Alaska Channing Question
I had just about decided to buy a channing3 stove when I found some threads on the forum about hopper fires. I understand that this should not happen as long as the hopper does not get to low. I also think the addition of a thermal cut off switch in the hopper is a good idea, but has anybody come up with a fix , a gasket or something that prevents the draft thru the hopper that starts the fire to begin with? I know someone has probably solved this already.
- WNY
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It also has to do with your draft too. Other stoves can experience this too, not just the Alaska's.
Do a search on Hopper Fires or hopper smoke.
Do a search on Hopper Fires or hopper smoke.
This can happen on any stove. I had two hopper fires with my Keystoker 90. One small and one medium. Both within a few days. Both times the hopper was getting low on coal. I believe the problem was in part due to a partially blocked exhaust pipe. I cleaned the pipe and had no issues after that, even when the hopper did run low on coal.
Jeff
Jeff
I checked the threads you recomended. I get it its more about draft than anything. There has to be enough to expel co2, fumes ,ect, but not so much that it sucks air from every little crack or hole it has. Thanks for the feed back.
- jpen1
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The problem stems from the use of alaska's direct vent system. So if you are going to hook the unit up to a chimney and use a baro damper you can run the unit all the way out and never get a hopper fire. The way to fix the direct vent is to pull the venter off the back of the stove and install a baro damper before the direct vent unit. The bottom line is, too high a draft will cause a hopper fire in any stove and since you have to adjust the venter by hand there is no means for the unit to self correct for changes in atmosheric conditions. So the channing is a very good stove but IMOP there direct vent system is not up to par. On aside note installing a properly set baro damper before the venter also will increase the efficiency of the stove by keeping more heat from going outside.
Last edited by jpen1 on Sat. Aug. 08, 2009 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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I have been running one hooked to a chimney for 4 years now and have never had any problems.
Bk
Bk
Thanks for the posts. I think for the peace of mind ,I'll install a class "A "chimney and let the stove breath the way nature intended it to . It sounds safer and more efficient. It will also take a smaller back up system to run during power outages.