Coalpail.com Forum

I'm new to burning coal, and hope I never have to burn another stick of wood. I've got a Keystoker Hopper, baro damper and manometer. We have a steady .03 reading almost all the time-- 6" stainless liner inside an inside wall fireplace chimney going up about 14'. We had some strong wind gusts the other day and the manometer would do nothing when we heard the gust hit, but then go up to about .09, then ease back down to .04. I'm burning nut Lehigh coal.

The baro damper did open some, but not often. I've got the weight on the correct side, but do I need to make it so it opens more quickly? That is, if the draft is going up that high, it would seem the baro damper is not doing the job it is needed to do.

Thanks!

Burt

Sounds like you have the weight on the heaviest setting. It depends on what kind of baro you have. The field control r/c baro has a weight on the door with marks indicating draft. These devices can be set up vertically or horizontally. Just be sure the weight is on the correct side of the door. It will indicate mounting position on the door along with draft indicator marks. Just loosen the weight and slide the weight to the required mark and tighten it back up. Example, when the weight is set to -.03 then the door should open if the draft pulls harder than -.03. There are other types of baro’s that the weight just screws in and out I believe. Same concept, just a different means of adjusting it. Ideal is -.03 for most stoves. Hope this helps.

I agree, it sounds like your baro isn't set properly. The mano should not be able to even get near -.09 if it's set to open at -.03 Try moving the weight so that the baro opens easier "by touch" and watch your mano at the next gust of wind to see if it holds down the draft pressure better.

It takes a little trial and error to dial it in.

I have my barometric damper set at -.06. If the chimney is only drawing -.04, that's what I get. However, if I'm having wind gusts at -.08, -.010, -.015, etc., my barometric damper will open, and my draft will not go above my setting of -.06. The only way for an accurate reading is with a gauge.

I believe Oliver meant to say
-.08, -.10 and -.15 in his post above. Point being, if it's set to limit at -.06 it should "almost" never go stronger than that. The exception would be an extreme wind gust and would show a reading stronger than -.06 for only a few seconds. It would be a rare event unless you live in an extremely windy location. It is possible for the baro to be overwhelmed but like I said it's not the norm. There are members that use two baros on one pipe for a high draw chimney but that is extremely rare also.

Thanks everyone! My back is out badly at the moment and when I get to where I can crouch back down there I will tackle it.
I do know it is level. It is back in the fireplace opening--kinda' hard to reach. BTW, I ordered this damper including a tee off of Amazon. The damper was of course decent, but the tee was so thin, flimsy and cheaply made I would not think of using it for safety's sake. Thankfully, about forty bucks later I had a good one from our local wood stove store. (Yet, had to use the crimping pliers to get the install with the laps going correctly for coal.) Also installed a CO detector. I hate to think anyone would risk burning coal through one of those cheap Chinese tees.

Is this Amazon damper one rated for coal? Is it a Field Controls type "RC"? If it's not a coal damper it won't work very well for you.

-Don

Yes, it is a Field Controls type RC. Okay... the damper, after a big wind gust, would stick open I just realized. It was hanging up by the very edges barely touching the frame where they left a sharp angle. I rounded them out and it no longer sticks. So... one problem solved.

But... do I figure a vertical or horizontal flu? The pipe exits horizonally from the stove, goes into the tee, then the exhaust goes vertical into the flu, making a 90 degree bend. The baro damper is at the back of the tee. So, the stove outlet is horizontal, but the damper is mounted where the flu goes vertical. I switched the weight over to the "v" side, and it seems to have made the problem worse, though we are not have bad gusts like the other day when trees were getting blown down. Thanks!!

Good choice on the RC baro. I've used one for 7 years now. How's your mano readings since readjusting the weight on the baro?

"Vertical" or "horizontal" refers to the section of pipe that the baro is mounted in. The baro should be mounted at, or near the middle of a strait section of pipe for best results.

-Don

Okay.

StokerDon, that confirms what a friend just said on the phone

He is a a plumber who has installed many oil and propane fired boilers...and wood stove installations-- just told me that the baro damper will not work well at the back of the tee where the vertical is my exit up the flue. So, I guess I need to pull the stove out a bit, add a section of pipe, and put the damper on a branch off the tee, then a ninety going up off the back of the tee. Bummer... that brings the stove out farther into the room, but it is what it is.

Thank you all.

A baro in not necessary, it just helps keep a steady draft.

Personally, I wouldn't go thru all that hassle. A lot of guys have a baro arranged like you do. It's not the best case scenario but it will still be effective. But of course that's your call

The bummer of it is that you can't see what's going on with it in that position.

Well, I made two hinging steel doors that swing into the fireplace heatalator firebox, so I can swing them back to access everything. I'm glad to hear others have this setup--maybe I will wait a bit and see how it does.

Oh-- consistent .03, dropped to .02 a bit-- no gusts now to compare. But I reached back and could feel that the damper was working, and no longer sticking.