Clydesdale -- Dollar Bill Test Failed(?)

[terpsucka]

I've done the dollar bill test a few times since installing my Clydesdale last year, and I'm wondering, am I passing, or failing? I can pull it out with varying degrees of difficulty everywhere I try, though never without resistance. Does this count as failing? It's been this way ever since I've had the unit. According to the manual:

"To tighten the seal, adjust the latch spring tension or change the door gasket if necessary."

I shouldn't need to replace the gasket, given that it appears to be in pristine condition, and has always behaved this way since the get-go. There is no information about the latch spring anywhere else in the manual. Anyone have any ideas of how to adjust it?

 

[NH_Wood]

Probably not much help, but I can't pull a bill from my gasket at all - if I were to keep pulling, the bill would tear. I'm guessing if you are able to get the bill out, the gasket is starting to fail, or the door needs adjusting. I haven't had to adjust my latch yet, so will be interested to learn how to do it. Cheers!

 

[woodmiser]

Get a good fire going and use incense smoke to see if any gets drawn in around the door. If not, your gasket is fine. It's a big door. That's a lot of gasket area. If it's too tight the door would be too hard to close.

 

[soupy1957]

woodmiser brings up an interesting point................

Is the gasket "tightness" an issue with allowing room air to leak IN, affecting how the damper and secondaries respond, or .......

Is the gasket "tightness" an issue with regard to the potential of a leaky gasket allowing smoke from the firebox into the room (and house)?

I guess I always believed that it was the latter.

-Soupy1957

 

[terpsucka]

woodmiser brings up an interesting point................

Is the gasket "tightness" an issue with allowing room air to leak IN, affecting how the damper and secondaries respond, or .......

Is the gasket "tightness" an issue with regard to the potential of a leaky gasket allowing smoke from the firebox into the room (and house)?

I guess I always believed that it was the latter.

-Soupy1957

My problem is secondaries. I can burn good and hot, upwards of 500 on top, but have never, ever gotten secondaries. I don't even know if a leaking door seal would prevent secondaries, but I'm willing to try anything.

 

[DAKSY]

There is no information about the latch spring anywhere else in the manual. Anyone have any ideas of how to adjust it?

There should be a series of shims on the inner side of the handle shaft.
If you remove any, that allows for greater the compression on the gasket...

 

[woodmiser]

woodmiser brings up an interesting point................

Is the gasket "tightness" an issue with allowing room air to leak IN, affecting how the damper and secondaries respond, or .......

Is the gasket "tightness" an issue with regard to the potential of a leaky gasket allowing smoke from the firebox into the room (and house)?

I guess I always believed that it was the latter.

-Soupy1957

During 99% of the burn cycle the chimney is acting like a vacuum cleaner, sucking air from your stove. So any leaks will result in air being drawn in, with the effect typically being less control over the fire. Yes if you have a leaky gasket you could get a puff out of the leak at start up but that's only for a moment while cold air is still trying to come down the chimney. Other things can effect draft like appliances and exhaust fans that could create negative pressures in the house but generally the stove has a negative pressure inside and if there is a leak in your gasket during a strong drafting fire, incense will get sucked in at the leak. Even Hearthstone recommended using incense to me when I asked about checking gaskets.

 

[jtb51b]

There is no information about the latch spring anywhere else in the manual. Anyone have any ideas of how to adjust it?

There should be a series of shims on the inner side of the handle shaft.
If you remove any, that allows for greater the compression on the gasket...

According to Blaze King's VP a leaky door gasket can cause a CAT to not work properly. This is because the air that goes into the stove for combustion (even cat) is pre-heated to very high temps, if the door leaks it will be leaking cold air in the firebox thus cooling the cat. I can see the secondary burn tubes needing the same.

Jason

 

[Iembalm4aLiving]

After a few burns I needed to tighten the door latch on my Osburn. I think the gasket "sets" after a while. It's been okay since then.

 

[valley ranch]

With a new gasket installed on the Nordic, and passing the $1 note test, the handle on the locking door won't come down even with the handle on the fixed door. Maybe it will as the gasket compresses it will.

 

[jatoxico]

The other day I had one of those reverse draft type situations occur. On startup I had a bunch of newspaper in the box meant to blow out the cold air from the chimney and get the draft moving in the right direction as I have done many times.

Instead smoke began to come into the room, first thru the air control then smoke poured out all around the door gasket. Not that it caused the the situation but does that indicate my door needs tightnin'?

Happy enough w/ the insert but I'm not anywhere near 5 hr burns so maybe the door is letting in air and shortening my burn times.

The Elmira I used years ago gave much longer burns, was a prob a creosote factory but it had its good points.