Progress Hybrid Smoke Spillage on Reload

[progress_stover]

I had installers put in a new PH last March and am just now getting to use it frequently to heat our home with the cooler weather. I'm getting decent draft and the stove functions well overall. However, I'm finding that if I have the door open more than a few inches when reloading I get smoke spilling out of the top of the loading door.

I've tried to vary my loading technique (e.g., load at 200-300 when coals are very low, heat up flu w/ kindling before reload, open window facing wind, etc.) and nothing seems to help. Top-down technique and waiting until stove is cold (100 deg) for reload seems to be the only way that works for me. I always open bypass and air all the way up when reloading and use <20% MC wood.

Here are some details on the set up:

• PH is rear-vented directly into liner at a slightly upward angle
• House is 1984 construction, new windows, but not air-tight
• Internal 25+ ft multi-flue masonry chimney
• One large screened cap on top
• New 6" SS liner (uninsulated) inside clay flu tiles.
• Installers told me there is a bend in the flue inside the masonry (it's <90 degree). They also said they are certain they left the clean-out cap on the liner when installing.

Any thoughts on how I can improve the draft to avoid smoke spillage?

 

[Ashful]

Wow, really surprised you're having any issue with 25 feet of interior pipe. The horizontal off the back is never ideal, but that length of pipe should more than compensate for that. I also sounds like you're doing everything we'd normally suggest, such as opening the window, varying reload time, etc.

Try going to bypass several minutes before opening the door, which will give the chimney maximum time to heat up and establish maximum draft, before opening the door. For example, I open my bypass damper when grabbing my log satchel, before going out for the next load. By the time I come back in with the fresh wood 3-4 minutes later, things are well-primed for opening the door.

 

[stoveliker]

Any chance of fauna having made their home in the flue over the summer?

 

[neverstop]

I had installers put in a new PH last March and am just now getting to use it frequently to heat our home with the cooler weather. I'm getting decent draft and the stove functions well overall. However, I'm finding that if I have the door open more than a few inches when reloading I get smoke spilling out of the top of the loading door.

I've tried to vary my loading technique (e.g., load at 200-300 when coals are very low, heat up flu w/ kindling before reload, open window facing wind, etc.) and nothing seems to help. Top-down technique and waiting until stove is cold (100 deg) for reload seems to be the only way that works for me. I always open bypass and air all the way up when reloading and use <20% MC wood.

Here are some details on the set up:

• PH is rear-vented directly into liner at a slightly upward angle
• House is 1984 construction, new windows, but not air-tight
• Internal 25+ ft multi-flue masonry chimney
• One large screened cap on top
• New 6" SS liner (uninsulated) inside clay flu tiles.
• Installers told me there is a bend in the flue inside the masonry (it's <90 degree). They also said they are certain they left the clean-out cap on the liner when installing.

Any thoughts on how I can improve the draft to avoid smoke spillage?

View attachment 302029 View attachment 302030

by loading door you mean the side door correct?

does the chimney adhere to the 10-2-3 rule? is it at least 2 ft higher than any part of the structure within 10 ft measured horizontally? it looks like the roof to the right in the image you provided might be within 10 ft and it doesn't look from this angle that the chimney is 2ft+ higher than that. so the top of the chimney might be sitting in a positive pressure zone.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

How are you measuring the Mc of your wood? Is it burning down or coaling? What are the outside and inside temps of the house?

 

[begreen]

There may be neutral or slightly negative pressure in that part of the house. Try opening a nearby window first and see if that helps. Boston temps are still pretty mild. I suspect things will improve once it gets colder.

 

[Rearscreen]

There is a metal hinged flap on the top inside of the door to minimize spillage. Mine has been known to stay up sometimes. Is yours down?

 

[progress_stover]

by loading door you mean the side door correct?

does the chimney adhere to the 10-2-3 rule? is it at least 2 ft higher than any part of the structure within 10 ft measured horizontally? it looks like the roof to the right in the image you provided might be within 10 ft and it doesn't look from this angle that the chimney is 2ft+ higher than that. so the top of the chimney might be sitting in a positive pressure zone.

