Trouble with Hitzer install

freetown fred · By: **freetown fred** On: Mon Dec 05, 2011 4:01 pm

Outstanding Bk

theo · By: **theo** On: Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:40 pm

bksaun wrote:As a wood burning fireplace it sucked, had to open the front door just so it would draw.

The damper is removed so the flex pipe would fit.

Last night outside temps were in the upper 40's, very windy, being impatient I hooked up my barometer and with wind gusts it was reading .02-.04 with no fire, so I put a baby formula can full of match light charcoal in the center of the grate, surrounded it with nut coal, pulled the can out and lit the charcoal.

It burned a few minutes then the wind died and it was pumping smoke and fumes in the house, so I started cussing! opened the door for some air and it made it worse the draft went to .0 to +.02!, Nasty downdraft, cussed even more!

Then I closed the door and opened a window on the upwind side of the house, that presurized the house and gave me .04 draft, finally the fire took off and I added more coal, closed the damper, filled the hopper, opened the draft slide about 1/4 inch and let it settle for about an hour.

Now I have a stove temp of 250* above the door, draft between .04-.06, and it's 55* outside.
Its hot in here!

Theo was right, I just needed to heat it up. Guess I was spoiled with my old house, that chimney would pull .04 on a 70* day with no fire, but it was 9x9 tile 35 feet tall.

So, impatience and a nagging wife are a poor combination for dialing in a new set up.

All seems OK now, thanks for the advise.

Bk

Good to Hear !! Please just make sure you have some CO Detectors in the house

Rob R. · By: **Rob R.** On: Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:08 pm

How tall is the chimney compared to the house?

bksaun · By: **bksaun** On: Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:10 pm

Rises 4 feet above the roof peak.

Bk

bksaun · By: **bksaun** On: Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:22 am

well, problems continue, now I have too much draft 1.7wc! :shock:

fire is roaring damper closed all the way and exterior stove temp is only 225*.

I also closed the air inlet and the air wash and draft is still .07,

Guess I need to find a way to put a barometric damper in.

Bk

freetown fred · By: **freetown fred** On: Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:58 am

jerk the stainless out & run 1 or 2 pieces of black pipe in the smoke shelf/ chimney.

Stephen in Soky · By: **Stephen in Soky** On: Sat Dec 10, 2011 3:18 pm

It's a "Bluebird Day" here in the bluegrass state. Bright sun, rising barometric pressure, a 10-12 MPH north wind and 32 degrees for a high. My draft is wild today. I have my MPD completely closed and when the thermostat calls for heat my draft still maxes out and the stove gets wicked hot in a hurry. Hang in there, barometric pressure will drop next week and we'll be normal again.

Rick 386 · By: **Rick 386** On: Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:42 pm

bksaun wrote:............Theo was right, I just needed to heat it up. Guess I was spoiled with my old house, that chimney would pull .04 on a 70* day with no fire, but it was 9x9 tile 35 feet tall.

So, impatience and a nagging wife are a poor combination for dialing in a new set up.

Bk

Yep that definitely is not the best scenario when you are trying to get something to work. I'm sure she was "offering advice" the whole time too.

Me ?? Nope NEVER HAPPENED TO ME..............

Rick

theo · By: **theo** On: Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:21 am

Stephen in Soky wrote:It's a "Bluebird Day" here in the bluegrass state. Bright sun, rising barometric pressure, a 10-12 MPH north wind and 32 degrees for a high. My draft is wild today. I have my MPD completely closed and when the thermostat calls for heat my draft still maxes out and the stove gets wicked hot in a hurry. Hang in there, barometric pressure will drop next week and we'll be normal again.

Yep, I'am having the same here, really drafting. Never thought about that ! :gee:

bksaun · By: **bksaun** On: Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:48 am

last night I set the stove ash door draft open about the size of a pencil, top damper closed all the way and still had a draft of .09, stove temp just a shade over 250, I would think it would be over 300. Its really pulling a lot of cold air in the corners of the house. ( Log Home) Will need to do some caulking.

Wish I had room to install a barometric damper and slow this thing down.

Bk

bksaun · By: **bksaun** On: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:20 pm

Dean at Hitzer is going to help me out, he's making a restrictor plate to help cut down on the draft. Hope this works.

Bk

freetown fred · By: **freetown fred** On: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:54 pm

Dean is a good man. One of the biggest reasons I own a HITZER

Ashcat · By: **Ashcat** On: Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:51 pm

bksaun--
Have you tightened the nut that holds the ashpan door knob and vent size control sliding plate (on back surface of ashpan door)? On my 983 tightening that (to the point that the slider, while still smooth, takes a fair amount of effort to move) permitted good control of the stove despite high draft in my setup. It holds the sliding plate tightly against the back of the ashpan door and reduces air flow around the plate.

I may not be understanding your situation well (because I'd expect your stove temps to be too high, and they're not), but I'd try tightening it as above and seeing if this makes a difference.

bksaun · By: **bksaun** On: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:00 am

Did that first thing, Ive never seen a chimney draw like this one.

Ive checked everything, re zero'd the manometer 3 times, right now its pulling 1.4wc ash slide is open about 3/8 of an inch stove temp is only 210* measured just above the main door. if the out door temp drops into the 20's the draft will jump to 1.5-1.7. This is just nuts! I guess its better than low draft.

Bk

Keepaeyeonit · By: **Keepaeyeonit** On: Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:18 pm

Bksaun,how are you making out with your 503 :?:

. Keepaeyeonit

Trouble with Hitzer install

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