Use of a blast gate?
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When I get around to setting up my old Wehrle it'll probably only be used occasionally and as a back-up heat source. Is there any reason i shouldn't use a blast gate type damper so that I can completely close off the flue when the stove isn't being used?
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Somebody might accidentally close it...
Filling the house with CO...
Causing death...
Filling the house with CO...
Causing death...
- coalkirk
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It would be unconventional for sure but is it anymore dangerous than have a manual damper that could be shut all the way? Personally I wouldn't do it. If you are only going to use it occasionally as backup I would just disconnect and reconnect the smoke pipe.
- McGiever
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What's the big deal...like Terry says above, plenty of manual dampers in stove pipes and likewise, most all fireplaces have had smoke dampers for off use periods for a centry or more...go for it!
Hang a obvious and durable warning sign if you like.
Hang a obvious and durable warning sign if you like.
- coaledsweat
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Manual dampers don't shut "all the way." They are smaller than the stovepipe and have holes in them as I recall.
- McGiever
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It is difficult protecting people from themselves lol Darwin got it right...
Sorry, MPD is still no better than any blast gate as for accidentally starting the fire before opening the MPD.
Fireplace damper are tight without holes though...same as a blast gate in every sense still.
Open damper then build fire...smoke is your sign you did it wrong...same idea in reverse, fire is cold, then close damper...smoke is your sign you did that wrong too.
Lii common sense helps...but it's hard to fix stupid...
Sorry, MPD is still no better than any blast gate as for accidentally starting the fire before opening the MPD.
Fireplace damper are tight without holes though...same as a blast gate in every sense still.
Open damper then build fire...smoke is your sign you did it wrong...same idea in reverse, fire is cold, then close damper...smoke is your sign you did that wrong too.
Lii common sense helps...but it's hard to fix stupid...
- coalkirk
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The biggest problem is common sense isn't very common anymore. Then add a few beers and bad stuff can happen. Best to make it idiot proof. Don't be offended by that term. It could apply to any of us if we did the wrong thing.
Last edited by coalkirk on Wed. Mar. 13, 2019 7:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
- McGiever
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Idiot proof was and always will be a fire on the floor in a cave...with a CO detector of course.
- McGiever
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Ha ha, but smoke is always a highly visible indicator to sumtingwong over here...
- Sunny Boy
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Exactly.coaledsweat wrote: ↑Tue. Mar. 12, 2019 6:16 pmManual dampers don't shut "all the way." They are smaller than the stovepipe and have holes in them as I recall.
You can't buy a damper meant for use in stove pipe (MPD) that does not have edge gap and holes in the plate,.... except rarely you might see an antique on eBay. But even the vast majority of antique MPDs had holes for the very safety reason already mentioned.
And, if you measure the area of the edge gap, plus the holes cast into the damper plate, it's quite a lot of opening. Enough total gap that I normally run with the MPD fully closed with both my stoves and there's still plenty enough exhaust flow that they put out a lot of heat.
Picture shows how much gap there is with a 6 inch damper in 6 inch single wall stove pipe. The damper plate is only 5-1/2 inches in diameter. Holes are 3/4 inch squares, rod is 1/4 inch. Do the math and you'll see that it's quite a bit of total opening.
Paul
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just for another perspective. I have a blast gate style damper in the direct mode stove collar on FRANK. this is to be able to completely shut off that exhaust exits influence during base mode operation as desired.
because of the characteristics of my chimney I also have an infinitely adjustable total shut off plate at the bottom of the back pipe leaving the base chamber and 2 average MPD's in the smoke pipe.
the smoke pipe MPD's are the same as what Paul shows except I weave a strip of sheet metal thru the gaps between the damper rod and the square openings in the plate to close off that much more area. I also use metal washers around the rod inside the pipe to keep it exactly in the center of the pipe causing the gap to be uniform and the gasses have to pass thru a space with the smallest possible cross section.
I also have a Mano in plain view from anywhere in the room the stove is in. coupled to the bi metal air damper I have a variety of operating options.
in the case of the OP's situation I would separate the smoke pipe and cap the chimney opening when not in use. but that is just me as I find this sort of thing easy, others have their own priorities.
.02 worth
steve
because of the characteristics of my chimney I also have an infinitely adjustable total shut off plate at the bottom of the back pipe leaving the base chamber and 2 average MPD's in the smoke pipe.
the smoke pipe MPD's are the same as what Paul shows except I weave a strip of sheet metal thru the gaps between the damper rod and the square openings in the plate to close off that much more area. I also use metal washers around the rod inside the pipe to keep it exactly in the center of the pipe causing the gap to be uniform and the gasses have to pass thru a space with the smallest possible cross section.
I also have a Mano in plain view from anywhere in the room the stove is in. coupled to the bi metal air damper I have a variety of operating options.
in the case of the OP's situation I would separate the smoke pipe and cap the chimney opening when not in use. but that is just me as I find this sort of thing easy, others have their own priorities.
.02 worth
steve