Smokey summer burn?

[WoodNotOil]

So in preperation for running my tarm for summer heat storage I put the boiler chimney pipe etc. back together today and tried a test burn. I got smoked out. It was a bear to get the fire going and once I did smoke was coming out of the clean out cover over the heat exchange tubes and the joints of the stove pipe, even though they are tightly seated. I had to turn the draft fan off and let the thing smolder out. Does anyone else have this problem with summer burns? My only thought was that there isn't enough natural draft because of the outside temperature is so high. Has anyone tried using a draft inducer with a gassifier? I never have this problem with my winter burns.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Sounds like a draft issue. Maybe if you build a very small fire just to get the chimney hot and the draft going, you might be able to put in some more wood and get it cranking.

 

[chuck172]

Try cracking open a window or the door. As an experiment, disconnect your black smoke pipe, and hang a sliver of tissue to check draft. With all doors and windows closed, see what the reaction is. Sucks in or blows out. If I so much as crack a window open, I get good updraft.
I guess I have a real tight basement.

 

[WRVERMONT]

In my experience, assuming the chimney is clean this is the result of warm air outside and a cold chimney. I think Eric's idea may be the best bet. Let us know how your next attempt turns out.

 

[WoodNotOil]

Well, it was definitely a draft problem. Turns out once I took the stove pipe out and looked in the flue connection, I had only gotten about half of the insulation out that I had shoved in there to block the hole in the off season. I had thought it was all out, but once I got a light in there I saw there was a lot more. Now that it is unblocked everything works perfectly. Thanks for all the responses.