Creosote inside of stove?

[oldspark]

While cleaning out the ashes out of my summit this morning I noticed creosote in the back of the stove, any one else have this problem any time of the year.
I am burning the stove hot (small fires but hot) and never saw that in the old stove (not epa type)
For the most part the temps and times match up with other peoples posts about their stoves.
Wood is below 20%

 

[NH_Wood]

I get a shiny black film in on the stones in the back of the stove + sides. Is this what you are seeing Oldspark? Cheers!

 

[oldspark]

I get a shiny black film in on the stones in the back of the stove + sides. Is this what you are seeing Oldspark? Cheers!

Black crusty stuff but some shiney. Just does not seem normal I am all new to the epa stoves.

 

[pen]

The only place I get any of this is where the air intake runs along the back of the stove and is therefore cooler. Otherwise, if the firebrick / sides are collecting creosote, it sounds like it's burning too cold.

pen

 

[oldspark]

The only place I get any of this is where the air intake runs along the back of the stove and is therefore cooler. Otherwise, if the firebrick / sides are collecting creosote, it sounds like it's burning too cold.

pen

Yes it seems like back where the fan pulls air off the stove and by the secondary air channel, sounds like not an issue, thanks!

 

[SKIN052]

Same stove as you, same issue. I also always take off my black flue pipe when cleaning and stick my hand all around the baffle, typically find the same stuff there. Not in the pipe but top of the stove. I think it's from the fan as well. My fan is constantly going with the stove running.

 

[vvvv]

wonder how adding firebrix would affect this

 

[oldspark]

wonder how adding firebrix would affect this

Well there is fire brick there already, not sure where you would add it.

 

[oldspark]

Same stove as you, same issue. I also always take off my black flue pipe when cleaning and stick my hand all around the baffle, typically find the same stuff there. Not in the pipe but top of the stove. I think it's from the fan as well. My fan is constantly going with the stove running.

Your post assures me it is not a problem as we are Summit brothers. :lol:

 

[vvvv]

wonder how adding firebrix would affect this

Well there is fire brick there already, not sure where you would add it.

old saying was,"undersize the woodstove, oversize the oil furnace". branchburner? did it & seems pleased

 

[oldspark]

wonder how adding firebrix would affect this

Well there is fire brick there already, not sure where you would add it.

old saying was,"undersize the woodstove, oversize the oil furnace". branchburner? did it & seems pleased

Sounds interesting, did he post pictures of how he did it?

 

[branchburner]

wonder how adding firebrix would affect this

Well there is fire brick there already, not sure where you would add it.

old saying was,"undersize the woodstove, oversize the oil furnace". branchburner? did it & seems pleased

Sounds interesting, did he post pictures of how he did it?

Sorry, no pics, but it was pretty simple: I just stacked 3 bricks, on their sides, on each side of the firebox. So the height and depth of the firebox stayed the same, but the width was shortened by 5", from 21" to 16". The smaller fires that I like to burn this time of year are now hotter and more concentrated within the smaller box.

My stove design wouldn't allow for adding bricks to the firebox floor, but yours might. That would elevate a smaller fire to get closer to the secondary air holes above and get a more efficient burn. But it sounds to me like the blower may pull too much heat from your small fires, and that is cooling the fire enough to cause creosote deposits. So maybe run the blower less, only at the very hottest part of the burn?

 

[BrotherBart]

The simple answer is that the secondary air manifold riser in the back of the firebox preheats the secondary air on its way up to the baffle. Since the air being drawn through it is cool air some accumulation will form on the riser. You do not want to put bricks or anything else in front of the riser that will insulate it. You want that secondary air preheated before it gets to the baffle.

 

[begreen]

We don't use the blower unless it is very cold outside or we need to heat the house up quickly. So far this season we have been burning shorter fires and not letting the stove get too hot. I just checked and no creosote buildup at all. Seems like the blower may a reasonable explanation.

 

[Battenkiller]

Colder firebox is the only explanation I can think of. I'd lay off the blower until it gets cold and you are really cranking on that stove. I wouldn't go modifying the firebox with arbitrarily derived solutions, at least not before you've been burning it for a year or so and thoroughly understand your new system.

