Catalytic stove - burning creosote off glass?

[pgmr]

I've seen lots of references on here about people burning off the creosote that accumulates on a stove's door window by burning a hot fire. My question, "Is it possible to do this in a catalytic stove?"

When one burns a cat stove w/all the air inlets open and bypass open, there are plenty of flames, but most of the heat goes right up the flue.
When one burns a cat stove w/all the air inlets open and bypass closed, there are plenty of flames, but there is a risk of overheating and damaging the cat.

Anyone have a technique they'd like to share on how to do this in a cat stove? Thanks.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I've seen lots of references on here about people burning off the creosote that accumulates on a stove's door window by burning a hot fire. My question, "Is it possible to do this in a catalytic stove?"

Yes. When I turn the air controls down on the Encore, I will wake up to darkened glass, for whatever reason (nature of the burn, wood not dry enough, etc.). The first good burn cleans the glass pretty well.

 

[mellow]

I found even with the bypass opened the IR heat was enough to clean off the skim coating on the glass in the morning with my old cat stove, I would chunk some lighter wood in the box in the morning to get it going, would let it run up to about 575-600 and that would clear the glass off after running for about 10-20 minutes full blast.

 

[WoodpileOCD]

I've had the same experience with my stove. I can't say that I've ever had the creosote burned off of the glass except in a couple of spots where it will start to peel in maybe 3" circles. It's hard for me to say what my 'stovetop' temps are because it is an insert number one and two it has a steel shroud around the firebox where the air circulates from the blower so the outside temps are a lot cooler than the firebox steel.

I've had my cat temps up into the 1600 -1800 range before (as high as I dare let it get for fear of damaging my cat) and the magnetic thermometer reading in the 500 range. In other words I've let it get as hot as I can and it doesn't seem to 'burn' any creosote from the windows.

Any other cat users care to share their experiences? The dirty glass doesn't happen as often as it did last year because I have better wood but it still isn't ideal so I contend with it on a fairly regular basis, especially if I have it really shut down.

 

[mellow]

There was sometimes if I ran into a "greener" batch of wood that the glass would get enough coating a fire would not burn off, I would just take wet newspaper and ashes to clean off the stubborn parts.

 

[pgmr]

Maybe I should have clarified what I meant by "creosote". I was referring, not to the light haze that can develop over the entire surface, but rather, localized spots where the wood was too close to the glass or bottom corners where glass is the coolest and heavy accumulation develops during low burns.

My stove will burn off the light haze, but nothing short of scraping or elbow grease will remove the heavy stuff.

Maybe it's the nature of cat stoves (relatively low firebox temps) or maybe it's just the design of the air wash system on the Buck itself, that causes these heavy deposits that won't burn off.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Maybe I should have clarified what I meant by "creosote". I was referring, not to the light haze that can develop over the entire surface, but rather, localized spots where the wood was too close to the glass or bottom corners where glass is the coolest and heavy accumulation develops during low burns.

I've had good luck removing these spots with hot burns, as well.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Maybe I should have clarified what I meant by "creosote". I was referring, not to the light haze that can develop over the entire surface, but rather, localized spots where the wood was too close to the glass or bottom corners where glass is the coolest and heavy accumulation develops during low burns.

My stove will burn off the light haze, but nothing short of scraping or elbow grease will remove the heavy stuff.

Maybe it's the nature of cat stoves (relatively low firebox temps) or maybe it's just the design of the air wash system on the Buck itself, that causes these heavy deposits that won't burn off.

That is not the nature of cat stoves at all.

When we did the burn-in fires with our Fireview we did get some black on the glass but as soon as we burned a hotter fire the black went right away and we have not had black glass since then. What definitely will cause black glass is wood burned before it is dry enough. Some air leakage could also cause it in a localized area but black glass is not normal.

 

[WoodpileOCD]

Maybe I should have clarified what I meant by "creosote". I was referring, not to the light haze that can develop over the entire surface, but rather, localized spots where the wood was too close to the glass or bottom corners where glass is the coolest and heavy accumulation develops during low burns.

My stove will burn off the light haze, but nothing short of scraping or elbow grease will remove the heavy stuff.

Maybe it's the nature of cat stoves (relatively low firebox temps) or maybe it's just the design of the air wash system on the Buck itself, that causes these heavy deposits that won't burn off.

Could be the Buck airwash. The bottom left and bottom right corners of the glass seem to be almost constant issue. Nothing major but a couple inches that creeps into the middle if I don't keep up with it. In all honesty though I think it is my wood because if I burn some of my 'premo' stash and don't completely choke it down, it's clean as a whistle.

