Creosote Questions...

[Happy Stacker]

This is my first year burning with an EPA tube stove, and today I decided to do a spring cleaning. I have burnt with an old smoke dragon for years so I am well aware of burning properly seasoned wood, hot start ups and avoiding low smouldering fires. Never had an issue with any major creosote buildup until now.

So this season I have burned about 3 cords of well seasoned wood. I pulled my stove pipe connection from the collar and when I looked inside the stove I was amazed by the amount of creosote sitting on top of the baffle. 8 cups of the stuff. And this is before the chimney has been swept.

So I took a pic looking up the chimney and it really didn't look that bad to me, but then again I have never looked up the chimney before cleaning in the past. I'm curious as to any thoughts on the cause of this. We had a colder than normal winter and I am wondering if the top of the chimney was just colder than normal causing the creosote to form. Then with hot wide open burning when starting up and reloading this creosote was falling down the chimney and landing on the stoves baffle plate. I would also mention I rarely close the damper to less than the 1/4 open position when looking for extended burn times.

 

[begreen]

Maybe the wood was not as seasoned as thought? The other possibility is too cool flue temps. What is the flue system setup on this stove from stove to chimney top?

 

[bholler]

I have seen much much worse but that definatly isnt very good either. Like bg said either wetter wood than you thought or temps to low

 

[Hogwildz]

If you get much more than a mason jar worth of fine stuff, either the wood is not dry or the burning technique needs refined. That stuff looks a bit chunky and shiny, my bet is wood is not as dry as you think. Remember, "dry" wood an old smoker will burn, is not as dry as the new stoves like.
Those longer than necessary screws are going to make sweeping a biach.

 

[Happy Stacker]

Maybe the wood was not as seasoned as thought? The other possibility is cool flue temps. What is the flue system setup on this stove from stove to chimney top?

7' of singlewall stove pipe straight up to ceiling. 5' of class A through the attic and another 6' exposed outside above the roof. I did burn some marginal wood in April but I don't think that would cause the huge amount of creosote I found.

One other thing, when I removed my baffle I noticed there was no blanket on top. But my manual clearly mentions and shows one in the maintenance section. Do all EPA stoves have a blanket or maybe my manual was not updated. The stove is a 2017 build, but the manual is dated 12/15

 

[Simonkenton]

You got spoiled by your smoke dragons. I am the King of the Smoke Dragons and I burned 'em for 35 years. Some of those were pretty good stoves. But they will burn green wood with no problem. With my old stove I would cut and split wood in March and I was good to go by Thanksgiving. For that stove the wood was well seasoned.

But not for the new stoves! Seven months seasoning is just getting to first base.
Get a moisture meter and find the moisture content of your wood.

 

[begreen]

7' of singlewall stove pipe straight up to ceiling. 5' of class A through the attic and another 6' exposed outside above the roof. I did burn some marginal wood in April but I don't think that would cause the huge amount of creosote I found.

One other thing, when I removed my baffle I noticed there was no blanket on top. But my manual clearly mentions and shows one in the maintenance section. Do all EPA stoves have a blanket or maybe my manual was not updated. The stove is a 2017 build, but the manual is dated 12/15

Changing out the single-wall to double-wall will help, but I don't think that is the main issue. Poorly seasoned wood is the most likely cause if the stove is running with a warm enough flue temp. The manual shows the blanket on page 17 at the first maintenance section. The parts list is incomplete for this stove, always has been.

FWIW, several years back I clogged our flue cap burning damp maple in 3 weeks. The wood had been seasoning for 2.5 years, but the tarp covering it had some sags and that allowed water to seep into the stacks.

 

[Dobish]

Changing out the single-wall to double-wall will help, but I don't think that is the main issue. Poorly seasoned wood is the most likely cause if the stove is running with a warm enough flue temp. The manual shows the blanket on page 17 at the first maintenance section. The parts list is incomplete for this stove, always has been.

FWIW, several years back I clogged our flue cap burning damp maple in 3 weeks. The wood had been seasoning for 2.5 years, but the tarp covering it had some sags and that allowed water to seep into the stacks.

i had a similar situation this winter with some pine. it was about 2 weeks and everything was pretty clogged up. it turns out it was a row in the stack that should have gone out back for another season, but ended up getting mixed in with the aged stuff.

 

[Happy Stacker]

The manual shows the blanket on page 17 at the first maintenance section. The parts list is incomplete for this stove, always has been.

Would I gain any advantage by adding a blanket on top of the baffle or might this cause other problems?

 

[begreen]

The blanket should help keep the fire box hotter for more complete combustion. I'd put it in. Make sure it lays flat and evenly over the top of the baffle.

 

[bholler]

Would I gain any advantage by adding a blanket on top of the baffle or might this cause other problems?

If it belongs there yes you would benifit

 

[allan5oh]

How does your setup do for secondary burn?

Can you run "on the hole" without issue?

I'm in Winnipeg not far from you and your draft should be adequate.

 

[mountain man 2]

I have an Enerzone 1.8 n I just got done cleanin the stove n chimney. I removed my front n middle tubes so I could drop the baffle down.
There was a piece of 1/4" x 5" round peice of flat stock holding my insulation (just there for weight). The insulation was about 2"s wider on both sides layin on top of the baffle. I was surprised to what was layin in the stove when I cleaned the chimney.......


More brown than black....

 

[Happy Stacker]

How does your setup do for secondary burn?

Can you run "on the hole" without issue?

I'm in Winnipeg not far from you and your draft should be adequate.

Secondary burn runs fine even if I close the damper all the way. Typically once I have a good burn going I will close the damper so it is about 1/4 open as I need a fair bit of heat output in my drafty 1896 farmhouse.

 

[begreen]

Looks like clean burning there mountainman.