Question about a smokey fire

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karl

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Apr 9, 2007
1,058
Huntington, West Virginia
Attached are two pictures I just took. The fire looks like its burning pretty well and the secondary air holes are blowing flames all the way across. When I went outside I noticed smoke coming from the chimney, not alot and it dissipated almost instantly. Of course today is a very windy day here. I don't have my thermometer yet so I can't tell you how hot the fire is. Am I doing something wrong here? I thought these stoves didn't smoke once you got them going. I also have a bit of a wood burning smell outside. I kinda like it, but I'm trying to be a good neighbor. Am I running the stove too cold?
 

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Could be water vapor as some here say they will see. Some will say blue smoke is bad, white smoke (water vapor) is ok.

Personally, after my fire's been going for 15 minutes or so, which I assume yours was here, if I'm burning efficiently, I don't see any smoke (blue or white). All I see coming out of my chimney are heat waves. No color at all.

Possibly I will see something when temps really get cold, but I think I'd be seeing it now if that was the case.

Seeing water vapor obviously would depend on how much moisture is in your wood, and how far long it takes to evaporate.
 
It's dark smoke and the fire has been going awhile. I just checked it again and there is still a little smoke.
 
to me I would crack the foor and get a draft to get her ripping hot..You need a good bed of coals.. other than that looks fine
 
Karl this is not a nat gas stove it burns wood, you are going to see some smoke
here and there i would not lose sleep over it.From what i see of that fire box you are
doing a great job. :coolsmirk:
 
If that fire has been burning with the primary air wide open for a while ease it back in at least halfway. Don't over fire that new stove just because you see a little smoke. If the stuff goes straight up and dissipates within twenty feet of leaving the chimney it is steam. Thirty or forty percent of the air around here today is moisture and that stove has to do something with it when it sucks it in.

As to smell, set wood on fire and there is gonna be a little smell.
 
What comes out of a chimney can be weird. Sometimes I can walk into the back yard and look at the chimney and see nothing but heat waves. I can then walk to the front yard and look back at it and see white haze and heat waves. All in how the sunlight hits it.
 
Oh yeah, I can tell you the air is OPEN with the fire looking like that...sometimes when you slow it down it alittle it burns cleaner, giving the bad stuff more time to burn.
 
Something the Summit guys will have to advise on Karl but you should be able to shut the air down pretty far once you get the stove rolling like it appears to be. The EBT (Extended Burn Technology) should open and close to keep giving it sufficient air for a clean burn.

On mine I have to use Extended BroBart Touch.
 
BrotherBart said:
Something the Summit guys will have to advise on Karl but you should be able to shut the air down pretty far once you get the stove rolling like it appears to be. The EBT (Extended Burn Technology) should open and close to keep giving it sufficient air for a clean burn.

On mine I have to use Extended BroBart Touch.
Better get Corie's ear on that one.Mybe he can add it to there new line of stoves (EBBT) :lol:
 
True BB

Karl, My damper is never more than 15% open after charring, 95% of the time it is shut all the way (24' stack)

I char as quick as possible and shut her down.
 
Hey Gunner what kind of outside temps you got going on up there right now.
 
Overnight low of -1C
 
Just because there's a big ole box o' flames doesn't mean the stove is up to temp. He said he had a little dark smoke (not white steam) after burning for "a while" and no thermometer.

I certainly wouldn't want to mislead anyone into over firing but I still bet it needs to burn a little hotter (actually just pre-heat longer). That magic number on the stove-top thermometer when the stove really starts rolling and you can damp it all the way down and have clear exhaust is usually higher than one thinks i.e. 500+.

If you're getting wisp's of smoke early in the secondary burn open the air a touch and they will clear. Get it a little hotter before damping and you shouldn't have any dark smoke. Get a thermometer!
 
Seems like you could open the air flow up a little bit just enough to develop a faster burning fire, and keep it open long enough to get a good bed of ash/coals, then you can close the air flow back, but right now in that picture, allot of wood trying to go at once with not enough air. Smaller splits, more air and the longer it burns, larger splits, less air. After a while you should get a good bed of coals and there will be balance in the force once again.
 
I figured I was burning it a little bit cold. I haven't gotten the thermometer yet, so I'm happy with it being a little on the cool side.

I have a 15 foot chimney and closed all the way doesn't work for me. Maybe it will when it gets a little bit colder outside. Once I get a good bed of coals, I run it about an inch open and it works fine.
 
Good move Mountaineer. Don't need to be seeing any fireballs when I look to the West.
 
karl said:
Mountaineer my ass. We WERE Marshall. lol

Hey, it was you that called this University of Texas grad a "Hokie"! :bug:
 
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