DSM 1400 Distillation of 2 Mnths of Set up and Operation

KingCoal wrote:

franco b wrote: Outside would need weather protection or ducted from outside and mounted inside.

it will and does work, the only caveat is recognized and covered right here in francob's comment.

rberg,

OK, I have nothing personal invested

Lightening,

it would and does need to be shielded from, direct contact by either or both, wind and moisture. at which point I can't see any negatives not also present in the living space.

Lightning wrote:I'll meet ya'll part way and say it will work good to limit natural chimney draft strength due to the rising column of warm air in the chimney on a calm day BUT, strong winds at particular angles to the house would reek some havoc

That's fine if you don't burn on windy days.
Also I'm not sure how accurate and effective a baro is, if it is mounted some distance from the flue. Notice that the Field Controls baro comes with a kit that makes a very short tee to mount the baro very close to the gas flow within the flue. Even putting it in a standard 6-inch tee is not optimal, though probably adequate for something as crude as a coal stove. And the weight calibration scale on the baro is slightly different for mounting on a horizontal vs. vertical section of the flue -- which again says the baro should be very close to the flow of flue gas, not several feet away on an extension that passes through the wall, 'cause then how would it know?

Meeting part way is not good enough. I need to WIN!
Seriously, the baro needs to be in the same room with the stove, at the same air pressure as the stove. Nothing else will do. (Unless I'm full of shyt, which might be true but I'm not comfortable with that notion. )

From the Field Controls web site:
"CHOOSING THE LOCATION
Do not attach draft control to top or bottom of the flue pipe, nor in room separated from appliance. Best location is as close to appliances as possible."

http://www.fieldcontrols.com/pdfs/DC01575700.pdf

i have no argument with that but will add that sometimes things that aren't suggested or recommended work out.

on another note of operation. I have some observations regarding the fixed secondary "over fire" air system on this stove.

if I shut it off completely I will get more stove top heat from lower bi-metal setting, at an increase of coal burned per unit of time. I feel this is because all the draft is being directed up thru the fire bed and seems to be supported by the activity of the "blues" which are notably thinner, tend more toward the peachy / orange scale and go straight up.

if I keep it fully open I must use a higher bi-metal setting to get the same stove top heat but, I use about half the coal per unit of time. I conclude that the amount of secondary in this design weakens the draft thru the fire bed, but at the same time burns off the gasses better for added heat recovery. I also find the "blues" much more that startling blue, fuller bodied and tend to flutter toward the back of the stove

i have been playing around at 1/2 secondary for a satisfactory "medium"

i'm also building my own "ecofan" type of devise from vastly superior pieces (also much cheaper) and may comment on that later.

here it comes, forecast for -12* F wind chill and below tonight. right now it's lake effect, horizontal at about 12 mph.

THE test for the dual Mpd's and the DSM1400. not too worried about it. have been maintaining 500* stove top with no problem and have room to jack it up from there.

yep, -14*F right now. bi metal set at 4.75, stove top 500*, both MPD's closed, mano. showing -.035

shook it down and put a full hopper of coal in it and life is good.