Tarm Question

[lawandorder]

Its -4 here in Upstate NY and I fired up my Tarm and got it going I thought pretty good. Lower chamber flame looks good and burning well however I noticed smoke out the stack. Is this just because of the really low temps or wood problem. THought the wood was good. I normally havent seen any smoke unless bridging was going on and yesterday at 20 degrees was burning clean out the stack. ANy help as always greatly appreciated.....

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Are you sure it's smoke and not steam?

 

[lawandorder]

Could be steam but (sorry for stupid question coming) how can I tell the difference????

 

[91220da]

Hi Lawandorder,
From my limited experience I have noticed that steam is usually pretty white in color and whispy rising straight up or moving fast with the wind. Smoke is anything not pure white and dropping out of the chimmeny falling or rolling low and slow.

 

[Bad Wolf]

Also on mine if you look right at the top of the chimmeny all you see is heat wavering for 10 -12 inches then the steam condenses in the cold air (very white). It only lasts 20 or 30 feet then its gone. If it were smoke you would see it keep on going.

 

[lawandorder]

Thanks for the help.. Does everyone else see steam in very cold temps?? I just want to make sure this is normal and I stop worrying about bad wood.

 

[Piker]

Thanks for the help.. Does everyone else see steam in very cold temps?? I just want to make sure this is normal and I stop worrying about bad wood.

I would say yes. When the hot gasses hit the cold air, they condense.

This issue of condensation is partly why our gassers are protected with either thermostatic mixing valves or temp controlled circs... to keep the water temp up in the heat exchanger thereby reducing the possibility of the gasses condensing before they exit the heat exchanger, which can cause corrosion.

cheers

 

[WoodNotOil]

Thanks for the help.. Does everyone else see steam in very cold temps?? I just want to make sure this is normal and I stop worrying about bad wood.

I would say yes. When the hot gasses hit the cold air, they condense.

This issue of condensation is partly why our gassers are protected with either thermostatic mixing valves or temp controlled circs... to keep the water temp up in the heat exchanger thereby reducing the possibility of the gasses condensing before they exit the heat exchanger, which can cause corrosion.

cheers

My experience is much the same. Once the temp gets low enough you are going to see something come out no matter what. Look at the color of the flame and the stack temp to tell how well you are burning and not necessarily what is coming out of the chimney.

 

[solo40]

I see steam from my tarm solo 40 when it is very cold like today.
Other days when it is warmer I do not see any.

Ethan

 

[carbon neutral]

I saw lots of steam when I fired up my EKO for the first time the other day. First it smoked while warming up, about 20 minutes then I heard the roar in the lower chamber. I checked and saw a nice flame in the lower comustion chamber. When I went back outside I was surprised to see all this "smoke". I soon realized it was actually steam. It was getting dark so I couldn't see the color or if it was dissipating so I went down wind and couldn't smell any smoke.

 

[sweetheat]

I've seen some smoke with first start-up, but on the colder days like today after 15 munites of burn I see the white steam. It only lasts for a while. Clean your viewing port glass with some fine sand paper and take a good look. Within 1/2 hour you should see bluish, whitish, and orangee curling flames in your ceramic chamber. That's the 2000 degree gasification! set your secondary air control in the center right notch! sweetheat

 

[lawandorder]

as always thank you all for the information . 0 degrees outside 70 inside nice....


PS- My wife thinks I am crazy with all of this...... I think shes jealous of my new friend in the boiler room