Harman TL300 smoking

[brokenknee]

Thanks branchburner for the detailed response' I will try closing it down in increments however this does make it more difficult when loading before I go to work.
The wife is usually still sleeping and complains of smoke in the house before she wakes up.

What I have been calling to hot is anything over 475* as that is were the red line is the thermometer, that is stove top temp, not stack temp.

Called the dealer today and he said a three foot section of pipe was about $163 and to make sure I call before I come as he has had a hard time getting it and he only had one section left in stock.

Is an OAK only needed in homes that are very tight?

 

[branchburner]

What I have been calling too hot is anything over 475*

Is an OAK only needed in homes that are very tight?

That's my impression of OAK, helps when a real tight house is running exhaust fans or such. It may help in other situations, too, but doubt it is needed to address your problem.

Relax about "too hot" -- you should be able to cruise that stove for many hours on end at above 500f stove top, let alone on startups when pushing 700f is not uncommon. Some feel that anything above 700f is too hot, but I don't worry unless I'm pushing 800f. Certainly the high 600s is not cause for concern if it is not for an extended time.

Fact is, when my AB is really cranking on a full load, the back of the stove (where the AB is, not the stove top) has exceeded 800f with the primary air mostly shut. Some owners of downdraft stoves (more commonly VC and Lopi Leyden, but Harman too) have experienced glowing around 900f+due to excessive draft and/or too much primary air.

Run it a bit hotter for a bit longer befor closing the bypass, and pull back on the air supply more gradually, and see if that doesn't help with the smoke issue. It should give you better AB performance -- my guess is a too-cool fire is letting smoke buildup and puff back. Do you ever see or hear mini-explosions, like in this video?

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[brokenknee]

Just read this old very lengthy thread on OAKs

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/outside-air-kits-do-you-recommend-them.1929/
I had not planned on opening a thread that old but it said i did not have sufficient privileges to respond.

I think I will pass on that for now. Still planning to add the extra pipe but will most likely have to wait until spring.

I did try on running the stove hotter and shutting it down in steps. That did help quit a bit. Only problem is in the morning on work days, not enough time to do a proper step down, so the wife said it does get some smoke in the house but not as bad as it had been.

 

[1kzwoman]

Are you starting a cold stove in the morning? If I have to do that it seems that the first loosely loaded smaller splits and kindling fire warms the stove and builds a coal bed. (I used top down start method) . Then I pull coals forward and add larger dense load of wood and begin shut down process. I fought my stove too for a while until I began with this method.
Overall the stove probably likes smaller splits than you are used to burning at startup. Heat the stove top to 550 with smaller dry splits, build some coals, then reload

 

[brokenknee]

Kzwoman, nope stove normally has a good bed of coals, the wife will feed it before coming to bed. It is I don't have the time in the morning to get it up to temp close but not quite.

Branchburner just watched the video and yes I have seen the mini explosions in the stove but have not noticed smoke coming out the lid.

 

[brokenknee]

I know this is an old thread, but thought I would update as I finally got around to adding the three foot section of chimney.

I have only had one fire since adding it to take the chill out of the house, but the results are promising. I will most likely have another small fire tomorrow night as it is supposed to get into the low 30s.