I'm an IDIOT! Here's a safety tip

I did a clean yesterday and then left the stove off afterwards until just before dusk. I was interrupted just before completion and moved onto something else. So when the house stat was cooling down and night fall was coming I plug my P68 back in, flip to auto igniter, and turn onto room temp to start the stove. The thing runs flawlessly so i do not sit and stare any longer at start up many times.

Here's where it gets good. I was outside and noticed something different. Smoke. Huh? I go in to investigate and low and behold the flame is huge but lazy and waving like a bus load of kids leaving the circus watching the entertainers wave them off good by.

I looked into the stove and realized I had set the flame guide off to one side after the clean when the phone rang and fed pellets were piling up bad. My dumb ass also forgot to latch the door but it looked as if it was closed and I didn't realized it was open until I grabbed it to reach in with a welding glove to grab the flame guide and place it where it belongs while the stove was running after I knocked down some pellets. I am not a panic stricken type even when stuff is on fire. Bullets flying gets my attention somewhat better but still panic would be self defeating. Just not how I am wired.

So once the flame guide returned and the door securely latched like it supposed to be things leveled right out within about 2 - 3 minutes. No more smoke etc; Here is what I learned. Double check your work at all cost which I usually do but didn't. I also now know what the lazy flame referred to looks like. It's sloppy, inconsistent, and wavy vs. the crisp standing at attention flames we strive for. I will be able to tell when the door gaskets are not right in the future and also conformation as to why I have CO and smoke detectors. They did not go off BTW. The smoke was outside coming from the exhaust venting.

This also was a small reminder about safety, being anal about it, and double checking stuff at all times. Just wanted to throw out my embarrassing moment and spread some often taken for granted awareness. Good Luck and don't try to repeat my dip chit maneuvers. Pay attention and finish what you start even if you are basically finished. My 98% score ( minus 1 for not latching the door & minus 1 for not reinstalling the flame guide) could have been 100% disaster.

What perplexes me is that the P68 actually ignited, started, and ran for probably 15 minutes before I noticed something was goofy without issue other than my mess up, smoke, and sloppy flames. The flame guide is absolutely necessary for proper operation. I remember reading where someone here had a used stove without one or a damaged one wanting to run it that way or wondering if they could. Yes, It will run but not right at all.

I do not see any vacuum switches nor lines on the P68 unlike the PC45 which does. The 68 will run with the hopper lid open and the door open. Flame just gets a bit lazy and lowers when I open it to scrape the pot while it's running. BTW the fire box door was closed or looked closed but not latched so I assume the combustion blower could have created somewhat of a vacuum pulling it a little more snug. Just a guess. The stove is new as of last fall and everything is like new and tight.

I had cleaned everything and was doing a final vac of the pot so the flame guide was set off to the right inside the stove. I was vacuuming and the phone rang as I was finished........... Or so I thought. Then I left and ran errands, came home in the evening, Plugged it in and fired it up. Then I walked outside to do a few things at dusk before it was too dark. I noticed some smoke thinking some leaves were possibly smoking but it was coming out of the vent.

I definitely dropped the ball on this cleaning. I just had to laugh at myself too. I get called Anal Andy by the wife and some relatives because I'm the type that will double and triple check to make sure things are done, locked, or secured etc;

Thanks for the input all. Feel free to rag on me..... I deserve it.

Red hot pipe. Now that's impressive! Not good but impressive. So hot it forced the temp gauge to jump to its death. I would seriously be considering a coal stoker if anthracite was readily available here and cheap. These newer stokers get a bad rap to a large degree. Most probably burn way cleaner than given credit for. I am sure there are many polluting more burning wood stoves. The older ones anyway.

Just like the electric cars. Yup, they are real clean and green until one takes into consideration how they get their fuel or power. A dirty coal plant usually that produces that clean electric energy charge for the cars. They would be great if they would do solar and the likes for the electric but that is not the reality of it. I feel the technology is there but the big oil business hampers it. Just look at how much and how well cordless drills, tools, and batteries have evolved. On all of my job sites (even commercial) most tools used are battery operated now.

Years past they were more of a quick and convenient tool to break out for smaller quick jobs as to not drag out a cord to run a few screws. Now workers run them all day long. Myself included. Granted high powered tools still require the orange or yellow tail attached and stuffed into the wall.

We all do dumb things. I can vouch for that......... It's the frequency and repetition that catches up with you. Kind of like Russian Roulette. Eventually the price will be paid. I broke away interrupted and didn't do what I am so good at. No double check and check it again. The old carpenters saying comes to mind here. Measure twice and cut once. It was a nice reminder and luckily like you Dan no serious consequences.

erictomlin said:

It is a very scary thing, for sure!

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

I would say having a big pile of steel glowing like red light bulb inside your home would have a nice pucker factor included in that equation. I would venture to say it happens a lot or has happened a lot over the years. That is a very easy to overlook or take for granted situation.

I have zero experience with any coal type of heat but I know it can get very hot. Many more BTU's to be had. I have done something fairly similar but not really comparable with my OWB Outdoor Wood Boiler for the pellet peeps who don't venture to the forbidden forums here. Anyway, I left the door open after I loaded it up stuffing it full to basically do the same thing and get the wood rolling again giving it more air.

Well yes it did get some more air and start a big rolling fire. The fire was rolling so well flames were rolling out of the top of the chimney and the door. I had to get a long 2X4 to even begin to shut the door and still singed my hair, brows, and lashes. YEEE HAW! So I did get it shut and it piped back down.

It wasn't glowing red but melted some stickers and such off. This caught my attention more so than the little pellet stove incident days ago. All I could see was a huge raging out of control fire ball with an OWB somewhere in the middle. Not much fun but better than a glowing red unit and pipe sitting in the living room or basement.

So now that I have proven myself to be an IDIOT more than once. Therefore, I am qualified. You look back at stuff like this and laugh but please remember that you caught a good break. People tend to become comfortable slackers when they get used to things and no longer concerned about them as much. That's where you loose. I know we all love our fire boxes here but they can quickly and easily become your worst enemy and nightmare. Respect them seriously at all times.