Try splitting some 12" 2x4 in half and use them for sleepers. I think getting air under the wood will help. Good plan to try some additional pipe. It should make a difference.
Quadrafire Voyageur Grand dirty glass all the time
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amellefson
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I had acceptable draft my first couple years when firguring all of this stuff out. I added a 2' piece above my liner...it made a noticable difference. I also have about 14' of flex liner. Before it was just under my roof ridge, now it sits above by a foot or so.
My Quad is a different model insert, but similar I imagine. I have great top down starts with the door cracked about 10 or 15 minutes, great secondaries, and all ash when I let it burns out. Very good reloads aswell.
I concur with the draft theroy.
My Quad is a different model insert, but similar I imagine. I have great top down starts with the door cracked about 10 or 15 minutes, great secondaries, and all ash when I let it burns out. Very good reloads aswell.
I concur with the draft theroy.
**UPDATE**
yesterday evening was around 40 degrees so I decided to do some work. I took an 18" long piece of flex liner and jammed it in the top of my chimney and left the cap off. I went inside to clean the glass before lighting the fire and immediately noticed a whistling noise coming from my ACC that wasn't there before. I piled my kindling up like usual and lit it. I noticed a huge difference!! The stuff took off like crazy and I only had to leave the door open about 15 min. I got it burned down quite a bit then threw some 3"-4" splits on, and they went to flame within 10 min. I got the flue collar to 625 degrees in less than an hour, which is crazy because I've rarely seen it over 500 even during my hottest burns. On the second reload I threw 2 8" splits in. They took about 15 min to light, but I didn't have to keep the door open. I still got the "Butt print" on the glass, but it wasn't as dark and thick as it has always been.
I think the next thing to try would be to replace the 18" stack with a 36" one, and see how it acts.
Thanks again to all for the advice..
Any thoughts?
yesterday evening was around 40 degrees so I decided to do some work. I took an 18" long piece of flex liner and jammed it in the top of my chimney and left the cap off. I went inside to clean the glass before lighting the fire and immediately noticed a whistling noise coming from my ACC that wasn't there before. I piled my kindling up like usual and lit it. I noticed a huge difference!! The stuff took off like crazy and I only had to leave the door open about 15 min. I got it burned down quite a bit then threw some 3"-4" splits on, and they went to flame within 10 min. I got the flue collar to 625 degrees in less than an hour, which is crazy because I've rarely seen it over 500 even during my hottest burns. On the second reload I threw 2 8" splits in. They took about 15 min to light, but I didn't have to keep the door open. I still got the "Butt print" on the glass, but it wasn't as dark and thick as it has always been.
I think the next thing to try would be to replace the 18" stack with a 36" one, and see how it acts.
Thanks again to all for the advice..
Any thoughts?
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Yep - my thought is that you just discovered that you need a bit more draft than you had.
I was looking at this as a permanent solution, but it is not insulated and it is only 18" tall.
(broken link removed to http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Flue-Extender?gclid=CLC01IzGwskCFYOBaQoduq0FgQ?gdftrk=gdfV23673_a_7c1677_a_7c8224_a_7c2520297_a2s__a3a__a2s_2520300#252Diameter:6")
Does an extension have to be class-A insulated in order to function properly?
Do they make something that is longer than 18" that will clamp on to my existing top plate?
(broken link removed to http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Flue-Extender?gclid=CLC01IzGwskCFYOBaQoduq0FgQ?gdftrk=gdfV23673_a_7c1677_a_7c8224_a_7c2520297_a2s__a3a__a2s_2520300#252Diameter:6")
Does an extension have to be class-A insulated in order to function properly?
Do they make something that is longer than 18" that will clamp on to my existing top plate?
I have no knowledge of that brand. Maybe the best option is to give their help line a call and tell them what you are trying to do.
Common question. That is what I would be tempted to add, but it would be good to get another opinion of this. @bholler, is there code governing this and if so what is the actual code for a short chimney extension with a liner.
To my knowledge there is not code about it but i would not use anything but class a because if it is not insulated it will cool quickly and you will get allot of buildup
Just got off the phone with National Chimney Supply. They're the ones who make the liners and the extension I was looking at. They advised me to purchase through Rockford chimney He advised me to not put class A up there as an extension because the 1 inch of insulation will not make any difference. He said that if it was class A and completely exposed to the elements, it would be the same temperature as single wall and if I build a fire in either, the fire will keep the pipe hot.?.
Is he full of it, or does it really not matter? BTW, they do make a 24" extension, you just have to ask for it.
