How tall is this new chimney??? If'n it's short and you got that much, I'd be a bit worried...............tall, not as worried.
If I close it down "too fast" the splits don't char, the flames die, the flue temp where I have the thermometer doesn't get up to 400+ and I get stinky smoke.
3 feet of vertical single wall off the top of the stove, one right angle double wall, 4 feet of double wall horizontal , 15 feet of chimney or "5 rods" at 3 feet each.
The horizontal run is pretty long Bill perhaps it's slowing the draft down? The horizontal should be pitched as high as possible away from the stove.. How hot is the stovepipe 18" away from the stove? I would strive for the high side of normal on a stove pipe thermometer (at least 450 degrees surface temp)..
Bill I think that's a bit more creosote than should be. I agree with ray about your horizontal run. I burn mostly red oak also but haven't got that much creosote from a full season of burning, even with my old Fisher. I also agree that you should keep your fire a bit hotter than you are currently. Check the chimney regularly this winter and clean as needed. That's a good rule for all of us actually. I check mine each week which is probably excessive but better safe than sorry.
Yeah, I'm not putting a lot of weight to the top of the chimney and lack of smoke as a predominant gauge of what's going on at the bottom of the chimney. Nor the temp of the top of the stove. The bottom of the T is fairly easy to get to and I'll have to start using it for inspection. It is a basement install. Never had a indication of slow draft but could be on the dizzy edge there too.
