Cab50 Dirty Glass-seal issues????

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lordj37

Member
Mar 16, 2014
9
Southwest Michigan
Seems like the glass on our Cab50 always becomes dirty within a few days of a full cleaning. Ash/dirtiness on glass starts at the bottom of glass edge and works its way up glass over a few days. Stove seems to burn “dirty” at times as well. Did the dollar bill test and noticed a couple loose spots. In tearing the door gasket out to replace I decided to check the glass gasket as well. Noticed the glass only has gaskets on the sides, not the top or bottom of glass edge. Is this correct or did the manufacturer miss this??? There’s a grove at the top and bottom similar to the grove on the side for the glass gaskets. Given my dirty glass issue, should I place glass gasket all the way around the glass edge or just the sides like it was????

Thanks for your input.
 
Sounds like an air flow issue through stove, or pellet quality. Is the exhaust a dark (carbon) color or a light tan or gray? When was the back plates taken out and the exh blower taken out and cleaned?? The exh pipe?? Try a different pellet to see if it changes, but if its an air issue, it will tell you.
 
Thanks for the reply.....The exhaust has always started off gray when it’s lit but quickly goes away once the flame kicks in. Exhaust out of the pipe is clear/non-existent. The back plates are taken out and cleaned every 10-14 days along with the exhaust pathway within the stove. Exhaust pipes are cleaned every month or so. The exhaust blower was taken apart and cleaned this spring upon shutdown for he heating season so we’ll see how that responds. Just stuck on the glass and this glass gasket. Seems like I saw someone online indicate they caulked the top and bottom of the glass seam and it helped.
 
The glass not having gaskets on the edge is a attempt to have a air wash to try and keep the glass cleaner. Other stove manufactures attempt this as well
 
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So air getting sucked past those missing gaskets is what blows the smoke away from the glass. Rather than seal up all four sides of the glass, perhaps try just leaving off the top or bottom gasket so that air can wash completely across the glass without fighting an opposing blast of air. Not sure if it makes more sense for the top or bottom of the glass is best for the airwash since this is a forced draft stove.
 
So air getting sucked past those missing gaskets is what blows the smoke away from the glass. Rather than seal up all four sides of the glass, perhaps try just leaving off the top or bottom gasket so that air can wash completely across the glass without fighting an opposing blast of air. Not sure if it makes more sense for the top or bottom of the glass is best for the airwash since this is a forced draft stove.
Thanks Highbeam! I’ll keep that in mind. What you’re telling me makes sense engineering wise.
 
I would not remove the top gasket from the glass the bottom is the only one missing by design. Bought my old man a cab 50 3 years ago and it’s the same way he just cleans the glass every few days with stove glass cleaner when it is cool and then fires it back up . It’s glass against burning solid fuel . It will get dirty... long as it’s brown /tan ash not black soot id say it’s typical of that model . They are a good stove . Not the best looker on the market but functional for sure.


Just re read your post and your stove should have come with just the bottom missing not the top. I thought you were planning on removing the top gasket lol. By design it should have top and side gaskets none on bottom


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I would not remove the top gasket from the glass the bottom is the only one missing by design. Bought my old man a cab 50 3 years ago and it’s the same way he just cleans the glass every few days with stove glass cleaner when it is cool and then fires it back up . It’s glass against burning solid fuel . It will get dirty... long as it’s brown /tan ash not black soot id say it’s typical of that model . They are a good stove . Not the best looker on the market but functional for sure.


Just re read your post and your stove should have come with just the bottom missing not the top. I thought you were planning on removing the top gasket lol. By design it should have top and side gaskets none on bottom


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Thanks for the info jbomb. Just to clarify, your dad’s Cab50 has a glass gasket at the top of the glass but not the bottom? I noticed when putting it back together either the top or bottom (can’t remember which one) seems to go together different than the other side. I have extra glass gasket to use on the top if needed.
 
Thanks for the info jbomb. Just to clarify, your dad’s Cab50 has a glass gasket at the top of the glass but not the bottom? I noticed when putting it back together either the top or bottom (can’t remember which one) seems to go together different than the other side. I have extra glass gasket to use on the top if needed.

Yea his is open on bottom I asked the dealer to verify it a few weeks after I got it for him cuz I thought it was odd dealer tells me it’s an air wash design to help stay clean . Makes sense to me . Still going to get ash on it regardless


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Light ash is normal on my Castle Serenity and builds up as time goes by. Does not take long to block the view of the flame. Ash vacuums off easily with vac brush during weekly periodic cleaning. I once noticed dark creosote staining the glass (had to scrape off with a razor blade) and after much investigation realized it was a leaky gasket. The screws holding the metal retainers which keep the fiberglass gasket in place tight against the glass had worked loose over time and started leaking. Tightening a couple of screws was all it took to stop the creosote.
 
Light ash is normal on my Castle Serenity and builds up as time goes by. Does not take long to block the view of the flame. Ash vacuums off easily with vac brush during weekly periodic cleaning. I once noticed dark creosote staining the glass (had to scrape off with a razor blade) and after much investigation realized it was a leaky gasket. The screws holding the metal retainers which keep the fiberglass gasket in place tight against the glass had worked loose over time and started leaking. Tightening a couple of screws was all it took to stop the creosote.
Thanks Jake!