black glass with break in fires

[DianeB]

and I mean really black, took me 1/2 hour of scrubbing with the rutland glass cleaner. never thought it would come off. Even with a 3 very, very small splits we got the fire going really well and had to choke it down on the 2nd and 3rd burn to keep it at 300 and 400 respectively. Wonder if I did not clean it, would it burn off on its own with a hot fire say in the range of 500-600.??

Guess we have lots of practicing to learn how much wood to load and how to burn. I
It is a Castine so I know we have a lot of glass - hate to think I will be cleaning this thing daily.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Diane, I would not worry too much about the black glass during break-in. We had the same thing when we did break-in fires. The third break-in was much hotter and the glass almost cleaned itself. After the 4th fire, we have not had black glass since. Hopefully you will have the same experience.

 

[DianeB]

thanks Dennis - maybe I was following the manual too closely as it said to burn to these ranges for just one hour - I timed it and then choked it down. Perhaps I could have naturally let it coast at the range and let it go out on its own without choking it out. like I said, got to practice a lot. warm weather rolling in now - may be 75 this week.

 

[WellSeasoned]

and I mean really black, took me 1/2 hour of scrubbing with the rutland glass cleaner. never thought it would come off. Even with a 3 very, very small splits we got the fire going really well and had to choke it down on the 2nd and 3rd burn to keep it at 300 and 400 respectively. Wonder if I did not clean it, would it burn off on its own with a hot fire say in the range of 500-600.??

Guess we have lots of practicing to learn how much wood to load and how to burn. I
It is a Castine so I know we have a lot of glass - hate to think I will be cleaning this thing daily.

My castine gets a slight haze, but a hot fire clears this right up. When you do close down the air, the castine will haze up, and I have noticed the bottom corners will be a bit darker. I have success with wet newspaper dipped in ash, cleans the ceramic glass right up. For the tougher lower corners, I use a box cutter blade flat against, this does well. I love the castine. It its the perfect size for our home. Be well

 

[Backwoods Savage]

thanks Dennis - maybe I was following the manual too closely as it said to burn to these ranges for just one hour - I timed it and then choked it down. Perhaps I could have naturally let it coast at the range and let it go out on its own without choking it out. like I said, got to practice a lot. warm weather rolling in now - may be 75 this week.

We have 2 days of 70 forecast but by Friday we'll be back in the 50's for the highs and low temps in the 30's.

 

[DianeB]

My castine gets a slight haze, but a hot fire clears this right up. When you do close down the air, the castine will haze up, and I have noticed the bottom corners will be a bit darker. I have success with wet newspaper dipped in ash, cleans the ceramic glass right up. For the tougher lower corners, I use a box cutter blade flat against, this does well. I love the castine. It its the perfect size for our home. Be well

the glass was pitch black - looked like the cast iron - guess I went overboard cranking it down. It was worse in the lower corners as the creosote was thicker there, thought I destroyed the glass - nearly used a whole roll of paper towels and the rutland cleaner. What is your square footage and do you usually burn it in the 500 range?

 

[begreen]

That stuff will burn off in one hot fire. Are you ready to take it up there? 550-650F is cruising range. For smaller fires, use thinner 3-4" splits and only a few of them. The stove may only get to the 500F mark with a smaller fire, but give it enough air to not smolder. Once the stove is hot, you only want to turn down the air to the point where the flames start to get lazy, but not smokey. Better to run shorter hot fires than slow smoldering ones that smokes all day long.

 

[DexterDay]

the glass was pitch black - looked like the cast iron - guess I went overboard cranking it down. It was worse in the lower corners as the creosote was thicker there, thought I destroyed the glass - nearly used a whole roll of paper towels and the rutland cleaner. What is your square footage and do you usually burn it in the 500 range?

What type of wood and when was it cut/split/stacked.


I know low temps cause a darker glass, but as dark it sounds (cast?). The wood may have a high moisture content?

Any pics of the install? I love the look of all Jotul's. You have a beautiful stove. Should serve you well for years!

 

[NextEndeavor]

As for manual cleaning, soak paper towel with vinager then dip in cool ashes. They work as mild abrasive with no harm to glass. Your 30 minute scrub job will now be 5. I do the final rinse with water and paper towell.

 

[corey21]

Sounds like you may have some bad wood.

Does it hiss a lot?

 

[DianeB]

Wood in the pile closest to the house is 20% - just covered it because of rain - should have taken from the barn - drier there. No hissing from the wood. I think I just smoked it up and should have let more air in. Read the manual literally and shut it down after an hour. I will try the suggestion of the ashes and vinegar - always keep that around for cleaning jobs. Guess the ash won't scratch the glass as many use it. Will be more careful and let the flames get lazy as suggested rather. No more break in needed, did all 3. Warm weather pulling into Mass this week so won't get to run a hot fire until possibly next weekend. thanks everyone for your good advice and suggestion.

