Dirty Glass

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BeardedJon

BeardedJon

New Member
Jul 3, 2014
26
Farmland, Indiana
I have an England Madison and have been using it for over a week now. Is it normal to get dirty glass to where it needs cleaned every couple days? I was under the impression that the air wash technology would keep the glass fairly clean. Do I need my fires up to certain temperatures for this to work or is it something else? Any input is appreciated as I really want to know if it's normal or not.
 
i got the same problem, if i close down the air to much it gets dirty. With that in mind it still seems like im cleaning the glass every few days even with leaving the air more open.
 
Besides potential but unlikely flaws in the stove's design the following factors also contribute to dirty glass:

Wet wood. How dry is yours?
Air turned down too much too early. What are your stove temps; what is your final setting for the air control?
Splits too close to the glass. Are you leaving some space between the dog house and the wood?
Insufficient draft. What kind of flue and how tall? What are the outside temps?
Gasket leak. Is it always in the same spot(s)? Have you done the dollar bill test?

That said, a black spot here or there during regular burning is not unusual even with best burning practices. As long as it is easy to remove or bakes off by itself with a hot fire I would not worry too much.
 
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Get it from time to time after an overnight - once the new load gets rolling it burns right off. The way the fuel is loaded can have an effect, ie: NS loaded stoves can get direct outgassing from split ends that dirty the glass vs. EW loads etc.

I find if I want to do more that just burn it off with the next load(I have company coming over and want a nice fire view) it will wipe right off with a wet paper towel if I get it while its hot. With the stove at around 100-200 on top it just wipes off with a paper towel no problem and no other "stuff" needed beyond water.
 
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KindredSpiritzz said:
i got the same problem, if i close down the air to much it gets dirty. With that in mind it still seems like im cleaning the glass every few days even with leaving the air more open.
Click to expand...
I am still not having an issue , we have the same stove. I wonder if you have a door gasket leak. I do clean once in a while. I usually get some stuff on the glass when I load some sub par wood.
 
HD - take a lighter and run the flame around your door when you are burning. Any leak will show up by sucking the flame into the stove. For slight leaks you can often just fluff the gasket rope a bit and NOT shot the door so tight. Bad leaks need new rope. I find it seals best with less door latch pressure. Once you start trying to seal by cranking on the latch it becomes a loosing battle. I just let the weight on the end of my handle I made do all the work and refrain from putting extra pressure on the seal.
 

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Huntindog1 said:
I am still not having an issue , we have the same stove. I wonder if you have a door gasket leak. I do clean once in a while. I usually get some stuff on the glass when I load some sub par wood.
Click to expand...

I'll have to check out the gasket and seal, you could be right. I have been noticing lately when i close down the air i don't have those slow lazy flames anymore, they seem "faster" now than i remember first running the stove. Im really starting to think i need another 2 ft section on my chimney. Even with the bypass damper open i get smoke pouring out the door on reloads. Chimney is the minimum 12 ft so i had suspicions i might have problems down the road.
 
KindredSpiritzz said:
I'll have to check out the gasket and seal, you could be right. I have been noticing lately when i close down the air i don't have those slow lazy flames anymore, they seem "faster" now than i remember first running the stove. Im really starting to think i need another 2 ft section on my chimney. Even with the bypass damper open i get smoke pouring out the door on reloads. Chimney is the minimum 12 ft so i had suspicions i might have problems down the road.
Click to expand...

Yes I think you maybe on to something as I dont get smoke rolling out the door when I have the bypass damper open. 12ft Chimney has been known to have poor draft in some situations. I have like 25ft masonry flue.
 
Huntindog1 said:
Yes I think you maybe on to something as I dont get smoke rolling out the door when I have the bypass damper open. 12ft Chimney has been known to have poor draft in some situations. I have like 25ft masonry flue.
Click to expand...
I have the same problem with my madison.
 
Grisu said:
Besides potential but unlikely flaws in the stove's design the following factors also contribute to dirty glass:

Wet wood. How dry is yours?
Air turned down too much too early. What are your stove temps; what is your final setting for the air control?
Splits too close to the glass. Are you leaving some space between the dog house and the wood?
Insufficient draft. What kind of flue and how tall? What are the outside temps?
Gasket leak. Is it always in the same spot(s)? Have you done the dollar bill test?

