Pacific energy summit

[Coastalboat]

Hi folks , new to the forum here. I have a pacific energy summit( pedestal base) installed a few months ago and to mean it seams that the wood is not burning down like it should always a lot of coals in the stove. I have to shovel the stove out once a week but it’s mostly pieces that’s not burned down. I am burning mostly seasoned yellow birch. To me it seams like some sort of draft issue , wood is slow getting up and burning good with draft all the way open. Anyone know if this is normal or what a possible issue may be?

Thanks

 

[begreen]

This sounds more like the wood. Usually, the Summit is not too draft sensitive. What are the flue system details from stovetop to chimney cap?

 

[Prof]

I wish I could be of more help, but I haven't experienced this with my summit. I'm inclined to agree with Begreen. Do you know the moisture content of your wood?

 

[Coastalboat]

I have 7” chimney with a rain cap which is approximately a foot above the peak of the house , it comes down the outside of the house then through a concrete wall where it changes to double wall stove pipe , then reduces down to 6” followed by a 90 elbow and straight in the stove.
Has per moisture in the wood I’m not sure I don’t have a meter to check but it does have splits on the end.
The stove is like it’s burning from the front only.

 

[Eureka]

I put a Summit in my last house, and the only time I ever had a problem with burn quality or draft was with wet wood. It was a ripper with nice dry splits, I usually had the air set low.
My Kozy Heat on the other hand, has the most junk draft control and startup air I’ve seen.

 

[begreen]

I have 7” chimney with a rain cap which is approximately a foot above the peak of the house , it comes down the outside of the house then through a concrete wall where it changes to double wall stove pipe , then reduces down to 6” followed by a 90 elbow and straight in the stove.
Has per moisture in the wood I’m not sure I don’t have a meter to check but it does have splits on the end.
The stove is like it’s burning from the front only.

Is the stove connected to a tile liner in the chimney or an insulated, stainless 7" liner? If it is a tile liner, is it round or a square 7"?
Roughly how tall is the chimney from the stove connection to the chimney cap?

To check the wood without a meter, bang a couple of splits together. Do they sound like a nice note or more of a thunk? Resplit one of the thicker splits in half, then press the freshly expose wood up against your cheek. Does it feel cool and damp? Toss in a few 2x4 cut-offs in with the next load of wood and see if that helps improve the fire.

 

[Coastalboat]

It’s a 7” stainless insulated chimney, from stove to rain cap it’s approximately 22’ .

I will try some different wood just to see

 

[WoodScrounger]

I have a new Summit Insert installed in December. I am a 24/7 burner. I think I do know a bit ,what you are talking about. I have some of the same problem. I do think that it’s closely connected wood MC. I am burning beech, cherry, elm and some maple. Some of which is sketchy MC 20-23 percent. This problem of unburned coals is the worst with the higher moisture elm on overnight burns.
To help overcome this I try to burn hot ( not over firing) until the wood is well charred especially before closing down for an overnight burn . I’m also mixing in dryer small pieces and during the day opening the air back up for the last part of the burn . When I do get a build up of larger coals ( which right now is once a week), I burn a load of 15- 18 MC to clean it up.

 

[Hogwildz]

7" is a lil large, but 22' should still draft decent.
Check your wood first, agree with BG, sounds like it might not be ready yet.
That 90 degree elbow could be swapped out for 2 - 45 degree elbows which will stunt the draft less than the 90.

 

[Coastalboat]

So I still have this problem , I shoveled out the ashes yesterday and today after burning all night the shovel is half full of chunks of unburned coals. I have tried adding and length of chimney but still the same results. The MC of the wood is between 15-18%.
Really getting fed up with the stove....

 

[moresnow]

So I still have this problem , I shoveled out the ashes yesterday and today after burning all night the shovel is half full of chunks of unburned coals. I have tried adding and length of chimney but still the same results. The MC of the wood is between 15-18%.
Really getting fed up with the stove....

If you have time you can pull the large leftover coals/chunks up towards the front and drop a single small dry split across them. Close the door and run the stove wide open and let the split burn vigorously. This normally will reduce your coals/chunks a great deal. Sometimes doing this twice is needed. Occasionally using two small splits works somewhat better also. Dry Pine works nice for this.
When you check M/C are you re-splitting a split that has been indoors a day or two to get to room temp and checking the freshly exposed face?

 

[Coastalboat]

Yes I have split the wood to check MC , I do pull the coals to the front and try to burn them down by adding small pieces but it doesn’t really help when the stove is over half full of coals.

