Jotul Backpuffing THUD, WOOF, ...EEK!

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mossycup

Member
Dec 4, 2010
73
Northern Illinois
I just experienced this occurrence last week and I have already found this thread https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/88611/ confirming my theory on what had happened.

I had just turned down the air (incrementally) for the night cruise, top was 550, good load of 18 month C/S/S shagbark and ash. After about 20 minutes, the secondaries started to die, another 10 minutes later the end grain flames gone as well, top declined to about 450. Air control was in the 15-25% open range and never had a problem with smothering before. The coal bed was established and the chimney was up to temp.

I got up from my seat and opened the air to 50%. If I've turned down the air too quick this will always get the flames going again...no luck this time. I then opened it fully, coals in the trough starting to show signs of hell returning...go back to my seat.
The first one sounded like a THUD...probably a split shifting, back to Swamp People....then another WOOF, what the???...I looked over at the stove and saw a puff of smoke come out of the top oval plate. As I'm walking over to the stove I see it!!! Big secondary flame ignition and another puff of smoke, but this time the whole load maintained a normal fire...everything was back to usual. I then let it get back up to tempurature and turned her down again. She purred the rest of the night.

It was VERY windy and snow was blowing hard this evening, maybe it was a wierd atmospheric phenomenon combined with the air control turn down.

Next time I am going to crack the side door before expecting the air intake to provide the air needed for re-ignition. Seeing the top oval plate fart a smoke ring is pretty freaky!
 
Next time I am going to crack the side door before expecting the air intake to provide the air needed for re-ignition. Seeing the top oval plate fart a smoke ring is pretty freaky!

I did that one and almost had the stove fart in my face. It depends on how much wood gas has already built up and how close to ignition the flame is. Be careful.
 
Not much doubt that was weather related. I can just picture BeGreen though with his nose close to the door and PUFF! Wham! Oh no!
 
Ha! I've had a couple Oslo Whooofs in my experience. Takes ya off guard eh? Maybe 3 times in 5 years of burning. Used to get similar with my Baker coal stove. Gasses build up, then spark, and waaaahvooom.

Wait till you open the side door some time and she kicks off.....woo hoooooo!
 
I have already assumed that should this happen again, cracking the door to introduce more air might could produce a vigorous ignition...but how else am I supposed to throw the Beano tablets in?
 
Burning good dry wood and being sure that the wood is burning fully before closing down the air, I have not experienced this again.
 
BeGreen said:
Next time I am going to crack the side door before expecting the air intake to provide the air needed for re-ignition. Seeing the top oval plate fart a smoke ring is pretty freaky!

I did that one and almost had the stove fart in my face. It depends on how much wood gas has already built up and how close to ignition the flame is. Be careful.

We just had a call last week; young woman opened the stove to refill and it was O2 starved. Flames blew out singeing her hair and eyebrows. Fortunately her eyes were okay. Close call. Be safe
Ed
 
You say that there were windy conditions outside.
Do you - by any chance - have an OAK on your Jotul?
If so, where is it in relation to the prevailing wind direction?
 
colebrookman said:
BeGreen said:
Next time I am going to crack the side door before expecting the air intake to provide the air needed for re-ignition. Seeing the top oval plate fart a smoke ring is pretty freaky!

I did that one and almost had the stove fart in my face. It depends on how much wood gas has already built up and how close to ignition the flame is. Be careful.

We just had a call last week; young woman opened the stove to refill and it was O2 starved. Flames blew out singeing her hair and eyebrows. Fortunately her eyes were okay. Close call. Be safe
Ed

Yep. I was glad I was wearing glasses when it happened to me. No major singeing, but I don't have a lot of hair left to singe.
 
mossycup said:
I just experienced this occurrence last week and I have already found this thread https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/88611/ confirming my theory on what had happened.

I had just turned down the air (incrementally) for the night cruise, top was 550, good load of 18 month C/S/S shagbark and ash. After about 20 minutes, the secondaries started to die, another 10 minutes later the end grain flames gone as well, top declined to about 450. Air control was in the 15-25% open range and never had a problem with smothering before. The coal bed was established and the chimney was up to temp.

I got up from my seat and opened the air to 50%. If I've turned down the air too quick this will always get the flames going again...no luck this time. I then opened it fully, coals in the trough starting to show signs of hell returning...go back to my seat.
The first one sounded like a THUD...probably a split shifting, back to Swamp People....then another WOOF, what the???...I looked over at the stove and saw a puff of smoke come out of the top oval plate. As I'm walking over to the stove I see it!!! Big secondary flame ignition and another puff of smoke, but this time the whole load maintained a normal fire...everything was back to usual. I then let it get back up to tempurature and turned her down again. She purred the rest of the night.

It was VERY windy and snow was blowing hard this evening, maybe it was a wierd atmospheric phenomenon combined with the air control turn down.

Next time I am going to crack the side door before expecting the air intake to provide the air needed for re-ignition. Seeing the top oval plate fart a smoke ring is pretty freaky!

Your Oslo must be cat top loader, otherwise if it's a newer version with burn tubes, I'd check the top oval plate, smoke should not puff out.
Maybe a new gasket?

WoodButcher
 
No OAK installed as we have a "not too tight, not too loose" house. The stove runs great, even with a rear vent, cleanout T, and two adjustable 45s turned into 35.8759076849383 degree bends. Wood was as good, I split some open from the same batch and got readings of 17-20%.

The only reason the oval top plate burped smoke is from the ignition pressure and I don't have it locked down. It just floats on the gasket...like vent cap on a diesel storage tank;-) I actually couldn't wait for the stove to cool down in the morning so I could make sure the gasket didn't get pushed around and still had a good seal.
 
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