If your VC Merrimack uses too much wood

[therealdbeau]

There's a thread on here where the stove owner was provided washers by the manufacturer (sbi) to be installed into the secondary tubes to reduce airflow because of overdraft.

See here - https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/washers-in-re-burn-tubes.174468/

 

[jatoxico]

I modified my primary air. Well, more like provided full function to the air control. I don't usually turn the primary all the way down but under certain conditions I need to. Sometimes its not enough and a full load will just burn too hot and fast. I can deal with it by loading less wood but I wish I had more control. Most likely its because my chimney is a good 15' longer than what it was tested on.

Some of the comments from the early days of this thread seem to be coming to pass. Stoves are being updated so that they can't be turned down low or in some cases not controlled at all. Better insulate your liners.

 

[bholler]

Stove manufacturers would do us all a big favor if they would clearly publish the optimal draft range required for the stove to run properly...some do plainly state it, but all too often it seems to be top secret.

It is made readily available by every manufacturer I have contacted about it. They are all also pretty much the same.

 

[Nigel459]

It is made readily available by every manufacturer I have contacted about it. They are all also pretty much the same.

Just curious, do any manufacturers suggest you measure draft for customers on the installs you do?

 

[bholler]

Just curious, do any manufacturers suggest you measure draft for customers on the installs you do?

Very few do.

 

[bholler]

To be clear I rarely measure draft either. But I know that anything much over 25' is going to have excessive draft and require restriction.

 

[jatoxico]

What's the proper method to measure draft? I ask because, as you may know, I often have a negative pressure problem and have to establish draft before firing up while other times its ready to roll. Likely I get every shade of grey in between. So with a changing natural draft how to you measure?

 

[brenndatomu]

It is made readily available by every manufacturer I have contacted about it. They are all also pretty much the same.

IMO you shouldn't have to contact them...it should be right in the install section of the manual.

Just curious, do any manufacturers suggest you measure draft for customers on the installs you do?

Very few do.

To be clear I rarely measure draft either. But I know that anything much over 25' is going to have excessive draft and require restriction.

I still find it baffling that with something as important as draft, the manufacturers do not require the installer to check the draft reading...like most wood furnace makers suggest...but that very well may be because furnaces tend to be in the basement, and have tall chimneys...but wood stoves chimneys come in all shapes and sizes too...and it is the engine that drives the firebox as they say, so why not know what "horsepower" engine you are working with?

 

[therealdbeau]

IMO you shouldn't have to contact them...it should be right in the install section of the manual.
I still find it baffling that with something as important as draft, the manufacturers do not require the installer to check the draft reading...like most wood furnace makers suggest...but that very well may be because furnaces tend to be in the basement, and have tall chimneys...but wood stoves chimneys come in all shapes and sizes too...and it is the engine that drives the firebox as they say, so why not know what "horsepower" engine you are working with?

Don't forget they're trying to make money and it may be less lucrative to over-complicate things. Just a thought.