It finally happened last night!!

[lopiliberty]

Loaded the stove last night as usual with oak and locust got it cruising around 600 degrees and went to bed. Something told me to go back down and check the stove. Good thing I did. As soon as I came down the stairs and rounded the corner I could see a spot the size of your fist glowing red dead center of the stovetop. Air was completely shut down so I turned the fan on full blast. It showed no signs of slowing down I swear it was so hot the firebrick were glowing. So I covered the air holes and it still took longer than I wanted to cool down. Its amazing how this stove can take off when you think its all settled in for a long burn

 

[begreen]

Maybe the result of high draft? Is there a damper in the stove pipe?

 

[lopiliberty]

Maybe the result of high draft? Is there a damper in the stove pipe?

No pipe damper. I've been thinking on and off about adding one. It was only 48 degrees when this happened. Flue is 20 straight up and it seems to draft like crazy. Sometimes I think its going to suck the wood right up and out.

 

[lopiliberty]

Funny thing is flue temp was between 350 and 400 where it normally runs. Flue temp also verified with my IR thermometer

 

[begreen]

That is an odd one. Good that you caught it happening.

 

[jotul8e2]

I have never had this happen with any stove, but I realize it can and does. So what is the best procedure?

In such an event my plan has always been to open the door all the way. This turns a stove into an open fireplace, kills the secondaries, and should (I would think) quickly reduce the firebox temperature - I expect in just three or four minutes. There is a danger from embers, to be sure, but the danger of an overheated flue is considerable as well; and by definition there will be a huge draft going which should minimize the sparks and embers coming into the room. If my thinking on this is in error, someone please correct me before I make a mistake.

 

[tarzan]

I had that happen a couple times in the few years I ran a tube stove. Sorta just happened, no explanation that I could come up with! The good and bad was my bedroom is a couple feet and a wall away from the stove. When it ran away on me I could here the stove "ticking" a little too much and went to check on it. On the other hand, I would lie awake sometimes listening to those "ticks" after a runaway.

Like you, I would shut the draft to the same spot day or night but the thing that I find interesting is no matter the weather, pressure, temperature, etc. my experience and from others threads on this topic this is something that almost always happens only at night shortly after bed time! (Yikes)

 

[rdust]

My Endeavor never glowed red but it liked to run hot! Spoiled now with a stove that is repeatable/predictable load after load.

 

[Simonkenton]

Maybe the Lopi Liberty is not the best wood stove on the planet.

 

[BrotherBart]

Maybe the Lopi Liberty is not the best wood stove on the planet.

Maybe not, but it is a pretty dang great one.

 

[Woody Stover]

Hmmm...Black Locust? That stuff can burn pretty danged hot, once it gets going.

 

[ddahlgren]

Opening the loading door will cool down wood or coal for that matter. Opening a door to the outside at the same time insures it will get cold outside air to help.

 

[Smoked]

Ill have to remember to post after I brush my liners but I like having a damper added this year. Only dialed them back in certain weather conditions but I felt a little better about unattended burns having that closed down a bit!

 

[JA600L]

I agree with those who say open the door or draft control. The more you close it down the harder the pull on the secondaries. If the draft is strong it can turn secondaries into a torch.

 

[begreen]

8 yrs in the T6 and I have never had a runaway that wasn't my fault. Even then they weren't runaways in that the stove was pretty easy to bring back down in temp. Most frequent mistake on my part has been getting distracted with the door not closed tight. Second most is not turning down the air soon enough. Now that I go by flue temp almost exclusively I am turning it down much sooner then when I did it by stove top temp.

 

[ddahlgren]

Never had the wood stove get away from me as never had very much wood good enough to get that hot. I have had a couple moments with coal. Coal changes temps slowly so it can creep up from what you have in mind. After a bit of time working with it you do get the hang of at what outside air temperature what you need for an air setting.

 

[brickie]

My new Endeavor can easily over fire. I always watch the flue temps.
I have some beautifully seasoned hard wood and MAN you gotta watch it!
If I didn't have a fan I wouldn't be comfortable with this stove.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like there may be strong draft on the stove. Is there a key damper installed?

 

[brickie]

Sounds like there may be strong draft on the stove. Is there a key damper installed?

No. it was installed by "Stove King" in Danielson, Ct. where I purchased it.
I really hate key dampers, they seem so cheaply made.
Springs wear out in no time.

 

[begreen]

?? A good key damper will last a very long time. I removed one that was over 20 yrs old when I moved our stove location. The other option might be to locate and block the boost air feed to the firebox if there is one.

 

[brickie]

Please show me where you buy them, nothing but junk out here.

 

[lopiliberty]

Hmmm...Black Locust? That stuff can burn pretty danged hot, once it gets going.

Not sure. When fresh cut its yellow. I never put more than 3 pieces of locust in at a time. I think I'm finally seeing what happens when you have truly seasoned firewood

Maybe not, but it is a pretty dang great one.

It sure is

 

[CenterTree]

Sometimes you think you got the stove set in a "perfect" cruising setting and you leave it alone and then the wind
picks up considerably and you suddenly got stronger draft than you had when you left.

Therefore the stove temp rises as more fuel is ignited from more draft. All while you're counting sheep.

 

[BradleyW]

I like to wait at least an hour after I load the stove before going to bed or leaving the house for this reason. Even if I am shut down to where I think I should be in 30 minutes it's good to wait around a little longer just to be sure.
And I agree with opening the door for a runaway fire--works like a charm.

 

[Chimney Smoke]

What was your stovetop temp when you noticed it glowing? I have a Lopi Republic and the manual says to measure the stovetop temp centered above the door. I know when that area gets around 650 or so the exact center of the stove under the convection deck is always a bit hotter and I wonder it it glows a bit right around the flue there. I have also noticed that with good dry wood my stovetop will get very hot without the flue being dangerous - around 650-700 on a probe.