Chris Carn

Can someone add a link to the cheapest efficient 5 minute riser post to this, I'm going to take out the riser and replace it, I have 1 1/2  ceramic insulation but it doesn't make sense how I'm fighting to gain heat and also  the smoke I'm getting after having it burning for 2 hours+...the unburned smoke should be burning I imagine once I get the burn tube past 1200 degrees?

You read it right about me rising it to two inches, I'm taking your advice and going the other way thank you for the advice...when I wrote it didn't show any response I meant I didn't get I email that usually comes when people write to my post, I would have wrote back sooner. Thanks for the help I will readjust and then repost my results.

It didn't show that people responded. Thank you for more input, i've been fighting with this thing and it's getting worse, but I'm going to open up more area below the bell, I think ground water might be leaching into the mass from the rains, the mass isn't getting hot, once and a while I'll hit 80s then drop, when it's 50s outside in the green house..but still getting steam, wet pipes and Ive been heating it up for months, a few times hitting 1000 degree at the top of the barrel but only if I have a duct fan drawing to try to dry things, what is the normal top center part of the barrel running on other people's barrel at when in prime heat? Thank you again for the help, I'm about to start over or give up  in a house just the barrel could be efficient but in a greenhouse it's not doing anything thus far.

So I'm still having issues and looking for great advice once again. Ive raised the chimney and that did help with draw, but I realize the tube as it goes outside was designed poorly. I  had made a cement U-shaped area around the tube and put sand inside with lava rock onto the sand figuring the heat would keep it dry. As some of you have said it actually sucked the heat out. Im looking for any ideas of what I can replace that with to keep the draw flowing and stay hot? Maybe cement it in or even perlite/clay then cement top to seal it from moisture?  Thank you for any help you can give.

Thanks for replying with more questions. I'll try to find the old pictures, but you're right. The chimney pipe is out in the lawn. Was s9me cement under it I put hoping that kept water coming thru dirt underneath, But it' still can collect ground moisture And I have it wrapped with a lava hoping it would  Help. Being a greenhouse I'm limited so going thru plastic in the roof adds unseen dangers that seemed easier to run in the yard...but I made modifications today to try to speed things up not sure if they help...atheist might be amusing for you) I put holes every 6 inches in the mass to help leach out moisture till its dry, I added insulation to the riser top, burn tube and then any space I had in the bottom half barrel I had wrapped the lower area I added lava rock to limit drum air area and hopefully add that heat to the mass...I got the top of the barrel to 950 and had I smoke storm of maybe mosty steam but I had intervals of soot smoke which I assume is higher heat clearing soot from tubes as it grabs seeping moisture, I also added a tube to the intake from the barrel to raise it and protected with fire brick materials, thanks for all the help I'm learning and realize these mistakes are the best lessons

Thank you for your feedback that definitely makes sense. Why the riser can't be changed. It will affect everything else. I'll keep drying it out and maybe add more insulation  to the heat riser since the greenhouse is out doors if it's not preheated takes a while to even start with a fan, and if needed I'll dig back the burn tunnel and add insulation instead of the perlite...thanks again for the info I will keep picking at it and posting for your help)

I'm rethinking my design.
Im wondering why wouldn't the riser be narrower like 5 inches or 4 inches to increase the heat after the long fire chamber...it's just combustion in there, why not compress the air...say a 7 inch fire area the the burn area then 7 inch burn chamber but reduce it 5 or 4 inches in the riser to compress the heat and pressure to increase burn and elevate the heat...compress the heat in the riser?

Thanks so much for all of your help. I will post when I get farther With pictures and definitely will ask for more advice

Sry I ment pelletized clay, perlite mixed with fire clay and the chimney is only 14-18 inch taller than the barrel...the air is cold by then so not sure if it's helping the draft out by the time it's in there...I almost get better draft when I leave the cleanout open at the bottom of the chimney

I covered the burn tube with 1inch then pelletier clay then cob, I have 1 1/2 inch around the riser, should I add more and is 2 inches to the barrel better tan 3 for heat and draw..I couldn't really tell if there was a difference,  also there is room in the bottom barrel I could fill it with more pelleti,ed clay if that would help get the heat more into the mass.