Smoke out of hopper, cap off chimney

Looking for some ideas until I get off of work and dig into a new problem.

I leave my home by going through the basement and checking the stoker temp because the warmer weather and trying to get the summer settings on point- the timer had the stoker running but with smoke coming out the hopper. Now I had this issue before, but only with oiled coal and that has since been resolved (and I will not get oiled coal every again!).

Back story: Saturday went to clean the chimney. The insert put into the chimney 8 years ago is completely deteriorated. Pulled out what I can and chimney was clear, cleaned the clean out and we are good to go except I need a new chimney top because the old one was cemented on to the chimney. Topper has not been installed yet (Picking one up after work) and we had some nasty thunderstorms last night, 1.5 in of rain. Could water in the chimney cause the smoke/vapor out of the hopper? Backdraft? I do not own a manometer to check draft but it is certainly something I need to look into. The smoke was very visible with 0 smell (With the oiled coal it at least had a smell). Yes I have CO monitors but unfortunately without a digital readout.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as to where to begin tackling this issue. Thanks!

Anytime that you witness condensation accumulating in your stokers hopper poor draft (not necessarily implying to the extent of back-draft) is the prime suspect.

Could it be because the cap is off? Good draft up until the cap came off and the rain came down so to say. I don't know much but have a willingness to learn!

Double check for blockage...
So it was a SS liner that died...
The increased volume of the Chimney without a SS liner...
Could also reduce draft...

Quick Update: Went home for lunch and watched the stoker on the timer and no smoke/mist(?) I'm going to hopefully cap it tonight and check for any blockages.

Very few caps do very much to improve draft
A few are specially designed for draft improvements but ordinary cap does very little if anything.
Mesh or screen also distracts but stops critters

As of today no smoke/vapor out of the hopper- too windy to go up on the roof last night, might be too windy today as well.

No blockages everything clean. Just going to monitor the situation for now.

Not to rain on your parade, but...No smoke and vapors are a temporary benefit of these windy times we're having...they'll return soon as things calm down and warm up again...

McGiever wrote: ↑

Tue. May. 21, 2019 9:23 am

Very few caps do very much to improve draft
A few are specially designed for draft improvements but ordinary cap does very little if anything.
Mesh or screen also distracts but stops critters

Care to elaborate a little more on this subject, Larry?

My chimney's don't have caps. I asked Pap about installing caps when he was living. He understood moisture getting into the chimneys during the off season, but during burning season he was dead against using a cap of any kind. Never got to ask him why and I didn't think to ask him when he made those comments. I currently have zero caps. I also currently have an oil furnace chimney with about 50 years on it that is spalling badly. It's an 8"x8" clay lined masonry...inside the home as well, just like the stove chimney. They are both the same, except the stove chimney is in much better shape. Been told the clay liner is too big for the thermopride oil burner. It is black inside, for sure, but zero build-up inside it. That is, it's in no way blocked.

take your pick...