Glass gets black

Simple. It is in the fuel you burn.

Try some good creosote remover and a razor blade. This my second with my insert and the first year I had a problem keeping the glass clean but this year I got it and the glass keeps clean(er). I think keeping the smoke off the glass helps and to do that, keep the temps over 400 degrees most of the time and the box itself will keep the smoke will burn off. Burn most of the wood to coals before adding more wood and use cured wood and get and check a moisture meter that your wood is less than 20% (Harbor Freight has them for about $13.00).

Robert

If you wood is dry, I find that just leaving the black on for multiple fires will eventually begin to break up the black for easier cleaning. Trying to clean fresh brown/black seems harder for my stove. Cheers!

When I had this problem last year I removed my door and took it outside, then I used oven cleaner to remove the black. This year I am burning real seasoned wood. I don't have a problem with black glass now. I'm not trying to be rough on you but unless this is a real old stove or it has poor airflow characteristics the blackness comes from unseasoned wood or burning too cold.

from another forum on here I started using wadded up newspaper to wipe the ash and light smoke that gets on mine. a good wipe once a week keeps mine super clear. Even wetting the newspaper works. Then I just throw it in the insert. Of course I do this in the morning when I'm reloading and the stove is pretty cool. Wouldnt recommend throwing cool wet newspaper on the glass when it is hot. Even tempered glass could break.

As we see from the BK owners, you might still get dark glass even if/when you put cats in that stove.

The Rutland glass cleaner works great, and seems to leave a clear coating that makes subsequent cleaning easier and as well seems to lessen the fine ash dust accumulation. The glass seems slippery after using it, sorta like the raindance stuff for auto windows.

Dry fuel can turn glass black. Smoke burns in the cat, not on the glass where it can accumulate.
I've got a firebox full of smoke when downdrafting. Glass can get darkened pretty good on a burn with no primary air. But that smoke doesn't leave the box unburned if things are working right.
Oven Cleaner works great if you want to get rid of it.
And my stove hasn't got an air wash. I suspect yours doesn't have a great one either.

I like "Greased Lightning".. Its available at the dollar general stores and is cheap.. When cold I spray it on and scrub it away with a good paper towel.. As others have said, burn hot and keep it up and you might just find out it will get flaky on its own.. Mine does, sometimes it takes a week but its a lot better clean when you don't use chemicals.

Jason

I would be aware that some ceramic glass does not like some chemicals (ie ammonia seemed to leave a residue on mine), especially when the glass is warm. The only thing that worked for removing the ammonia stain for me was the Rutland cleaner. But if you have scratched and etched your glass already, all bets are off.

Troutchaser said:

[b]Dry fuel can turn glass black. [/b] Smoke burns in the cat, not on the glass where it can accumulate.
I've got a firebox full of smoke when downdrafting. Glass can get darkened pretty good on a burn with no primary air. But that smoke doesn't leave the box unburned if things are working right.
Oven Cleaner works great if you want to get rid of it.
And my stove hasn't got an air wash. I suspect yours doesn't have a great one either.

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I'm in deep trouble with all our dry wood. But we won't tell that to the stove...

With a BKK cat stove(or most cat stoves) on low cruise you won't have much air going over your glass.
I do believe you wont have it happen as much with a tube stove.
Smoke is out gassing..all wood no matter how dry will out gas..IE: SMOKE!
Glass is way cooler then the cat.

Glass cooler with a cat is right. That does not mean the glass will turn black though. At least our glass has not turned black. Exception was during initial burn-in. Got a bit black then but disappeared on next fire and has not had any black since.

Backwoods Savage said:

Glass cooler with a cat is right. That does not mean the glass will turn black though. At least our glass has not turned black. Exception was during initial burn-in. Got a bit black then but disappeared on next fire and has not had any black since.

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You sir probably have a really good air wash system..BKK..not so much.

I believe it has to do with airwash. My Buck 91 get smoked up in the lower right hand corner. Flawed airwash says I.
Other than that I love the 12 to 14 hour load with the 4.3cu ft cat firebox
What gets burnt on mine will not burn off with 2000 degree catalyst temps....go figure..
Razor blade works wonders.....

David

davidmc said:

I believe it has to do with airwash. My Buck 91 get smoked up in the lower right hand corner. Flawed airwash says I.
Other than that I love the 12 to 14 hour load with the 4.3cu ft cat firebox
What gets burnt on mine will not burn off with 2000 degree catalyst temps....go figure..
Razor blade works wonders.....

David

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That's all you get out of that size box..you can't be talking shoulder season.
10 fer on the razor blade scrapers!

AppalachianStan said:

I just got done cleaning the glass this time was the hards tiring to get that stuff off the glass. I will try Rutland glass cleaner see if that helps next time. I have tried vinegar, ash and newspaper, ash and wet newspaper, class cleaner, razor blade, and have tried after clean using cooking spay to make it easier to clean the next time.The best has been dish detergent mixed with hot water and a Scotch Brit pad. This time I used dish detergent mixed with water and a razor blade. That stuff was baked on.

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I don't know that I would be spraying cooking spray on it and baking the oil into ceramic glass. I have an older oven that I had tried every chemical known to get the baked on junk off the glass. Ash, newspaper and a whole lot of elbow grease was the only thing that finally worked.

Backwoods Savage said:

Glass cooler with a cat is right. That does not mean the glass will turn black though. At least our glass has not turned black. Exception was during initial burn-in. Got a bit black then but disappeared on next fire and has not had any black since.

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Dennis, I'm not saying that Stan has dry wood. I'm not making excuses for burning wet wood.
But I am telling you that dry wood will darken the glass on a very low/ smoke free burn in some stoves.

HotCoals said:

davidmc said:

I believe it has to do with airwash. My Buck 91 get smoked up in the lower right hand corner. Flawed airwash says I.
Other than that I love the 12 to 14 hour load with the 4.3cu ft cat firebox
What gets burnt on mine will not burn off with 2000 degree catalyst temps....go figure..
Razor blade works wonders.....

David

Click to expand...

That's all you get out of that size box..you can't be talking shoulder season.
10 fer on the razor blade scrapers!

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I believe they lied about the 4.3 too...lol
It must include the space the cat take up also.

David