It is hard to see based on the angle the picture was taken, but the chimney is the higher than the tallest portion of the roof. Not sure if it's 2 feet, I've never been up there to measure it. Good thought though..

 

[progress_stover]

There is a metal hinged flap on the top inside of the door to minimize spillage. Mine has been known to stay up sometimes. Is yours down?

Yes! I always adjust it down, but doesn't seem to help.

 

[progress_stover]

There may be neutral or slightly negative pressure in that part of the house. Try opening a nearby window first and see if that helps. Boston temps are still pretty mild. I suspect things will improve once it gets colder.

The installer mentioned that draft should improve once temps get colder. Fingers crossed!

 

[progress_stover]

How are you measuring the Mc of your wood? Is it burning down or coaling? What are the outside and inside temps of the house?

I'm using the general brand moisture meter on a freshly cut split to measure mc. The softwood (pine/cedar) burns down to ash, but harder wood coals up.

I have tried burning when outside temps were ranging anywhere from 60*F all the way down to 40*F and the same problem persists. The draft (which is decent) doesn't actually seem to be any poorer when the temps are 60F strangely enough...

 

[progress_stover]

Any chance of fauna having made their home in the flue over the summer?

I'm not sure, but I doubt it. There is a screened cap covering the whole chimney, so not sure how an animal could get in there. Suppose it's possible though. Will have to get a ladder tall enough to get up there to check and that might be a while.

 

[begreen]

I'm not sure, but I doubt it. There is a screened cap covering the whole chimney, so not sure how an animal could get in there. Suppose it's possible though. Will have to get a ladder tall enough to get up there to check and that might be a while.

Good idea. The screen also could be plugged with sote.

 

[stoveliker]

And wasps can get thru the screen.

 

[Todd]

Maybe remove the screened cap for a fire or two and see if it improves. Maybe just need a different less restricting cap?

Have you contacted Woodstock about this? I seem to recall a fix for this awhile back where they inserted some flat stock partially over the loading door but I could be wrong.

 

[progress_stover]

Maybe remove the screened cap for a fire or two and see if it improves. Maybe just need a different less restricting cap?

Have you contacted Woodstock about this? I seem to recall a fix for this awhile back where they inserted some flat stock partially over the loading door but I could be wrong.

I've talked to WS regarding a smoke smell coming from the cooktop and the chimney issue. They started out by sending me some gasket, which has fixed the smoke smell problem, but will reach back out to them to see if they have any suggestions about the chimney draft issue.

As soon as I have a ladder high enough, I will get up to the chimney to see what the situation is up there...

 

[progress_stover]

There may be neutral or slightly negative pressure in that part of the house. Try opening a nearby window first and see if that helps. Boston temps are still pretty mild. I suspect things will improve once it gets colder.

Just wanted to follow up on this issue for the benefit of future readers. Seems that begreen and my installers were right. Once the temps dipped down to the 30s the draft improved dramatically. I think the milder weather this season (particular when it is raining) has made for a weaker draft situation that caused the smoke spillage.

 

[begreen]

Good to hear it's working better. Winter will hit New England eventually this year.

The picture posted earlier makes it look like the chimney is lower than the roofline to the right. Does it comply with the 10-3-2 rule? Is this in a 1 story part of the house next to a 2 story part?

 

[progress_stover]

Good to hear it's working better. Winter will hit New England eventually this year.

The picture posted earlier makes it look like the chimney is lower than the roofline to the right. Does it comply with the 10-3-2 rule? Is this in a 1 story part of the house next to a 2 story part?

The picture is a bit misleading. I believe the chimney does comply. It's at least a few feet above the highest point on my rooftop.

 

[Rearscreen]

Ok now that problem is straightened out, what is the first thing that you are going to cook on it? (The 3 burner heat choices really do work. )