I just spoke with pacific energy they said it seams like the stove has to high of a draft and said I could dry a damper in the pipe. I do have 7” chimney is it ever possible that this would be the issue.

 

[begreen]

Normally I would expect too high draft to have the opposite effect, burning through the wood too quickly. 22' is not an overly tall flue. Is there a thermometer above the stove door? If so, what temperature are you seeing at peak burn with the insert?

 

[Coastalboat]

Normally I would expect too high draft to have the opposite effect, burning through the wood too quickly. 22' is not an overly tall flue. Is there a thermometer above the stove door? If so, what temperature are you seeing at peak burn with the insert?

I have stove top thermometer on the Center of the stove half way through the burn I’m seeing temps around 400-500 degrees Fahrenheit

 

[Coastalboat]

The first picture is after about 10 hrs of burning and the second is after having the air control wide open for 3 hrs to try and burn down the coals. The stove was shoveled out the day before.

 

[moresnow]

Sooo? If you start from a empty, cleaned out stove.
You load a completely full to the brim load. Above the fire brick but not against the baffle.
You burn it for 10 hours without opening the loading door once.
You end up with a half a stove full of coals?

Or? Are you starting a clean stove with a partial load and continuously adding/feeding a split or two every few hours?

Just trying to figure out your routine.

I know you said you are checking split wood with your meter. However. Are you checking it like this?

When you check M/C are you re-splitting a split that has been indoors a day or two to get to room temp and checking the freshly exposed face?

Not trying to beat a dead horse but confirming some of these questions may help everybody out.

 

[Coastalboat]

Sooo? If you start from a empty, cleaned out stove.
You load a completely full to the brim load. Above the fire brick but not against the baffle.
You burn it for 10 hours without opening the loading door once.
You end up with a half a stove full of coals?

This is exzactly what I am doing and all my wood is stored in my basement so it’s all heated

 

[moresnow]

This is exzactly what I am doing and all my wood is stored in my basement so it’s all heated

OK. Wood moisture should be ruled out because testing the outside of any of those splits in the basement is useless. Perplexing as moist fuel results in a similiar buildup!

Are you also saying that you operating the stove as I asked?

You load a completely full to the brim load. Above the fire brick but not against the baffle.
You burn it for 10 hours without opening the loading door once.
You end up with a half a stove full of coals?

 

[Coastalboat]

I fill the stove up without opening the door and 10 hrs later I’m left with a stove full of coals

 

[moresnow]

Ok. At the 10hr point your fuel is in the coaling stage, heavily, according to your pics. Guessing you are still getting plenty of heat output at the 10 hr point.

At 13hrs it has reduced substantially. Is the house temp staying in your comfort zone? Curious.
If it is I wouldn't sweat anything. Fill us in.

If your home temp doesn't drop off to far I would let it burn up those coals. I do it everyday. Stretching the load as far as possible and still fitting your daily schedule takes some strategizing.

Wish I had a better answer!

 

[begreen]

I have stove top thermometer on the Center of the stove half way through the burn I’m seeing temps around 400-500 degrees Fahrenheit

If the blower is on, then that is fine. If the blower is off then that is a little cool for halfway through the burn. Try opening up the air a little more, maybe 10% more or about 1/4" over on the air control.
Do you have any 2x4 cut offs? If so, toss one on the coals at 10 hrs and open up the air to 50%.
FWIW, as long as the house is heating well there are many that would be happy to see this. The coals at 10 hrs have plenty of heat left in them.

 

[Coastalboat]

Stove top temp with coals like show is around 100-150 mark. I guess I’m pushing the stove to try and maintain a warmer temp in the house approx 20 degrees Celsius. I didnt buy the blower for my stove, wasent sure if it would make a difference or not where my stove is in my basement.

 

[moresnow]

Stove top temp with coals like show is around 100-150 mark. I guess I’m pushing the stove to try and maintain a warmer temp in the house approx 20 degrees Celsius. I didnt buy the blower for my stove, wasent sure if it would make a difference or not where my stove is in my basement.

I still can't believe the manufacturers sell a stove without the blower if it's designed to run one. Major heat distribution gains in my experience. Install the/a blower and spool that thing up. I'll eat crow if it doesn't contribute nicely!

You have got to be talking Celsius.

 

[Coastalboat]

Yes I’m talking Celsius haha

 

[begreen]

Yes I’m talking Celsius haha

So 200-300ºF. That's important. 200F is low, 300F at 10-12 hrs is not bad. Try tossing in a couple 2x4 cutoffs on your next coal bed with 50% air at the 10hr point to get the stovetop up to 400+º F. Or if you have some good dry pine or fir splits that are about 3" thick that's fine too.