Yukon-Eagle Super Jack Wood Furnace?

[1parkpointer]

Own one, and am curious about the damper control rod mounted near the plenum opening. It apparently operates a damper mounted in a secondary heat exchanger. Does anyone know the position of the damper with the handle pulled out or pushed in? It has been windy every day that I've tried using it, and I'm trying to adjust it, but nothing seems to make any difference.

 

[greenheater]

I ran a SJ125 in our home from 1997 till two years ago. From my memory we ran it full in and pulled it full out for wood loading. We never had an intermediate setting for it but I did add a damper in my flue the last few years to help with excessive draft with good results.

 

[mike1234]

Out is open, pushed in is closed. I wrote this on the housing before I sealed it up, knowing that I would never remember.

 

[greenheater]

Hey Mike if you forget just look in the upper door and you can see that bypass valve working. Happy heating...

 

[mike1234]

Actually you can see the rod, but not the damper. But since I have your attention, and it seems like it would be ok to hijack this thread since it's been answered, I have some issues that maybe some of you can help me resolve.
1. Smoke pours through the front door when the fire is not roaring, so I think I have a draft problem. I think related to this is that I have trouble sometimes getting the fire roaring. I can work around it by leaving the ash pan door open for a time, and that gets everything going ( I know, bad idea). Is the best way to solve this to add a few feet to the chimney? (I cleaned it out yesterday, still have the problem, so not a dirty chimney problem).
2. The furnace heats the house very well (4500 square feet, propane heater has yet to come on) but if I want heat on a cold morning, lets say when it's been 15 all night, if I load it at 10pm, I have to get up at 3 am to make sure I still have a hot bed of coals to put more wood on. Maybe I will just have to do this because of the size of my house, or maybe you have some ideas for me. Currently I load it up, get it roaring, (get temp gage above door to about 400, I don't know what the fire is at that point, but I am ordering a lazer thermometer so I can find out), shut the damper to less than 1/4th. The air supply is electronic, is basically off except when calling for heat in the house. Any ideas? I like my sleep.
Thanks for your help,
Mike

 

[1parkpointer]

FYI: I just measured my SJ with my digital laser. I've just filled it over a good bed of coals and with a fresh layer of wood. After about 5-minutes, above the door I got 358-degrees, at the top of the cylinder it was 568-degrees, with my damper rod closed it reads 287-degrees on the sides of the secondary heat exchanger with 237 coming out the back of the flue. The flue pipes read 230 at the beginning and 200-degrees as it enters the chimney. The baro is bouncing, as it is windy outside with temps hovering at 28-degrees. The other dampers are: door - wheel out 2 full turns and the combustion blower door 1/4 open. Right now the electrical is not hooked up, so no operation by circulating or combustion blowers.

Our house is only 2850-sf, log on the first floor, and a combo of truss and stick-built for the second. I am using the SJ in convection for the time being as I await the last bid for running the ductwork. Fortunately, the chimney and stairs to the basement are nearly in the center of the house.

 

[greenheater]

Sorry guys, maybe they changed the "plumbing" in there. Mine was circa 1997 and I could see that square bypass plate prior to the gasses going into the stovepipe. To get to your question though, I rarely had a smoke problem,quite the opposite, too much draft and if I cracked open the ash door it would roar like a jet( 32 ft of vertical) hence adding a damper in the stovepipe to calm it down. I heated about the same size with about the same kind of burn results you are having. One thing I did was add control by way of a relay and a temp sensor on the stack that interfaced with the gas furnace. If the sensor was cold(no fire) my propane was first and second stage heating. If the sensor was hot then wood was first stage and propane second stage andwould come on with a temp spread between thermostat and house temp to satisfy tstat. I also had good results with some big overnight logs that would extend times... Lastly I would clean out the heat exchanger every other month, I could really tell when that started to get filled up with junk and rob the heat output.Hope this helps...

 

[jross47]

I will probably find out the answer to your question soon. I am purchasing a Superjack next week. I am on this site to find out how people like them!! any thoughts?

Jim R