That said, a black spot here or there during regular burning is not unusual even with best burning practices. As long as it is easy to remove or bakes off by itself with a hot fire I would not worry too much.
Click to expand...

ditto - wet wood = black glass. Get a wood moisture meter
 
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My first year burning, my wood was 25% moisture content up to 30%. I did the best I could with it but smoky window was a perpetual problem. Second year was much better but with some smokiness at the corners. This year my wood is all dry and I have virtually no smoke on the window at all any more.

The only way to know where you stand with the wood is with a moisture meter. Open up a fresh split and measure a fresh face with the meter. Shoot for 20% up to 25% max.

It's also possible that you are turning the air down too far too fast as Grisu suggested above.
 
Had the same thing, in the lower right corner, the first few days with the new stove. I fluffed the gasket, a bit, in that spot, and the glass is now clear as a bell. Running the the primary air anywhere from completely closed, to one inch from closed, after char, with no issues. It was the gasket, on mine.
 
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My Drolet door glass never gets dark. Even if a piece is touching the glass during a burn and browns a little, it will clean itself after a few more reloads! Must have a great wash system! I burn Oak, Maple and Ash at 400-550* most of the time. Primary air from all the way shut, to 1/4" open. 3 small/medium sized splits each load. 3.5-4.5 hour burn times per reload.
 
I am having this problem of dirty glass as well. It is driving me crazy. It cannot be my wood, as I have resorted to burning biobricks only. Clean the glass in the morning, get a hot fire going, sooty again the next morning, all around the edges of the glass, Lin a "U" shape. How do I check the gasket(s)?
 
entwife14 said:
I am having this problem of dirty glass as well. It is driving me crazy. It cannot be my wood, as I have resorted to burning biobricks only. Clean the glass in the morning, get a hot fire going, sooty again the next morning, all around the edges of the glass, Lin a "U" shape. How do I check the gasket(s)?
Click to expand...

Take a dollar bill, hold it between the door frame and the door, close door and pull on the bill. It should offer serious resistance without you ripping apart the bill. Test various places along the gasket.
 
To the best of my knowledge, on the Drolet Austral/Myriad/Legend/Baltic, the air wash is the primary air supply. All of the air that hits the bottom of the fuel charge comes down the face of the glass, first. One of the things I really like about this stove. Don't think the wife would be half so enthusiastic about the stove, if it weren't for the excellent fire view.

Entwife, can you tell us what make and model? Maybe someone with a similar unit will chime in. Also, have you tried the "Dollar Bill Test"?

EDIT - Ya beat me to it, Grisu. ;)
 
Mostly caused by the boost air low in the front of the stove blowing into the wood with E/W loads. In the cooler reload process the air bounces off of the front of the load and deposits the stuff on the cooler glass.

Typically make a "V" shaped deposit on the glass. If the fire burns hot enough it will just end up as a V shaped haze on the glass.
 
Grisu said:
Take a dollar bill, hold it between the door frame and the door, close door and pull on the bill. It should offer serious resistance without you ripping apart the bill. Test various places along the gasket.
Click to expand...

Ding ding ding - we have a winner!

The door failed the dollar bill test royally. Easily slid out of the sides and bottom of the door. I tried to "fluff" the gasket, to no avail. What is the solution?

My brand-spanking-new Clydesdale was just installed 3 weeks ago. I'm irritated that I have had this problem, and have blamed myself for wet wood, user error, etc. Oh well, shrug it off and get it fixed -- but how?
 
entwife14 said:
Ding ding ding - we have a winner!

The door failed the dollar bill test royally. Easily slid out of the sides and bottom of the door. I tried to "fluff" the gasket, to no avail. What is the solution?

My brand-spanking-new Clydesdale was just installed 3 weeks ago. I'm irritated that I have had this problem, and have blamed myself for wet wood, user error, etc. Oh well, shrug it off and get it fixed -- but how?
Click to expand...

It's not too difficult to take the gasket out and put a new one in. Here is a post/thread describing it really well:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/pe-pacific-door-new-gasket-install.56294/#post-706383
But since yours is that new, I would contact the dealer and have them fix it.
 
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Thank you. I will contact my dealer to have them fix it.

These forums are such a wonderful source of excellent information.

Thanks again!
 
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