Talk to me about draft inducers

The smoke spillage on reload is getting me down. I'm interested in a draft inducer to solve the problem. However, I have double-wall pipe to the chimney. It's about 2 feet up from the top of the stove, long-turn 90, then 2 feet or so horizontal to the chimney. As far as I can tell, there's no room for a draft inducer, and would it even work on double wall?

Thanks!

 

BDF

 

Fine layer of ash ALL OVER the house

 

Oh great! Now I am 'the draft inducer guy' apparently.

Oh well, better than some of my other nicknames and associations over the years.

Brian

 

Well, two choices I think: one is to go with a section of single wall pipe with the draft inducer in it and then back to double- wall. But hey, that really would look funny I think. But it would be the easy way to go, and you might be able to use a larger pipe to mate up with the outer pipe of the double- wall pile and make it look OK with a little work. Perhaps a couple of long hose clamps, painted black, with the tightening screws in the back to hide them?

The other choice would be to find out how the outer pipe is attached to the inner pipe, cut a slot in both pipes, and mount the draft inducer to the inner pipe. You would probably have to remove a section of outer pipe to install the inducer, then re- attach the outer pipe for cosmetic reasons.

Of course the other choice is a chimney- top mounted draft inducer but stand by 'cause that is expensive, with a capitol EXP.

But as far as exactly how to do it I am afraid I cannot really help you out here as I have never used a double- walled stove pipe and so honestly do not even know the mechanics of those things.

Brian

 

You said you were the salesman.
I found a pic of you in your suit

 

Yeah but blue socks? Really? What self- respecting man would wear blue socks? C'mon, give me a little credit.



Brian

 

OK, so BDF is the only person here with an inducer?

You're obviously a fan (no pun intended) of the inducer, BDF, and thanks for the ideas on making it work in double wall. I'm certain I could do it with a little patience. I'd have to do it in the horizontal run, however. Do you think that would matter? Or, when you installed yours, did the directions say it must be installed in a vertical section of pipe?

 

Another thought I had was to just make a sheetmetal "curtain" I could slip over the hole after opening the door. If the door hole is about 16" by 12" (guessing), I'd cut a piece of sheet steel that could rest on the ash lip, and the front face of the stove above the door, that blocked about 1/3 or so of the opening (on the hinge side). I could even put magnets on it to help hold it to the stove. Gotta think this would at least cut down on the spillage. It's weird, I have great draft...no issues starting a cold fire (do it most every day), no issues keeping a fire going, but reloading is a smoky affair...even if I let the coals get nice and hot before fully opening the door. It's like a circus act trying to toss a piece of wood in and shut the door, repeatedly in 10 seconds. And I'm only opening the door as far as is needed to get the piece in! Dangit.

 

This is with an IS? I have zero smoke spill and I even have the smoke flap locked up. My chimney is not tall, maybe a bit over 17 feet from stove top with 2 90 degree corners in the stove pipe, so I shouldn’t have unusually strong draft.

Have you tried opening a window before opening the stove? You may have a negative pressure issue in your house, in which case an OAK would have probably be a more appropriate solution than a draft inducer.

Also, if you have double wall pipe because you needed it for legal and safe clearance, I would not recommend adding a single wall section with a fan.

 

I used to hate the mid burn reloads just because any ash stirred up and all the smoke in the box poured into the house as soon as I opened the door on my IS. Those things I'm happy to say are in my past. Over the summer along with other renovations I tore down my masonary chimney that was lined with clay then a ss liner. I went straight up with selkirk dsp. Through the roof and into class A. What a difference!!! I can rake the ashes and coals around, add wood mid way through the burn. I can even throttle this puppy back to just about shut on the air control and still maintain a sweet LOW burn. I had bought a draft inducer a year or two ago, I still have it in the box in my shop on the shelf. I know that another member here also fab ed up a section of plate like your describing to block off part of the opening of the door once open, and as far as I can recall had decent success with that. I'd try that first, then if at all possible plan a redesign on the flue for next burning season?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

Nope, you do not have to run the inducer vertical. The instructions show both vertical and horizontal installations. The only requirement is that the draft inducer be put under the horizontal pipe, so it runs cooler and does not overheat.

Brian

 

Yep, that works to a point. I used to use the ash pan cover, which will cover about 3/4 of the door opening. But you have to move it out of the way to introduce splits, than put it back and so forth, Kind of a PITA. Plus if the stove is really putting out heat, it will warp the sheet metal pretty quickly.

But yep, it does cut down on the spillage. Now, if you want to eliminate the spillage, be able to take your sweet time during a reload, leave the loading door open instead of opening it as fast as you can, sticking in a couple pieces of wood (Easy Boys!) and then snapping it shut to keep the smoke / ash in the house to a minimum..... well, I have a solution to that.

Brian

 

How tall is your chimney? Sorry if I missed it somewhere.

 

Couple of photos of vertical and horizontal installs. Both work just fine. Neither one is my stove, just some photos I grabbed from the 'Net.

 

Howdy all, thanks for the replies.

Double-wall pipe + chimney is about 24 feet, with a long-turn 90 (two 45's inline) above the stove, into a tee, then straight up the chimney. The chimney is class A, inside a brick chase, exterior of the house envelope.

I could crack a lower-level window, for sure. Haven't tried that yet. Of course, I was just about to add the 3M plastic interior sheeting...

The configuration of the chimney doesn't allow for a single-wall installation, unless I shielded it...hmmm.

 

Have you tried opening the air all the way and then just cracking the door? Give it a minute or so then opening it all they way.

 

^^ Yes, that's what I currently do. Helps a little, especially if there is active flame in the box. However, it does not eliminate the problem. Most of the time I'm reloading on a bed of very hot coals, stovetop temps around 300, cat temps between 800-1000. So, the box is nice and hot, and sometimes there are active flames to reduce the smoke, but not always.

I tried cracking the window last night, and it made no difference...aside from letting 5-degree air in the basement! ;-)

Again, the draft seems really good 99% of the time. Cold starts are quick, and I never get smoke back into the house. I do top-down cold starts.

Anyway, sounds like there isn't a magic bullet here...either make the opening smaller with a curtain of some sort, add a draft inducer (and associated single-wall pipe, etc), or reconfigure chimney for a straight-shot (not really an option at this point).

 

Is there anything that drops down on your stove to keep the smoke from rolling out? Forgive me I've never laid hands on an IS. My BK has a a plate across the top that's stationary.