BIG draft problem with outdoor fireplace

[Pete S]

HELP!!!!!

Purty much by the seat of my pants,.............using ALL reclaimed material I have constructed an "outdoor" fireplace.

We traced the end of a 275 gallon oil barrel for the opening. The opening is about 24" tall, and the firebox is about 20+inches deep.

As part of the reclaimed materials were 8x12 flue liners.

SO,..........I built my firebrick arch and laid over the cream city brick, NOTE I have a 6" overhang below the firebrick at the opening.

In the back of the firebox at the top I made an opening that is 10" wide by 11"tall for the opening into the liners. I ran the chimney up a bit more than 6'.

This thing doesn't draft for crap! About 30-50% of the smoke/heat rolls right out the front!!!!!!

1.) I have made the hole bigger.

2.) I have extended the chimney up two more feet.

3.) I have tried baffles at the top of the chimney.

4.) I tried reducing the front opening by holding something over it,..........it just reduced the amount of smoke coming out.

5.) The air seems to come down the chimney with enough force to actually blow on the fire!

6.) I've run it enough to get the chimney hot. I've fired it with varied winds with the same results.

I'm thinking I need to construct a "smoke shelf" to hold back the downdraft, but allow the smoke to compress and roll out the hole in the back.

I am beyond frustrated, and very disappointed as I broke my butt on this and thought the desgin would be as simple as our Jotul. (less a smoke shelf). For cryin' out loud I can run my evaporator with the darn door open,.............and proportionately it's about the same rig!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This was not copied from any "design" other than the exterior design.

For decades have seen back yard BBQ's that I know must draft OK as they're all about the same.

ANY constructive advice/ideas is sincerely welcome!

Thanks!

[Dennis H.]

I did a quick search and found this. Hope it helps.

I know that the height of the opening has a big effect on all the other diamensions to get the fireplace to wok correctly and when I looked up the info the chart I have added shows just that.

Good luck, hope it helps.

[Pete S]

Thanks!

I never actually considered that a "chart" like this exists. I think part of my problem may be that I don't have as I mentioned, a smoke shelf, and it's just an opening at the top/back of the firebox. 6' of chinmey ain't much either.

I may just break down and fabricate a 12' piece of 8" round to the top 8x12 liner. I'm dun'a layin brick on this project. (need to save'm for my soon to be built 2011 sugar shack!)

Again, thank you!

[foursapssyrup]

years ago we built a brick arch in the same manner as you, but with a few variations. ours was 2x4, with a 2' firebox then the bricks slanted up till we had a 4"x2' opening right before the chimney. our draft hole opening was 1 brick missing in the front under the door, and about 4' of flue pipe. no draft problems.

try the smoke shelf, maybe a piece of tin wedged in just to see if it helps?

is it your 20" firebox, then sloped bricks to the chimney?

pics of the boiler would help diagnose.