D Barzilai

Hi Justin, I spoke to your mother in law over the phone shortly after you posted this...I wasn't quite ready to move from CA for logistical reasons. Your wife said she'd keep my phone number asher you guys changed yours and closed your email account. She told me the town you moved to (won't post it here)
I lost all my contacts so could never call your mom back... but guess what, I actually made it to Great Falls and was there for 8 months...I tried to look you guys up but was unsuccessful.
I left MT recently and went to Texas but really am looking for a place to settle permanently and assist in building up a self-sufficient community. I changed my number but you or your family can reach out to me via
laffingdukk@protonmail.com and maybe we can reconnect. I'd definitely consider moving back to central Montana

take care, Dina Barzilai

I am looking at a small rental in Riverside TX (outside of Huntsville) where hopefully i can at least grow a little bit of food and buy eggs from the back neighbors. Any permies in my general vicinity? I literally know no one here...long story how I ended up in TX after nearly 60 years in CA. Wanna make friends and maybe do some work /trade or at least idea exchange/learning with others.
Dina

Michael Helmersson wrote:I'm still not certain I have the exact model, but I believe it is a Blaze King Princess. Here is a link to the manual and an image of the page explaining the catalytic bypass. I'm not saying that is your problem, but you seemed to indicate that you weren't sure what that lever was for.

https://www.blazeking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/180-PE32.pdf (just a guess that this is near to your model)

Thank you. I’ll study it.
Yesterday I did say I had no idea what anything was for. But it became obvious in minutes which was a damper and then there’s a dial to set to warmer or cooler so I’m assuming it blows from the electric fan? But reading a manual will make me feel more competent even though I am a pretty good guesser haha. So I’m definitely going to read through it.
Thanks so much for feedback and help!
Dina

Mart Hale wrote:Goto Amazon, find the product you want.


Next bypass Amazon connect with the company directly and buy from them.      Use Amazon to get the rating system, and the best product then bypass them by going either to the company direct or buy off Ebay.

This is how I approached it, I have stopped buying from Amazon for my own reasons.

Mart

Exactly what I do. Even Etsy takes 30% from the sellers, so if they have a website I go order from the business website. I 100% want to support small business, American especially because that’s where I live—but any small business I prefer supporting directly, whether in person or online

Mart Hale wrote:Goto Amazon, find the product you want.


Next bypass Amazon connect with the company directly and buy from them.      Use Amazon to get the rating system, and the best product then bypass them by going either to the company direct or buy off Ebay.

This is how I approached it, I have stopped buying from Amazon for my own reasons.

Mart

100%.
Amazon and Etsy take 30% ish from the businesses.
I find what I want on Amazon  and then found the business’s website if it exists.
On Etsy, I will buy because many sellers only use that platform and don’t have a website or storefront— but if the seller has a website, I order from there first. I want to support the business owner and small business as much as I can. I do occasionally order my cat litter from Amazon because I cannot find the size and brand I like anywhere else :-)

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:

D Barzilai wrote:I’m going to get some muffler tape or high heat caulk and seal it myself.
Thanks for the response
Dina

Yeah, that's what I would do.

To fair, it may just be an ill-fitting connection. Though I think it's unusual to switch pipe directions halfway like that.

Yeah they built this place 14 years ago. Had some help. No telling why the pipes are in the directions they are.
Thanks!
Dina

Michael Helmersson wrote:Those pics didn't help. It looks like there is info for several models on that chart, presumably one of them is the stove you're dealing with. If you could get just a photo of the front of the stove, that might be enough to figure out what model it is.  

Oh I’m sorry I actually took a pic of the front but failed to upload it. Here it is

Michael Helmersson wrote:The woodstove looks like one of the Blaze King models. When I search other forums regarding smoke issues, the first question asked was "are you remembering to open the bypass?".

Can you confirm the make and model or post a pic or two showing more of the stove? The install certainly doesn't look to be a problem.

Yes it’s a blaze king.
I will upload two pics I took from the back label. I think the model number is on one. Quality is poor because I can’t really see what I’m doing while taking the v pic so am snapping blindly

When I opened the damper all the way, closed the door and burned a newspaper,  most of the smoke went up the chimney. It did still leak but it was slight.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Looking at your photos, I can see that the installation has the crimped portion of the pipe facing down.

For a while, in the era of crappy wood stoves, there was a notion that this arrangement would heat the creosote and it would slide down like warm jello back into the firebox. I even recall seeing this in Mother Earth News, the catalogue. This is all good in theory, if the pipe would expand and provide a perfect seal for smoke, but in practice it was a complete failure.

As suggested above, those pipe joints need to be sealed. Muffler tape, or the high temperature gasket glue/sealant that comes in caulking tubes would do the job. A very inexpensive fix.

Yes. I opened the damper all the way a few minutes ago and lit some newspaper. Smoke went up the chimney fine, leaked less than yesterday actually.

So I take it the crimped portion should be facing up?

I’m going to get some muffler tape or high heat caulk and seal it myself.
Thanks for the response
Dina

thomas rubino wrote:Well the chimney itself looks to be a good proper install.
Maybe in the morning, you could zoom in on the cap.
I suspect it's slightly plugged.
Be nice if the old guy would tape those seams, but all you can do is ask.

As far as the lever on the stove.  
I would shine a flashlight inside when it's not lit and see what that lever controls.

All good ideas. I’ll inspect everything more thoroughly tomorrow when he’s in town.
I don’t know if I can zoom in. If the b wife is sleeping I can probably find a tall ladder and climb up and snap a pic.

He’d probably tape the seams if I bought the tape. Which I’m not opposed to doing—I have asthma and don’t want to breathe the extra smoke. I can tolerate a little but this was pretty thick.
Thanks for your help Thomas
Dina