liquid creosote?

[warm in VT]

I saw something last night in the boiler that I don't think I have ever seen. My wife mentioned a puddle she saw inside the firebox when I got home from work! Of course that caught my attention, a puddle??? It was in the front right hand corner of the unit in the firebox itself. I have had a build up of creosote in the corners and they have hardened like cement. The other day, when cleaning the unit I found some of it was gooey (technical term). When I opened the door last night I found the whole corner had turned to a pool of black tar, the consistency of water. It has been colder here lately with more heat in the firebox I assume. Has anyone else ever seen this? It couldn't be water and stay in the firebox and when I dipped my poker in it, it came out coated in a layer of black liquid tar.

 

[Tree farmer]

When I get into some higher mc wood I see the similar results in the firebox, but not to that extent. I would guess you had some moist wood. With cold weather coming I have sorted the drier wood from the not so dry wood. will load with the drier stuff and throw some moist on top of the load and this seems to work.

 

[warm in VT]

This is not new creosote, this appears to be the stuff that has accumulated in the corner since it started running in Oct. and has liquified apparently. I am burning wood measuring at 18-20% MC. I have even split the wood to get an internal reading and not just a reading of the exterior. If anything this wood is the most seasoned I have burnt so far this season. My wife called and told me when she went out this morning the pool (maybe a cup of liquid) was still there but appeared to have soildified somewhat overnight but was still gel like. We had -12' when I left this morning at 0530 hours. All is working well and plenty of wood still in the firebox this morning, I was just curious if anyone had seen anything like this.

 

[Tree farmer]

That would puzzle me as well then, the only other thing I have noticed is when I burn hemlock and pine it yields more liquid like creosote around the bottom of the front door. I just scrape it into the coals and watch it burn. Cold weather coming and I don't think their will be as much idling time - can't wait to see how she preforms.