Advice needed - may have accidentally moved stove

[HollowHill]

OK, so I attempted to re-gasket the loading door of my Progress Hybrid yesterday. As usual with me and this door, things did not go well. Tried to install the maximum density gasket Woodstock sent and couldn't get the door to close. They advised that you would have to push the door very hard to get it closed. Called my son in to help (he's 15 and not athletic). I'm 55, female, and fairly strong and brawny (peasant Polish, German roots), but probably not much stronger than he is. So, we're pushing for all our worth against the door when we suddenly hear an ominous metallic scrapping sound. Not loud, but we heard it. Jumped back to see what damage we'd done. Noticed that the nickel that was under one of the legs, is about an inch or so not under the leg anymore. My first thought is that #$%$$# we've moved the stove, all 700 lbs! It's sitting on porcelain tiles, and they do not appear to be scratched. That's puzzling, I was sure they would be. Now, I'm wondering if the nickel just shot out from under the leg and made the noise. Probably wishful thinking. Regardless, should I have the chimney sweep come and check the stove pipe to see if any is dislodged? Or just start up a small fire and see where the smoke goes? Any other suggestions/things I should check? BTW, this has earned me the nickname Incredible Hulk as well as some cred points with my son

 

[BrowningBAR]

Is the pipe still connected? I think you are a little too worried about this. If you think the stove moved a bit, slid it back an inch or so to it's original location. Seriously, even if it moved an inch or so, the pipe and the connection should be just fine.

 

[nate379]

Should be able to pull it back without too much trouble. The piping isn't all that rigid and it'll have a bit of flex/give to it, especially at the joints.

I slid mine back last winter while trying to fit that one last log into it. I was really surprised how easy it moved actually considering the weight and I certainly wasn't pushing all that hard.

 

[HollowHill]

Is the pipe still connected? I think you are a little too worried about this. If you think the stove moved a bit, slid it back an inch or so to it's original location. Seriously, even if it moved an inch or so, the pipe and the connection should be just fine.

Thanks for the reply, BrowningBAR. Yeah, I'm probably over worrying this, just not sure how much play there is with these connections. It won't budge when we try to move it back, I think I was good and angry and may have had a surge of adrenalin, not to be replicated...

 

[Swedishchef]

I agree with BB and Nate. Moving an inch or so should not have any effect other than the "it's not in the same place I want it" effect. Those pipes have some wiggle room at the joints..

I guess you're stronger than you think!

Andrew

 

[BrowningBAR]

Did you get the door closed? Out of curiosity, why did you replace the door gasket so soon?

 

[firecracker_77]

I'm looking at my pipe right now. That stove could move around a bit without affecting the pipe. There's flex at each connection, and the upper overlaps the lower. Given that the stove is supporting the pipe, you don't have to worry about it falling down and the overlap prevents leaks.

 

[HollowHill]

No, I never did get the door closed with the maximum density gasket. Had to rip that out and the furnace cement and start over again with the graphite gasket (new one like I had before). Put in a thicker layer of furnace cement, laid in the gasket (no stretching or thinning) and put the door back on again. Barely got the door closed. Left it closed for 24 hours. I did this due to the slight smoke smell I get at certain times (when off-gassing flares off like aurora borealis). Given that I ended up with the same gasket as before, I doubt I've solved the problem, just raised my blood pressure

 

[BrowningBAR]

No, I never did get the door closed with the maximum density gasket. Had to rip that out and the furnace cement and start over again with the graphite gasket (new one like I had before). Put in a thicker layer of furnace cement, laid in the gasket (no stretching or thinning) and put the door back on again. Barely got the door closed. Left it closed for 24 hours. I did this due to the slight smoke smell I get at certain times (when off-gassing flares off like aurora borealis). Given that I ended up with the same gasket as before, I doubt I've solved the problem, just raised my blood pressure

It sounds like you are dealing with back-puffing. I can't say for sure as I do not know your setup or how you operate the stove. But, if it is back-puffing, all the gaskets in the world won't solve that problem. When this happens, try adjusting your air control. Usually giving it more are will solve this, but I can not say for sure. If someone else could chime in to confirm this, that would be great. I can say that when this happens to the Encore giving the stove more air and then slowly decreasing the air supply solves this problem.

 

[Waulie]

Hey HH. Like others said, I wouldn't worry about the inch your stove moved. I move mine to clean the pipe and it does not scratch my porceline tile either.

