Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

Outdoor Furnaces - Manufacturers WITH EPA-Certified Models => HeatMaster => Topic started by: neal8809 on February 04, 2017, 09:24:56 AM

Title: smoke
Post by: neal8809 on February 04, 2017, 09:24:56 AM
Sitting here on this balmy 15F morning while my house is a cozy 72F i notice for the first time in the 3 weeks that i have owned my G200 that it is giving off a medium amount of blue smoke. Ideas on why?
Title: Re: smoke
Post by: neal8809 on February 04, 2017, 09:28:52 AM
Kinda ok pic of blue smoke
Title: Re: smoke
Post by: Roger2561 on February 04, 2017, 09:36:53 AM
Neal - Maybe it's sad...   :)  Roger
Title: Re: smoke
Post by: mlappin on February 04, 2017, 11:21:02 AM
Could be it’s trying to bridge over and the slot in the floor is exposed, give it a poke or two and see if the wood falls down.
Title: Re: smoke
Post by: E Yoder on February 04, 2017, 12:01:07 PM
I agree with mlappin-
Blue smoke usually means a "cool" burn. Usually bridging leaving the slot or "nozzle" exposed. No coal bed to flash off the gasses in the reburn brick. Another cause of blue smoke could be if you've run it rich (lots of small, very dry wood) for a while it can coat the heat exchange tubes with smoke residue. Then when you shake the turbulators it smokes for a few minutes while it cooks off the coating. 

Loading with very small dry wood can make it smoke too but that's usually more of a thick yellow/white smoke.

Mine smoked a bit this morning. I loaded it too heavy with some little blocks. Flashed off too fast for the secondary air to take care of.
Title: Re: smoke
Post by: hondaracer2oo4 on February 04, 2017, 07:07:47 PM
Yeah I get that if the wood starts to bridge, just open up the firebox and take the wood back and forth to knock it down and stir up the coals. It's hard to understand what's going on without the view port in the reaction chamber door which I think all units should come with.
Title: Re: smoke
Post by: mlappin on February 04, 2017, 07:53:08 PM
Yeah I get that if the wood starts to bridge, just open up the firebox and take the wood back and forth to knock it down and stir up the coals. It's hard to understand what's going on without the view port in the reaction chamber door which I think all units should come with.

yah, I made mine for demo purposes, I also think it contributes a little to creosote build up, especially in the shoulder seasons. Next one I’m gonna make out of 1 1/2” pipe instead of 2 1/2” then reduce the air slots accordingly.
Title: Re: smoke
Post by: hondaracer2oo4 on February 04, 2017, 08:03:27 PM
Where do you see creosote build up? In the firebox? I've always had it so I don't know any different if so. Not sure what size my pipe is, Richard made it. The glass I have a small piece of wood holding the glass away from the door slightly which keeps the glass from clouding up with residue which it used to do when it was tight against the door.
Title: Re: smoke
Post by: schoppy on February 04, 2017, 11:03:18 PM
I get some light smoking when I use small stuff, especially small slab wood and if it bridges. Also when the unit is throttling down the combustion air disc and the small stuff is really hot and gassing heavy. Just seems like it can't burn off all the smoke but it doesn't last long. 
Title: Re: smoke
Post by: mlappin on February 04, 2017, 11:30:49 PM
Where do you see creosote build up? In the firebox? I've always had it so I don't know any different if so. Not sure what size my pipe is, Richard made it. The glass I have a small piece of wood holding the glass away from the door slightly which keeps the glass from clouding up with residue which it used to do when it was tight against the door.

I always figured that little bit of air constantly finding it’s way into the lower burn chamber went right up the refractory into the main firebox and lets it smolder longer after it shuts down.

I did have the one prototype I made, used the vacuum built in the stove from the draft fan, draft pulled it away from the front plate of the viewport and let the air wash work, very light duty springs pushed the glass back against the plate to shut the air off, less creosote definitely up top and it worked reasonably well except for two annoying problems.

1: Certain weather conditions would let water in and then it would freeze if no call for heat for several hours, once the stove was actually burning the heat would melt the ice and it would open, but not before completely crudding up the glass.

2: With no air wash between burns, the glass would quickly get dirty as some fumes linger in the bottom of the stove after it reaches temp and shuts off. I mean in the course of over night it would be completely covered and would require cleaning everyday.

I was using basically the equivalent of pyrex, no matter how filthy or baked on the glass is, always cleans right up, just was annoying to do so.
Title: Re: smoke
Post by: BIG AL on February 05, 2017, 08:50:37 AM
If I ever see any smoke coming from my boiler it like most everyone said the wood has bridged over the nozzle and i go over and knock it down and it goes away. Only other times I have seen smoke it right at the end of a burn or with some wood that was a little green. When it's running hot nothing but a heat waves.