Glaze Creosote in Ash Pan Compartment, Morso 7110

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Brocktoon

New Member
Mar 19, 2013
13
Hello again.

I opened my ash pan this morning and noticed I have been developing a pretty thick and drippy coating of glaze on the back of the ash pan door, and the back of the ash pan compartment itself. Vermiculite firebricks, glass, tubes and the rest of the actual fire box are spotless. I visited the roof and the liner looks pretty much brand new, with some heat discoloration at the vent, with some sign of heat discoloration and just the slightest spray of sticky glaze on the underside of the rain cap but nothing really inside.

I have only burnt the stove eight times or so, so obviously this is something I don't want to continue.

Stove is using the back flue collar to a ~12" horizontal run and then tees up for 16' of straight stainless liner in an existing masonry chimney.

I have been burning strictly kiln dried birch splits which are kept indoors. I kindle with stump fatwood and kiln dried cedar and fir, with some paper to promote flue warming. I don't think it is the fuel.

Looking at the forum, I see there are some complaints of similar occurrences with Jotul and others with a comparable ash pan set up. Is it a sort of characteristic of this configuration?

Just wondering if I'm maybe being too zealous in trying to spread out the coal bed and losing part of it to smoulder in the relatively oxygen free ash pan? I can't think what else might be wrong other than maybe the short cycles I'm running ie: (3pm - bed time, still had glowing coals 1:30 am). As I mentioned in an earlier post, I did attempt choking the fire down a bit before bed a couple of times, but that was just coals anyway. Don't think that caused it. I'm burning at around 550 F stove-top, and you can't really see or smell smoke outside when I'm rock'n.

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.
 
Welcome to the forum Brocktoon.

Usually when you get this on the door, it is a sign of a leak. Cool air enters there and it forms. Check the gasket for sure. Look for discoloration of the gasket. See if you can tighten the door (manual should show how and it is usually just tightening a nut). If you have to replace the gasket that is really super easy and certainly not costly. Take old gasket to hardware if you aren't sure of the size and have them cut it a bit long. That is so that you won't stretch it while installing it. Get gasket and glue. Clean out the channel with a wire brush. You should be good to go.
 
Welcome to the forum Brocktoon.

Usually when you get this on the door, it is a sign of a leak. Cool air enters there and it forms. Check the gasket for sure. Look for discoloration of the gasket. See if you can tighten the door (manual should show how and it is usually just tightening a nut). If you have to replace the gasket that is really super easy and certainly not costly. Take old gasket to hardware if you aren't sure of the size and have them cut it a bit long. That is so that you won't stretch it while installing it. Get gasket and glue. Clean out the channel with a wire brush. You should be good to go.

Thanks. I did notice some small white deposits on the top left and right corners of the ash door gasket after I posted. This is a new stove, so maybe I just need to fluff the gasket up or manipulate it to create a better seal?
 
Nothing you can do to "fluff up" the gasket. But if the installer stretched the gasket when installing, then that could be a problem. Definitely do not stretch it, in fact, for sure where the two ends meet, sort of stuff them backwards a bit to make sure after you cut the gasket that it comes together for a good seal.

Don't forget you can also do the dollar bill test on the ash door. But don't do it with a hot stove. lol
 
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