Leisure line Hyfire II

A neighbor has a Hyfire II.... it has two burners. This may have been answered but I can't find it. So... This is his first year burning. The problem is draft/condensation. We do have a Dwyer manometer on it and a barometric damper. The draft stays 4-6 during cold weather, but has dropped to 2ish as Spring has crept closer. Is 4-6 proper? We can adjust it some, but 6 seems about the high point. He has a coal-trol thermostat. During cold weather if he's using one burner, no problem, but, if it gets cold enough to light the other burner he gets condensation in the hopper. Of course being his first year he has played with every possible combination. He likes to have both burners going. It seems to be more efficient and keeps the place more comfy. And, now that warmer weather is here, he has condensation in the hopper all the time no matter what. So..... comments? Suggestions? He'd like to have no condensation.

4 is where you want to be-all weather conditions. If during the warmer weather he can not get that, may need a draft inducer, etc.
That condensation only happens with both burners on, sounds like a chimney issue.

MIne will drop down to .02 or so, when idling in warmer weather. .04 is good, burning really hot, it might creap up to .05-.06

For condensation....
YOU have a GASKET leak somewhere, probably the grates, there is a gasket that seals the back and around the bottom of the grates.

I had condensation in one side of my hopper and it was the gasket around the grates, the back one that seals the grate sometimes slips down a bit and can leak.

Thanks for the help. We'll check for leaks & bad gaskets....although it is a brand new stove this season. Not that that means anything!

Oh, one thing, this condensation.... the coal he uses is Blashchak bagged. It is fairly damp as it comes from the bag. Would it be any help if he somehow allowed it to dry before going into the hopper? Of course this would kind of defeat the dustless value.

We'll also make a visual chimney check. It's a good looking chimney, cinder block with a clay liner, quite tall, maybe 35 feet. I think 6 by 6 inside but maybe a bit larger.

could be the draft, always double check the manometer, make sure it's Zero'd out, etc....mine is about 35-40 feet brick (thru the inside of the house) and always drafts good.

ON the coal, Definitely try and dry it somewhat if possible, I tried some Blaschak, and it was really wet! typically, I would put it in a bin or bucket and try and keep the water in the bag or if you can cut corner and let it drain into something for a while, then dump the bag into the hopper.

Good luck.

One burner verses two buners will provide double the amount of forced combustion air...this is all good, if draft can remain suffient for both burners.
Any loss/reduction in draft will allow negitive pressure to be diminished to a certain point...and possibly to the point of even becomining a positive pressure.
We all know with positive pressure carbon monoxide will escape into building.

This sure sounds like a draft problem.
I would venture a guess, that with the same wet coal and one burner the condensation was not noticed...because draft was suffient.

Drying the coal would help...but it will not cure a leaking gasket or draft issue.

Try reading the "over the fire" draft...that reading is more revelant to hopper condensation than reading draft above the breech.

McGiever wrote:positive pressure carbon monoxide will escape into building

For sure. He does have two CO detectors in the cellar. So far no CO. Dat's good.

I'm hoping to get over there this week sometime & do some investigating. Thanks for the help.

Freddy wrote:

McGiever wrote:positive pressure carbon monoxide will escape into building

For sure. He does have two CO detectors in the cellar. So far no CO. Dat's good.

I'm hoping to get over there this week sometime & do some investigating. Thanks for the help.

Make sure the half moon plates are blocking off half of the combustion blowers inlets when both burners are running. You can also try to block off a little more with duct tape and see if it helps. Dave

Flyer5 wrote:Make sure the half moon plates are blocking off half of the combustion blowers inlets when both burners are running.

Wow, there's a tip! Thank you.

My older Hyfire doesn't even have the cover plates on the combustion blowers, I set everything up with the baro and manometer at a full burn.

Freddy wrote:

Flyer5 wrote:Make sure the half moon plates are blocking off half of the combustion blowers inlets when both burners are running.

Wow, there's a tip! Thank you.

Oh yea . This is after the pipe has been checked and is sure to not be blocked. The bottom vent stoves are more prone to fly ash in the flue outlet or the first elbow, especially if the ashpan is left over flow often. Dave

Come up with anything, i burn both burners and have had no problem.

I have a hyfire II, my draft was .04 with hopper condensation. first piece of vent pipe off stove is horizontal will fill with fly ash, vacuum out you should be good.