Warning - disturbing, graphic content

[SmokeyCity]

I'd say this is +1 for the magic heater haters.

Cleanout had 1/2 of a 5 gal bucket of gooey fudge.
Stackpipe had a half inch crust of semi dried brownies.
Magic gadget had a couple cups of baked flakes in it and has a 1/8" glaze on the outside of the tubes. No wonder its not Xfering much heat!
Inside of back wall of stove had noticeable creosote on it.

Im now running the stove w/out the gadget. Draft is improved noticeably although not drastically.

Stack temps are about the same as when I had the magic toy on. I expected them to be much higher but seems Im not wasting any more heat up the tube that with it on. Of course now im running the fan on full and sucking the heat off the back of the stove.

QUESTION: Does running the back fan cause creosote to build up on the inside back wall due to cooling of that wall ?

 

[BrotherBart]

QUESTION: Does running the back fan cause creosote to build up on the inside back wall due to cooling of that wall ?

I was concerned about that at first. But is hasn't happened.

 

[BrotherBart]

Did you clean the chimney?

 

[certified106]

I hear scrap metal prices are getting pretty high so it might be a good time to dispose of the Magic Heat properly.
Glad you took the thing off there is no way you needed it.

 

[pen]

Glad you found this out now at not with a chimney fire.

How long had it been since you cleaned the chimney?

I look forward to see how much creosote you get next time it's cleaned to be able to compare.

pen

 

[SmokeyCity]

Did you clean the chimney?

Heck yeah! I was freaked out when I saw the mess. This was my second full season without a sweep so I knew I had really pushed my luck.



Guess I just need a little chimney fire now to burn off anything I missed (LOL)

 

[SmokeyCity]

Next fall it will be a BK Elvis plugged into the hole.

I'll be very disappointed if there is much of any creosote at all next spring.

Glad you found this out now at not with a chimney fire.

How long had it been since you cleaned the chimney?

I look forward to see how much creosote you get next time it's cleaned to be able to compare.

pen

 

[North of 60]

If you are going with the king then get that 8" liner in there. The BKs exhaust temps will be alot lower, combined with that stone chimney will be hell on draft and condensing of the exhaust gasses. I haven't steered you wrong yet. Have I? ;-)

 

[SmokeyCity]

If you are going with the king then get that 8" liner in there. The BKs exhaust temps will be alot lower, combined with that stone chimney will be hell on draft and condensing of the exhaust gasses. I haven't steered you wrong yet. Have I? ;-)

Im dreading the $$ im gonna spend to go King size (but I gotta have one). I was hoping that with a bypass I could babysit all my cold starts until the chimney warms up. Once the CAT is engaged it would not be sending any creo up the chim.

Do you think I might get away with it this way ?

 

[North of 60]

No solid fuel stove sends 0 up the chimney. Running with the bypass open on the cold chimney is gonna get quick build up on those cold stones. With the cat engaged is gonna need good draft. Still with particulates., moisture collection and so on. The stove is not magic.

 

[pen]

Nope, you need to line the chimney or you won't be getting what you should out of that beast. It cost me 400 bucks to do mine. I can't see your 8in liner w/ insulation being more than 650 if you do it yourself.

There will still be creosote even w/ the cat engaged. It would be a complete waste to get that stove and not have it perform at it's peak. Be like driving a nascar w/ snow tires on it.

pen

 

[SmokeyCity]

Nope, you need to line the chimney or you won't be getting what you should out of that beast. It cost me 400 bucks to do mine. I can't see your 8in liner w/ insulation being more than 650 if you do it yourself.
There will still be creosote even w/ the cat engaged. It would be a complete waste to get that stove and not have it perform at it's peak. Be like driving a nascar w/ snow tires on it.
pen

Time to do some spring markdown shopping for Simpson SS. Do i need single wall, double wall ? What brand/type?
Do I need to dump that asbestos-like plaster insulator powder-mix stuff down the chim around the tube ?

I can do the labor but dont know what products to use.

More research....

 

[Woody Stover]

Time to do some spring markdown shopping for Simpson SS. Do i need single wall, double wall ? What brand/type?

Have you got a straight shot down the flue to the firebox? If so, you could run single-wall SS with an insulating blanket if the chimney's big enough.)
There's some good info at this link, but I don't know if they've got the best prices. There are lots of products out there, and lots of sources. I got my 304 SS flex liner (Roundflex,) insulating wrap etc. from Hart's, but there may be better options...

http://hartshearth.com/

 

[pen]

I would suggest getting us some stats on your chimney, primarily info on it's current condition, location, does it currently meet the 10-3-2 rule, and most importantly what its dimensions are inside of the terracotta liner, are the tiles in the chimney set straight, what the roof is like, etc.

Then put all that in a new thread w/ a matching topic title for the most response.

pen

 

[SmokeyCity]

terra cotta liner? (LOL)

1882 brick - no liner just square inside 8" x 8" all the way down.
I thought it was 10" x 10" but I measured it when I cleaned it today - its 8" x 8".

