Crusted ash on the back of my grate - Harman TL-300

The Dude · Dec 5, 2011

I am new to wood burning this year and just swept the ash out of the recesses of my firebox after about a week or two without a thorough cleaning. There was a a layer of crusted ash stuck to the back of the grate, before it meets the rear fire bricks. It almost looked like something volcanic, similar to the "moon rocks" I occasionally find in bags of bought lump charcoal. I'm wondering if this is normal or not, since I have no prior wood stove experience. My stove is a Harman TL-300, and I use the grill accessory.

My main concern is that this deposit does not build up inside the Firedome afterburner chamber in the back.

I am also hoping that I don't find out the deposit is related to cooking. It did not form directly below the grill, so I don't think it's from drippings. But I don't know what happens exactly when the drippings burn up and gases get circulated through the stove.

I should also add that I have been getting the glass brown, either from moisture in what I thought was seasoned red oak, or else because I've been cutting off the intake air too early on these mild days. So maybe it's related to that?

Please tell me this is normal and grilling with my stove will not destroy my firedome!

Thanks,
Tom

Backwoods Savage · Dec 5, 2011

Don't worry about those moon rocks. You will occasionally find them. As for the ashes, I also would not empty them completely. We usually leave from 1-2" of ash when we clean out the stove. The only time we completely clean all the ashes out is during the annual summer cleaning.

Getting the glass brown or black tells you that the red oak is truly not dry enough. This normally happens when people buy wood. The seller swears it is seasoned....which means nothing. What counts is what species of wood it is, when was it cut and when was it split. Red oak in our house will not get burned before it has sat outdoors in the wind for 3 years. Then it burns really sweet. Before that, there is simply too much water in that wood and there is something about fires, water doesn't burn worth a hoot.

I will also suggest your chimney be checked monthly and cleaned as required. You don't want chimney fires and there is no need to have them. We've burned wood over 50 years and have never experienced a chimney fire. I have seen some and most are not pretty at all.

curber · Dec 5, 2011

The Dude said:
I am new to wood burning this year and just swept the ash out of the recesses of my firebox after about a week or two without a thorough cleaning. There was a a layer of crusted ash stuck to the back of the grate, before it meets the rear fire bricks. It almost looked like something volcanic, similar to the "moon rocks" I occasionally find in bags of bought lump charcoal. I'm wondering if this is normal or not, since I have no prior wood stove experience. My stove is a Harman TL-300, and I use the grill accessory.

My main concern is that this deposit does not build up inside the Firedome afterburner chamber in the back.

I am also hoping that I don't find out the deposit is related to cooking. It did not form directly below the grill, so I don't think it's from drippings. But I don't know what happens exactly when the drippings burn up and gases get circulated through the stove.

I should also add that I have been getting the glass brown, either from moisture in what I thought was seasoned red oak, or else because I've been cutting off the intake air too early on these mild days. So maybe it's related to that?

Please tell me this is normal and grilling with my stove will not destroy my firedome!

Thanks,
Tom

Well I'd guess something like a klinker. Some report the odd one coming from wood burning. As for cooking destroying your stove, Harman made this stove to be cooked on so I dont think you'll hurt the stove. Try burning for a week or so without cooking on it and check again. I've been thinking about buying the cooking grate, is it worth it? Pat

branchburner · Dec 5, 2011

Tom, I am not sure about the moon rocks, but quite sure you needn't worry about grilling. You may need to worry about your oak, though. I find I need oak seasoned two years plus to really burn well in my stove. Dark glass means an incomplete burn.

I would suggest you get an addittional thermometer (assuming you have one already) to mount on the side/rear of the burn chamber. If it reads only 100-300 when the bypass is engaged, you are not getting a good secondary burn - should be 400-800. Of course, also check the stack for some - are you seeing any smoke outside when the bypass is engaged?

The Dude · Dec 6, 2011

Thanks for the replies and the reassurance. I was afraid somehow there could be a build up from non-wood materials including mere drippings, that could build that sort of scale back in the firedome where I can't see.

I'll answer all three replies here.

Savage:

I read on here before you or someone else talking about a bed of ash helping the fire, and that fit my habits so I embraced it from the start. Another thing that fits me is the huge ash pan...it can probably hold about 2 gallons! I didn't burn the first two weeks while I was working on my hearth, but with the mild weather over the past 3 weeks or so, it's only gotten half full. I only cleaned it out yesterday to see if there was some reason I should. I do think I will occasionally vacuum in the area of the afterburner jet holes though like I've heard other people doing to keep it free of being clogged.

