Cleaned the chimney

Don't get me wrong it's not smoke dragon dirty I just find it dirtier than the other stove I've burned.(others have reported the same observations) When the EPA tests a stove I think I remember reading it's an average over a high/medium/low burn(someone can probably confirm or deny). My stove is always smoke free on a low burn but I see some light smoke early in the burn if I have an active flame. It was this way when it was new with a new cat and this way today near the end of it's third season.

 

I don't think dirty burns a good way of putting it, the lower flue temps makes it more conducive to condensing on the liner and cap. mine got worse when I put roxul and a block off plate because I don't have insulation on top, I'm going to pull the cap off and insulate this spring.

 

Thanks for the answers.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one with similar results on the cap/top of chimney

I think its mostly the lower flue temps vs a std stove so the junk collects to the coldish cap.

 

I'm curious about the flue temps. How low do they actually go? Does anyone have a flue probe to get an accurate reading?

 

Wow, that is not hot at all. I don't like it when it's under 500. Late in the burn I find it ok, but I usually like the flue good and hot for the most part.

 

Not trying to split hairs here but my cat stove doesn't give build up like that and Sav never get much in his chimney so I think at least some has to be from the fuel. It is strange though that a lot of the Princess owners are chiming in with similar results.

 

In my case its a combination of the long liner and no insulation at the top so it cools too much. My wood is 2-3 seasoned, in fact its only got this bad since I put insulation and a block off plate at the bottom causing the rest to be cooler, I've burned worse wood with better results.

 

Gotcha...I'm sure everyone's set up has it's specific things. I have a roxul blockoff but my liner is also insulation wrapped with roxul at the top of the chimney.

 

Seems about right to me for a cat stove. My stove is secondary combustion and runs right at or slightly below 600 at the hottest 20% of the burn time, then is between 400-500 for 80% of the burn and falls off temperature wise in the last 20% before I reload.

 

That's about how mine runs. I generally let the flue temps get up to 800-1000 before shutting the air down.

 

I have 27' of liner plus about 3' of double wall pipe inside. My cap stays clean that's only because I ordered a cap with a big mesh when I did the liner to avoid plug ups. I usually get a quart or two of crap out of the chimney when I sweep it twice a season. All my wood is 2-3 year seasoned depending on the species and the wood is better now than when I had my non cat. The stove works amazingly so I've never blinked about a little extra crap in the pipe.

 

Wait a minute. Something doesn't add up. That's 120% efficient

My cap has a screen made from 1/2" hardware cloth, but I've never seen it anything like that.

 

Whoops should have said 60%, typo from my phone but I think you get the idea

 

Sometimes it takes these extremes to make the light go on.
What I think about when the draft slows: What's the outside temp, how long has it been since I cleaned the cap, did I remember to clean off the top of the baffle after sweeping, and lastly, Dave.....get your butt up there and clean the dang cap!

 

My flue probe temp is rarely over 400, often lower, when the cat in engaged. I don't get the cap build up. I suspect the difference is that the Woodstock stoves (and probably most cat stoves) are designed to always have a small amount of flame or at least red hot glowing wood. One is specifically warned not to smolder them. While the BK stoves are designed to smoulder. I suspect they inherently have to deposit more creosote because they are smouldering. So, very long burns, more creosote, more frequent chimney or cap cleanings.