Pacific energy stove seems to get clogged

[Grisu]

Have you tried a top-down startup fire yet? That usually generates less smoke, just takes a bit longer to get the stove warmed up.

http://www.woodheat.org/top-down-steps.html

 

[begreen]

Basement installs can have challenging draft. Try using a hair dryer on high heat blowing in above the baffle for about 5 minutes before starting a fire. See if that helps reverse draft for a better start.
Try top down lighting as suggested. For more information watch the third video here: Efficient wood stove operation.
http://www.woodheat.org/wood-heat-videos.html

 

[2wheels]

I will try heating first.
But even if I just put crumpled news paper in there by itself the paper will not fully burn. Just lots of smoke.

 

[begreen]

Yes, you need to reverse draft first. That's going to take some heat. I would get some smokeless starters like SuperCedars. You can get a sampler from Thomas if you want to try them out.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/super-cedar-free-samples-discount-code.113830/page-8

If all else fails, your flue may need a draft starter called the draw collar. http://www.drawcollar.com/

PS: Do you have CO monitors in the house including in the basement? For sure with this weak starting draft you should have a good monitor there.

 

[2wheels]

I was thinking of using pine kindling but I would need to get some.

We have a CO monitor upstairs by the bedrooms, but not downstairs. I should get one.

Is there a way to measure draft, as the fire is starting?

Also I have a question about the T pipe outside, the clean out plug at the bottom is a tight fit but I can see light through it if I get my head underneath and look up. Any issue with that?

 

[begreen]

Get some construction scraps. 2x4 and 2x6 cutoff work well if you take a hatchet and split them into 1" thick pieces. Cabinetry and trim shops often have good clean scrap that is worth seeking out.

The tee cap needs to seal tightly. Any air leaking at that point weakens draft. Put some metal tap over those leaks.

Draft can be measured with a manometer or manehelic gauge. There are inexpensive ones on eBay. You want one that reads in the low range of .01-.5 range ideally.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DWYER-SERIE...991?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c4f2322af

 

[2wheels]

I will seal the clean out plug.

I have a ebay manometer already. Is there a procedure that would help me get meaningful results?

 

[begreen]

http://www.ehow.com/how_11372645_measure-flue-draft.html

 

[2wheels]

Ok, I think I can do this.
It does say for a wood stove to let it run for 25 minutes before measuring. I think I will measure right from the start and see what I get.

 

[Offset]

Don't give up, there has to be an answer to this.

What about trying some kiln dried cedar that will burn quickly and hot. I found with mine that if I take a two small splits spread apart and fill the gap with newspaper not tightly rolled then put the cedar on top of the splits and a few in between. I put one small split on top of this. I get the draft going by burning a roll of newspaper (one or two sheets) then lighting the newspaper between the splits. I know this is probably common to light the stove this way but on occasion I have had trouble getting mine to go as well.

There must be an answer to your dilemma. Hopefully you will find it quickly.

 

[2wheels]

It is a little funny. My son was using my cedar shim stock as kindling. He was getting better results than me. A little expensive though.

 

[begreen]

One other thing to check. Does the stove pipe seal pretty tightly in the stove's flue collar? If there are gaps there seal them up with furnace cement.

PS: after testing draft put a screw or a probe thermometer in the hole.

 

[jatoxico]

I have an almost identical install situation and occasional downdraft problem, leaky attic stair and all. When the air is drafting down aggressively nothing works until that cold slug of air is moved out of the chimney. Sometimes I have luck holding a piece of burning up high in front of the baffles other times I have to push a baffle plate out of the way (it's easy on my stove) and put the newspaper right up into the flue collar.

This happens sporadically to me and seems to have to do with temp but also barometric pressure (fronts moving in and out). You mentioned it was working w/o incident for a while. Nothing changed?

 

[2wheels]

I was going to use the probe thermometer hole to make my draft measurement.

seems to have to do with temp but also barometric pressure

Now that you mention this is exactly my situation I think.

nothing works until that cold slug of air is moved out of the chimney

I like your wording here, it seems like I could get a stick and push it out.

 

[begreen]

I like your wording here, it seems like I could get a stick and push it out.

That is the purpose of the Draw Collar. Try other suggested solutions first.

 

[jatoxico]

I was going to use the probe thermometer hole to make my draft measurement.



Now that you mention this is exactly my situation I think.


I like your wording here, it seems like I could get a stick and push it out.

Yeah if only. Sometimes the "slug" is just sitting there, other times the cold air is flowing in. I do a lot of cold starts and all I have to do is put my hand by the air control and I know if I need to establish draft before making a fire. If I do then top down fire will not work, neither does kindling or candles or Super Cedars. I tried heat guns and hair dryers but don't like them since (mine any way) blew ash all over the place. One piece of newspaper loosely crumpled throws off a surprising amount of heat and will push the cold air right out. If you can't access your flue collar/liner easily though you'll have to figure out a different technique. Maybe through the cleanout though I realize that would not be the most convenient.

While trying different things a couple years ago I managed to get a kindling fire going but air was being supplied by the flue, not good.

 

[Mag Craft]

That is one reason I stopped using news paper to start the stove, I hate the smoke it makes.

I have a stove in the basement that can be alittle finicky to start sometimes but nothing like what your dealing with.

 

[2wheels]

Sounds like a serious downdraft which is due to your flue and home and would happen with any stove. What kind of chimney do you have after the first 6 ft? Class A or masonry (with or without liner)?

You have the right idea in trying to prime the flue with some burning newspaper but it seems the downdraft is so strong it is not sufficient. I would try opening a window or door close to the stove which will help draft. A propane torch or hairdryer may also work better as some newspaper. The easiest solution would be to keep the stove running so the flue stays warm. I suspect the stove drafts just fine once the flue is warm?

One year later. Problems still exist but I keep the stove running almost all the time now so I don't really notice it anymore.
On the serious downdraft issue, i think these 3 items go together to cause my problem.

1 stove is in basement, below grade, and there is a open stairway to the main floor.
2 chimney is outside bottom to top, 6 inch stainless.
3 inside the house the stove pipe if very short, less than 4 feet.

to explain my thinking
- if you have a open stairway the house becomes like a flue and is always sucking air out of the basement, causing a low pressure down there
- if you have a outside chimney it will be very cold (when not used) and thus no draft upwards
- if you have a very short chimney inside the house it will not absorb enough heat from the house to create and updraft

to correct for this a good solution is to get the inline electric heater as mentioned in one of the posts.
Or keep the fire running.
Thanks all.

 

[Hogwildz]

If your having this problem at cold starts, and being in the basement, my money is on reverse draft. I get that a couple times a year here when starting a cold stove. After burning 24/7 there is no issue. You either have to burn 24/7 or try and keep the stack drafting in the right direction, or try top pre heat the stack prior to firing it up. Otherwise until the stack heats up, the smoke with down draft back into the stove, and into the house.

 

[axeman628]

I have this problem occasionally, seemed like a shoulder season problem and only when the stove is cold. The colder its gotten outside the less of a downdraft, does your issue improve at all when it's really cold out.

A few things to do, check the draft before lighting. Using either a lighter or a match you can see which way the air is flowing, if you have a downdraft at least your first sign isn't a room full of smoke. Another thing I've done and this almost guarantees reversing the draft is to open up the cleanout and send heat directly up the chimney. I use a plumbing torch, reverses it really quick and lasts long enough to get started and get your temps climbing.