Lopi Leyden help

Describe your chimney/flue setup. Also, how long has the wood you are burning been cut, split, and stacked?

I've never burned a Leyden, but here's what I can tell you: it's a "downdraft" type secondary combustion stove. Rather than using the "burn tube" style of secondary combustion, it uses a little different methodology to force the combustible gases down and across the hot coal bed to achieve secondary combustion. From what I've read, downdraft type stoves are far fussier and can prove more difficult to master.

I would also think that the number of elbows/offsets you have could be impeding your draft. Finally, and I don't want to sound like a broken record, but when you say the wood was seasoned 1.5 years, does that mean it was truly cut, split, and stacked for 1.5 years? The problem is (assuming you bought the wood), is that most firewood dealers say "seasoned X years," which means it's really sat in log/round form for that amount of time and was only split 2 weeks ago.

But at the end of the day, I think you have 2 main issues: downdraft stove and too many offsets.

First answer Pagey's questions so that we can better help out. Those are huge.

The creosote smell when closing the bypass is not an uncommon issue with the downdrafting stoves. I've seen Harman stove owners complain with it as well. I will sometimes get it. Sometimes not. It's not noxious, just a faint odor that I can do without. CO monitor pays it no mind.
I wish a group of downdrafters could get their heads together on this one and figure out what is going on. It's a common problem to different stoves. Maybe that box full of smoke is letting some escape at the joints.
I've smelled it when the draft was strong, but typically it comes when the flue has begun to cool down a little. Loading lid was a prime suspect, but I regasketed it and sat a cast iron pot on there.

You'll get some flaming with primary air open when downdrafting. Most of it is lazy blue/yellow flames back by the shoe with secondaries only. I'm missing the gasket on top of the shoe which adds to it.

Have you checked the flue for smoke?

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Burning with the bypass open sends a ton of heat up the flue. The bypass is just what is says - it bypasses the secondary combustion system to allow the smoke/gases to go straight up the flue when you are starting a fire from a cold stove or putting on a fresh load on an established coal bed. You'll be hard pressed to achieve sustained secondary combustion and meaningful heat with the bypass open all the time.

I'm pleased to hear that your wood is in fact seasoned. Forgive us if we drive that point home, but probably 90% of the problems diagnosed here can be explained with poor fuel.

I'm pretty confident that you simply have a combination of a "fussy" downdraft stove and too many elbows/offsets. You might substitute 45s for the 90s...?

That flue sounds suspect for this stove. Still, you might be able to make it work.
As for operation, do you have a manual?

Also see the Avalon Arbor thread right under this one. Same type stove and operation.

In a nutshell, smoke out the chimney means you're not burning smoke in the combuster. An open bypass is far, far, less efficient than burning through that combuster with the bypass closed. That requires a deep coal bed, dry fuel,and a strong draft.
If you can solve these issues, that "smell" might go away.

Keep asking questions. There are plenty of folks far more knowledgeable than I on this stuff.

AQUALUNG1919 said:

I need some help with my stove. I have a Lopi Leyden that I just installed in a brand new house. The Stove was used when i bought it but only for 3 months. So, the problem is when i have the stove up to temp and turn the bypass off, after a little while the house starts smelling like creosote, also there are no flames while in secondary burn. Is there something i'm doing wrong? Do I have enough Draft? Or is there a problem with the stove?

Click to expand...

The Lopi dealer here has one setup in his showroom and the chimney is a straight shot and it works great.


Zap

Downdraft stoves are notoriously fussy and demanding of a strong draft.

I suggest you experiment by temporarily extending your flue 6' with a length of cheap single wall, and see if that helps.

HTH, and good luck.

I'd make sure the rear chamber isn't plugged with ash... there are some secondary holes in the rear bricks that allow air into the exhaust as it initially enters the rear chamber, these can get plugged w/ flyash as well. If that chamber or those holes are getting obstructed, then you will have a lazy burn, lingering smoke and not so great performance outta the thing. I'd empty all the ash out, then get into the thing and clean it all out.

Would it be possible that the tee clean-out is not seated right? I would also check the connections (lebows) to see if any movement has occured. Being a downdraft stove, I would susspect that any opening in the stove pipe would cause your issue. I would look toward the pro's to comment on my thoughts as I am new to the stove/insert world this year. It is just an educated guess.....can't you see the smoke.

can you post some pictures of your stove and pipe installation?
do you have your owners manual?
the Leyden has undergone a few changes of the years. there are some ports that need thorough cleaning "Monthly" as well and they are not easy to reach. make sure these ports are cleaned regularly. your manual show how to do this correctly.

http://www.lopistoves.com/TravisDocs/100-01177_005.pdf

read the manual carefully. notice when you get to page 33 the methods of cleaning on either side on your combustion brick.
this might help.

are you opening you by pass before you open the top lid? and if so...are you opening the lid slowly? open it very slow to allow the draft to work. i do think you should look into letting the whole thing cool and cleaning it thoroughly. one other question i have...going back to your original question....how hot is your stove getting before you close you bypass? do you have a thermometer?

i would get a stove top thermometer to make sure the stove is hot enough.
the manual says it will take approx 45mins before you close the bypass. but a thermometer is more accurate as you might have a low fire for 45 mins!
when you top load are you first opening the air control fully...then the by pass....then as the manual says ...open the lid 1 inch for 30 secs...then open?
also...are you getting this smoke back only when the fire is very low...or is the fire hot ?

trouble shooting " smoke enters room when reloading..
Open the bypass before opening the door (pg. 21).
• Open the air control before opening the door (pg. 23).
• Open the loading lid 1 inch and let air enter the firebox
for a few seconds. Once the smoke appears to be
flowing up the chimney consistently, open the loading
lid completely.
• Insufficient Draft - Chimney height and outside
conditions can negatively affect draft. In these cases a
small amount of smoke may enter the home. Adding
more pipe or a draft-inducing cap may help

AQUALUNG1919 said:

I don't have a thermometer but i think its hot enough, when i close the bypass the stove pipe starts making a snapping and popping sound for a few seconds. And yes i open the bypass and open the lid slowly, it smokes in the house while i'm loading.

Click to expand...

You need a stove top therm. I'd get a flue probe also if you are serious about running this stove as designed.
When you think it's hot enough, get it hotter. These stoves have to be seriously hot to work.

I sometimes get a bit of smoke when loading. Mostly because I'm too lazy to do it right. Again, operate the stove as designed and if it doesn't work, get a look at the flue, check for ash buildup, etc...-----your flue design is gonna be a tough one.
I don't want to melt your stove down, but my hunch is that you're not getting it hot enough on a 3-4" coal bed.

I occasionally get the creosote smell but it usually means the fire needs more air.
How does the stove burn if you don't close the damper?

Could be a possibility, try opening a window and see what that does