I have a problem with my tarm solo 60. I am into my first week of burning and after every fire the bypass damper lever is stuck and I am unable to open the door. I have to open up the top of the unit and take a flat bar behind the damper to pop it free. The mechanism seems fine and there is not any creosote around the flapper. Major pain every fire. Anybody ever have this problem?
BYPASS DAMPER IS ALWAYS STUCK
- Thread starter jimdeq
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Yep, more so last year with my less than well seasoned wood. Doesn't take much creosote bonded all around the door to cause it to stick good. On my BioMass the bypass is at the top of the back wall of the uppper chamber. One of my tools leaning against the wall beside the boiler is a 6' wood pole. I had to use it this morning to gently tap the door so I could use the bypass handle. With dryer wood this season this happens less frequently. Don't know if you can access your Tarm damper from inside the upper chamber. First time this happened last year I thot I had a problem with the linkage and took the boiler apart to inspect. Far less of a problem this season but it still needs a tap every once in a while this year. Hopefully other Tarm owners will chime in. Happy New Year
2nd that. Try smaller amounts of wood more often, or smaller splits. This will give hotter fire but ultimately your wood is still a bit wet. Unlocking the lever and bumping it with a wood pole is a good idea. I think I used to gently lean on mine and it would open after a bit.
Never had a stuck damper with my 40. My guess is that you might initially have burned some wetter wood. Also, are you sure that it's closing tight when you push the locking lever in, up and down? Just thinking that maybe you're getting a little bypass even when the damper is closed. Also, when you take the back cover off and remove the top of the smoke box, the bypass damper is easy to lift out. Scrape it clean where it contacts the boiler; also scrape the boiler lip clean where the damper closes. Maybe there is a speck of weld flash on the lip that is preventing it from sealing tight. Call Tarm. See what it advises.
Another item worth trying is to let a good hot fire burn before closing it. Do you have a stack thermometer? Next time you light a new fire let it get up to 500-600 or so before you close the bypass and hit go. This might help clean off your damper a bit.
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