 

[oldspark]

The fires are hot but the long time for the stove cooling down as dont need a fire all the time must be doing it, will use the fan less or not at all. I love this site.

 

[branchburner]

I wouldn't go modifying the firebox with arbitrarily derived solutions, at least not before you've been burning it for a year or so and thoroughly understand your new system.

Good point. It takes a full season of burning, or more, to understand how the stove behaves in different weather, with different wood, etc. On the other hand, playing with things is 1) fun; and 2) often helpful in learning to understand how systems work.

It is best, however, to not break your stove or burn down your house in the process of having fun and learning. So don't do that. Seems like you're having fun and learning plenty already, eh?

 

[oldspark]

I wouldn't go modifying the firebox with arbitrarily derived solutions, at least not before you've been burning it for a year or so and thoroughly understand your new system.

Good point. It takes a full season of burning, or more, to understand how the stove behaves in different weather, with different wood, etc. On the other hand, playing with things is 1) fun; and 2) often helpful in learning to understand how systems work.

It is best, however, to not break your stove or burn down your house in the process of having fun and learning. So don't do that. Seems like you're having fun and learning plenty already, eh?

I have learned a lot but sometimes the more you learn the less you know. I do think your idea has merit as long as you do it correctly and not block off the secondary air channel from the firebox heat. For now I will work on that learning curve.

 

[begreen]

Colder firebox is the only explanation I can think of. I'd lay off the blower until it gets cold and you are really cranking on that stove. I wouldn't go modifying the firebox with arbitrarily derived solutions, at least not before you've been burning it for a year or so and thoroughly understand your new system.

+1. It can take a good season or two to learn a new stoves behavior and characteristics during different seasonal burn requirements. This year I followed BroBart's advice and stopped worrying about secondary burn. Found that I can keep the stove top at a modest 400F for hours by just adding a big split or two every few hours. The beast won't be properly woken up until temps outside fall into the 30's or lower.

 

[oldspark]

Colder firebox is the only explanation I can think of. I'd lay off the blower until it gets cold and you are really cranking on that stove. I wouldn't go modifying the firebox with arbitrarily derived solutions, at least not before you've been burning it for a year or so and thoroughly understand your new system.

+1. It can take a good season or two to learn a new stoves behavior and characteristics during different seasonal burn requirements. This year I followed BroBart's advice and stopped worrying about secondary burn. Found that I can keep the stove top at a modest 400F for hours by just adding a big split or two every few hours. The beast won't be properly woken up until temps outside fall into the 30's or lower.

I told the wife that was the wrong way to do it ( :lol: ) so I guess I will tell her that should not be a problem, I assume it it just less of a hassle, it is how we ran the old stove but so much is said about letting the stove cycle I figured it was not the best way to run it. Shoulder season is a animal all it's own I guess.

 

[SKIN052]

Wait a minute, my fan is always going as I stated earlier. Turn it down, maybe, off, maybe not. Next question, if creosote is so dang flammable, was has it not ignited in the stove? I have had the fire hot enough to dang near melt my face off, it had to be hot enough.

 

[begreen]

I told the wife that was the wrong way to do it ( :lol: ) so I guess I will tell her that should not be a problem, I assume it it just less of a hassle, it is how we ran the old stove but so much is said about letting the stove cycle I figured it was not the best way to run it. Shoulder season is a animal all it's own I guess.

Same here. This is the way my wife would run the stove during the day when I am away. Hard to argue with success and I'm happy she is burning on her own. Considering that we are in a milder climate with longer shoulder seasons, I'm willing to give it a try too. I still bring the first load up to a good temp of at least 600F stovetop temp, but after that, I'm experimenting with idling the stove and getting some decent results. Mid-winter, when I start burning real hardwood, it will be a whole nuther ball-o'wax. That's part of the fun of it. This ole' dog still likes learning new tricks.

 

[SKIN052]

Just turned down the fan, lol.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

You'll get it figured out really soon oldspark. You've played with enough fire that the learning time will be really short.