Startling incident

2ndburn · Nov 23, 2015

I have been using the new Super 27 just about every day for a month now, been cruising along just fine thanks to some helpful advice from folks here.
So, tonight I had a good bed of coals going, stove top temp was reading about 375, I did a reload of 2 large splits, 1 madrone and 1 walnut. I left the primary air wide open to allow the splits to catch, Normally I stay near the stove after a reload but this time I went into the kitchen to get a drink of water and I was in the kitchen for about 2 minutes when I smelled smoke! I ran into the living room to see haze throughout the room and smoke coming from the flue joints, yikes! Stove top temp reading about 550, I immediately shut down the primary air all the way, the fire in the firebox slowed down right away and within 30 to 45 seconds (although it felt like an hour) smoke stopped coming out of the joints and from then on everything seems to be operating normal. It has now been an hour and everything is still fine, but obviously it has left me a little rattled. I do not have a flue thermometer so I have no idea what might of been happening there. Besides learning not to walk away from the stove after a reload in order to monitor the stove and air intake, should I be concerned with what happened, is something wrong?? The stove is brand new, the single wall pipe is all new from the stove to the ceiling. The odor of the smoke seemed to have a hint of the paint, etc burn off smell to it as well but in the heat (no pun intended) of the moment I wasn't paying to much attention to odor, that was mainly an after thought while replaying the incident in my mind.

JA600L · Nov 23, 2015

Probably just the paint curing to those high temperatures. If the chimney didn't catch I'd say your good. You may want to consider sealing the joints better.

2ndburn · Nov 23, 2015

JA600L said:
Probably just the paint curing to those high temperatures. If the chimney didn't catch I'd say your good. You may want to consider sealing the joints better.

Had it professionally installed, they used 3 screws at each joint, plus the slip joint, at least I think that's what he called it.

begreen · Nov 23, 2015

Could just be the paint baking in on the pipes. With the air wide open the flue will get hot when dry wood takes off. Set a timer when walking away from the stove with the air open and you're waiting for the wood to ignite. I use my cellphone's clock function for this.

2ndburn · Nov 23, 2015

begreen said:
Could just be the paint baking in on the pipes. With the air wide open the flue will get hot when dry wood takes off. Set a timer when walking away from the stove with the air open and you're waiting for the wood to ignite. I use my cellphone's clock function for this.

Good advice, Thank You

bioman · Nov 23, 2015

I would check the chimney, make sure it's open& clean.

Seanm · Nov 23, 2015

Isnt it amazing how hot the stove pipe can get in such a short period of time? My pipe is double wall but Ive been caught with my pants down a few times. The stove temperature was ok of course but definitely needed to be turned down! I agree that it was probably your stove pipe reaching a new high temperature. Your stove will do that as well for awhile as it reaches new highs.

klxrelic · Nov 24, 2015

Seanm said:
I agree that it was probably your stove pipe reaching a new high temperature.

I think pretty much the same....Also, the paint in the joints is probably the last bit of paint to get hot enough to cure/smoke due to the doubling up of the metal in the joins. With the new high temp, the paint in the joints finally cured, and probably why you thought it was wood smoke coming outta the joints.

With all that heat, you had a good draft going, smoke was unlikely coming out.

2ndburn · Nov 24, 2015

klxrelic said:
I think pretty much the same....Also, the paint in the joints is probably the last bit of paint to get hot enough to cure/smoke due to the doubling up of the metal in the joins. With the new high temp, the paint in the joints finally cured, and probably why you thought it was wood smoke coming outta the joints.

With all that heat, you had a good draft going, smoke was unlikely coming out.

That actually makes a lot of sense. Like I said, after the fact and with some of the lingering odor I thought it smelled less like wood smoke and more like paint cure smoke. I am just going to continue to keep watch on things and pay close attention on those reloads and hope this was an isolated incident.

jatoxico · Nov 24, 2015

A reload at 375 is pretty hot. Loading on a hot coal bed tends to lead to rapid temp increases and high peak temps.

