Alderlea T6 suddenly overfiring

[thiscoldhouse]

I've been running my Alderlea t6 since November, and I've been super happy with the stove! We heat a 3000sqft old farmhouse with it in Vermont and it's just been fantastic. I usually leave it on the lowest setting and refill it ever 8-12 hours depending on the outside temps.

The last two times, though, the fire is getting away from me, even on the lowest setting. There was paint smell, metal stovepipe had severe discoloration from how hot the fire got, and stovetop temps were 800+ and climbing.

I've gone around it and checked for leaks with a lighter but I can't seem to find one, if there is one it's not big I think. I've had to use the damper in my flue to keep the stove top temps at a reasonable temperature, which I've never had to do with this stove or with the VC Vigilant I had before.

Help with troubleshooting this would be greatly appreciated!

 

[kennyp2339]

@begreen

 

[begreen]

First guess would be that it's colder outside and draft is increasing. If that is the case it needs the air to be closed down sooner.

How tall is the flue system on the stove from stovetop to chimney cap? Is there a thermometer on the stovepipe?

How thick are the splits that are getting loaded?

 

[thiscoldhouse]

First guess would be that it's colder outside and draft is increasing. If that is the case it needs the air to be closed down sooner.

Actually quite the opposite, it's been in the single digits a bunch lately but it's only around freezing today! But your advice still stands, maybe I should drop it down sooner.

How tall is the flue system on the stove from stovetop to chimney cap? Is there a thermometer on the stovepipe?

It's a pretty tall chimney. We have a 2 story farm house with a full sized attic and the chimney goes over that. We definitely have excellent draft. There is a thermometer on the stovepipe! I also use an IR thermometer sometimes because the cheap little magnetic one I have is pretty crappy.

How thick are the splits that are getting loaded?

I usually put a mix of splits. I have 16 inch splits, so I load them N/S instead of E/W like most stoves, since this is such a big firebox. I usually put 4 real big splits at the bottom, then medium splits, then I stuff it with smaller ones where I can fit them, and I light sorta top-down if I don't already have coals (which is rare). The last few days it has been less cold so I've reduced the wood. I'd say maybe that's why it's getting so hot, but I did this a bunch in November and never had anything like this happen.

Thank you for your help!

 

[jetsam]

I'd check all the gaskets now and plan to put a damper inline.

The damper because you possibly should have had one in the first place; the gaskets because something increased airflow when it should have been reduced by the warm weather, and gaskets are the first suspect.

I think that stove has a gasketed ash disposal system too? Make sure no air is getting in there. Dollar bill test on the door.

 

[begreen]

Might have been a windier day or perhaps the fire was allowed to burn a bit hotter before the air was turned down?

If the wood is dry the fire can take off quickly, especially with a tall flue system. Try starting to turn down the air as soon as the secondary combustion starts. Don't go by stovetop temp, if this is a cold start, go by flue temp. With a surface thermometer on single-wall stovepipe this could be at 200ºF.

 

[begreen]

I'd check all the gaskets now and plan to put a damper inline.

The damper because you possibly should have had one in the first place; the gaskets because something increased airflow when it should have been reduced by the warm weather, and gaskets are the first suspect.

I think that stove has a gasketed ash disposal system too? Make sure no air is getting in there. Dollar bill test on the door.

It's a new stove. The gaskets most likely are fine. The ashpan is not gasketed. Odds are this is human error, but you bring up a good point. Has the ash dump been used? If so, make sure it is closing tightly. A stuck coal can hold it slightly open. When that happens it will act like a blowtorch under the fire. I never use the ash dump so I forget that it's there.

 

[jetsam]

It's a new stove. The gaskets most likely are fine. The ashpan is not gasketed. Odds are this is human error, but you bring up a good point. Has the ash dump been used? If so, make sure it is closing tightly. A stuck coal can hold it slightly open. When that happens it will act like a blowtorch under the fire. I never use the ash dump so I forget that it's there.

Could be a warped door that warped a little more under heat. It's unlikely but not so unlikely that I wouldn't check it on my stove!

The ash dump sounds like the most likely culprit to me right now.

 

[begreen]

I'll go for Occam's Razor here.

 

[Travishall]

I have a T6 that roars. Large splits, tightly packed help. I start using stove damper as soon as the flue probe hits 400 and watch how was the fire responds for further adjustments.

However, we also have a flue damper that we use to some degree all the time. Stove top temps cruise at 500-600. Flue about the same.

I aim for slow lazy flame on the logs with box full of secondaries, no smoke out chimney. Probe thermomter never drops below 500 until the end not burn cycle.

If I don't use the flue damper, the flames whip fast and the probe will start to climb over 800.

I am also pretty new to burning and have been perplexed by how strong my draft/fires are. Begreen's advice was helpful.

 

[wdb]

I've been experiencing overfire from a Jotul Oslo and came here to learn more about what might be causing it. I'm new to posting on this forum and don't want to trample on toes, so is it okay to mix stove makes/models on this topic? Or should I start another thread?

 

[Woody Stover]

Has the ash dump been used? If so, make sure it is closing tightly

If it's like the T5, you pull the lever forward until it clears the locking slot, then press it up to pivot the ash door downward. When you are done dumping ash, you release the lever and a spring closes the door. But then you also have to make sure that the other spring, on the lever, slides the door all the way back into its lock slot. When there is ash on the door, it may not close far enough so that it can slide back into the slot. I pull the handle back and forward a couple times, if it doesn't slide all the way into the lock slot from spring pressure alone. That happened to me once before I figured out what was going on. The fire was burning hotter over the ash dump, which drew my attention to it.

 

[Nigel459]

I've been experiencing overfire from a Jotul Oslo and came here to learn more about what might be causing it. I'm new to posting on this forum and don't want to trample on toes, so is it okay to mix stove makes/models on this topic? Or should I start another thread?

Go ahead and start a thread, it’ll get more attention from relevant folks who know your stove

 

[Woody Stover]

make sure that the other spring, on the lever, slides the door all the way back into its lock slot.

Forgot to mention, you can check by pushing up on the lever as if you were trying to open the ash door. If it is locked, the lever won't budge.