Is he full of it, or does it really not matter? BTW, they do make a 24" extension, you just have to ask for it.
I ain't buying it. There is no way that during a burn a single wall exposed to the elements is gonna have the same wall temp as an insulated double wall. Does not compute.
Thanks. I wonder if the stove is sending up the liner 450-500F gases just how much accumulation there would be? Definitely agree if this was a cat stove with cool flue temps, but maybe not with a secondary tube stove.
Just checking back in here...
got a piece of 24" long furnace duct and tried it. The fire burnt better than the 18" piece and got started faster, but I still get the mess on the glass. But, it has been exceptionally warm here in NW Ohio, (71F) the other day, so before I judge it, I'm going to wait for a nice cold day to test it out.
got a piece of 24" long furnace duct and tried it. The fire burnt better than the 18" piece and got started faster, but I still get the mess on the glass. But, it has been exceptionally warm here in NW Ohio, (71F) the other day, so before I judge it, I'm going to wait for a nice cold day to test it out.
At 71F even our stove glass would get messy. Looks like you'll be cooling down by Thursday & Friday. I expect you will see nice difference then.
I would say that having an insulated extension is a bit better, however you will have to redo the entire top of your chimney system. The top plate in a chimney liner kit will not attach to the insulated pipe. You will have to replace the top plate with a Transition Plate. If you already have a rain cap for your flex liner, you will have to replace that with a cap to fit the insulated pipe. Its is much more expensive to go that route.
Yes it will cost more but it will work allot better. How many times have you seen the ring of crap that builds up at the cap where the metal is uninsulated. Now think what that will look like when it is a whole bare pipe. Believe me i have seen many done with single wall and few work well.
**UPDATE**
so I got the 24'' single wall extension installed and have been burning it since my last post. My draft is acceptable now. I no longer have a difficult time getting fires started and I can now get the stove as hot as I want. My glass is still dirty, but if I use a paper towel and wipe the inside after my kindling fire has been burning hot, it will usually stay pretty clear through the whole day, and I can crank up the heat and it will actually burn most of the crud off. I can heat my 2700ft ranch house with this thing set on med/low air . The thermostat to my Geothermal is set at 72 and once I get the stove heated up, the geo will not kick on for several hours after the fire is out. The coldest part in the house is 68 and the warmest is 82, but that's where the stove is located.
I am very happy with the extension that I purchased from Rockford. We've had some 40mph winds that I was sure would catch the rain cap and rip the whole thing off, but it's still clamped on solid. It looked really nice and shiny for about a day, but now all of the soot that condensed on the rain cap has ran down all over it and it looks like it's been dipped in a septic tank. Not a big deal to me though. Once spring hits, I'll take the extension off and cap the chimney for the summer, just wish it looked a little cleaner for the few months I use it.
Bottom line is that my stove needed more than the recommended 15' chimney to operate correctly and everyone who contributed to this thread is greatly appreciated by me...
so I got the 24'' single wall extension installed and have been burning it since my last post. My draft is acceptable now. I no longer have a difficult time getting fires started and I can now get the stove as hot as I want. My glass is still dirty, but if I use a paper towel and wipe the inside after my kindling fire has been burning hot, it will usually stay pretty clear through the whole day, and I can crank up the heat and it will actually burn most of the crud off. I can heat my 2700ft ranch house with this thing set on med/low air . The thermostat to my Geothermal is set at 72 and once I get the stove heated up, the geo will not kick on for several hours after the fire is out. The coldest part in the house is 68 and the warmest is 82, but that's where the stove is located.
I am very happy with the extension that I purchased from Rockford. We've had some 40mph winds that I was sure would catch the rain cap and rip the whole thing off, but it's still clamped on solid. It looked really nice and shiny for about a day, but now all of the soot that condensed on the rain cap has ran down all over it and it looks like it's been dipped in a septic tank. Not a big deal to me though. Once spring hits, I'll take the extension off and cap the chimney for the summer, just wish it looked a little cleaner for the few months I use it.
Bottom line is that my stove needed more than the recommended 15' chimney to operate correctly and everyone who contributed to this thread is greatly appreciated by me...
jatoxico
Minister of Fire
That sounds like progress. Keep after your wood supply as far as getting it good and dry (this may take a year or two) and you'll most likely find your glass and cap etc start staying cleaner.
An insulated chimney section would keep the temps up higher and reduce that dripping mess. Just saying. We do use single wall as a test to see if an extension is needed we have a few peices laying around we use for that purpose but now that you know it works i would recommend eventually switching it out for the right product. But i am glad it has worked out for you. Happy burning
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