|
Post by portlandpizzaboy on Mar 15, 2016 17:40:52 GMT -8
Hello all. I am so glad to find this forum and especially excited to find the petersburg batch heater. Following the dimensions in this thread i built the heater to within 1/2in of the dimensions listed but it smokes like crazy... Even after heating for 15 minutes or so, it never cleans up. I assume that the error is mine, so i rebuilt it with more attention to detail and trying to think through any issues, but no resolve. 1. Does it need to be "exact" to work well? it is now within 1/4in and fairly airtight. There is some loss in the door, but I would not assume that would be this big of an issue. 2. How is it usually fired? I have started big, little, medium. It seems that the worst issues happen when it is reloaded. Here are my specs:
1. It is a 6" system and i have a simple 48" stack attached without a heater or bell attached. 2. I cut a slit in the metal chimney that butts up against the throat for the heat riser. 3. It is all brick or cast masonry. The door is bricked, for now. 4. It is sitting in the back yard Any help would be nice. Thanks John
|
|
|
Post by satamax on Mar 16, 2016 1:37:43 GMT -8
John, when you say you have cut a slit in the metal chimney against the port.
You mean that you're using metal for the heat riser?
Is your slit as big as the port? Is your metal heat riser insulated?
Are you aware that if it works normally, the metal will never last??
|
|
|
Post by peterberg on Mar 16, 2016 1:44:12 GMT -8
Hi John, welcome to the boards.
When build up outside, the bare core with riser should work straight out of the box so to speak. Without a stack, it should work nevertheless. To answer your questions: no, it doesn't need to be exact, within 1/4" is excellent already. How airtight is it and what did you use to seal it? Leaks around the firebox and the connection between box and riser are killing. Dry stacking isn't tight at all, a simple clay/sand mix should be used to seal as a minimal measure.
In the established design the way to fire is like this: start a small kindling fire just in front of the port. When that catches on, add somewhat larger pieces and when the fire is healthy going add bigger pieces. The bare core without a proper chimney stack can't be loaded fully without smoking by the way, it does need the stack to warm up.
There's one way which will cause the thing to smoke guaranteed: when there's a piece of fuel in the port between box and riser. The mechanism behind this isn't fully understood yet, but when you stick a piece in there, just a little bit, at any height and however small the thing will smoke like crazy.
What do you mean by a slit in the metal chimney? When that slit isn't exactly as large as the port and tightly sealed to the box it won't work at all. Also, that riser should be insulated, a bare stove pipe won't do. In point 3. you state it is all brick and cast masonry, you mean the firebox is but the riser ain't?
Please, post some images for us in order to get a full picture of the thing. Do this via dropbox or another online image bank and link to that in the post, this forum doesn't have space anymore for files.
Very sensible to experiment in the back yard, hope you don't annoy the neighbours.
|
|