Cold Air Return. Do I Need It?

larryfoster · Post by **larryfoster** » Sun. Mar. 01, 2015 10:49 pm

So far, it seems the only thing is that I'm having to add coal more often,
It's going through more.
Temps are normal.

In a bit, I'll be going down to bank it for the night.
Sounds like I should reduce the bottom air and increase the top air?

Right now, my bottom spinner is open 4 turns.
I'll try 2

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Sun. Mar. 01, 2015 10:55 pm

Without a damper of some sort in the flue pipe, with this type of stove, you will use more coal. And yes, cut the under fire air back some, and increase the over fire air until you can get the barometric damper reinstalled.

And as I posted previously, keep a couple buckets of ashes nearby. They can be used to smother a fire if necessary. I always have 2 buckets on hand.

larryfoster · Post by **larryfoster** » Sun. Mar. 01, 2015 11:09 pm

I wish I would have realized I needed the baro before I did this project.

Someone should have popped me on the head

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Sun. Mar. 01, 2015 11:36 pm

Franco b mentioned it back on page 23, then Olllotj mentioned it on page 24. But posts happened real quick in this thread after you got the manometer hooked up, was hard to keep up with all the info.

larryfoster · Post by **larryfoster** » Sun. Mar. 01, 2015 11:42 pm

I guess I skipped right over that one.
Possibly since I had mine sealed off I may have figured I didn't need it

I don't know if I can get things apart without help so it may need to wait until I do

waldo lemieux · Post by **waldo lemieux** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 7:16 am

Larry,
There is a thing I call a stove coupling that eliminates moving your stove to and fro. Its a piece of pipe that is cut length wise with a bolt flange on the seam and it fits over the male or female ends of stove pipe so you can just get the two ends close and then put the coupling over it and bolt it up. real easy!
keep pluggin!

waldo

larryfoster · Post by **larryfoster** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 7:44 am

Thanks, Waldo.
I need to find me one of them.

I think I know what you're talking about.

Cutting the pipe is hard too

Olllotj · Post by **Olllotj** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 7:57 am

The pipe work looks great, you're almost there. Now put the baro in the straight section and spin it so the pivot is level. I wouldn't wait, you wanna get this down within the next few weeks so that there isn't any guess work next fall. You are really close.

larryfoster · Post by **larryfoster** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 8:10 am

I need my helper back to do this.

He thought he might be available again tonight

Another cold snap is supposed to hit later in the week.
I'd like this done before then.
Then I'll be back to ask more questions.

How do I adjust the baro with the manometer.
Do I need a cold air return?

Hopefully, the danged thing will make enough heat

waldo lemieux · Post by **waldo lemieux** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 8:12 am

Olllotj wrote: you wanna get this down within the next few weeks so that there isn't any guess work next fall.

Not to worry ,something tells me there's plenty of winter left

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 8:18 am

You needed a cold air return since day 1 it is HVAC 101. I have a state license to install them and no of no building inspector that would pass the install without one. They save fuel far in excesses of the install cost. The heat goes where wanted promote proper circulation of the heat.

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 8:32 am

larryfoster wrote:Do I need a cold air return?

Now that right there made me laugh!! Not in a mean & nasty way but only because that is the original question from way back in November 29 pages ago!

It's like we hit the reset button....

So to summarize as best I can recall.......

Swpadon (and maybe a few others) has good success without a cold air return in his set up keeping his house warm.

Many others (like myself) had a wide temp distribution through the house and saw better heat distribution by coming up with some way to get the cold air from the coolest & most distant rooms back to the stove room location.

Some get the real deal 'furnace' set up by connecting both supply and return to their stoves and see real good results with even temps and less coal burned.

larryfoster · Post by **larryfoster** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 8:49 am

I was hoping that someone would see some humor in that, titleist1.

ddahlgren, we don't worry about building inspectors here.
We can hide the bodies.

I would have already had one if I could have found an installer to make one.
But, I expect to have one before next season

larryfoster · Post by **larryfoster** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 9:24 am

Just came back up from checking the furnace.

Background details since I don't know what matters.
Before I quit for the night last night I opened the top air the whole way and closed the spinner on the ash door to open 2 turns (usually 4) per Don's advice.

2 hours ago, I stoked it after overnight.
Shook the grates and poked it to break up the crust.
Had some decent coals and added 3 shovels.
Can't remember but think the mano read .10

Now it's reading .16.
I reduced the top draft to the medium

Post by **franco b** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 9:30 am

To make taking apart your smoke pipe easy, there are available short pieces about 12 inches long that are slightly larger than the regular pipe so it can slide over the pipe, making a gap to provide room to take apart.