Hearthstone Mansfield Air Leaks?

[Midalake]

Hi All

Second season with my Mansfield. I notice that I cannot choke the fire off like I was able to last year.

So is all of my air issues the Door?

Are there other possible leak spots? Stones? Corners? Décor side Brackets?

Has anyone found leaks other than the door? I have not done the dollar bill test yet, I am in the UP of MI and do not get many days off.

Also since this started my Secondaries do not get as good of a burn.........

Thanks Dave

 

[Dairyman]

Test the door and ash pan gaskets. Is the baffle in good shape? You can also use smoke to check for other air leaks. I'm in the 3rd season with mine and no problems yet.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Hi All

Second season with my Mansfield. I notice that I cannot choke the fire off like I was able to last year.

Could it be better wood this year?

So is all of my air issues the Door?

Are there other possible leak spots? Stones? Corners? Décor side Brackets?

Has anyone found leaks other than the door? I have not done the dollar bill test yet, I am in the UP of MI and do not get many days off.

Also since this started my Secondaries do not get as good of a burn.........

Thanks Dave

Door and ashpan are the two spots to check.

What are your stove top temps now as compared to last year?

 

[Midalake]

Could it be better wood this year?


Door and ashpan are the two spots to check.

What are your stove top temps now as compared to last year?

My temps are the same I just notice that the fire cannot be shut down, also more fire around the wood rather than across the top of the secondaries.

My wood is not an issue super dry, no change since last year.

I have never used the ash pan I shovel, can the ash door still leak to cause a problem? It is and seems tight.

Dave

 

[BrowningBAR]

What are your stove temps.

Post some pics of your fire.

How are you adjusting your air during the burn and what are your air controls at during peak burn?

When was the last time you replaced your gaskets?

 

[Midalake]

What are your stove temps.

Post some pics of your fire.

How are you adjusting your air during the burn and what are your air controls at during peak burn?

When was the last time you replaced your gaskets?

My stove runs a load at peak about 400 degrees on my surface gauge

I reload...let it rip and shut down all air......the stove just goes into auto mode and runs about 400 till I reload next

Stove is 1/1/2 years old no gasket replacement yet.

Picture is going to be tough,,,all I can say is more fire in the wood itself rather than the secoudaries. Also my loads seem to be burning slightly faster.

I cannot shutdown the stove any more by just the air-control, IN FACT I could only shut the stove down with the air-control for about the first month or so.

SO has anyone ever had air coming in other spot other than the door or ash pan on a Mansfield????

If so WHERE?

Dave

 

[Dairyman]

If you have an air leak you should be able to tell by the fire being stronger in that area.

Is the primary air control working properly?

With the crazy cold weather I'm guessing that your draft is just stronger.
Are you using a pipe damper?

 

[Midalake]

If you have an air leak you should be able to tell by the fire being stronger in that area.

Is the primary air control working properly?

With the crazy cold weather I'm guessing that your draft is just stronger.
Are you using a pipe damper?

Hi Dairyman

Primary air seems to be the same as new. Today its 30 degrees and burning the same when it was -30. No general part of the firebox seems like it is getting more air than another. I do have a strong draft but am not running a damper.

The fire box just seems to have more flame than normal and the secondaries don't kick-in like they have in the past.

I will let it cool overnight and give it an inspection and dollar bill test tomorrow.

Dave

 

[begreen]

While the stove is burning take an incense stick, punk or cigarette and move it around the edges of the door, stove body and all seams. Watch for the smoke being pulled into the stove. That will indicate a possible area that needs better sealing.

 

[Midalake]

While the stove is burning take an incense stick, punk or cigarette and move it around the edges of the door, stove body and all seams. Watch for the smoke being pulled into the stove. That will indicate a possible area that needs better sealing.

On inspection this morning everything looked ok. The dollar bill was locked up around the whole door. On the bottom of the door I could pull the dollar bill but with lots of force,,,,close to break point. Stove was still a little warm but a shaking of the tubes and visual of the ceramic on top everything looked normal. I will try the smoke test.

Dave

 

[swestall]

I had similar issues when I first installed, then I read on the Chimneysweep site that a flue pipe damper improved the performance of the stove as well as control. I installed one. I have double wall to the stove and put the damper about 8 inches above the stove output in the pipe adapter. What a difference. One problem I had was if I really got it going it was hard to shut it down and the temps on the stove went way up - 750 once. With the damper there is significantly more control. I get it going and close the damper a bit (3/4 on) then cut the air supply back to about 1/4 (just so my little finger tip will fit between the damper control and the stop). You can see the secondaries and fire go slow on you , but the still burn well and there is not any smoke out the chimney at all.... I would not burn an EPA stove without this now, especially a Hearthsone. OH, I have the Mansfield as well.
My only problem is that I only get about 3-4 hours of hot heat generating fire and then it has burned to big coals that are cooler on the burn. I don't want to go through wood like crazy so this is a pain. It makes me wonder if those PE stoves are actually better of if this is just the way it is. I used to have one of the old VC Defiants with the CAT; that burned a lot longer and hotter....I guess just lots of trade offs.
Anyway, try the pipe damper, once you get use to it you won't burn any stove without it.

 

[burnham]

Nothing much to add but I'm having similar problems with my Mansfield. Hardly any secondary burn, low stovetop temps. I am using an outside air kit.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Nothing much to add but I'm having similar problems with my Mansfield. Hardly any secondary burn, low stovetop temps. I am using an outside air kit.

Do you have a damper?

 

[burnham]

Do you have a damper?

yes

 

[swestall]

I was closing my damper more last year. 1/2 to 3/4, this year I've been experimenting with not going beyond 1/2 unless it is "ripping" after an hour or so. This is working much better for me. My secondaries are always lit off, even when my primary is still open to 1/2. I close the primary down to about 1/4 or so and the exhaust damper to only 1/2 and the fire burns longer, hotter and with good stone heat. I do still get coals, but I am burning OAK so that comes with it to a degree.

 

[burnham]

I just disconnected my OAK and capped it, leaving the stove to pull air from the basement instead of the outdoors. Much hotter fire, stove is getting up to temp and secondaries are burning again.
In the back of the stove there was creosote on the stones and metal pipes/duct. I'm guessing the very cold air coming into the stove was cooling it down too much. I'm going to have to do something with my piping for the OAK to allow the air to come up in temp before it hits the stove.