High Heat Loss

[CanuckJim]

Re: High Heat Loss

JC,

I'd definitely go ahead and insulate the bottom of the oven as best you can. If the area above the dome is really full of concrete, it looks like you are stuck with the heat loss without some very serious retrofitting to the facade of the oven. In effect, it looks like you'd have to build another wall of brick around it and fill the gap between the two walls with insulation. I do hope other members will have a better suggestion for you.

Jim

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: High Heat Loss

Really full of concrete on top of the dome? You probably have an excellent bread oven...

You should try to do a burn that lasts like 3-4 hours and see if you can get up to pizza temp, or maybe you can retain bread baking temps for multiple bakes...

[jcampo]

Re: High Heat Loss

Yup ,full of concrete. I have tried a burn that long (even with a 2-3 hour burn) I can get pizza oven temperatures. As soon as the fire is reduced or stopped the temperature very quickly drops. I can manage to get 1 pizza done the second is not guaranteed.
John

[RTflorida]

Re: High Heat Loss

John, are you keeping a fire going when your doing pizza? Not a raging fire, just a couple of logs with all of the coals? It makes a huge difference even in a well insulated oven.

RT

[RTflorida]

Re: High Heat Loss

I know this does not help solve your problem, but have you used an IR thermometer (or any type) to get actual temps and gauge the heat drop off??
Maybe enough heat to do a couple of bread bakes? couple of hours roasting?

I'm just trying to think "worst case scenario" and find a way to use what you have.....its a beautiful oven, there has to be some form of cooking you can do without having to burn an entire forest each time.......I hope so, anyway

[RCLake]

Re: High Heat Loss

Sorry about your problem, it sounds like the experts on this forum are giviing you options to address it.
I was wondering if you could tell me more about the right side of the structure. It looks like you added a smoker. What is the slot below it for?

[jcampo]

Re: High Heat Loss

The right side is actually a bbq but you could use it as a smoker as well. The bottom is just for wood storage.

[Archena]

Re: High Heat Loss

Question from peanut gallery: What about adding a stone floor over the firebrick? I realize you'd lose interior space but would a second floor with even minimal insulation keep the slab from wicking so badly?

Also, it the dome itself is embedded in uninsulated concrete isn't that wicking off heat the same way the slab is?

[jcampo]

Re: High Heat Loss

I am going to try installing some insulation underneath the oven floor.

What would be better to use Insulfrax, SuperIsol or anything else?
Also anyone know where I can purchase SuperIsol in Canada?

[CanuckJim]

Re: High Heat Loss

JC,

Look under the Vermiculite Prices thread for a supplier of calcium aluminate board (similar to SuperIsol) in Concord, Ont. (Keele St. north of Hwy 7). The name of the company is Alphatherm, and all the details are in that thread.

Jim

[jcampo]

Re: High Heat Loss

Would you recomend SuperIso over Insulfrax for insulating under my oven floor?

[CanuckJim]

Re: High Heat Loss

JC,

They are similar products in that they are calcium silicate based. However, I'd say you wanted a rigid cal sil board; SuperIsol is just one name for it. The boards would be easier to retrofit and glue to the underside of your oven. Insulfrax is calcium silicate batt material used to insulate the oven dome, and it's flexible for that reason.

Jim

[Dutchoven]

Re: High Heat Loss

Just had a thought...was the floor constructed inside the oven or did you rest the walls on the floor bricks. If the floor was constructed inside you might be able to remove the floor bricks and cut a sheet of superisol or calsil to fit inside the floor and then reset the bricks. It might affect the door height to dome ratio but perhaps you could reset the floor using splits in which case your thermal mass in the floor would be reduced but...the benefit of the insulated floor might be worth more in the long run?
Best
Dutch

[fred42]

Re: High Heat Loss

I have made the same mistake in regards the hearth insulation (on 2 inches of sand and a 4" slab) ..I had no idea about this forum either!
I had an idea that might work but I`ll ask here first.. I was thinking along the lines of insulated cement tiles about an inch thick..I would have to make them in a small form sandwiching the the insulating board on all sides inside the cement.. No idea yet if they would crack or not but thought that if it works then I would have an oven that I could use for bread or Pizza`s by simply placing or removing the tiles..
Do you think this could work?
I live in the Philippines so might have some problems finding the insulating board..
What If I just made them from a perlite cement mix?

[pizzacrazy]

Re: High Heat Loss

This sounds good, can you share a link of your invention?