Has anyone solved their issue with smoky glass on a Dauntless?

[manofstihl]

I've lurked here long enough to know that people have had issues with their Vermont Castings Dauntless stoves. I'm wondering if anyone has actually solved the problem of the glass getting smoky. I've tried a number of troubleshooting ideas and eliminated (or at least downgraded their likeliness as the cause):

• I bought a moisture meter and checked the moisture in the middle of my wood after I have allowed it to season and then split it open to read the moisture content. My moisture content is well under 20 percent. In most cases, it is more like 10 to 13 percent.
• I burn with the primary air control all of the way forward (open). I tried setting the air control lever two or three clicks from closed about two hours into a burn several times, and that made the glass problem worse.
• I have tried following the manual absolutely and completely as instructed, by letting the kindling burn down before adding medium splits and then closing the damper (this doesn't really make too much sense to me since the probe does not indicate that I should close the damper, but that is what the manual says).
• I have also tried not following the manual and leaving the front door unlatched as the stove lights for the first 20 to 30 minutes to make sure there's a good fire going before closing the latch.
• I have also tried not following the manual and burning until the probe indicates that I can close the damper. This seems to leave less smoke on the glass at first, but the end result is the same.

I'm starting to wonder if there is a manufacturing issue like the one the gentleman in this video shows around the 1:52 mark:

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It seems like a minor complaint, but cleaning the glass takes me 15 to 20 minutes (I use the ashes and a damp paper towel), and it is really detracting from my enjoyment of using the stove because I have to plan to have time to clean the next day. In addition, I think the glass is just a symptom of a larger problem of the air not moving through the stove in the way it is supposed to move.

It's more frustrating because three of my friends also have stoves (not VC stoves) and do not clean nearly as frequently as I do. If anyone has solved the issue, I'd sure like to hear about it.

 

[sgro98]

i clean the glass every morning on our clydedale (glass top stove cleaner works too) . No big deal. Let the glaze build up and its a chore. Btw, love to know what wood burner does not glaze the glass?

 

[manofstihl]

One friend has a Jotul (owned for four years) and a Hearthstone (just this year). He cleans once or twice a season. Another has a Regency insert. Same story. My neighbor has a brand that I don’t know, and he cleans a little more frequently, but not every time that he burns.

I will try the glass top stove cleaner. What brand?

 

[sgro98]

One friend has a Jotul (owned for four years) and a Hearthstone (just this year). He cleans once or twice a season. Another has a Regency insert. Same story. My neighbor has a brand that I don’t know, and he cleans a little more frequently, but not every time that he burns.

I will try the glass top stove cleaner. What brand?

Weiman at Walmart. Been burning a long time with high-end stove too and never seen stove with clean glass after a burn. Cheers

 

[GrumpyDad]

Your #1 goal is to burn hot, large large bed of coals, and make sure you never see that flame go out.
Long of it...
No perfect answers. I struggled terribly at first, and likely set the world's record for black glass. Best I can tell you is to watch those upper temps, but burn hot and get a great bed of coals at first. Start with smaller kindling, and alot of it, then smaller splits with the box filled about 1/3 the way after the kindling, then do the same thing with maybe some mediums tossed in for the third burn. That should take you to hour 3. Then you can add in mediums, and let those burn down before you pack the box full of whatever you want for a longer burn.

The key is to always maintain a flame. If you have the damper open and the air control wide open, placed on a large bed of coals you should see the front / bottom logs start to flame up within 30 minutes or less. I try to see this at around the 15 minute mark or less. Get those going nicely, switch to secondary and leave air control on high to watch the change in behavior when you close the damper...then adjust as needed but always maintain that flame. Once that stack burns for awhile (couple of hours). You can cruise at 425 with or without the catalyst and should see no smoke coming out of your stack, clear windows with the exception of maybe the top area.

By morning, my glass is crystal clear from the bottom to about 2/3 the way up usually and sometimes completely clear. There will be some white ash on the glass though. You should have enough coals to push toward the back and throw a couple medium splits to rejuvenate, then as those burn down a little you can fully pack the stove again for the day.

Red oak , Ive been noticing how well Red Oak works for me. I didnt realize how much red oak I had in one pile. Now Im trying to make sure I have at least two pieces of red oak with every mixed hardwoods pile. I put one on the bottom toward the back and one on top of a full load.