Seanm · Nov 24, 2015

jatoxico said:
A reload at 375 is pretty hot

You think so? Ive never found this to be the case. Ill reload on anything up to 400 f. Of course raking the coals forward so that there only coals under the front of the splits makes all the difference in the world. Getting the stove up to temperature as soon as you can is key. Each to his own. Depends on measuring techniques as well I guess. I use an ir gun measured at the hottest part of my stove which is 4 inches or so in front of my flue collar. If I was to measure a bit further away it would be a different story for sure.

jatoxico · Nov 24, 2015

Seanm said:
You think so? Ive never found this to be the case. Ill reload on anything up to 400 f. Of course raking the coals forward so that there only coals under the front of the splits makes all the difference in the world. Getting the stove up to temperature as soon as you can is key. Each to his own. Depends on measuring techniques as well I guess. I use an ir gun measured at the hottest part of my stove which is 4 inches or so in front of my flue collar. If I was to measure a bit further away it would be a different story for sure.

Yeah there's lots of variables. Was really just pointing out that a hot reload can take off real quick. At 375-400 I will mostly let it burn down more as it's still putting out usable heat. If I do load on a big coal bed I know it may go nuclear and keep a close eye.

klxrelic · Nov 24, 2015

jatoxico said:
Loading on a hot coal bed tends to lead to rapid temp increases and high peak temps.

I keep seeing this statement a lot. I have loaded on coals, not raked to the front @ 400 and had no issues with run-away or over-firing. But, I am using small splits of soft wood, so maybe that is why. I still usually make sure I am below 400 tho... just to be on the safe side.

Seanm · Nov 24, 2015

klxrelic said:
I keep seeing this statement a lot.

I would say that it comes down to generally accepted practices regarding reloads. Doesnt mean it will happen but the very real possibility is there. Also raking your coals forward allows your burns to last longer as well as cutting down on the risk of a hot fire.

Ash · Nov 24, 2015

klxrelic said:
I keep seeing this statement a lot. I have loaded on coals, not raked to the front @ 400 and had no issues with run-away or over-firing. But, I am using small splits of soft wood, so maybe that is why. I still usually make sure I am below 400 tho... just to be on the safe side.

Both my stoves have a tendency to take off on hot reloads so I try to avoid doing it if possible.

jatoxico · Nov 24, 2015

klxrelic said:
I keep seeing this statement a lot. I have loaded on coals, not raked to the front @ 400 and had no issues with run-away or over-firing. But, I am using small splits of soft wood, so maybe that is why. I still usually make sure I am below 400 tho... just to be on the safe side.

Often directed towards folks in the very early stages of the learning curve. Again just pointing out that the procedure used for a cold or semi-cold start where you allow the fire to establish and slowly turn down the air incrementally is very different from what's needed when you're loading a stove that's at or near operating temp.

klxrelic · Nov 24, 2015

jatoxico said:
the procedure used for a cold or semi-cold start where you allow the fire to establish and slowly turn down the air incrementally is very different from what's needed when you're loading a stove that's at or near operating temp

One thing I do like about hot reloading is that it doesn't take very long before I have the stove closed all the way down. Running up and down the basement is good exercise and all...but I would rather be relaxing on the couch! lol

jatoxico · Nov 24, 2015

klxrelic said:
One thing I do like about hot reloading is that it doesn't take very long before I have the stove closed all the way down. Running up and down the basement is good exercise and all...but I would rather be relaxing on the couch! lol

Exactly what the OP found out. He said he left the air open full and was only gone for a couple minutes and stove was taking off. I often start with air at half or three quarter on a hot reload then cut from there.

klxrelic · Nov 24, 2015

jatoxico said:
I often start with air at half or three quarter on a hot reload then cut from there.

Pretty much the same here, except air is fully open for me. Mainly because I always crack the door, open air full and open bypass damper before opening door fully for reload. If not, I will get some spillage of smoke.

rowerwet · Nov 24, 2015

With a bed of hot coals and a hot stove I don't open the draft, the new wood will take off just fine on it's own.

Startling incident

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