I have a Vermont Castings Dauntless stove with 6 in pipe from the stove to ceiling and then 8 in stainless steel pipe from there going 7 ft. above the peak of the roof. I can't get a fire started, unless I am using fire starting logs and even then the wood doesn't seem to want to burn. I have good wood and there does not seem to be a problem with the draft. when the starter log runs out the wood goes out, even when the I get the wood to burn it goes out. i have tried several kinds of wood so I know it is not that. what could be ther problem? help!
can't start fire
- Thread starter treedave
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yes and i do start with that and have had stoves my wholel ife so I am sure I can startfires. this stove was just installed and I am not sure if it is the stove or there is something different I should do. the wood is a year old.
dear treedave:
Do you have addiquate draft from the chimney.
Is your draft regulator all the way open. Did you or prehaps some one else put the draft reg. handle on backwards , so that open looks closed and closed looks open.
Do you have your primary inlet air to the combustion chamber wide open.
Have you tried starting the fire with the stove door cracked open about a inch? Caution
here, because door could swing open and smoke could get into room, even if door does not swing open, but just if you open it suddenly or just a bit, too far open--you could release smoke into room. Sucess here would indicate that primary air contol is not open.
place a blocking object behind the stove door so that it can not move from the cracked open position that you set it at.
Have you read your owners manuel, you could be missing an important control or setting.
did you inspect the chimney installation, the installer's helper could have done something stupid, like putting the rain cap too close to the end of the chimney vent pipe, or something malicious ,like clogging your new flue pipe as a joke.
Something is clogging your air flow from primary air ,thru the stove and up the chimney;
otherwise,you would be able to lite your fire.
Lastly, do you build/lay an airy fire when you set in your splits. You need room around each split for air and flame to lick it. Sometimes , the fuel is the clog to the air flow.
Look for the outlet to the flue from inside your firebox, are you clogging the outlet with too
much logd too close in front of it so that enough air cant get out.
I did it on my stove when i first got it. I had to look see, & avoid doing it a second time.
Do you have addiquate draft from the chimney.
Is your draft regulator all the way open. Did you or prehaps some one else put the draft reg. handle on backwards , so that open looks closed and closed looks open.
Do you have your primary inlet air to the combustion chamber wide open.
Have you tried starting the fire with the stove door cracked open about a inch? Caution
here, because door could swing open and smoke could get into room, even if door does not swing open, but just if you open it suddenly or just a bit, too far open--you could release smoke into room. Sucess here would indicate that primary air contol is not open.
place a blocking object behind the stove door so that it can not move from the cracked open position that you set it at.
Have you read your owners manuel, you could be missing an important control or setting.
did you inspect the chimney installation, the installer's helper could have done something stupid, like putting the rain cap too close to the end of the chimney vent pipe, or something malicious ,like clogging your new flue pipe as a joke.
Something is clogging your air flow from primary air ,thru the stove and up the chimney;
otherwise,you would be able to lite your fire.
Lastly, do you build/lay an airy fire when you set in your splits. You need room around each split for air and flame to lick it. Sometimes , the fuel is the clog to the air flow.
Look for the outlet to the flue from inside your firebox, are you clogging the outlet with too
much logd too close in front of it so that enough air cant get out.
I did it on my stove when i first got it. I had to look see, & avoid doing it a second time.
No problem with draft? All there is, is draft and feed. If you open the stove will the kindling burn? Sometimes the air feed can get plugged. Draft on your stack may need preheat to draw/pull well through the stove when it is closed. Those chemical logs will burn with air and not necessarily a lot of draft, do you have much of a smoke buildup occurring with them? Need to check feed and draft/output.
eernest, I'm afraid I can't agree with you in recommending a cakepan with 3/8" kerosene for starting. There are much safer, cleaner and easier ways to start a fire. If the wood is so green that it takes that kind of starting, maybe you shouldn't be burning it this year.
Certainly if a super cedar or other starter does not do the job, there is something wrong.
That stove is a non-airtight and should draft upwards easily.
How tall is the total chimney from top of stove to top of chimney?
I would agree with others that the wood sounds wet - might be rain water or else the wood was not covered when dried. Get some wood at the supermarket or at the local convenience store so that you can assure yourself as to where the problem lies. If you hear the wood sizzling at all, or if moisture runs out the ends, then it is probably green or wet (or both)...