Didn't someone solve their smoke smell problem? I can't remember who it was now, but you may want to search the forums. I very rarely notice a very faint smell on a low burn. I don't think it's the door gasket as my door still shuts very tight. I'm interested to see if the new cast cook top may solve the problem. The seal there seems better than the old stone on gasket one.

 

[HollowHill]

Hey HH. Like others said, I wouldn't worry about the inch your stove moved. I move mine to clean the pipe and it does not scratch my porceline tile either.

Didn't someone solve their smoke smell problem? I can't remember who it was now, but you may want to search the forums. I very rarely notice a very faint smell on a low burn. I don't think it's the door gasket as my door still shuts very tight. I'm interested to see if the new cast cook top may solve the problem. The seal there seems better than the old stone on gasket one.

I think it was Binko who solved his smell problem - with a new door gasket, although I think his gasket was squishy, not max density. I almost think there might have been others as well. WS recommends the max density gasket, but I just can't get that to work in my application. I've been trying to get rid of the smoke smell so that I could do the real low burns. I can not turn it to 0 as some do, I've got to be about an 1/8" up from 0. But, as BB commented, I get that backpuffing phenomena which leads to a slight smoke smell when I turn it down too low. I too am wondering if the cooktop will help with this, the seal does seem to be better. However, I'm also wondering if it is my door placement. I have one of the early stoves that has the door pin holes right in the middle of the round support that comes out from the body frame. Later stoves have the holes in a slightly different place. In looking at the door gasket I just put in, I have a channel molded into the gasket on 3 sides of the door, but on the side of the door where the pins go (where the smell is coming from), there is no channel, rather the gasket is pushed completely to the inside of the stove. Not sure if that will work or not, seems as if it would, but I can remember Lorin talking about a channel. Plan on checking with WS on this.

 

[Waulie]

You may get less backpuffing with your better wood this year. Also, more practice in knowing when to turn it down will help. I rarely run completely closed. I close it all the way then notch it open the tiniest bit. Everyone's situation is different though.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I think it was Binko who solved his smell problem - with a new door gasket, although I think his gasket was squishy, not max density. I almost think there might have been others as well. WS recommends the max density gasket, but I just can't get that to work in my application. I've been trying to get rid of the smoke smell so that I could do the real low burns. I can not turn it to 0 as some do, I've got to be about an 1/8" up from 0. But, as BB commented, I get that backpuffing phenomena which leads to a slight smoke smell when I turn it down too low. I too am wondering if the cooktop will help with this, the seal does seem to be better. However, I'm also wondering if it is my door placement. I have one of the early stoves that has the door pin holes right in the middle of the round support that comes out from the body frame. Later stoves have the holes in a slightly different place. In looking at the door gasket I just put in, I have a channel molded into the gasket on 3 sides of the door, but on the side of the door where the pins go (where the smell is coming from), there is no channel, rather the gasket is pushed completely to the inside of the stove. Not sure if that will work or not, seems as if it would, but I can remember Lorin talking about a channel. Plan on checking with WS on this.

If it is backpuffing you are dealing with, better seals from the cooktop or door will probably not solve it. When backpuffing occurs the smoke will escape from the location of least resistance and there will always be a location for the smoke to escape from in any modern stove.

To solve backpuffing, take note when it occurs and try to adjust your burning practices a bit differently to see if it changes the outcome. Adjust your air more gradually, adjust the air sooner in the burn cycle, or later.

 

[HollowHill]

If it is backpuffing you are dealing with, better seals from the cooktop or door will probably not solve it. When backpuffing occurs the smoke will escape from the location of least resistance and there will always be a location for the smoke to escape from in any modern stove.

To solve backpuffing, take note when it occurs and try to adjust your burning practices a bit differently to see if it changes the outcome. Adjust your air more gradually, adjust the air sooner in the burn cycle, or later.

Good suggestions. I do have more learning curve ahead, especially since I seem to have forgotten most of what was becoming second nature at the end of the burning season But, I can't wait to try out your suggestions! Never have I been so ready for Fall.

 

[binko]

Yes I did solve my smokey smell by replacing the door gasket with a softer and puffier gasket material. With the harder material that WS is suggesting, I can't help but think that the gasket will touch at the highest points first and not compress far enough to allow the lowest points to reach the mating surface. It's like putting a saw blade on piece of wood. The points touch, but nothing else. If you put that saw blade in dough or soft clay, the entire blade will penetrate not just the tips of the point.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It won't budge when we try to move it back, I think I was good and angry and may have had a surge of adrenalin, not to be replicated...

Dad blamed redheads.... I'm not sure if it is adrenalin or dynamite.