Does a freaking ghost mess with my stove?

[nate379]

I have been putting in long days the past couple weeks. First it happened I just chocked it off to me forgetting or something, but it has happened several times.

I have had a fire in the stove for the last week or so. I just add a few logs here and there throughout the day.

Come home eariler this week and CAT bypass is open. I could have sworn I had closed it.

Few days later I wake up, and once again... CAT bypass is open.

Same deal yesterday morning when I got home.


I am a bit confused on what is going on?! There is NO way that I have forgotten it that many times.

 

[fire_man]

We need a little more information. What kind of stove is it? I'm guessing a BK, everyone in Alaska seems to own one (lucky bunch). How long have you had it? Is the bypass gasket in good shape?

I used to have an old VC Resolute (non-cat) that unless you rotated the bypass damper down until it made a loud "click" it would pop back open hours later. Try going a little further than you normally do when closing it - is there some kind of cam/locking action going on? My Fireview has an adjustment for the Cat Bypass to make it close tighter. Does yours have an adjustment?

 

[nate379]

Yes Blazer King Princess

It is locked down. It does kind of click.

Stove is ~1 month old.

 

[Battenkiller]

Well, it would be pretty odd if you forgot it all those times, but it could happen if you were me.

I remember last year when I got my VC Vigilant and had to remember to close the damper after 20 some years of not having one in my stove. I'd be driving off and I'd get the nagging feeling I did it again, so I'd drive back and, sure enough, the thing would be roaring, pipe thermo would have slid down the pipe after having lost it's magnetism at 900º and the stove would be cracking and creaking worse than my sacroiliac. Sure keeps the chimney clean. :ahhh:

 

[firefighterjake]

Blame it on your cat . . . at least that's what I do whenever my wife asks who left the mess on the kitchen counter. . . .

 

[soupy1957]

Possibilities:

1. Dimensia: in which case "you" should not be in charge of the stove (lol)
2. A family member (if any around) who is making changes
3. A REAL ghost!

-Soupy1957

 

[nate379]

I am only 27 so I hope it's not deminsia!

If the dog is messing with the stove, I need to train him how to load wood in the thing too... and shoot maybe how to grab me cold beer from the fridge!

Have a college guy renting out one of my rooms, he says he hasn't touched the stove and I have no reason to not believe him. He hasn't been around the last couple times that the CAT bypass was open either.

 

[firefighterjake]

Ah, well that explains it . . . it clearly is the dog . . . you really should have a talk with him and explain to him how to properly run the stove.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

This usually happens only during the latter part of October.


We had our bypass flip one time so do know it happens. Fortunately I was near the stove and hear it so was able to reset it okay. My guess is something just is not locked in even though it feels like it or you hear a click. Perhaps a gasket is not in all the way, forcing the bypass to not be able to fully lock in so in time it just pushes the bypass enough to flip it.

 

[albertj03]

Time for one of those ghost hunter shows to come to your house. I'm sure once you tell them a ghost is trying to burn your house down they will be there.

 

[begreen]

The bad news is... the stove needs bypass surgery. But the good news is that there is a stove surgeon in your area that's also a priest. Ask for the 2 in 1 exorcism special. :lol:

 

[cmonSTART]

Well, dogs don't get along with cat stoves.

The bypass is adjustable. I think it adjusts with a 1/2" wrench if I recall correctly. It changes the pressure on the detent, though they're usually pretty well set from the factory.

 

[nate379]

Detent is set well.

Came home just a bit ago and was in CAT mode, but not locked in. I know for sure I had it locked in when I left.

Also smells like nasty wet smoke/soot in the house. Started raining last night and I guess the stock backdrafted in the house some how.

Going to have to talk to roomate because I am starting to think he is feeding me a line of b/s.

 

[PapaDave]

Set up a cam in the corner, aimed at the stove, when you're not home.

 

[fire_man]

Or just put a light coating of sand or stove ash on the hearth near the lever - If he walks back there it will leave roommate prints

 

[begreen]

I'm wondering if it's possible that the stove is getting some backpuffing serious enough to open the bypass while you are away. How dry is the wood? Can you try feeding it a bit more air?

 

[branchburner]

The bypass damper on my stove fell open a few times during burns, I suppose due to slight backpuffing, fortunately when I was around to notice it. This was in spite of hearing and feeling what I thought was the damper firmly "clicking into place." When I finally got around to investigating, I discovered not only did the damper need some adjusting, but one of the bolts holding in the damper frame itself had worked itself quite loose with all the opening and closing. Once it was all tightened and adjusted, the "clicking into place" was very different, very tight and solid feeling.
Shouldn't happen with a new stove, but really shouldn't have happened with a two-year old stove like mine, either.

 

[soupy1957]

Sounds like a good thing I bought a NON-Cat Stove!!

-Soupy1957

 

[Battenkiller]

Sounds like a good thing I bought a NON-Cat Stove!!

Mine's a non-cat and it has a bypass damper. Well, it doesn't actually bypass anything, but it diverts the exhaust gases from exiting the top of the stove and forces them across the bottom and through a maze of baffles in the secondary combustion chamber. The balance on the thing allows it to stay closed, but a small chip of wood lodged between the damper plate and its seat will allow it to swing back with little provocation. You will hear a distinct "clack" if it is closed correctly, but a "clunk" if there is something stuck in there. The stove also has a thermostat, so you start the secondary combustion with the draft open at least half way, then when the stove back gets hot from the secondaries, it closes up by itself. If the damper swings open with a full load going strong at that point (and it should be going strong before you close the damper), it could cause a very serious overfire situation to occur pretty quickly. Better have a clean flue or a tin roof.

 

[fire_man]

Sounds like a good thing I bought a NON-Cat Stove!!

-Soupy1957

Sorry to hear you own a non-cat stove. Ours works perfect!

 

[nate379]

Now I find the dog lost all his ID tags which were on his collar on a heavy duty key ring.... WTF is going on?

 

[Battenkiller]

Now I find the dog lost all his ID tags which were on his collar on a heavy duty key ring.... WTF is going on?

They're stuck in the damper.

 

[fire_man]

Now I find the dog lost all his ID tags which were on his collar on a heavy duty key ring.... WTF is going on?

They're stuck in the damper.

I spit my beer out laughing on that one!

 

[North of 60]

There is no way that bypass damper handle can flip open vertical 180 DEG and lift that heavy bypass plate by itself. No way unless you had an explosion in the fire box. Oh by the way did I say no way.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Nate- face it , you have a ghost. If you can get them to do the dishes, and leave the stove alone, you're golden. :cheese: