I can SMELL SMOKE but can't SEE SMOKE ??????

[lope]

Every time I reload my heater, we can SMELL SMOKE. We were getting visible smoke out the heater on reload until we extended the flue. Now our flue is over 175cm above the roof opening and more then 5 meters from the hearth. The heater is working much better but still get smoke.

We are still getting the SMELL of SMOKE but we CAN'T SEE THE SMOKE coming out when we open the door to load new wood. We can't see smoke coming out any other place, like the flue etc. We only get the SMELL of smoke after we reload firewood.

The firewood moisture content is around 16%, so I don't think it is the wood.

I am burning hardwood on the Lopi Answer - and was told that these heaters were originally design to burn softwood and later modified for Australian hardwood. I wonder if this might be a problem?

I am also wondering if:

On startup, I can always see smoke coming out down the air inlet, while at the same time I cna see smoke going up pass the baffle and up the flue. The air inlet is at the bottom of the Lopi. So at the same time I see smoke going up the flue and down the air inlet.

I should now try and observe the air inlet while I reload the heater and after I close the door. I wonder if smoke might be escaping from there as well after reloading fresh firewood.

Is fore wood smoke always visible? If I am smelling smoke in the house, should I also be seeing the smoke coming out the heater?

In other words, can I rule out that the smoke smell is coming out from the heater, just because I can't see the smoke coming out from the heater?

 

[Ashful]

If you're sure your flue is clear and not blocked off somehow, then smoke out the inlet is classic draft reversal. This can be caused by several things, but is most often seen in basement installs. It also normally only happens on a cold flue, and usually self-corrects when the flue is heated.

Bottom line, if you're getting smoke out the inlet, the problem is your venting (flue), not the stove.

1. Get eyeballs down the flue, make sure it's clear.
2. Open a window in the stove room to see if it fixes the draft reversal. If it does, you're a candidate for an outside air kit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[iamlucky13]

Your nose is an incredible instrument - in its own way, equally as amazing as your eyes. It's insanely sensitive to very minute quantities. You will smell smoke well before it's thick enough to be visible.

As far as I know, a minor amount of smoke smell when you reload is not anything to worry about - a hot bed of coals and fresh wood catching seems to produce enough expanding gases that when the door is open so the flow is less controlled, some of it wafts into the room. If it's strong and persists more than a couple minutes after you close the door, though, I'd keep trying to figure out what's going on.

I think the common trick for more clearly checking for reversal is to place an incense stick or other light source of visible smoke near the inlet and see if smoke is blown away from the inlet instead of pulled in.

 

[fbelec]

what i tried is at night pitch black shut off all lights a use a flashlight across and above your stove and pipe if it is leaking you'll see it. i found a leak that way on my defiant

 

[lope]

For any one that might have read these posts. After insisting with the seller, and they coming several times to turn a fire on, and reporting very strongly that it was their unanimous professional opinion that the heater was working perfectly fine.... I had a representative of Lopi drive more than two hours to my house, and in less then 15 minutes, he inspected the heater and detected the problem. Yes There was a problem in the installation of the flue, which was placed in a manner that it landed a few millimetres off the baffle.

Had the installer come back, install a ring in the flue so it sits as it should --- and wow --- there is draft and now we are happy.

So the professionals that came to my house to burn a fire and see how it was working, really knew nothing about how a wood fire heater should work. Incredible.

 

[velvetfoot]

I'll repeat my "there are lot of bozos in the world" remark from another thread.
Even with the trials and tribulations, it must feel great to finally get a solution!
As your winter is winding down, but a solution nonetheless!

 

[Ashful]

So the professionals that came to my house to burn a fire and see how it was working, really knew nothing about how a wood fire heater should work. Incredible.

This has been my experience with most stove dealers. Of course, it's not in their interest to find a problem with their installation. Please don't tell @webby3650.

 

[bholler]

This has been my experience with most stove dealers. Of course, it's not in their interest to find a problem with their installation. Please don't tell

I have seen it many times as well. The stove shop has been there multiple times and cant find any issue I come in and find something in no time. It does not make sense to me that they would over look something to avoid looking bad. You will look much better if you fix the problem and admit there was a mistake. I just think more often than not guys like that just dont know what they are doing.