# closed damper... hotter stove?



## shiest (Jan 31, 2007)

I am relativley new to wood burning and I have a 3 month old avalon pendleton insert with blower. I am still learning how this baby acts but I have noticed that contrary to what you would think, once I get a good fire going and damp it down, the stove temp actually goes up. This is not neccesarily a bad thing. because I never could get it as hot as I wanted it. but is this normal? I always thought closed damper = cooler fire. now its not closed all the way. I close it about half way and the stove temp jumps up 75-100 degrees. from about 425-500. am I crazy? I am sure it is doing this. the blower fan speed is not changed and I have played with this alot to make sure I am not imagining it. damper open 425 degrees. damper half closed 500 degrees? help!


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## shiest (Jan 31, 2007)

oh and its a quick increase to. it takes only a few minutes after I damp it down for it to jump 100 degrees.


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## elkimmeg (Jan 31, 2007)

Instead of all the heat going up the chimney the damper holds it longer in the stove mthe Temp rise you are experiencing is normal

Welcome aboard


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## shiest (Jan 31, 2007)

ok not to insult you because I certainly dont understand it myself. maybe Im referring to it incorrectly. maybe this isnt a damper but another kind of air control. this does not control the flue but air intake. does that still affect the amount of air being held in the firebox? does your solution still apply? I think maybe I am reffering to it incorrectly.


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## shiest (Jan 31, 2007)

im sure im confused and not you. 3700 posts..... dang!


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## elkimmeg (Jan 31, 2007)

The air inlet does the same thing.  You have it wide open to start you fire. The more intense the fire with it open the more drawn into the chimney

Once  you have gotten the load fully involved,reducing air will lower the amount exiting up the chimney, less heat exiting .and remaining longer in the stove fire box 

 This generates more heat to the surface.  Again what you are experiencing is normal 

 As you experiment with your settings, you will learn just when to control that stove and opperate within a safe productive heat range. It takes time to learn how to control your stove

As for you other post about the paint issue take it up with your dealer


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## shiest (Jan 31, 2007)

thanks man. I appreciate it. I wish I had realised that I could get more heat by burning less wood before I went through half my wood for the winter! the paint it annoying though. Ill be calling hte dealer soon. they also did a crappy job capping the chimney. the sheet metal they shaped to cover the flue is way to big and has been blown loose by wind. poor job all around.


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## elkimmeg (Jan 31, 2007)

You know if it is warn enough that metal cap can be glued down,using poly uerthane glue. Just run a bead around you clay liner and press the cap down.  

As long as it is not freezing, a couple of days, it will cure.  While up there examine you flue liner and clean out the  termination cap

 It is also ok to trim it


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## shiest (Jan 31, 2007)

ugh. I shudder at the thought of heights... ok. Ill try. WAY to cold now though hehe.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 31, 2007)

shiest said:
			
		

> thanks man. I appreciate it. I wish I had realised that I could get more heat by burning less wood before I went through half my wood for the winter! the paint it annoying though. Ill be calling hte dealer soon. they also did a crappy job capping the chimney. the sheet metal they shaped to cover the flue is way to big and has been blown loose by wind. poor job all around.



A big reason you get more heat after closing down the inlet air over around 450 to 500 degrees is that once the stove is pulling more air through the secondary air system up top it is burning more of the smoke at the top of the firebox. At any given temperature the wood is giving off gases in the form of smoke whether it is being burned or not. With the secondary air system blowing more pre-heated air into the smoke it is igniting instead of going up the chimney. If the stove is hot enough.

Voila! More heat from the same wood. You are really burning the same amount of wood but getting a lot more heat from it.


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## Highbeam (Jan 31, 2007)

Of course it only works to a point. As you go from wide open draft towards closed the heat goes up and up but at some point you choke the fire of primary air and the temps will cool. I haven't been able to snuff a fire to death but I have been able to cool the stove. With a nearly closed draft control on a hot stove and decent fuel load the secondary air supply is doing really nice looking things with the smoke.

The wife still runs it wide open to heat the stove from low to 600. I showed her that shutting the draft to 50% after about 350 degrees really gets the temps up quickly and certainly saves wood. 

These are the types of operating nuances that are not covered in most manuals. Learn by doing.


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