is short, 2 1/2 hr and its going into coaling stage. I have noticed the short time I've had this stove my stack temps match griddle at all stages of the burn, I thought it would drop as I closed the primary. Guess it boils down to I'm curious how others stoves run and if I have a problem or not. My chimney is a thru the wall external class A Supervent total height 24'. It wasn't windy last night and Stove top still matched griddle. Out side temp is -2 with -30 windchill. Burr! 26 Mph wind. Thanks, I look forward to hearing other owner's opinions.

 

[Jags]

At startup, those numbers are not unusual. As the initial phase of the burn settles into a cruise mode, I would expect to see a stove top of ~600 and stack temp (probe) around 500.

 

[Kobeman]

I dollar bill tested the thing after it cooled and found the griddle to be leaking badly, its like they tightened the 2 hold down blots too tight and pushed all the gasket "fluff" into the cement while it was wet Griddle makes metal to mettal contact with top plate as well, no biggie. I'll throw a new one on quick and get it back in action.

 

[Jags]

Sounds like a game plan. I don't use the top loader and because of that, never even consider it a potential problem.

 

[Kobeman]

Well I changed the griddle gasket and got her up and going, No wind today temps round 0, key damper closed primary closed, Stove top 650 and stack (probe) 700-750 for 2 hrs of the burn then stack drops to 600 for bit before dropping with stove top as it goes into coaling stage. If i open the key damper stack temps started to climb so I closed it, Guess I'll get the Dealer out here and see whats up, did notice on cold start smoke leaking from rear of stove top as I opened the door, makes me think there are more leaks or something, hope the dealer has ideas on killing the draft some, frustrating

 

[Jags]

I have NEVER had any smoke leak from a gasket or joint. That ain't right. You are doing the right thing by checking into it. How old is this stove?

 

[Kobeman]

It's brand new, left a msg with the dealer I bought it from, he's more of a pellet stove guy so I might have to call the "fireside" dealer, bought from this guy as he was 800 cheaper and a smal timer

 

[Kobeman]

I'm starting to wonder if the supervent "deluxe cap" is causing my stack to pull so hard, they say it has a Venturi effect might order the standard cap and put it on , the deluxe leaks rain sometimes anyhow

 

[Jags]

Well, the IR is an easy breathing stove right out of the box. Any kind of extended chimney or "tornado" cap can make this stove suck like a hoover. If that happens you WILL have higher stack temps.

 

[Kobeman]

Makes since why stack temp is directly proportional to key damper position , thanks jags , I do love this stove, I'd never thought my outside stack would draft like this, whole time building it I was worried it would have poor draft

 

[Kobeman]

Just updating this as I know I hate it when someone doesn't post what they ended up doing to resolve a problem, makes searches better, anyhow, Had a quad installer/tech out today, he says all is well with the stove and noted I have hellish draft, recommended changing cap from the supervent deluxe to the standard one and possibly taking off a section of pipe. I have the "Standard" cap on order and will wait till snow clears before going up. Also noted that my wood is split small, which I was splitting for the acclaim and I will split larger in the future, I will add that I love this stove! easiest stove to light I've ever delt with.

 

[Woody Stover]

Also noted that my wood is split small, which I was splitting for the acclaim and I will split larger in the future

Yeah, that'll definitely help on a stove that likes to run....

 

[ArsenalDon]

Coming in late on this Kobe, but my IR hits stove top temps over 700 regularly....so far no problems.