Glass dirty at edges, is it normal ?

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HDRock

Minister of Fire
Oct 25, 2012
2,239
Grand Blanc, Mi
It appears to me that , while getting the fire going and having the door cracked gets the bottom corners smoked up. Am I right ?
is this normal ?
Can I avoid this some how ?
I only have had this stove fired up 3 times but it does this every time.
It does not burn off , how long and how hot of a fire does it take to burn it off
New gasket and dollar bill check is very good .

IMG_20130903_040048.jpg
 
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If you are still breaking in your stove then small fires might be causing it. Also turning the primary air down to quick or wood thats to moist will cause mine to get dirty. If you get it up to around 500-600 degrees you should get some to burn off. Pick up some Rutland glass cleaner does a good job getting all the soot off and will last a long time.
http://www.amazon.com/Rutland-Hearth-Grill-Conditioning-Cleaner/dp/B00120NMNY
 
Mine looks like that in the morning if I damper it way down to last overnight. As 636 mentioned above, it mostly burns off when I get a really hot fire rolling (500F +), but there is almost always some hazing along the edges.

For cleaning (and, of course I read about it here...) a bit of ash on a damp paper towel does the trick 99% of the time. I've also used a cheap glass cleaner (like Windex) and that worked fine, too.

I still haven't fired up my stove, but it was in the 40s here last night, so soon, very soon! :)
 
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Air leak or undesirable wood m/c, or both. The black should burn off with a hot fire. If it doesn't, then an air leak is very likely.
 
Normal.

An even pattern like that and especially when brown in color indicates things are fine. These things don't stay clean unles you really burn hot and long.
 
Mine looks like that in the morning if I damper it way down to last overnight. As 636 mentioned above, it mostly burns off when I get a really hot fire rolling (500F +), but there is almost always some hazing along the edges.

For cleaning (and, of course I read about it here...) a bit of ash on a damp paper towel does the trick 99% of the time. I've also used a cheap glass cleaner (like Windex) and that worked fine, too.

I still haven't fired up my stove, but it was in the 40s here last night, so soon, very soon! :)
No long hot fires yet, got it up to 600 last time but wasn't for long, last night was running at 480.
For cleaning I used a damp paper towel, damp paper towel w ashes, and picked up some ceramic cook top cleaner ,that worked the best but, they all did the job.
fairly common

do a smoke check of the door and glass gaskets with an incense stick(while fire is going, trace around seals w/smoke)- its not possible to test the glass gasket w/dollar bill
Thanks I will do a smoke check
Air leak or undesirable wood m/c, or both. The black should burn off with a hot fire. If it doesn't, then an air leak is very likely.
Wood is 15-18% checked split
Normal.

An even pattern like that and especially when brown in color indicates things are fine. These things don't stay clean unles you really burn hot and long.
Thanks, hot and long burns coming up when it gets colder
 
This time of year it's somewhat normal, when you start really burning you shouldn't see it. When I had my Endeavor the glass was always clear of any dark stuff, it would get the white ash type film after a while but never dark.

I really can't recall my Endeavor ever being as dark as what's pictured. Looking at the picture I think you may have turned it down too much, it looks like you were going for the light show, I always kept some flame in the box it burned much better that way. Some times all it took was a 1/8th inch one way or the other.
 
This time of year it's somewhat normal, when you start really burning you shouldn't see it. When I had my Endeavor the glass was always clear of any dark stuff, it would get the white ash type film after a while but never dark.

I really can't recall my Endeavor ever being as dark as what's pictured. Looking at the picture I think you may have turned it down too much, it looks like you were going for the light show, I always kept some flame in the box it burned much better that way. Some times all it took was a 1/8th inch one way or the other.
Both times I did have it turned down to far , for a period of time , still learning , I need more trial and error , probably needs more air with outside temps at 40.
I am sure not used to how much difference it makes with small adjustment, way different than old stove
 
There's 5 phases when it comes to dirty glass.

Guilt- You must have done something wrong
Anger- The wood must obey!
Bargaining- If you talk to the glass it will stay clean
Acceptance- You learn to live without seeing the flames

Heat- Burn it off and get on with something else.
 
Both times I did have it turned down to far , for a period of time , still learning , I need more trial and error , probably needs more air with outside temps at 40.
I am sure not used to how much difference it makes with small adjustment, way different than old stove

That's right. If the wood is not perfect and it has too little air it will soot the glass. Burn hotter, short fires and you won't see this. Every stove/flue has it's own personality. It can take a half season of burning in lots of different outside temps and with different wood species to get a good handle on running a new stove proficiently.
 
It appears to me that , while getting the fire going and having the door cracked gets the bottom corners smoked up. Am I right ?
is this normal ?
Can I avoid this some how ?
I only have had this stove fired up 3 times but it does this every time.
It does not burn off , how long and how hot of a fire does it take to burn it off
New gasket and dollar bill check is very good .

Having the door cracked? Why? It seems you should be able to get the fire going without that, especially now building only a small fire. Try starting it with the door closed and see what happens.
 
How tight should the gasket be in the door. Window glass? I replaced mine last year. I did smoke test and nowhere was it sucking. But the gasket even hot seems like it can easily be moved around. When cold it will easily pull out.

Is the gasket suppose to be so tight that there is no way to ever pull it out? I think I need to redo it with a thicker gasket this yr.
 
Having the door cracked? Why? It seems you should be able to get the fire going without that, especially now building only a small fire. Try starting it with the door closed and see what happens.
:confused: Isn't that the way most people start up a non cat stove with no bypass ;?
 
Nothing wrong with having the door cracked to get'er going. I do it all the time. In fact the only time I don't is when I start it up with a top down burn.

Just no leaving the room with it not latched.
 
Yes, it's pretty common, especially when the weather is still mild.
 
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Well, after 40 years of burning wood, I don't pay much attention to how clean the glass is as long as as I can see the fire. All stoves are different. Burn seasoned wood and don't smolder the fire any more than you have to and whatever happens after that.....well I just don't worry about it. A clean flue is much more important. But then I am old. ;)
 
But then, you have learned from experience.
 
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Well, after 40 years of burning wood, I don't pay much attention to how clean the glass is as long as as I can see the fire. All stoves are different. Burn seasoned wood and don't smolder the fire any more than you have to and whatever happens after that.....well I just don't worry about it. A clean flue is much more important. But then I am old. ;)
Not a big deal to me if It's a little dirty, just want to be sure I'm doing it right , and stove is doing what it is suppose to do, and 3 fires in the EPA stove ,isn't much to go by :)
 
Not a big deal to me if It's a little dirty, just want to be sure I'm doing it right , and stove is doing what it is suppose to do, and 3 fires in the EPA stove ,isn't much to go by :)
No it isn't, and you just keep asking. I was not trying to show how much experience I have, just trying to share it. It will take you, or anyone else for that matter, a while to figure the stove out. Just keep at it and share here. You will find a groove.
 
:confused: Isn't that the way most people start up a non cat stove with no bypass ;?

It can be very common for some but certainly not all. But at this time of the year it is a bit more of a problem to get the stove going. We're still waiting as it just hasn't been cold enough, even with the overnight frost. House was comfortable all day. Just hang in there and soon you will be more familiar with that stove. You have to remember this is a huge change for you from what you've been burning. It's almost like starting new again.
 
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You have to remember this is a huge change for you from what you've been burning. It's almost like starting new again
Ya buddy, it is very different , as they say practice makes perfect
 
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