As far as the wood goes, I refuse to pay for cords of firewood, just against my nature, so even if I get my act together and build up a considerable reserve, I'll probably be dealing with the occasional dirty glass until then. The red oak I have is mostly grayed on the outside, and makes a nice sound when hit compared to fresh stuff, but it is certainly not 3 years seasoned. It came from dead gypsy moth trees and then was cut and piled for probably about a full year. The splits feel lighter than green stuff but I have felt lighter (maybe other types of wood though), so it probably could use more time to season. I hear no hissing from moisture, and it does not always dirty the glass. That caused me to wonder if maybe I need to have it sit in the house for a day or two to acclimate, say instead of bringing it directly from the porch to the stove on a rainy day. Maybe this is common practice to acclimate the wood and I just don't know. I also wonder if maybe I just haven't been using the stove efficiently, maybe closing the damper and decreasing the air intake too early in the burn when I don't want it to get too warm on mild days. I have a lot to learn abotu little things like this, but most importantly I have to get my act together with a good reserve of wood aging in my yard.

Pat:

Definitely worth buying the grill if you already enjoy grilling with charcoal. And get the right wood if you do. I wasn't too impressed with the smoked flavor from oak, so I traded a guy nearby for some hickory. Holy smokes! That and the apple wood I have give some really good flavor. I split a whole chicken into halves and slow cooked it with low heat for an hour and a half one evening after marinating it in mojo crillo for two days. Probably the best chicken in my life. And I've done a lot that I thought beats anything I've ever bought. Here's something to keep in mind...don't think of the grill as something just for fun for grilling with the top open. You can close the top, close the damper, and get some true barbecue out of it.

Branchburner:

I'd like to try your advice to find out if the afterburner is burning efficiently. That area of the stove has a factory-installed heat shield surrounding it on the outside of the stove though. Should I still use your method and expect 400-80 on the heat shield given that inch of air space that cool the outside of it?

Thanks everyone!

Tom

jdonna · Dec 6, 2011

When I am ran my oakwood I would occasionally get some stains on the corners of the glass, usually if the wood was super close to the glass. Also, double check that the glass clips are tight and gaskets are sealing, ash pan, front door ect. Mine had some gasket issues right out of the box.

You want that second thermometer right near the bypass handle. Hands down best way to monitor afterburner mode.

Those klinkers will build up by the throat of the stove, get more of them when you have ash in the stove.

Backwoods Savage · Dec 6, 2011

The Dude said:
Savage:

I read on here before you or someone else talking about a bed of ash helping the fire, and that fit my habits so I embraced it from the start. Another thing that fits me is the huge ash pan...it can probably hold about 2 gallons! I didn't burn the first two weeks while I was working on my hearth, but with the mild weather over the past 3 weeks or so, it's only gotten half full. I only cleaned it out yesterday to see if there was some reason I should. I do think I will occasionally vacuum in the area of the afterburner jet holes though like I've heard other people doing to keep it free of being clogged.

As far as the wood goes, I refuse to pay for cords of firewood, just against my nature, so even if I get my act together and build up a considerable reserve, I'll probably be dealing with the occasional dirty glass until then. The red oak I have is mostly grayed on the outside, and makes a nice sound when hit compared to fresh stuff, but it is certainly not 3 years seasoned. It came from dead gypsy moth trees and then was cut and piled for probably about a full year. The splits feel lighter than green stuff but I have felt lighter (maybe other types of wood though), so it probably could use more time to season. I hear no hissing from moisture, and it does not always dirty the glass. That caused me to wonder if maybe I need to have it sit in the house for a day or two to acclimate, say instead of bringing it directly from the porch to the stove on a rainy day. Maybe this is common practice to acclimate the wood and I just don't know. I also wonder if maybe I just haven't been using the stove efficiently, maybe closing the damper and decreasing the air intake too early in the burn when I don't want it to get too warm on mild days. I have a lot to learn abotu little things like this, but most importantly I have to get my act together with a good reserve of wood aging in my yard.

Thanks everyone!

Tom

Tom, we burned for over a month before cleaning ashes the first time this fall. Now it is more like weekly to bi-weekly depending on how much we burn. In the coldest part of winter we empty ashes about every 4th day. If you do vacuum, beware! The smallest little tiny spark can be buried in those ashes and later start a fire! This has been done many times and some homes have been badly destroyed by the fire. Vacuum gets put away and little tiny red coal starts a bigger fire and is big before anyone notices.

On the oak, if it was dead when cut then that should shorten the drying time for sure. The bottom of the tree though will hold most of the moisture so sometimes it does help to separate the wood. The top of the tree can be burned sooner than the bottom of it.

branchburner · Dec 7, 2011

The Dude said:
That area of the stove has a factory-installed heat shield surrounding it on the outside of the stove though. Should I still use your method and expect 400-80 on the heat shield given that inch of air space that cool the outside of it?

I think the thermometer would have to be on the stove, not the heat shield. Is there room to put it where jdonna suggested, near the bypass handle?

BrowningBAR · Dec 7, 2011

This is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you's. And, uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder's head. Luckily I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug regimen to keep my mind limber.

I burn wood. Make a few posts. The occasional acid flashback.

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Crusted ash on the back of my grate - Harman TL-300

The Dude

Member

Backwoods Savage

Minister of Fire

curber

Feeling the Heat

branchburner

Minister of Fire

The Dude

Member

jdonna

Feeling the Heat

Backwoods Savage

Minister of Fire

branchburner

Minister of Fire

BrowningBAR

Minister of Fire

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