Also height is not 60 ft, its 50' 1" from top of stove top tip of chimney cap/crown.

Yes it satisfies the 10 3 2 rule very well

Condition is good. Mortar not falling out on the inside.

I would suggest getting us some stats on your chimney, primarily info on it's current condition, location, does it currently meet the 10-3-2 rule, and most importantly what its dimensions are inside of the terracotta liner, are the tiles in the chimney set straight, what the roof is like, etc.

Then put all that in a new thread w/ a matching topic title for the most response.

pen

 

[pen]

well if it's 8x8 there is no way in hell an 8in round liner is going down it. Any chance a BK Princess w/ a 6 in flue would work? I would not recommend buying an 8in stove w/ a service life of a few decades be installed in a chimney which most likely is suspect today from sheer age.

An unlined chimney of that age is scary. Even in good condition creosote can seep in between the bricks and make for a dangerous situation if a fire were to start. Basically, right now you have one less layer of protection than anyone else w/ a block chimney. And having a block chimney w/ terracotta liner even if it's installed correctly (which the majority are not) is generally only good for 1 good chimney fire.

pen

 

[SmokeyCity]

sigh.. back to the drawing board

who said heating with wood is cheap?

well if it's 8x8 there is no way in hell an 8in round liner is going down it. Any chance a BK Princess w/ a 6 in flue would work? I would not recommend buying an 8in stove w/ a service life of a few decades be installed in a chimney which most likely is suspect today from sheer age.

An unlined chimney of that age is scary. Even in good condition creosote can seep in between the bricks and make for a dangerous situation if a fire were to start. Basically, right now you have one less layer of protection than anyone else w/ a block chimney. And having a block chimney w/ terracotta liner even if it's installed correctly (which the majority are not) is generally only good for 1 good chimney fire.

pen

 

[BrotherBart]

sigh.. back to the drawing board

who said heating with wood is cheap?

Not me. Finding this sight has cost me a fortune in new stoves and chimney stuff.

But then again having under a hundred dollar electric bills in an all electric house when the neighbors have $500 a month bills freezing their butts in winter must count for something.

 

[SmokeyCity]

... And having a block chimney w/ terracotta liner even if it's installed correctly (which the majority are not) is generally only good for 1 good chimney fire.pen

which makes me a cat with 9 lives --and about 8 of em gone :=(

 

[North of 60]

Hang in there Smokey. Run the 6", keep the Englander and do another stove with the Princess on the floor you spend the most time on. I think you said you had 4 chimneys. AND YES with a liner also. Just think, it will be one floor up and less liner required for that one. The cost difference from the King to the Princess can go toward the liner. The Englander will not have to go balls to the wall which will mean longer burn times and you will be warmer in the area you spend time in. Win Win.

 

[SmokeyCity]

it will be 2 more floors up and the liner will only have to be about 20 feet.

might be doable

Hang in there Smokey. Run the 6", keep the Englander and do another stove with the Princess on the floor you spend the most time on. I think you said you had 4 chimneys. AND YES with a liner also. Just think, it will be one floor up and less liner required for that one. The cost difference from the King to the Princess can go toward the liner. The Englander will not have to go balls to the wall which will mean longer burn times and you will be warmer in the area you spend time in. Win Win.

 

[certified106]

Hang in there Smokey. Run the 6", keep the Englander and do another stove with the Princess on the floor you spend the most time on. I think you said you had 4 chimneys. AND YES with a liner also. Just think, it will be one floor up and less liner required for that one. The cost difference from the King to the Princess can go toward the liner. The Englander will not have to go balls to the wall which will mean longer burn times and you will be warmer in the area you spend time in. Win Win.

That is great advice!

 

[pen]

Considering this chimney is 50 foot tall! I wonder if he could use a 7 in pipe w/ pourable insulation around it for the BKK?

Just thinking.

pen

 

[North of 60]

Considering this chimney is 50 foot tall! I wonder if he could use a 7 in pipe w/ pourable insulation around it for the BKK?

Just thinking.

pen

Smokeys got this going somewhere in his home now. Not sure what he is up to.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/73693/

 

[firefighterjake]

well if it's 8x8 there is no way in hell an 8in round liner is going down it. Any chance a BK Princess w/ a 6 in flue would work? I would not recommend buying an 8in stove w/ a service life of a few decades be installed in a chimney which most likely is suspect today from sheer age.

An unlined chimney of that age is scary. Even in good condition creosote can seep in between the bricks and make for a dangerous situation if a fire were to start. Basically, right now you have one less layer of protection than anyone else w/ a block chimney. And having a block chimney w/ terracotta liner even if it's installed correctly (which the majority are not) is generally only good for 1 good chimney fire.

pen

In almost every case . . . the chimney fires I fought that evolved into a structure fire with major damage to the home involved unlined chimneys. This is nothing to fool around with when it comes to running a woodstove.