Problem With Hitzer 82 Smoking

I bought a Hitzer model 82 this past February and I had a problem with smoke coming out when I opened the door and it also came out between the top and the stove body seam. Has anyone else had this problem and how did you fix it. I would notice smoke coming out at the top seam if I was burning wood. I know the say not to burn wood but I did when it got warmer out.

Assuming any dampers are open the problem is not enough chimney draft. With wood the chimney should get enough heat so check for blockage somewhere or chimney clean out door open or leaking.

I recall a thread that the Hitzer 82 had a restrictor plate...
Hitzer 82 Ul
Hitzer 82 Restrictor Plate
The leaky seam is more concerning...

It sounds like your chimney provides poor draft, and it is probably even worse during warm weather when you are burning wood. These stoves can spill a little smoke out of the loading door if the draft us poor, but the stove should not leak smoke with the loading door closed. I would like to hear all the details about your chimney (height, size, # elbows, etc) and I hope you have checked for an obstruction.

As for the top seam leaking smoke...The seam you speak of is sealed with furnace cement at the factory. My guess is that the furnace cement has cracked and fallen out of the seam at the top if your stove. If that is the case, it is any easy fix: Remove the necessary screws around that seam, remove the top of the stove, and reassemble with fresh furnace cement.

-Rob

i had a somewhat similar problem when first broke in my 82 . all the seams smoked for a couple of days . then it stopped but I did burn some wood on and off and it would smoke out the load door . when I burn coal no problems .

My chimney is as follows from the stoves 7" opening there is a 7" 90 then about a 3' peace of straight pipe then a 45 then the pipe goes from 7" to 9" into a cement chimney that is ruffly 20 foot tale 9" dia. and there is no clean out door the opening is there but there is no door just a please of tin covering the opening. Thats the way it was when I bought the garage. I thing one thing that would help is to put a door on the clean out to seal it up. There is also no liner in the chimney just ruff cement. I clean it out at the beginning of every year. I add a picture of my setup. thanks for the help I love this site.

A manometer would answer most questions, then the amount of draft would be confirmed. That clean out needs to be sealed air tight not just a piece of tin over it.

I am going to seal up the clean out before heating season. And I would love to use a manometer to see what my draft is but I don't have one and they seam pricey.

I was going to ask the stove shop that I bought the stove from to come and check it.

definately seal cleanout . must be air tite . have heard of people having same problem sealing cleanout fixed it .

tractorboy13 wrote: I would love to use a manometer to see what my draft is but I don't have one and they seam pricey.

Look on ebay for a Dwyer Mark II Model 25 manometer or a DWYER MAGNEHELIC GAGE MODEL 2000-00. I did see both with a buy it now for $25.00.

I have never used one as of yet, but a number of members have said the Magnehelic guage is the better choice but both will work for your situation.

Did you have smoke problems when you had that old furnace in there?

Yes only when I opened the door when there was a ton of smoke like when the new coal was not lite yet.

Could you give details about the chimney...size, type, length, on an exterior or interior wall and is it taller than the highest point of the garage roof?
Poorly designed stoves can emit smoke when loading door is open even when connected to a good chimney but this is a good stove so I think this must be a chimney issue.

Mine smokes when I open the door, I think it is the design. I wouldnt have the lever down when burning wood as this will slow down the draft and I believe cause smoke to build up in the firebox. Smoking out of the top seam can't be good, and needs fixed, it shouldn't be to hard to do. For burning in the shoulder season try using a red pea coal if you can, it will slow down the fire so you don't get roasted out. Make the cleanout door air tight to maximize draft.