Lost my draft

warminmn · Post by **warminmn** » Fri. Feb. 19, 2021 11:56 am

If I lived on the coast near salt water I'd be leery of stainless or in a warmer climate. Mine only sits idle 3 to 4 months a year and even with cheap Duravent Ive gotten by for years. I hope to get a look at the top of mine this year. No cap, it blew off. I'll be surprised if I dont need to replace the top section. But its just the nature of the beast and you have to accept it or build a better chimney.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Fri. Feb. 19, 2021 12:11 pm

Yep, I did a restoration in Vero Beach Fl--100 yds from the ocean--put all brass door set-ups on exterior/ interior doors--they were ALL trashed in 6 months. Probably not relevant--but--TS--I felt like sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

warminmn · Post by **warminmn** » Fri. Feb. 19, 2021 12:56 pm

You were out of your element Fred

I'd do the same thing. Its all relevant info!

BlackBetty06 · Post by **BlackBetty06** » Fri. Feb. 19, 2021 4:37 pm

Hoytman wrote: ↑
Fri. Feb. 19, 2021 11:18 am
BB, this is why I said what I did, regardless of who cleans your liner. Pictures have been posted here of these liners, yes 316Ti, just has John has posted lasting 5 years before rotting through. My point was just to make sure it gets cleaned each year and do whatever has to be done to protect your investment to try and make it last longer than 5-10 years.

It has been posted here before that AL 249 C, I believe it is, has the most corrosion resistance, but less of a temperature rating, even though it isn't rated for coal because of the temperature rating. When I read that my thought was, "if coal burns cooler in the exhaust liner than wood, then why is the temp rating a worry in the first place?" Obviously, we all know how hot coal can get, but it's not supposed to get there anyway. Just another reason I am not yet convinced SS liners are the answer for me because of wanting to burn wood and coal. Maybe what I read about AL 249 C was just an opinion and I am wrong. Pictures of rotted 316Ti don't lie though. Some have had great luck with it for years. I hope you do as well because then that might persuade me.

Somehow though I get the impression you'll take care of that chimney as best you can if if the worst happens you'll make adjustments just like we all do.

Yep rot out is my worry also. But as long as I have that lifetime warranty, they can send me a new one every five years for free while I live here and so on and so forth for the next owner if they would use coal. I am enjoying the improved draft though. Right now stove burning slightly over 400 on the face, pipe temp at the breech is 185 pipe temp at the thimble is 109(baro helps lower that) draft -.06 baro just starting to twitch

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Fri. Feb. 19, 2021 5:31 pm

B, if you're happy, the worlds happy!! .>)

BlackBetty06 · Post by **BlackBetty06** » Fri. Feb. 19, 2021 7:48 pm

FF I am happy lol. I was disappointed that I had to resort to a stainless liner, but the chimney products and such staining the bricks in the attic bothered me so I figured safe vs sorry.

BlackBetty06 · Post by **BlackBetty06** » Fri. Mar. 12, 2021 9:46 pm

Update: Summer has arrived in the armpit of Pennsylvania this week. It has been in the 70s the last 3 days. The hottest was yesterday at 76 degrees with a paltry low of 60. Stove is running at 7.5 on the dial, ash pan door barely cracked. Stove front 250 degrees. Lowest draft reading -.02

Looks like I’m good to go draft wise as long as the liner doesn’t rot out. Might try and run it down even lower. Thankfully the warm weather is moving out this weekend so the house should be a little more comfortable.

Hoytman · Post by **Hoytman** » Fri. Mar. 12, 2021 10:14 pm

That should be about 170ish, maybe 185-190, can’t remember, on the back of the stove just under the stat. That’s where Dean at Hitzer told me was the best place to take a reading. At least for when someone calls him to discuss temps with him at Hitzer. It seems that is the universal spot they take their own readings from on all their stoved for greater accuracy of what the stat is sensing. On my 354 that right 250 near the door is right near the edge. I did get one reading on the front of the doors, just above them, of 230. IIRC that was close to the 170 mark. I get the same mano reading as you.

That is with my dial set at 2.5. Just shows the dial setting doesn’t mean much other than for the user’s reference. Not intended to be compared because a simple ball chain setting difference can cause the difference between dial settings from user to user.

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sat. Mar. 13, 2021 10:20 am

Don't forget that slow burning of green wood at begining and ending of heating season lays a protective layer of creosote that helps greatly to preserving metal against acidic action on flues and liners all through to the following season.
How much??? More is better...but slow smouldering and 'greener' the better also. Fully barked something more or less wrist-sized logs.
This is one case where cerosote is your friend!!!

Hoytman · Post by **Hoytman** » Sat. Mar. 13, 2021 11:19 am

I’m glad you mentioned that Larry. I had read here that it helps but wasn’t sure how much. Is there still a need to oil the stove after cleaning of ash?

Also, I take it that by burning coal each season that the creosote layers won’t build up too much because the burning of the coal dries out the creosote allowing much of it to fall into the stove/chimney?

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sat. Mar. 13, 2021 12:22 pm

Hoytman wrote: ↑
Sat. Mar. 13, 2021 11:19 am
I’m glad you mentioned that Larry. I had read here that it helps but wasn’t sure how much. Is there still a need to oil the stove after cleaning of ash?
Would be a good thing if one wanted to brush fly-ash down before creosote layer were laid down...Oil on creosote...not good!
Also, I take it that by burning coal each season that the creosote layers won’t build up too much because the burning of the coal dries out the creosote allowing much of it to fall into the stove/chimney?
Correct

Erik Carstens · Post by **Erik Carstens** » Sat. Mar. 13, 2021 12:57 pm

Hoytman wrote: ↑
Sat. Mar. 13, 2021 11:19 am
I’m glad you mentioned that Larry. I had read here that it helps but wasn’t sure how much. Is there still a need to oil the stove after cleaning of ash?

Also, I take it that by burning coal each season that the creosote layers won’t build up too much because the burning of the coal dries out the creosote allowing much of it to fall into the stove/chimney?

In the 70's I worked at a wood stove shop when the energy crisis set it. My boss said to run it hot every morning for 30 minutes or so to burn any creosote that may have accumulated during the slow night burn.

Erik Carstens · Post by **Erik Carstens** » Sat. Mar. 13, 2021 1:21 pm

Erik Carstens wrote: ↑
Sat. Mar. 13, 2021 12:57 pm
In the 70's I worked at a wood stove shop when the energy crisis set it. My boss said to run it hot every morning for 30 minutes or so to burn any creosote that may have accumulated during the slow night burn.

Another thing you could do after burning coal with a metal chimney is brush out the fly ash , clean out the fly ash inside the stove , and take a 6" "Tampon" like swab , dip it in a 5 gallon bucket of used motor oil , And run it up and down the chimney a few times , like cleaning a long gun. I failed to do anything with my 6" chimney after burning coal for 1-2 seasons and I see rust spots on the exterior pipe, the shiny polished type. Made me upset a little. Now I use that chimney for a oil furnace on "my side" of the house.

BlackBetty06 · Post by **BlackBetty06** » Sat. Mar. 13, 2021 9:59 pm

I would definitely think it prudent to get as much fly ash out as possible. Seeing how wood has so much moisture in it, I would think that burning wet wood to coat the chimney could actually cause a problem if the fly ash was left in as it would give the fly ash its moisture to start the sulfuric acid. I have heard that a nice coating of creosote helps to preserve the steel but I would think it should be as close to bare metal as possible before laying in the smoke coating