Initial firebox smoke

[ezwryder]

I have a Lopi Endeavor with a glass door. The bypass and the air are always open at startup. Occasionally I notice that upon the initial firing, there is a lot of smoke rolling around in the firebox. This can go on for several minutes before clearing up. There always seems to be plenty of flame at the back of the firebox to put air and smoke up the chimney, but it looks like that isn't happening. I'll bet there's a simple explanation and solution to this problem, and I'll also bet you'll have them for me.

Thanks for your help!

 

[pen]

It's hot enough to have the volatiles come out of the wood, just that you haven't gotten enough heat for there to be fire in the box to consume that smoke. Mine always smokes the worst about the instant before it bursts into flames and everything clears up.

pen

 

[Backwoods Savage]

A combination of smoke and steam. Water has to be evaporated from the wood because water doesn't usually burn. So on the initial fire up or reload, you will get more smoke and steam and this is normal. This is one more reason we have the draft set full open on reloads and when first firing up the stove.

 

[Wood Duck]

This is normal, or at least I get the same thing sometimes.

 

[lopiliberty]

I get the same thing with my liberty. Once it gets hot enough and the secondaries kick in the smoke dissapears

 

[firefighterjake]

Common issue . . . hakuna matata.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

haka whata?

 

[kingquad]

[youtube]http://youtu.be/ejEVczA8PLU[/youtube]

 

[Hogwildz]

My opinion is that while the load is burning, the stack is not quite warm enough to have a full draft, therefore the air wash is just circulating the smoke around in the firebox, once the stack gets warm enough and starts drawing more, the smoke exits as normally would. That is my experience with my insert anyways. About once a twice a year, when the stack is dead cold, and I light a fire, usually when milder outside, it will even dump some smoke out of the air intake and out of the front of the stove. But, once the liner is heated up, it ll clears out.

 

[flyingpig]

I have a Lopi Endeavor with a glass door. The bypass and the air are always open at startup. Occasionally I notice that upon the initial firing, there is a lot of smoke rolling around in the firebox. This can go on for several minutes before clearing up. There always seems to be plenty of flame at the back of the firebox to put air and smoke up the chimney, but it looks like that isn't happening. I'll bet there's a simple explanation and solution to this problem, and I'll also bet you'll have them for me.

Thanks for your help!

I always crack open a window and start fire with couple of news paper to get a strong draft from the beginning. Don't have much of the smoke problem so far..

 

[bluedogz]

Water has to be evaporated from the wood because water doesn't usually burn.

But if you cut it into 1" chunks, microwave it, and sprinkle it with herbs de provence, there's no telling what might happen.

 

[ezwryder]

Always entertaining, and usually educational, your replies always brighten my day. Thanks to all of you!

I have discovered that cutting down a tree, trimming, cutting up, splitting, stacking, moving to the wood shed, then to the house deck, then to wood box, and finally into the stove is a time consuming, callus producing, wearying job of work. Finally, when I look at the dancing flames in the firebox and feel the warmth issuing from the stove, I feel a satisfaction that is like no other. Everyone should get to feel this good!