Why Doesn't My Hitzer 503 Heat My Small House

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:11 pm

Is the hopper & blowers outside the fireplace opening?


 
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Emerald7
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Post by Emerald7 » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:17 pm

Well Fred thats all I can tell you is what Glen from hitzer said and that was "Sounds to me like you have a cold chimney, causing a lot of draft and sucking your heat up the chimney."

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:21 pm

New one on me but God knows Glen's been doin these stoves for nigh onto at least a hundred yrs or so toothy WE live & learn ;)

 
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Emerald7
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Post by Emerald7 » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:23 pm

20140121_175739.jpg

My system

.JPG | 69KB | 20140121_175739.jpg
Yes, they are outside the fireplace.

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:28 pm

E, is that stove internal damper closed in that pix? If I had my ash door open that far I'd have flames flying all over the place

 
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Post by franco b » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:31 pm

Emerald7 wrote:I am trying that right now. I have a roaring fire with air door open 3" and manual damper 1/2 way. The house temp is 66 now so it went from 63 to 66 in 2 1/2 hrs. Not too shabby huh! Maybe I need more draft, but that doesn't make much sense to me.
The strength of the draft determines how hot and fast the coal burns. It can be restricted by too much ash on the grates, or by the manual damper, or by a fault in the chimney. When shaking there should be a few red coals in the pan and a red glow reflected from the grates. Because you have to leave the ash door open indicates a problem with draft not pulling strong enough through the coal bed and the fire does not get enough air. You should be able to get a good strong fire with the ash door closed and the air setting in that door open very little. For now leave the manual damper wide open.

 
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Post by Emerald7 » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:36 pm

The internal old fireplace damper or my hitzer mpd? The fireplace damper had to be cut out because the 6" flue couldn't bend into and up the chimney. There wasn't enough room. In the picture of the hitzer my mpd is 1/2 way.


 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:44 pm

Yep, on the stove--good--I'd open it completely until ya get your ashdoor vents set right--is the old fireplace damper that you took out stuffed with insulation of sorts--or did he put a filler plate in w/ a 6" hole?? I think that's what you said--

 
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Post by franco b » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:46 pm

Emerald7 wrote:The internal old fireplace damper or my hitzer mpd? The fireplace damper had to be cut out because the 6" flue couldn't bend into and up the chimney. There wasn't enough room. In the picture of the hitzer my mpd is 1/2 way.
leave the Hitzer damper wide open and adjust the fire with the ash door openings. The purpose of that damper is to restrict draft when it is too strong which is not the problem that you have.

 
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Post by Emerald7 » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:49 pm

20140121_175822.jpg
.JPG | 150.8KB | 20140121_175822.jpg
Franco,
this were onto something with the damper. Here a picture of my ash pan, tell me if you think I'm burning my coal throughly or if it looks fine enough. The amount in that pan is from 4:30 am-4:30 pm with -25°-1 above, today.

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:53 pm

Not terrible, not great---open your damper all the way & ash door vents all the way & close up the ash door--see what happens in 20 minutes

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:54 pm

PS---make sure hopper is full & ash pan is empty

 
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Post by Emerald7 » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:55 pm

Fred, there is no insulation or filler plate. It is a very tight squeeze up through there but I'm sure there's room for insulation. That will be one of the first things I do when this girl shuts down.

 
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Post by franco b » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:57 pm

freetown fred wrote:Yep, on the stove--good--I'd open it completely until ya get your ashdoor vents set right--is the old fireplace damper that you took out stuffed with insulation of sorts--or did he put a filler plate in w/ a 6" hole?? I think that's what you said--
That question that Fred asked about how the damper area is sealed is very important so get a light and take a look. We want as little air as possible circulating around that liner which will cool it and lower draft.

 
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Post by Emerald7 » Tue. Jan. 21, 2014 7:58 pm

Well guys its -12° and my thermastat is registering 69°, ee just jumped up another 3° yippy! Do you think were onto something?


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