Epping Damper

[mark99]

I can't seem to find any instructions for these.

 

What's the panel for on the front of flue? mine was siezed and just managed to free it (breaking the screw latch holding it) - I'm assuming it's to access the damper/butterfly flap in the flue to clean out crap etc?

 

The flap inside my flue was also siezed and just managed to free it. Rotating the flap knob one way (ooh err missus) appears to constrict the flue a bit and rotating it the other way constricts the flue even more.

 

But if you shove the knob or pull the knob you can centralise and lock the butterfly flap to maximise flue x sectional area. Is this correct?

 

 

[Tonka]

yes

[onionbargee]

The damper slows down the rate of burning by partly closing off the flue, you also get a bit hotter oven on an Epping, the little door is for cleaning, but I never used one in ten years, seal it up with HT silicone.

 

Note if the stove as air gaps , closing the damper will push more CO out the gaps.

[ChimneyChain]

Definitely seal up the door on the smoke box, I used stove cement on ours. As the castings are quite crap on the epping if you do shut of the butterfly without either sealing up or making dam sure you've got a good seal you will undoubtedly have CO2 in the cabin with you when your fast asleep.

 

Darren

[madcat]

Someone I know didn't fit the damper and was adamant the stove was safer without it. I'm re fitting mine but I will put a different handle on it.

[onionbargee]

It might be potentially dangerous to restrict the flue, he might have a point.

[NorthwichTrader]

We've got a new Epping going into our boat, is there anything else we can do to make it a better/safer stove whilst it's in the workshop and the screws/bolts are still free and easy?

[Mac of Cygnet]

As I've said several times here, and other people in the posts above, flue dampers are inherently dangerous because they can so easily be blocked. Most stove manufacturers have stopped fitting them. I've removed mine. Your air controls in the door area, below or above, should be enough to control the burn rate. If not, then replacing the stove rope in the doors should help.

[mark99]

I'm inclined to agree that the damper is a worry. As said, as part of the renovation and checks done before bringing it into use, I got in through the inspection hole and found the damper siezed in the restricted position.

 

After freeing the damper the amount of crap that fell down the chimney onto the Epping stove that was sitting behind the damper flap was untrue. The crap build up had seriously restricted the flue further.

[madcat]

Stuck in the restricted position and blocked with crud then its a hazard for sure. Mine stuck in the full open position because I never used it.

 

I'm putting mine back for keeping the heat in the oven but making sure the handle is a T bar shape and aligned with the damper so it acts as an indicator of position. I will have to give it a regular waggle to stop it sticking open again.

The cleaning door rusted shut, it was the catch that was the week point I'm working on improving that too, hopefully I won't need to stick it in situ. It used to fall out due to vibration which was a pest.

 

I haven't had any problems with fumes in the cabin other than getting a cold stove lit odd times, once it's warmed through a bit it draws just fine.

 

There's lots of subtle and unblock able ventilation in my cabin so a bit of care should see me ok. I also have the half door, aka the cat flap between the engine room and the cabin. That has a hook to hold it just a whisker open and create an airflow, I leave it like that at night but then I'm a person that likes the bedroom window open just a bit in the house.

 

I agree with the view that the damper can cause safety issues and would not try to persuade anybody to keep theirs if they were unhappy about it.

Edited February 19, 2014 by madcat

[Superunknown]

Just found this old thread on Epping stoves.

I now have a boat with one of these fitted in the back cabin. 

What I want to know is, how on earth do you tell which position the chimney damper is sitting in?

The little door on the smokebox is seized shut, or more likely has been sealed up.  I don't wish to disturb it.

The control knob can be rotated a little, or pulled out (to the left on mine) and then rotated more. 

I've noticed there's a notch in the handle as well.

I want to leave it with the flap wide open.  I think, based purely on the setting that permitted the greatest amount of debris to fall down the flue, that equates to the handle being fully pushed in to the right, with the notch on the handle top dead centre.  Anyone know if that's correct?  

 

[davidg]

On ‎2‎/‎18‎/‎2014 at 23:43, Mac of Cygnet said:

If not, then replacing the stove rope in the doors should help.

You've never had an Epping/Classic have you.

[Mac of Cygnet]

2 hours ago, davidg said:

You've never had an Epping/Classic have you.

Aha!  A remark from 3 1/2 years ago come back to bite me!

[davidg]

Hadn't spotted the date. The thought of an Epping ashpan door with a rope seal round it rather than a gap you could drive a number 7 bus through was quite amusing.

Mine has a rope seal but it's one I fitted.

[cuthound]

When I saw the thread title I thought it might be a weather forecast for Essex 

[artleknock]

It looked to me as if it was the start of a swearing competition

[Tonka]

If you are stupid enough to seal the smoke box inspection hatch why not seal the 3 plates on top of the range

 

You won't get any smoke coming into the room because you won't be able to build a fire

[matty40s]

On 10/1/2017 at 23:42, Superunknown said:

Just found this old thread on Epping stoves.

I now have a boat with one of these fitted in the back cabin. 

What I want to know is, how on earth do you tell which position the chimney damper is sitting in?

The little door on the smokebox is seized shut, or more likely has been sealed up.  I don't wish to disturb it.

The control knob can be rotated a little, or pulled out (to the left on mine) and then rotated more. 

I've noticed there's a notch in the handle as well.

I want to leave it with the flap wide open.  I think, based purely on the setting that permitted the greatest amount of debris to fall down the flue, that equates to the handle being fully pushed in to the right, with the notch on the handle top dead centre.  Anyone know if that's correct?  

 

It doesn't seem anyone has answered your question.

The handle should be on the righthand side. 

If you turn it clockwise until it stops, the damper should be fully open.

if you turn it the other way, you will restrict flow.

If it spins, it is rotten inside and probably hasn't got a full damper on any more...you will only know this if you get the collar hatch open or replace the lot - which I did last year.

 

[Tonka]

It will latch into a position with the flap open (if it was of the later type of smoke box) which is where mine is stuck at the moment. Will have to spray it with wd40 to tell you whether you need to push or pull before turning

[Superunknown]

16 hours ago, matty40s said:

It doesn't seem anyone has answered your question.

The handle should be on the righthand side. 

If you turn it clockwise until it stops, the damper should be fully open.

if you turn it the other way, you will restrict flow.

If it spins, it is rotten inside and probably hasn't got a full damper on any more...you will only know this if you get the collar hatch open or replace the lot - which I did last year.

 

Ah thanks!  I experimented in the end by chucking M6 nuts down the chimney with the flue damper knob in different positions.  It turns out, having the notch at the top does equate to fully open (though on mine the knob is on the LHS).

One of the plates has "CLASSIC" cast into it, so mine is an early model.  What I've said above might not be true of a later one.

[Superunknown]

16 hours ago, Tonka said:

If you are stupid enough to seal the smoke box inspection hatch why not seal the 3 plates on top of the range

 

You won't get any smoke coming into the room because you won't be able to build a fire

It's still possible to clean the flue just by lifting the top plates out, and if the flue damper is left fully open there's nothing much to inspect, is there?

Funnily enough two of the top plates on mine are part-sealed, I use gasket sealant but then smear oil round one face so it's only lightly bonded, so I can still take them out to sweep the flue.  The round firehole plate relies on several layers of stove paint to remain relatively well sealed.  It's not great when the fire's first lit, but it's a lot better than it was.....

Edited October 7, 2017 by Superunknown
speeling and grandma