Failed combustor causing smoke smell in house?

[barnyardengineering]

I have a Vermont Castings Dutchwest 2461 that recently started putting a mild smoke smell into the house until it gets burning good.

During the last warm spell I pulled the lid and the combustor is crumbling. Ordered a new one but that won't be here for a few days.

Will replacing the combustor fix the issue?

 

[mellow]

Probably needs to be rebuilt, that is an old stove, see this link for rebuild instructions from a previous thread: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/stove-id-help.189585/post-2547642

 

[barnyardengineering]

Thanks. The top of the firebox was replaced two years ago.

 

[barnyardengineering]

You know what? I'm just going to live with it.

The stove suddenly started behaving completely differently. You put wood in and it catches fire now. If you waited too long to put wood in before, it would be hours before it started burning.

Sure you could open the bypass and the fire would roar to life, but if you left the bypass open it would get so hot the bypass would seize and you couldn't close it. When you did close it the fire would go out.

 

[barnyardengineering]

Of course now that the temps are falling off again, the stove is now filling the house with smoke again.

For three days it burned perfectly. All I did was put wood in. Drove me out of the house, but the outside temps were around 50.

It's now in the 30's. Put wood in. Stove goes out. Put wood in 2 hours ago. Barely burning. House full of smoke. Same wood as I've been burning the last 3 days. Dust dry. Been sitting on a trailer in a barn for over a year.

I hate this stove.

 

[mellow]

If that stove hasn't been fully rebuilt lately it can have air leaks from just about anywhere, that is why I recommended doing a rebuild.

Instructions on rebuild:

Dutchwest 2461 stove inner top assembly replacement

Hey folks, I bought this Dutchwest 2461 a couple of years from Craigslist for a steal, so I knew I was going to have some work to do on it at some point. Well, that some point has come. The damper adjuster fell off the damper the other day, and when I took the top off to put it back on, I...

www.hearth.com

How to Disassemble my VC Dutchwest Stove to Replace the Inner Lid

I've had a 2461 catalytic stove since new, and the inner lid (basically the top of the firebox) has sagged from the heat. Amazingly, I found a replacement here: https://www.stove-parts-unlimited.com/vermont-castings-inner-top-for-dutchwest-large-2461-stoves-7001119a-p/7001119a.htm I am not...

www.hearth.com

 

[barnyardengineering]

It has been rebuilt.

Why do you keep quoting those threads? Neither of them goes into any specific detail on "rebuilding." We did exactly what both of those threads were asking about two years ago. Had to completely tear down the stove to the floor and legs, chip out all the old cement, and reassemble. It took three of us all day. It was like putting together a giant house of cards. I'm by myself now, and it is cold. There is no way I can reassemble the stove myself if I wanted to, and I can't afford not having it burning for the 2-3 days it will take to do the job and wait for the cement to cure.

 

[mellow]

Do you have some pictures of your setup you could post?

 

[Todd]

How does your chimney cap look? Could be clogged if your cat wasn’t up to par.

 

[rudysmallfry]

I hope you have a working CO detector in the house.

 

[barnyardengineering]

How does your chimney cap look? Could be clogged if your cat wasn’t up to par.

No chimney cap. It was removed years ago because it kept clogging up with creosote, and my dad got sick of climbing up there every week, and at his age and condition he had no business being up there.

 

[barnyardengineering]

I hope you have a working CO detector in the house.

So do I. I have a CO detector but no way to tell if it works. Guess if I don't wake up one morning, I'll know it doesn't work.

I just wish someone could give me some advice that I haven't already tried up to a dozen times. The stove was rebuilt two years ago. The chimney is clean. I can't do anything about the way it's piped or the draft the chimney makes.

 

[barnyardengineering]

Do you have some pictures of your setup you could post?

 

[Todd]

Maybe it’s that horizontal run of stove pipe? It may draft better with 2 ea 45 elbows with a short section of pipe between.

 

[begreen]

Is there any backpuffing occurring in the early stage of the burn?

 

[barnyardengineering]

Is there any backpuffing occurring in the early stage of the burn?

Not so much backpuffing but a constant smell of smoke. Once it gets burning the smell dissipates, only to start over again in 3 hours when I have to reload the stove.

 

[barnyardengineering]

Maybe it’s that horizontal run of stove pipe? It may draft better with 2 ea 45 elbows with a short section of pipe between.

It's been like that for around 20 years. Don't know why it would suddenly be a problem like this.

By "problem" I mean it never filled the house with smoke before on a consistent basis like this, that I am aware of.

