Smoke in the room, Stovax County 5 Wide

[Steven P]

If it was professionally swept in the summer then I wouldn't worry about that a few months later. There is anecdotal evidence, stories or whatever of stoves and chimneys working perfectly well without being swept for a few years. Maybe not best practice however.

 

Yes, I have a set of brushes and will do the chimney, sometimes twice a year (Easter - at end of winter and September in case we had small fires over the summer (small fire: sets up air flow in the house, freshens it all up a bit).

 

 

 

I'd still be looking at the basic installation, chimney perhaps. Perhaps also make a diary of how bad it is each day with a note on the outside weather - wind direction - and temperatures (very cold, cold, warm maybe) see if there is a pattern when it is worse or better

[treeworld1203]

13 hours ago, Steven P said:

Perhaps also make a diary of how bad it is each day with a note on the outside weather - wind direction - and temperatures (very cold, cold, warm maybe) see if there is a pattern when it is worse or better

Splendid idea, thanks. On that note, I will pop a couple of pics of flue up today on here.

[Muddy42]

On 11/01/2024 at 14:54, treeworld1203 said:

Good point, I hadn't thought of that!

 

Do you (or others) sweep your own flues then?! I am intruiged!

yes I do. I live in an old house with fussy open fires aswell as stoves so I like to clean frequently. I do get the sweep in too to keep the insurers happy!

[spudulike]

I have done mine for the last 25 years or so, lost one brush and retrieved it, hit the drive outside when I used a few rods too many but the process is a well oiled machine now.

[Mik the Miller]

I have a Stoxax too (Vogue Midi).

I have the same (smoke) issue. Open the door and out pours smoke and ash particles.

 

My take on this is that these are the new Eco/Clean Burn stoves which are designed to swirl the internal gasses so that they burn 'cleaner' and create less polution.

In theory (and computer simulations) this probably works, but in reality the internal dynamics cause a downward (and forward) swirl of air, that when the door is open' ejects the internal gasses (air/smoke/ash) into the room.

 

I've had wood/multi fuel stoves for years and they are fired up every day as we descend into and through  the winter months.

This Stovax is without doubt the worst stove I have had for filling the room with smoke and ash.

 

Stovax aren't interested in my 'issues'.

 

On the + side. The Stovax is more efficient than the my last stoves, it looks good too. Overall i use less wood and it burns/heats the room/house for longer. The stove is easy to control in that I can get my stove thermometer up to 150 to 200 C and hold it there or add a little more secondary air and take it up to 250C.

 

What I can't do is open the stove when there are flames in the firebox or the indicated flue temperature is above 100C

I have to let any fuel burn down to 'char' before I open the door (temp =100C or lower)  and I have to add wood carefully and relatively quickly. If I dither or re-settle logs so they sit right, or get another one out the basket to add, then when I close the door, a fine rain of ash falls and you can feel the sharp smell of smoke in your nose. Opening the primary and secondary air the wood catches quickly and once I see the gasses being ignited I close down the air.

 

I could go on as there are other 'issues' but needless to say I will NEVER reccommend or buy another Stovax.

 

 

 

 

 

[treeworld1203]

On 14/01/2024 at 11:52, Mik the Miller said:

My take on this is that these are the new Eco/Clean Burn stoves which are designed to swirl the internal gasses so that they burn 'cleaner' and create less polution.

In theory (and computer simulations) this probably works, but in reality the internal dynamics cause a downward (and forward) swirl of air, that when the door is open' ejects the internal gasses (air/smoke/ash) into the room.

I have often pondered this myself Mik 

[treeworld1203]

Ok as promised, sorry for the delay. Here is the flue. It sticks up above the roof line, I was wondering if the wind blowing across the top of it would prevent smoke from escaping and then force it back down the flue? If that was the case, I was wondering about fitting one of those spinning things to the top, to help pull more draw up...