275 Gallon Oil Tank turned Wood Stove

[Laurentide Oysters]

Hello everyone,

I'm new here just registered...

I live on Cape Cod in Mass and I am trying to heat an old drafty garage with a custom wood stove I'm constructing.

I have a bunch of the components to start, but one thing I'm unclear of is what the diameter of the pipe/flue should be. I was first thinking 8" but now I'm thinking 10" might be better. It will be a straight shot up through the roof with no bends and roughly a height of 15' from the top of the stove, which is 36cu ft.

My question really is, what diameter stove pipe would (you) use to accomplish a good healthy draft?

I wanna get this thing going but I don't want to find out the hard way if it works or not being that stove pipe is obviously expensive.

also, for footprint reasons, I'm standing it upright like this one attached.

Thanks Guys,

-Jack

 

[stoveliker]

You do know it's not legal to install a solid fuel appliance in a garage? Fuel vapors igniting etc.


Folks still do it, but insurance may not pay out if things go south.

If you do, keep the stove off the ground (I forgot how high, 18"? Canadian code allows that, check that.)

 

[Turbo89]

Cool install/idea!

This thread has some discussion on flue draw, my understanding is that chimney height and temperature differential have a larger impact on draw than diameter (basically you need to have a large enough diameter for the volume of smoke, but beyond that height / temp differential drive draft).

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...meter,causes a lower temperature differential.

There’s some guys on YouTube doing similar things, perhaps check there? I’d guess an 8” flue is more than enough… then again I’ve never burned one of these.

Also - you’re going to get a bunch of flac for posting about putting it in your garage here…. My jurisdiction (close to the cape) allowed it because it was a detached building and I kept the firebox 18” off the floor, amongst many other town rules.

Best of luck, please post a picture /video of it once it’s up and going!

 

[stoveliker]

Diameter should be .ire determined by how much air comes in. See fireplace guides (opening versus flue cross section).

If you need the building insured, do talk to them before doing this and get things in writing.
Your jurisdiction can say what they want, your insurance is not beholden to them - and arguably more important for you.

 

[EbS-P]

Why not install a 24k btu Mr cool DiY mini split? 1700$.

Have you priced out 8” class A chimney and 10” is really pricy.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

yeah, the class A will be expensive. I can’t imagine what 10” would cost.

This project, to do it by code, will cost way more than you think.

 

[weee123]

Is that a current picture of the stove or just an example? I hope you line the bottom and sides with fire brick or you’ll burn right through it. I would look and see what size chimney the outside wood boilers use, that would probably work.

 

[bigealta]

I'd spend my time, money, and energy on a used epa stove if funds are tight. You will save a ton on all 3 vs building that which will not burn well compared to any woodstove.

Sorry i do like the thought but the reality is that's an idea that's not your best one.

 

[weee123]

I'd spend my time, money, and energy on a used epa stove if funds are tight. You will save a ton on all 3 vs building that which will not burn well compared to any woodstove.

Sorry i do like the thought but the reality is that's an idea that's not your best one.

I’ve seen some homemade ones that would blow the doors off an epa heater, but they’re also made of steel plate or huge steel pipe not a sheet metal tank.

I had a 55gal barrel stove in my pole barn that worked ok but I never wanted to run it too hard since again it was thin sheet metal. I know have a fisher insert with a blower and that works way better. Plate steel has more mass than sheet metal and well hold heat better and can be fired hotter.

 

[zrock]

while in most places you have you have a open flame appliance 18" above the floor for insurance reasons, with building your own stove no insurance is going to cover you since it does not have a safety rating like ULA or CSA or what ever those abbreviations are. Now if you are willing to loose insurance coverage and this may possibly effect your homeowners policy as well even if your shop is not connected to the house.

 

[bigealta]

I’ve seen some homemade ones that would blow the doors off an epa heater, but they’re also made of steel plate or huge steel pipe not a sheet metal tank.

I had a 55gal barrel stove in my pole barn that worked ok but I never wanted to run it too hard since again it was thin sheet metal. I know have a fisher insert with a blower and that works way better. Plate steel has more mass than sheet metal and well hold heat better and can be fired hotter.

Ah yes of course. They hold much more fuel so of course they should run "Hotter".

But those will burn thru much more firewood for the same btu's to the room.
Add up the extra wood burned over the year and years and you will be a big net loser.

 

[weee123]

Ah yes of course. They hold much more fuel so of course they should run "Hotter".

But those will burn thru much more firewood for the same btu's to the room.
Add up the extra wood burned over the year and years and you will be a big net loser.

For a heater that is probably going to be used only sporadically when he’s out there the wood used is completely negligent. My fisher in my barn gets used maybe two to three times a year. Who knows how often he will use it since he hasn’t come back to reply.

As for the codes, the guy clearly doesn’t care about that with his initial heater wants. Some people just want to heat a space when they’re out there codes be damned. Obviously the codes and insurance issues need to be mentioned on a public forum such as this though.

 

[stoveliker]

As for the codes, the guy clearly doesn’t care about that with his initial heater wants.

You may be right, but I don't know that.
Some people just don't know, so it's good to mention so it's certain they'll make an informed decision.

