did I force in to much air ?

[Petroff]

Thought I would try to make my two pan barrel evaporator a little more air tight this year. last year the whole round front was cut out and just banked it up to block the front a little. this year I built a real door and was trying to blow air into the big bung hole on the bottom of the barrel. tried a squirrel cage fan and even a leaf blower, but it still boils better with the door open a little and no forced air. could I be forcing in too much air and just blowing the heat up the stack?

[brass maple]

The air you blow in has to be able to get up through the grates.if you can, put a pipe in the bung hole, (I believe a 2 inch exhaust pipe will fit if you file the threads with a round file a little bit), plug the end of it off and drill holes on the top of the pipe to direct the air up through the grate. Hook the squirrel cage blower up to the pipe and make a damper to block some of the inlet air on squirrel cage. You will have to play with the amount of air you let in till you get the fire the way you want it. Hope this helps.

To much air blowing in the wrong place is as bad as not enough air in the right place


Good luck
Matt

[Petroff]

Thanks Matt, I will give it try !!!!

[maplestudent]

I ran a 4" galvanized pipe in from the back of my barrel (end opposite the door end) under the grate, with a cap at the end (near the door). Drilled sets of three 3/8" holes between every cross-bar of the grate (looking at the cross-section of the pipe like a clock, the holes are at 10 o'clock, 12, and 2. Hooked up a re-purposed bathroom vent fan that is supposed to put out 50 cfm and I am amazed by the amount of heat/flame I can generate.......I need to get some new welding gloves for stoking. It was quickly apparent where all the air leaks in my barrel stove are.