That stove is a non-airtight and should draft upwards easily.
How tall is the total chimney from top of stove to top of chimney?
I would agree with others that the wood sounds wet - might be rain water or else the wood was not covered when dried. Get some wood at the supermarket or at the local convenience store so that you can assure yourself as to where the problem lies. If you hear the wood sizzling at all, or if moisture runs out the ends, then it is probably green or wet (or both)...
I have to agree with BeGreen on this one. I would definitely not recommend placing a cakepan with kerosene (or any other liquid accelerant) in your stove to light a fire. There's no reason that you shouldn't be able to get a fire going in a much safer and cleaner method.
As to the OP, I would say that it's either draft, combustion air or wet wood. Have you tried to get a fire going with the door cracked open on the stove? You may also want to try cracking a window in the room with the stove and see if that helps.
As to the OP, I would say that it's either draft, combustion air or wet wood. Have you tried to get a fire going with the door cracked open on the stove? You may also want to try cracking a window in the room with the stove and see if that helps.
There is a great thread on the site about firestarters. All kinds of neat ideas. Please don't use kero, etc. One of the ideas is a 1/3 of a cupcake paper with some cooking oil and a piece of paper towel in it. Another thought is perhaps that grate is a bit high off the stove floor, if so you could cut a bit off the bottom with a welding torch (go to local auto shop if you dont' have one.) Keep an inch or so of ash on the stove floor too. Agree with keeping the door cracked a bit on the stove until it is fired up too. I have a plate steel stove in my garage called "the force" and I always keep the door cracked on it until the fire is up with a stack temp of 600-700; after that I can close it off and the draw is sufficient to keep it running fine. I guess the previous comment about "accelerant" says it all. They don't call it that for no reason and it only takes once to burn the place down. Kind of like overloading once with a weak casing.
Besides, you are going to have that efficient, easy to start new stove pretty soon anyway.
Besides, you are going to have that efficient, easy to start new stove pretty soon anyway.
Is the stove you just found out was a cat combustor stove after 10 years of ownership? It the cat located in the exhaust passage? like the old first cat technology? when was the last time it was cleaned? could it be a clogged cat? in the exhaust route?
As for eearnest4 what the hell is a grate doing in a wood stove? I know tone it down deep breath arrrrh ok kero to start a wood stove in a pan under a grate? and that's your advice?
Just wondering it you have a death wish and that's my toned down version
As for eearnest4 what the hell is a grate doing in a wood stove? I know tone it down deep breath arrrrh ok kero to start a wood stove in a pan under a grate? and that's your advice?
Just wondering it you have a death wish and that's my toned down version
Right on Elk. The best starter is dry kindling. Stop by a local woodworking, cabinet or millworking shop. My guess is they will have barrels and boxes of very dry scraps. Another source is flooring companies, but be sure to just get unfinished wood scraps.
DANGEROUS
dont do that!no stove manufacturer im aware of sanctions use of flammable liquids such as are mentioned above to start a fire. this is a dangerous practice that could lead to damage to property or injury. GAS GOES BOOM
solid fire starters such as SuperCedars , and similar are safe approved fire starter mediums. if these will not light a stove then there is another issue
as for the posters issue , it could be negative pressure , might open a window near the stove about 5 minutes before attempting to start the unit , if this makes the stove light off then an OAK will fix the problem if the unit can be so equipped. also , are all the pipe joints sealed? if not then you may be getting robbed of draft through the leaks , remember that a chimney is lazy by nature, it will take as much air as it can from the easiest route available then the more restricted routes get the leftover draw. leaks in flue joints generally do not let smoke out , they pull air in , and this air is not going through the fire.
The dauntless, assuming is the Vermont Castings model SHOULD have a grate, as the poster said. The Dauntless was a free-standing fireplace type design with hide-away glass doors. You shouldn't have any problem getting a fire lit, as there is very very little restriction in the firebox. I would probably have to jump on the negative pressure band wagon as well, since it is very unlikely that the stove is actually the problem.
As was said, try cracking a window AND trying to look for draft spoiling mistakes in the chimney system.
As was said, try cracking a window AND trying to look for draft spoiling mistakes in the chimney system.
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