Help please, my Vigilant is not operating correctly

[Montgomery413]

I've been running my Vigilant wood stove for the better part of this winter. As I have posted before the front door are not flush and warped. Where to doors meet is always hot and the paint has already turned white. I took some advise from a member here and adjusted the doors to create a better seal. That worked, kind of. The top of the doors sealed much better, I was able to pass the dollar bill test, but the bottom of the doors failed the test.

I have been burning like this for the better part of a month. The other night I was burning as I usual do and I noticed the doors (where the 2 doors meet) were glowing red. The stove was in secondary combustion and the primary air flap was slightly open and the griddle temperature was around 400. I have never had an issue like this before on a wood stove.

Tonight I had the same problem. This time the doors where slightly red, the griddle temperature was around 350. When I got my infrared thermometer out I got a temperature on the doors around 800, while the rest of the stove was between 300-500.

I assume it is my door seal causing excess air in heating up the coals. Thanks for any advice. I'm still looking on craigslist for a good set of used doors.

 

[claydogg84]

What advice are you looking for? The stove, at any location, should never be glowing red. If you can't fix the door air leak issue, the stove should not be loaded full and left unattended. It's probably time to start looking for a replacement.

 

[Montgomery413]

I completely understand that the stove should never be glowing red in any location. It just seems strange to me that this is happening. Am I correct that the door leak is most likely causing the uneven heating? Or is there something else going on?

 

[defiant3]

Well here's what usually causes this: Primary air enters the firebox through a series of holes in the fireback , There's like 6 of them I think. But it ALSO comes in through an air tube on the left side of the firebox, which dumps in at the base of the left door. IF the holes in the fireback become obstructed, then ALL hat air comes in below the door creating like blow torch effect. It can happen even when the holes seem to be clear. Don't know why, but a chronic problem in "short door" Vig.'s. Just for fun, try plugging the end of the air tube with some pink insulation and see if anything changes...

 

[defiant3]

Many times the real problem is that ashes build up to obstruct the holes in the fireback, so keep her shoveled out! But always keep like 1 1/2" of material in there to keep the bottom from cracking. Don't clean it out completely in other words.

 

[Montgomery413]

That makes a lot of sense. I've been good with the ask and keeping it clear but leaving a layer to prevent cracking. I was thinking it had something to do with air coming out the front of the primary air tube because of the location of the concentrated heat. I have been keeping the holes in the back of the stove free of ash but I always thought those are part of the secondary combustion system? If I'm not mistaken you are saying there are more holes on the primary air tube? Or just the 6 visible holes in the back left of the stove. Is there a way to clear that passage way?

 

[fbelec]

another thing you can do until you can fix it is keep a thick layer of ash up against the door it should help until you can fix it in spring. when this happens to me this is what i do and it doesn't glow.