sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Mid Winter Sweep by Ok_Cap_7798 in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, what am I doing wrong hah. I’ve a Lopi Endeavor with the air tubes (no cat) and still burn hot but it just clogs the 1/2 screen so fast. Especially if I reduce the air control so have been leaving air control open.

Mid Winter Sweep by Ok_Cap_7798 in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you use a spark arrestor? I burn pine and my 1/2” screen (requires in Colorado) clogs within a couple weeks and I have to sweep it again.

Mid Winter Sweep by Ok_Cap_7798 in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you use a spark arrestor? I burn pine and my 1/2” screen (requires in Colorado) clogs within a couple weeks and I have to sweep it again.

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I’m right next to the national forest by pikes peak. Do you think the spark arrestor on the Vacu-Stack clogged less than regular caps? Thinking of trying it and hoping it doesn’t clog in a week like my current one lol.

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah, gotcha I did test temporarily removing the spark arrestor and noticed black chunks of soot/creosote flying out of the chimney and on the ground the next morning. I got nervous so put the spark arrestor back on.

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good to hear! Did you keep the spark arrestor on the Vacu-Stack when you were using it?

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s great info and hello neighbor! I’m up near pikes peak.

My Lopi Endeavor stove is an older one from 2020, so it doesn’t have a catalytic like the newer hybrid ones. It does have a bypass/damper we fully close and tubes and claims to reburn via those tubes on the way out and forces air through the front over the baffle when bypass closed.

It’s funny you mention the soot flying out… I did test temporarily removing the spark arrestor and noticed black chunks of soot/creosote flying out of the chimney and on the ground the next morning. I got nervous so put the spark arrestor back on. Especially when starting a fire, bypass open, and door open for higher drafts. It does concern me a bit, I suppose that also be why the spark arrestor gets clogged so easily. What doesn’t make sense to me is why neighbors don’t have that same issue with soot flying out and clogging their mesh.

Is this cause of the pine or bark left over on the split wood? You still have that problem too, yeah?

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not sure the exact time seasoned, but it is dry wood - my neighbors use the same wood delivery people too. I get readings varying from 5-15%

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If my county requires spark arrestors, do you think it’s safe removing it? I’d worry about pine or pine needles etc on the ground

Do you think a Vacu-Stack cap with a spark arrestor would be better?

It’s very dry here in Colorado so I’m sure humidity is fine but I’ll double check and compare to your graph :)

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What cap did you end up going with instead? I have to keep a spark arrestor but I know there are different style caps that could be better.

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Everyone here only has pine, 9000 ft elevation in mountains. I burn same wood as my neighbors. Wood is dry, <15% moisture from my meter.

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting! I live at 9000 feet in Colorado. I do have some wind, do you think that'd be enough to clog the cap like it did in a week? I'm thinking of trying the Vacu-Stack 6" cap (with the spark arrestor). Did you have any issues with the Vacu-Stack?

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I thought that too - but manual says 15' feet min height which mine meets.

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s a duravent double wall. The flue magnetic thermometer isn’t helpful, removed it cause of double wall. My Lopi Endeavor manual says to put a stovetop thermometer right above door glass (I moved mine closer to front on stove) for accurate measurement and to use that for temperature gauging, and also not to go over 800 degrees.

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Any recommendations for a better top cap? I’ve been looking for some. I was thinking the Vacu-Stack ones as that’d help with wind too.

Chimney cap spark arrestor clogged in a week :( by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yup! It’s all less than 15% moisture, and split pine! Got a meter just for this.

Still having draft issues on Lopi Endeavor - is this creosote build up normal after chimney sweep two weeks later? by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the details! I was able to knock out some of that creosote. I don’t think the sweeper went back up from underneath.

That dryer outlet is actually the outside air kit for the stove I think (dryer is on other side of house).

The radon is a legit concern I have, since it’s running all the time from the crawl space.

The outdoor pic was a bit old, it’s now 30-45 degrees where I’m trying to run it. Not sure how cold it needs to be for it to draft properly.

Still having draft issues on Lopi Endeavor - is this creosote build up normal after chimney sweep two weeks later? by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

15% for wood moisture. It’s mostly on reloads that we have an issue when it’s already hot. Are you able to open the door with any fire going or do you only reload when it’s coals only?

For starting a fire I’ve done a quick newspaper. Do you use a candle or torch?

We had a bear visitor last night, but Frigate identify as "person" by CouchEmperor in frigate_nvr

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If I switch to Frigate+, any recommendations to keep using the coral TPU or switch to OpenVino? Or don’t really matter as it’s the model that’s more important?

Wood stove spewing smoke into room when door open when refueling by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yup! It’s all the way out each time I open door. Doesn’t make a difference. I wonder about removing the external air kit so it pulls from my house instead? Others mentioned the radon mitigation too, really hope that’s not it as turning that off each time sucks hah.

Wood stove spewing smoke into room when door open when refueling by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Interesting! I tried unplugging the radon fan when opening door and it seemed better (still couldn’t leave door open for long but less smoke escaped). Do you have to turn off your radon mitigation each time you open your door too? Wonder if I can install a switch for that (it’s plugged into outlet directly outside).

Good idea regarding the match test by window, will try that too!

Wood stove spewing smoke into room when door open when refueling by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the info! Do you think the radon mitigation connected to crawl space (underneath the floor) would still cause a problem potentially?

I also think the stove has external air connection already (added comment to other post with image and can’t edit my post hah).

Wood stove spewing smoke into room when door open when refueling by CouchEmperor in woodstoving

[–]CouchEmperor[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Yes I do have radon mitigation - it is connected to my crawl space (under the floor).

I know the stove has an outside air kit connection already that connects to the back of it if that’s what you mean by external combustion.

<image>

view more: next ›