 

[begreen]

FWIW, our Castine did the same thing as the stove (and stove owner) were getting broken in. Once you loosen on the reins and let her run at a natural speed the glass will stay pretty clean. It's a big door, so don't be surprised if the lower corners still cloud up a bit. They will clear up with the next hot fire.

 

[firefighterjake]

Not much to add here that hasn't already been said about choking down the air too much, cleaning with ashes or how all or most of it will burn off with subsequent hot fires . . .

But I will say this time of year even without the cooler break-in fires, just doing shoulder season fires can lead to the glass getting blackened . . . pretty common . . . although annoying since it makes the stove not look so pretty rugged looking.

 

[WellSeasoned]

the glass was pitch black - looked like the cast iron - guess I went overboard cranking it down. It was worse in the lower corners as the creosote was thicker there, thought I destroyed the glass - nearly used a whole roll of paper towels and the rutland cleaner. What is your square footage and do you usually burn it in the 500 range?

Diane- We have around 1500sqft, so so insulated, 1 level, and push cold air from the back rooms into the stove room keeping the whole house nice and toasty. We burn in the 500+ range all the time. The castine likes good draft and especially truly seasoned wood, which may be hard for some during their first season of burning. We burn 24/7, and when you are used to the stove, you will succeed with an 8hr burn (seasoned wood of course). Be well

 

[WellSeasoned]

Diane- We have around 1500sqft, so so insulated, 1 level, and push cold air from the back rooms into the stove room keeping the whole house nice and toasty. We burn in the 500+ range all the time. The castine likes good draft and especially truly seasoned wood, which may be hard for some during their first season of burning. We burn 24/7, and when you are used to the stove, you will succeed with an 8hr burn (seasoned wood of course). Be well

Edit: I'd like to add, if the glass gets dirty enough, for long enough, it can become etched.

 

[ColdNH]

I had the same issue when breaking in my Oslo, I was able to clean the glass with one of those double sided dish sponges (the more abbrasive side)

Have had a few real fires since and the glass has stayed cleaned, at worst it got a slight haze which dissapears once the fire is goign good again.

I also had alot of paint curing smell which i never thought would go away, but it seams to be completly gone. 5-6 fires later.

 

[mfglickman]

thanks Dennis - maybe I was following the manual too closely as it said to burn to these ranges for just one hour - I timed it and then choked it down. Perhaps I could have naturally let it coast at the range and let it go out on its own without choking it out. like I said, got to practice a lot. warm weather rolling in now - may be 75 this week.

Foothills of the Berkshires here too - 80 on Friday - really? Ugh!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Wood in the pile closest to the house is 20% - just covered it because of rain - should have taken from the barn - drier there. No hissing from the wood. I think I just smoked it up and should have let more air in. Read the manual literally and shut it down after an hour. I will try the suggestion of the ashes and vinegar - always keep that around for cleaning jobs. Guess the ash won't scratch the glass as many use it. Will be more careful and let the flames get lazy as suggested rather. No more break in needed, did all 3. Warm weather pulling into Mass this week so won't get to run a hot fire until possibly next weekend. thanks everyone for your good advice and suggestion.

Diane, this is the first time I've read about someone using vinegar. Simply getting a paper towel damp (not soaking wet) and dipping it into the ashes (don't need much) to clean the glass works fine. It does make me curious about the vinegar though. Please let us know what you do.

 

[xman23]

My first few years of burning, cleaning the glass was an daily event. But now we can do the whole season with out cleaning it, (unless my wife is tending the fire). I can't say anything, because she is great at keeping the stove running. Small things will keep the glass clean or blacken it so bad you can't see there's a fire. You get a feel for what it takes. Here's what I think we do that makes it work.
Burn well seasoned dry wood. My oak is 4 years old.
Start fires with no butt ends near the glass.
When starting a cold stove get it hot, 500 degrees or more before choking it down to run cooler. If you don't need the heat let it go out rather than smoldering.
When I see any build up, a 500 / 600 fire will burn off the glass in about a 1/2 hour.

To clean the glass I use Fireview.

Tom

 

[Woody Stover]

It does make me curious about the vinegar though.

That's what I use, 50/50 vinegar and water...works great in most cases. Pardon me, I have to go clean my glass now.

 

[ScotO]

As the others have already stated Diane, that black hazing will dissappear when you burn a good, hot fire. It happens from time to time, especially if I throw in a piece of wood that has gotten a little wet from rain and I cut the fire way back. But, I usually let the black on the glass, because by the end of the day it's gone from a hot fire. If you continually get black glass, it may be a sign that your wood isn't seasoned as good as it could be.

 

[Kevin Dolan]

Diane- We have around 1500sqft, so so insulated, 1 level, and push cold air from the back rooms into the stove room keeping the whole house nice and toasty. We burn in the 500+ range all the time. The castine likes good draft and especially truly seasoned wood, which may be hard for some during their first season of burning. We burn 24/7, and when you are used to the stove, you will succeed with an 8hr burn (seasoned wood of course). Be well

Hi I have a jotul 400 castigne and am very interested in your method for an 8 hr burn, could you tell me how you do that.
Thanks,
Kevin