Fire Chief FC1000 year 2
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This is how much the draft flap is opened. Since the rivet that they added to control the opening has been removed, I added tape to seal that side.
![[Hearth.com] Fire Chief FC1000 year 2](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/ff5b15f0c1c1c16253dcf5aba0d296aa-webp.231583/ "[Hearth.com] Fire Chief FC1000 year 2")
Medic21
Minister of Fire
Not wanting to start another thread on this furnace. We’ve beat the horse, killed it, tenderized it, dug it up, and beat it again.
I’ve been in contact with HY-C to get a fix or replacement. I got a response about how engineering has been working on it. I received an updated part. This is their fix to the puffing. Put two holes past the blower. I’m a little leery of running a stove that has a direct air opening with no way to close it off. Emailed back I’d like a call and Waiting to see if any testing has been done. In the meantime I bought a used hitzer coal/wood furnace for my shop I may just throw in the basement.
![[Hearth.com] Fire Chief FC1000 year 2](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/53f52620-4426-4ad9-be48-2c205bc0ca58-webp.234163/ "[Hearth.com] Fire Chief FC1000 year 2")
I’ve been in contact with HY-C to get a fix or replacement. I got a response about how engineering has been working on it. I received an updated part. This is their fix to the puffing. Put two holes past the blower. I’m a little leery of running a stove that has a direct air opening with no way to close it off. Emailed back I’d like a call and Waiting to see if any testing has been done. In the meantime I bought a used hitzer coal/wood furnace for my shop I may just throw in the basement.
I am assuming the 2 holes are 3/8”?
What I am trying to figure out is how is that different then just opening the draft blower flap wider, perhaps the flap limits the rush of primary air?
What I am trying to figure out is how is that different then just opening the draft blower flap wider, perhaps the flap limits the rush of primary air?
cumminstinkerer
Burning Hunk
wow, @Medic21 that seems like a lot of uncontrollable air to me especially on a stove, but it may be about right since primary and secondary both pull from the same opening. I hope it works, if it does a guy could always put a sealing damper/throttle blade in there just after the holes controlled by a honeywell damper motor and have it set up to close on deenergize. that is how most the controls are, the one i have would be ideal, then in the event of a power failure or runaway that flapper would or could be closed, you could even set a high limit and a relay to make it automatic. I don't feel that you should have to but they should, but that is at least an option
maple1
Minister of Fire
That's interesting.
Not sure what it would do differently exactly, than the fan shutting off & the chimney still drawing through the fan opening. Well, it would promote a more active fire in the box when the fan is off. And it would make less air go in the firebox and a less active fire when the fan is running. But not sure if that would all add up to making the puffing go away. Does seem like something out of the 'bandaid fix' box though.
Not sure what it would do differently exactly, than the fan shutting off & the chimney still drawing through the fan opening. Well, it would promote a more active fire in the box when the fan is off. And it would make less air go in the firebox and a less active fire when the fan is running. But not sure if that would all add up to making the puffing go away. Does seem like something out of the 'bandaid fix' box though.
brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
You are right with your first thought, its not different.
This will make no difference...zero. They need to split up the primary and secondary air source so they can control them separately.
Medic21
Minister of Fire
If I open the flap all the way without the blower running I still don’t get enough air for a clean burn and I still get back puffing occasionally. That is an unrestricted 3 1/4 inch opening. With the slide close down in order for this to burn without burning away I will have less hair with the blower off than with the slide all the way open. Combine that with air following the path of least resistance and now there will be no airflow into the furnace with the fan running.
Medic21
Minister of Fire
Call me crazy. Why can’t I wire in a reostat and relay. Slow the draft motor down to get enough air to sustain a burn in between calls for heat and when the thermostat calls for heat feed power to the fan as intended and let the thing run wide open???
Does this sound feasible??????
![[Hearth.com] Fire Chief FC1000 year 2](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/7d6814ed-56b0-4d3d-87db-541646dbd063-webp.234174/ "[Hearth.com] Fire Chief FC1000 year 2")
![[Hearth.com] Fire Chief FC1000 year 2](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/7fa49601-26a7-44a8-9107-ffae14e0b83e-webp.234175/ "[Hearth.com] Fire Chief FC1000 year 2")
Does this sound feasible??????
brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
Crazy.
That still doesn't address the issue of too much primary and not enough secondary air...maybe if you tried this idea and then blocked some of the primary holes off too...
Medic21
Minister of Fire
Crazy.
That still doesn't address the issue of too much primary and not enough secondary air...maybe if you tried this idea and then blocked some of the primary holes off too...
The burnnof this thing is on the front and not top. That I believe is part of the issue. It’s not placing the oxygen into the superheated gases below the baffle. The air is in front of it.
brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
Yeah, that's basically what I was getting at...too much air down low in the front (feeds the primary fire) then that makes the wood burn and offgas harder/faster than the secondary system has enough air to deal with it...eventually the secondary burn is overwhelmed (and maybe goes out)...at some point the fuel/air ratio comes back in line and WOOF!
brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
Apollo kid
New Member
Apollo kid
New Member
I've been in the same boat as you and Mr. Pelletburner, basically I've been running mine the same way you have, I wondered if you tried that blower
Medic21
Minister of Fire
I contacted HY-C to see if they would ship the “updated draft blower” so I could also test.
I am assuming they drilled two 3/8” holes? Maybe a bit larger?
Apollo kid
New Member
Did it cut down your start up time, or do you still have to babysit it till it has a good burn going, also have you been dealing with Nathan Folkemer to receive that part? I hate being a bother, I'm on my second year also, believe me I know what you guys have been dealing with.
Medic21
Minister of Fire
My start up time is about 30 min from cold. Paper and kindling add two small spilts then two or three at a time once the previous ones are burning good. I do this till it’s full and flue tempsnon an internal probe are 550-650 and then shut it up.
Reloading is a layer at a time on the coal bed. I’ve been gettin 6-8 hours out of a load after the initial. The initial is 2-4 hours depending on temp outside. I work today a 24hr shift and tomorrow will start a continuous burn since it is working safe enough for the wife to load it now.
Medic21
Minister of Fire
Haven't been on in a while but yeah I have a Tundra. Compared to this thing the Tundra is an engineering masterpiece.
brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
Hell no! My Tundra has been flawless and with the updated control system I built this fall it's everything I could ask for. I've been following these threads about the Firechief and can't believe this POS is being sold to the unsuspecting public.
brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
Ah, ok I misunderstood what you were saying when you said you were "equally disgusted" with FC...thought you had one
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