 

[leeave96]

I've seen lots of references on here about people burning off the creosote that accumulates on a stove's door window by burning a hot fire. My question, "Is it possible to do this in a catalytic stove?"

When one burns a cat stove w/all the air inlets open and bypass open, there are plenty of flames, but most of the heat goes right up the flue.
When one burns a cat stove w/all the air inlets open and bypass closed, there are plenty of flames, but there is a risk of overheating and damaging the cat.

Anyone have a technique they'd like to share on how to do this in a cat stove? Thanks.

Absoutely! I do it all the time on my catalyist stove. Sometimes we load it up, damper it down for an extreme cat only burn with only a bit of orange coals at the bottom and the next morning, almost all of the glass is black. Fill-up the stove, do a normal (not necessarily a super hot burn) cold day burn and the glass is clear top to bottom and side to side.

Last Spring, I purposely let the glass on my stove get totally black - just to hide the interior of the stove for over the Summer. Our stove is cast iron and soapstone and it is a nice looking piece during the off season in our living room. When we began burning this fall, I was NOT going to scrape and work to get the black stuff off the glass - but rather let the fire do the work, and it did - clean glass. What I do now is wipe off just fly ash and dust about every two weeks or so if I let the fire die out for the day.

Good luck,
Bill

 

[BrowningBAR]

Maybe I should have clarified what I meant by "creosote". I was referring, not to the light haze that can develop over the entire surface, but rather, localized spots where the wood was too close to the glass or bottom corners where glass is the coolest and heavy accumulation develops during low burns.

My stove will burn off the light haze, but nothing short of scraping or elbow grease will remove the heavy stuff.

Maybe it's the nature of cat stoves (relatively low firebox temps) or maybe it's just the design of the air wash system on the Buck itself, that causes these heavy deposits that won't burn off.

That is not the nature of cat stoves at all.

When we did the burn-in fires with our Fireview we did get some black on the glass but as soon as we burned a hotter fire the black went right away and we have not had black glass since then. What definitely will cause black glass is wood burned before it is dry enough. Some air leakage could also cause it in a localized area but black glass is not normal.

Blaze King owners experience this all the time on low burns.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

And, of course, BK owners could also stop this by allowing more draft rather than smoldering the fires. I highly doubt they have much of a problem when the cold of winter hits but this time of the year if they are filling the stoves and dampering down, well, problems can happen. They have a wonderful stove and can get some fantastic burn times but one still has to have some control over the stove and this is one way to control it; don't fill it if it is not needed. That is what folks do with the OWB and why they stick so badly.

 

[mellow]

Cat or Non-Cat stoves will get black on the glass when less than optimal seasoned wood is touching it, moisture will form on the glass catching the creosote and building up layers and baking it on, then you have to go in with the razor to scrape it off.

I have not tried it but someone mentioned a while back that spraying WD40 on that lump on the glass helped get it right off.

 

[Todd]

I don't have much of a problem with dirty glass, sometimes a little build up in the lower corners but it burns off once the stove gets up over 500 most of the time. I can see where burning to low and slow all the time during the shoulder season may cause so much build up it would have a harder time to burn off and may require a little hands on. I think once the colder weather shows up and you burn good dry wood there shouldn't be much of a problem with dirty glass but during the shoulder seasons it's something us cat burners just have to put up with for the longer low output burns.

 

[BrowningBAR]

And, of course, BK owners could also stop this by allowing more draft rather than smoldering the fires. I highly doubt they have much of a problem when the cold of winter hits but this time of the year if they are filling the stoves and dampering down, well, problems can happen. They have a wonderful stove and can get some fantastic burn times but one still has to have some control over the stove and this is one way to control it; don't fill it if it is not needed. That is what folks do with the OWB and why they stick so badly.

I was simply highlighting that you can have black glass with a cat stove and it is not associated with wet wood.

 

[nate379]

I have yet seen an outdoor temp where I live that I needed to run the stove higher than anything past #1. With the air turned all the way down the stove will burn all day with a 400-500* stove top temp. For me it would be either waste wood and have the doors and windows open when it's -15* outside cause it's 120* in the house or let the glass get a bit dirty.

The wood I am burning, birch and spruce, was cut and split in 2008. It's dry.

