Smoke coming from front of Energy King Furnace

[crzybowhntr]

I have an Energy King 480EK installed in my basement and am having issues with it spilling smoke out the front door when I open it to reload or stoke either Bituminous coal or wood. Anthracite burnt very well with no smoke but it was also cooler then. Anyhow, I have 20" of 6" horizontal out the back into a 6" 90 that goes up into a 6" tee (because I have to have a baro when burning coal) out of the tee is an increaser to 8" and from the increaser is another 90 that then has a 4' horizontal run into the outside class a tee that has 19.5' of 8" class a chimney.

If I place a lighter in the vicinity of the baro or the door the flame gets sucked into either.

Could the issue be that I have a stair case that leads to an unfinished part of the new attic area (needs insulated) that just has insulated sheeting over it and it is becoming a chimney in a sense? I can actually watch them start to hover when the heat gets high enough. I can`t see smoke there as I obviously don't let it get that bad as I just hurry and throw either coal or wood in and shut the door.

 

[Highbeam]

Sounds like it's time to rebuild and simplify that mess between the vertical chimney and your flue connection at the furnace.

 

[bholler]

also going up to 8" doesn't help you any it will reduce your draft.

 

[fespo]

I got lost in all the 90* turns. I would say to many 90* plus every wood furnace I have seen now have a metal smoke flap the moves when you toss wood in. For me I open the ash clean out door first, then open the smoke by pass plate, wait about 30 or so seconds then open the furnace door very slowly . Sometimes this helps

 

[webby3650]

Have you checked your chimney cap? It could be clogged..

 

[laynes69]

Coal isn't going to produce very high stack temps. Factor multiple elbows, and a baro and your down to nothing for draft. A lighter sucking in air doesn't mean a thing. Anthracite burns smokeless, while softer coals tend to produce alot of smoke and soot. I would invest a few dollars in a manometer to verify draft, and hopefully you have a CO monitor.

 

[begreen]

I got lost in the 20 ft horiz. run. It shouldn't exceed 4 ft. Sounds like the furnace needs to be moved much closer to the chimney and some 90º turns eliminated. A picture would help.

 

[webby3650]

I got lost in the 20 ft horiz. run. It shouldn't exceed 4 ft. Sounds like the furnace needs to be moved much closer to the chimney and some 90º turns eliminated. A picture would help.

Looks like 20 inches of horizontal some bends and turns and another 4 feet of horizontal.

 

[begreen]

Where are my computer glasses?!

 

[crzybowhntr]

I agree with the fact that there may be too many 90`s. I have purchased a joint that may allow me to get rid of a 90 and go to a 50ish degree joint as well as get rid of the 20" horizontal joint that comes directly out of the back of the furnace. This morning I went directly out of the furnace into a 6" to 8" increaser that is attached to an adjustable joint that will be aimed directly to the 90 that goes to the horizontal run that leads to the vertical 8" chimney. I lit a couple of boxes on fire and the smoke seemed to be 90 percent better even though it almost 60 degrees outside. I will have to wait and see how things go tonight when I make an actual fire. I also laid a 12' sheet of drywall over the opening that leads to the bonus room in the attic in case it was drawing air, too.

 

[crzybowhntr]

@laynes69 , I do have a manometer and had it set to .04 -.06. I have 2 CO detectors. I appreciate the info. as EVERYONE should have at least 2 CO and smoke detectors.

I`ll get a pic later

 

[crzybowhntr]

Does going to a 8" chimney really hurt the draft? I used 8" because I already had 13 3' joints.

Thanks all!

 

[begreen]

Yes if the stove/furnace is designed to draft into a 6" flue system. So do each 90º turns in the flue path and horizontal runs. Each reduce draft.

 

[crzybowhntr]

My changes seem to be successful so far. I light a super smokey cardboard fire and had little to no smoke spewing out so I made a fire even though it is 54° out. I was still good to go.

 

[crzybowhntr]

Forgot to mention that my manometer read .06 at the draft tube as well. Have to add another port tomorrow to see what it is in the stove pipe.

 

[begreen]

My changes seem to be successful so far. I light a super smokey cardboard fire and had little to no smoke spewing out so I made a fire even though it is 54° out. I was still good to go.

That's a good sign.

 

[crzybowhntr]

That's a good sign.

Thanks @begreen. Btw, your avatar is freaky looking and cool at the same time.

 

[begreen]

Comes from drinking frozen Stoly's.

 

[crzybowhntr]

one more question @begreen

I know I could look it up but you seem to reply pretty quick!

How long does it normally take for the packing oil to burn out of the adjustable elbows that have multiple pivot points and is it totally necessary to use chimney pipe sealant on the pivot points?

 

[begreen]

Once they get up to about 500F they will bake quickly. No need to seal the seams of the elbow pivots.