I went to bed at 1:30a (working on yet another project), loaded the stove around 12a, got it stabilized at around 450. I woke up at 5am to take the dog out (why dog why?), stove was at 450, nice little flame in there. Then I woke up actually at 930a for the day, the stove was 425 stove top temp, clear glass, warm room.

That's what you want. The stove will punish you if you dont load on top of a large bed of coals. If smaller or medium bed, build those back up with mini loads of smaller/medium splits.

If you cant fit 7-9 pieces of wood in your stove, you are burning with pieces that are too big. If your moisture content is above 18%, you should be aiming for more but smaller pieces of wood in your stove.

 

[bholler]

i clean the glass every morning on our clydedale (glass top stove cleaner works too) . No big deal. Let the glaze build up and its a chore. Btw, love to know what wood burner does not glaze the glass?

My regency my quad my dad's PE even my blaze king if I am running high. Btw your Clydesdale shouldn't be doing it either.

 

[Eman85]

My VC is older and I usually smoke the glass every night when I turn the stove down after a full load. In the morning I open the air wide open and let it burn the coals down. I can watch the soot disappear as it gets hot in the box. What little might be left around the edges just shows I use my stove. I don't get gummy gooey coating on the glass and I've never owned a moisture meter. I really don't get the clean glass problem, it's a woodstove burning wood in a box with some glass in the doors. The box gets sooty and so does the glass. Burning wood is dirty which is why home heating went to gas and electric.

 

[GrumpyDad]

My VC is older and I usually smoke the glass every night when I turn the stove down after a full load. In the morning I open the air wide open and let it burn the coals down. I can watch the soot disappear as it gets hot in the box. What little might be left around the edges just shows I use my stove. I don't get gummy gooey coating on the glass and I've never owned a moisture meter. I really don't get the clean glass problem, it's a woodstove burning wood in a box with some glass in the doors. The box gets sooty and so does the glass. Burning wood is dirty which is why home heating went to gas and electric.

Well keep in mind that there is a sizable number of people that want to see that flame. It serves as a warning sign to guests, and kids. It is also MUCH nicer to look at vs just a black box. After all, fireplace sales arent all that bad from what I can tell. Many new homes are getting 'ornamental' fireplaces that arent really meant to produce much heat for the home.
People sit around camp fires, not because they want to get warm (although that may be one of the reasons) the primary is to sit by a fire and socialize.

I dont believe for a second that a glass is a marketing only effort. These manufacturers work hard to ensure people benefit from the view of the fire.

On the VC - it's imperative to be able to see where the fire is happening for my clean operation.

I did a poll, and while not surprising it is interesting to see that people gain pleasure from burning from their stoves, over 50%

 

[Eman85]

You just reinforced the marketing theory. Not long ago someone posted about "playing with the fire" in their stove. That's what fire rings and fireplaces are for. Stoves like VC come with a fire screen so you can have the fire to look at just like a fireplace.

 

[GrumpyDad]

You just reinforced the marketing theory. Not long ago someone posted about "playing with the fire" in their stove. That's what fire rings and fireplaces are for. Stoves like VC come with a fire screen so you can have the fire to look at just like a fireplace.

Yes I see your point. It is a sellable feature. And something that is subject to marketing and overhype. Like the grilling basket on the dauntless..I haven't seen anyone post about this. That was 100percent a non functional marketing ...well...fib. imagine cooking a burger in there, grease flaring up along the window and in the box itself, coating the flue, not to mention the smoke in the house lol. Is it doable? Maybe. If you don't mind smelling like burnt meat for a few weeks and taking the risk. Youd be much better cooking on the top with a cast iron skillet. I've already done it for bacon and eggs. Once. Too much grease splatter but quite doable!

For me though if I pay for a feature I want, and have every reasonable belief that it should work, then why wouldn't I be upset when it doesn't?

Advertising from VC website shows clear beautiful glass. Just as ford shows a flip out step on the back of their truck tail beds. Ancillary nice to have that damn well better not have some stipulation like only meant for people under 150 pounds else it would be all over the media on how that failed to properly execute. That same should apply to a stove and it's glass.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

This is not just an issue with the Dauntless. The majority of the VC line will have colored glass. It has alot to do with how much you turn down the air more then anything else. There are other stoves that do the same. Blaze king is one. When you dial the air back for a 20 hour burn on a BK the glass will be dirty and discolored. Turning the air all the way back up will clean it up.. Its the same for all of the VC line.. Turn it down your glass will color over.. Turn it up and it will burn off.