And, of course, BK owners could also stop this by allowing more draft rather than smoldering the fires. I highly doubt they have much of a problem when the cold of winter hits but this time of the year if they are filling the stoves and dampering down, well, problems can happen. They have a wonderful stove and can get some fantastic burn times but one still has to have some control over the stove and this is one way to control it; don't fill it if it is not needed. That is what folks do with the OWB and why they stick so badly.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

You are correct mellow. Not sure about the razor blade though. It does seem that WD-40 should clean the glass but I haven't yet heard of anyone actually using it.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

And, of course, BK owners could also stop this by allowing more draft rather than smoldering the fires. I highly doubt they have much of a problem when the cold of winter hits but this time of the year if they are filling the stoves and dampering down, well, problems can happen. They have a wonderful stove and can get some fantastic burn times but one still has to have some control over the stove and this is one way to control it; don't fill it if it is not needed. That is what folks do with the OWB and why they stick so badly.

I was simply highlighting that you can have black glass with a cat stove and it is not associated with wet wood.

And you are very correct because we read recently of someone having those problems. However we really did not know that much about the wood. But I can certainly understand why black glass would be frustrating for folks.

 

[oldspark]

Once in a while a piece will out gas rapidly and if close enough will darken the glass, has any one else seen this, some times it looks like the metal is on fire.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Not seen that one yet oldspark. I could see how this could happen though.

 

[leeave96]

And, of course, BK owners could also stop this by allowing more draft rather than smoldering the fires. I highly doubt they have much of a problem when the cold of winter hits but this time of the year if they are filling the stoves and dampering down, well, problems can happen. They have a wonderful stove and can get some fantastic burn times but one still has to have some control over the stove and this is one way to control it; don't fill it if it is not needed. That is what folks do with the OWB and why they stick so badly.

FWIW, I use to get pretty aggrivated when my Keystone would blacken the glass - in my case, it turned out to be lousy draft. However, the blackened glass doesn't bug me as much now, if at all, when I really want to turn down the stove - yet get a clean cat only burn and extended burn times. I imagine that's what the BK guys are doing. I could live with those 24 hr burn times on a low burn and dirty glass - especially if I'm off to work, not looking at the stove anyway, but knowing that with a little damper movement I can burn off the glass and enjoy the burn view when I'm there or just want more heat.

BTW - when does your PH arrive????? Do you know of anyone that has received their stove, installed it and are burning away?

Thanks!
Bill

 

[Flatbedford]

Maybe it's the nature of cat stoves (relatively low firebox temps) or maybe it's just the design of the air wash system on the Buck itself, that causes these heavy deposits that won't burn off.

My cat stove runs at between 500 and 600 on the stovetop, which is supposed to be 1/2 firebox temp, for a few hours on a full load. Any dark spots on the glass go away pretty quickly when it is that hot.

 

[Diabel]

I wonder why vc decided to go with single pane glass. My old/sold (relatively new vc nc) had single pane glass and if I closed air too fast, glass would darken. My new (very old vc cat) has double pane and it has not once darken when closing air too fast.... I like the two pane system much better!

 

[bogydave]

I get it when burning on lower settings, but like now at 0°f, stove burning hotter & no black on the glass.
I could clean it but haven't cleaned the glass for a year & it burns off any I build up when I burn on high for 30 min t an hour.
book says 1200 degrees glass, dont' think I'll ever get it that hot.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

And, of course, BK owners could also stop this by allowing more draft rather than smoldering the fires. I highly doubt they have much of a problem when the cold of winter hits but this time of the year if they are filling the stoves and dampering down, well, problems can happen. They have a wonderful stove and can get some fantastic burn times but one still has to have some control over the stove and this is one way to control it; don't fill it if it is not needed. That is what folks do with the OWB and why they stick so badly.

FWIW, I use to get pretty aggrivated when my Keystone would blacken the glass - in my case, it turned out to be lousy draft. However, the blackened glass doesn't bug me as much now, if at all, when I really want to turn down the stove - yet get a clean cat only burn and extended burn times. I imagine that's what the BK guys are doing. I could live with those 24 hr burn times on a low burn and dirty glass - especially if I'm off to work, not looking at the stove anyway, but knowing that with a little damper movement I can burn off the glass and enjoy the burn view when I'm there or just want more heat.

BTW - when does your PH arrive????? Do you know of anyone that has received their stove, installed it and are burning away?

Thanks!
Bill

Don't yet have a date Bill. I requested that we be at the end of the shipments so we can determine for sure that we can use the stove. However, some stoves will leave the plant yet this week (pickups) and more shipments next week. Certification finally came today. Things can finally roll.