Just ran the sweeper through the chimney again. Got less than a ash shovel's worth of creosote out.

 

[begreen]

It sounds like there is leakage until the vacuum created by draft gets strong enough to pull air in to the fire through the leakage spot. If you have a very bright LED flashlight, try shining it along every seam and crevice of the stove body to see if it illuminates a wisp of smoke. Look especially carefully around the flue collar area and top.

Another clue might be seeing a disruption in the burn pattern where the air is being pulled in. With a cold stove, this area would probably show a trail of soot. Remove the top lid to look for any soot trails.

 

[barnyardengineering]

It sounds like there is leakage until the vacuum created by draft gets strong enough to pull air in to the fire through the leakage spot. If you have a very bright LED flashlight, try shining it along every seam and crevice of the stove body to see if it illuminates a wisp of smoke. Look especially carefully around the flue collar area and top.

Another clue might be seeing a disruption in the burn pattern where the air is being pulled in. With a cold stove, this area would probably show a trail of soot. Remove the top lid to look for any soot trails.

Can't see any leaks or any trails of soot.

This stove does not have any "burn pattern." It's all over the place. I'm constantly chasing my tail trying to keep it burning. It's always been a struggle, for the entire time they've owned it.

Like today. It burned all day with barely any smoke smell in the house at all. I've done nothing but put 2-3 chunks in every 3 hours. Burned hot and steady all day. Unusual. Thought I had it licked.

Put 2 chunks in at 9PM, same as I'd done all day long. Stove still plenty hot when I did it. It's been losing ground ever since, getting colder and colder, and is now PUFFING out the air intakes and from under the lid.

Okay it's a draw problem. What can I do about it? There's nothing I can do about the chimney. It is what it is. It's 3-4 months just to get a contractor in to give me an estimate. Plus I can't be without the stove this time of year. The oil furnace is all but worthless as far as heat, and will cost $6+ and hour to run.

 

[mellow]

Have you installed the new cat and did you order new gasket for the cat as well?

 

[barnyardengineering]

Have you installed the new cat and did you order new gasket for the cat as well?

The cat is still in the mail. UPDATE: FedEX just left it on the porch.

I don't know when I'll be able to install it. Takes a day for the stove to cool off enough to handle the lid. I don't have a day this week warm enough to let the stove go out.

Gasket is NLA far as I can tell.

 

[begreen]

Can't see any leaks or any trails of soot.

This stove does not have any "burn pattern." It's all over the place. I'm constantly chasing my tail trying to keep it burning. It's always been a struggle, for the entire time they've owned it.

Like today. It burned all day with barely any smoke smell in the house at all. I've done nothing but put 2-3 chunks in every 3 hours. Burned hot and steady all day. Unusual. Thought I had it licked.

Put 2 chunks in at 9PM, same as I'd done all day long. Stove still plenty hot when I did it. It's been losing ground ever since, getting colder and colder, and is now PUFFING out the air intakes and from under the lid.

Okay it's a draw problem. What can I do about it? There's nothing I can do about the chimney. It is what it is. It's 3-4 months just to get a contractor in to give me an estimate. Plus I can't be without the stove this time of year. The oil furnace is all but worthless as far as heat, and will cost $6+ and hour to run.

There are stoves that will breathe easier. Responded in the replacement thread.

 

[begreen]

Gasket is NLA far as I can tell.

NLA = no longer available? If no gasket, this will be a failed experiment. Check to see if the cat is wrapped in one. If not, Interam gasket is sold separately for cats.

 

[barnyardengineering]

NLA = no longer available? If no gasket, this will be a failed experiment. Check to see if the cat is wrapped in one. If not, Interam gasket is sold separately for cats.

No longer availalble, correct. It does not appear on the parts diagram, and I have been unable to find it listed in the hundreds of individual parts for this stove.

The new cat did not come with the gasket. None of the new cats have. Any time I've asked about the gasket for the cat, they wonder why I'm trying to wrap a cat with gasket material and threaten to call animal control. That's a joke, saying in a roundabout way that they have no idea what I am asking for. Idiots.

We used the original gasket until it disintegrated several years ago. With or without has not made any noticeable difference.

Where do I get this "Interam" material?

 

[mellow]

Where do I get this "Interam" material?

Firecat Gaskets and Accessories

Firecat produces industry leading EPA approved catalytic combustors and gaskets here in the USA for over 30 years. Combustors allow you to save money, save time, clean the air and keep your family safe.

www.firecatcombustors.com