 

[Laurentide Oysters]

You do know it's not legal to install a solid fuel appliance in a garage? Fuel vapors igniting etc.


Folks still do it, but insurance may not pay out if things go south.

If you do, keep the stove off the ground (I forgot how high, 18"? Canadian code allows that, check that.)

Hey, thanks for the response-

I'm using the wood stove to boil mash for my illegal moonshine bootlegging operation, so I don't care much about thems laws. (spit sound in spitoon)

j/k

I appreciate the clearance recommendation though.

 

[Laurentide Oysters]

Cool install/idea!

This thread has some discussion on flue draw, my understanding is that chimney height and temperature differential have a larger impact on draw than diameter (basically you need to have a large enough diameter for the volume of smoke, but beyond that height / temp differential drive draft).

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/chimney-draft-vs-diameter-vs-height-questions.51014/#:~:text=The reason that larger diameter,causes a lower temperature differential.

There’s some guys on YouTube doing similar things, perhaps check there? I’d guess an 8” flue is more than enough… then again I’ve never burned one of these.

Also - you’re going to get a bunch of flac for posting about putting it in your garage here…. My jurisdiction (close to the cape) allowed it because it was a detached building and I kept the firebox 18” off the floor, amongst many other town rules.

Best of luck, please post a picture /video of it once it’s up and going!

Thanks Turbo, THIS is what i'm asking about. I'm not a stove engineer (obviously) so this is helpful and to the point- much appreciated.

I understand about the unwanted and unnecessary flac I'm sure I will get- but i'm really just asking about, like if i was say to do this thing I've been pondering on ... how would I do dat? I'm just asking for a friend anyway...

I think you've got the right idea about using 8" pipe and I think that I'll go with that since i'm finding plenty of double wall insulated pipe on FB marketplace.

I'll be sure to post my friends install when it's completed.

 

[Laurentide Oysters]

Diameter should be .ire determined by how much air comes in. See fireplace guides (opening versus flue cross section).

If you need the building insured, do talk to them before doing this and get things in writing.
Your jurisdiction can say what they want, your insurance is not beholden to them - and arguably more important for you.

Good advice and thank you for it. Also I will check out that calculator. Thanks!

 

[Laurentide Oysters]

Why not install a 24k btu Mr cool DiY mini split? 1700$.

Have you priced out 8” class A chimney and 10” is really pricy.

Just looked it up. I've seen those kits at Ocean State Job Lot but that wouldn't touch the uninsulated drafty spot I'm working in. Thanks for the suggestion though!

 

[Laurentide Oysters]

yeah, the class A will be expensive. I can’t imagine what 10” would cost.

This project, to do it by code, will cost way more than you think.

I think after lots of thought on my behalf and reading yous guyses thoughts i'm going with the 8" class A (used)

I installed an old huntsman wood stove two years ago and got a bunch of class A 8" cheap in great shape on FB marketplace

 

[Laurentide Oysters]

Is that a current picture of the stove or just an example? I hope you line the bottom and sides with fire brick or you’ll burn right through it. I would look and see what size chimney the outside wood boilers use, that would probably work.

That's actually my buddies set up a few towns over and his works incredibly well in the space he's got it in- Heats up a whole uninsulated garage without making it glow by any means. His has firebrick in it because he's smart and methodical. Mine will certainly have firebricks in it as well.

As for the boiler chimneys, looks like a lot of them I was seeing were 8" ID

 

[Laurentide Oysters]

I'd spend my time, money, and energy on a used epa stove if funds are tight. You will save a ton on all 3 vs building that which will not burn well compared to any woodstove.

Sorry i do like the thought but the reality is that's an idea that's not your best one.

Have we met? I have LOTs of terrible ideas... haha this is one of the few great ones I've had lately- For my friends place...

 

[Laurentide Oysters]

I’ve seen some homemade ones that would blow the doors off an epa heater, but they’re also made of steel plate or huge steel pipe not a sheet metal tank.

I had a 55gal barrel stove in my pole barn that worked ok but I never wanted to run it too hard since again it was thin sheet metal. I know have a fisher insert with a blower and that works way better. Plate steel has more mass than sheet metal and well hold heat better and can be fired hotter.

I intend to run it at a good reasonable temperature and I'm going to put heat exchanging through pipes with a large squirrel fan on the back. I also intend to create a primary grate and firebox on the inside that contains the embers as to not degrade the metal of the tank.

 

[Laurentide Oysters]

For a heater that is probably going to be used only sporadically when he’s out there the wood used is completely negligent. My fisher in my barn gets used maybe two to three times a year. Who knows how often he will use it since he hasn’t come back to reply.

As for the codes, the guy clearly doesn’t care about that with his initial heater wants. Some people just want to heat a space when they’re out there codes be damned. Obviously the codes and insurance issues need to be mentioned on a public forum such as this though.

You've hit the nail on the head- You've inferred correctly by my post and that's the scenario I'm working with. You really "get" me. Sorry for the late reply I forgot I started a new account and then saw my email notifying me you guys actually give a shyt. Thanks again.

Also, I'm not too worried about wood I get LOTs of free kiln dried scraps from a panel shop I used to work in building houses and they're happy for me to take barrels away instead of it going in a landfill.