Also.. it sounds like in the verry beginning of the fire the may be a small lack of draft. I also open/crack the door on a cold start to establish strong draft .. after a couple minutes of burning stove approximately 400 and stove pipe about 250 degrees I am able to close the cracked door and the stove is off and running. Our stoves are similar in that during a cold start we both open our damper and warm the stovepipe and stove itself.. so after 5 or so minutes what is your stovepipe temperature.. can you post that..

 

[sgro98]

Your #1 goal is to burn hot, large large bed of coals, and make sure you never see that flame go out.
Long of it...
No perfect answers. I struggled terribly at first, and likely set the world's record for black glass. Best I can tell you is to watch those upper temps, but burn hot and get a great bed of coals at first. Start with smaller kindling, and alot of it, then smaller splits with the box filled about 1/3 the way after the kindling, then do the same thing with maybe some mediums tossed in for the third burn. That should take you to hour 3. Then you can add in mediums, and let those burn down before you pack the box full of whatever you want for a longer burn.

The key is to always maintain a flame. If you have the damper open and the air control wide open, placed on a large bed of coals you should see the front / bottom logs start to flame up within 30 minutes or less. I try to see this at around the 15 minute mark or less. Get those going nicely, switch to secondary and leave air control on high to watch the change in behavior when you close the damper...then adjust as needed but always maintain that flame. Once that stack burns for awhile (couple of hours). You can cruise at 425 with or without the catalyst and should see no smoke coming out of your stack, clear windows with the exception of maybe the top area.

By morning, my glass is crystal clear from the bottom to about 2/3 the way up usually and sometimes completely clear. There will be some white ash on the glass though. You should have enough coals to push toward the back and throw a couple medium splits to rejuvenate, then as those burn down a little you can fully pack the stove again for the day.

Red oak , Ive been noticing how well Red Oak works for me. I didnt realize how much red oak I had in one pile. Now Im trying to make sure I have at least two pieces of red oak with every mixed hardwoods pile. I put one on the bottom toward the back and one on top of a full load.

I went to bed at 1:30a (working on yet another project), loaded the stove around 12a, got it stabilized at around 450. I woke up at 5am to take the dog out (why dog why?), stove was at 450, nice little flame in there. Then I woke up actually at 930a for the day, the stove was 425 stove top temp, clear glass, warm room.

That's what you want. The stove will punish you if you dont load on top of a large bed of coals. If smaller or medium bed, build those back up with mini loads of smaller/medium splits.

If you cant fit 7-9 pieces of wood in your stove, you are burning with pieces that are too big. If your moisture content is above 18%, you should be aiming for more but smaller pieces of wood in your stove.

Partner. Sorry I nodded off while taking notes on your treatise on woodology. But would be interested in your study on extracting gold from ash.

 

[manofstihl]

Thanks, @GrumpyDad and @Woodsplitter67 . I will try your suggestions.

I don't have a temperature gauge on the stovepipe. It's a double wall pipe.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Thanks, @GrumpyDad and @Woodsplitter67 . I will try your suggestions.

I don't have a temperature gauge on the stovepipe. It's a double wall pipe.

Let us know when you get the magnet and what the temps are

 

[bert670]

Thanks, @GrumpyDad and @Woodsplitter67 . I will try your suggestions.

I don't have a temperature gauge on the stovepipe. It's a double wall pipe.

Keep in mind your set up will depend on how best to engage the cat. Grump dad needs a large bed of coals for his set up. I just started my stove tonight from a cold start and was able to get the cat engaged in less than 2 hours. I did a regular “bottom up” start (as opposed to top down), and added 2 small splits while the kindling was burning. After that added a few larges splits while the bypass was still open. Got STT to about 400, and closed the bypass to engage the cat (i usually wait to 450-500). Cat didn’t engage, so I reopened the bypass, and let the STT get higher. Added some more wood, and it’s been crushing ever since, stove top staying about 450 and Cat gauge is holding at the 50% mark.