Cast Iron Split: nice and hot

[hempdiddy]

Hi folks! I've got a nice new (1yr old) Century stove insert and tonight it's been running nice and hot (maybe a bit hotter than usual for no apparent reason, same wood, same volume, I did NOT have it stoked up and over-stuffed; in fact, only two logs were in it). I've been sitting here in the living room with it and I just heard a loud snap from the stove. Sounded like when a log splits in a splitter. It was quick and it was loud.

Should I pull the insert out and inspect? Could a seam split along a weld? Seems silly with it being a new stove, but I thought I'd ask the community for any opinions. Thanks.

 

[RickBlaine]

Howdy!

I get that sound from time to time- it is my locust wood more or less exploding. Scared the heck out of me first few times I heard that.

Welded seams are usually stronger than the material that is welded together- so while it is possible- it is highly unlikely.

You can always let the stove cool down and do some investigation.

 

[begreen]

The Century is a welded steel box. Let the stove cool down and inspect very carefully for a popped weld.

 

[BCC_Burner]

The Century is a welded steel box. Let the stove cool down and inspect very carefully for a popped weld.

The odds of you winning the lottery and being struck by lightning on the same day are greater than the odds of heat alone causing a weld to fail, but by all means, play into the fear mongering and anal retentiveness that this place is all about.

 

[edyit]

letting a stove cool to make sure nothing is wrong is not fear mongering or anal retentive, always better to err on the side of caution than burn your house down...

 

[webby3650]

I agree that shutting it down and inspecting it is a good idea. It's more likely to happen to a new unit than an older one. It's not all that uncommon to find a bad weld from the factory. It happens.

 

[begreen]

Heat causes metal expansion, which is strong enough sometimes to pop a weld. If a weld popped, it could be a minor issue, like a secondary rack bracket holder, or serious, like the secondary manifold attachment to the shell or an actual seam weld that could cause an air leak. If the parts were slightly bent in fabrication and clamped together to make the weld, then they are under tension. Heat expansion can increase that tension. Welds fail, as have been reported here several times. So far no lightning struck lottery winners reporting in though.

When in doubt it's far better err on the side of caution. Besides, inspecting the interior of a red hot stove singes the eyebrows real quickly.

 

[hempdiddy]

Ok, I'll check things out. I had an extra layer of ash on the bottom (actually an extra two layers) during my burn last night, so maybe thats why it was running a little hot?

Thanks for the comments.

 

[begreen]

Probably just coincidence. It a weld is going to fail it's often just a matter of time. The stress of heating and cooling of the metal is the greater influence.

 

[begreen]

Note that this may not be a weld. It could be another part fit in too tight, like the air wash deflector or it could be a baffle or secondary rack warping or none of the above. Keep us posted.