OAK bad bad no no inside of stove

[Xena]

I'm now contemplating disconnecting the OAK I installed this Fall.
Cleaned the stove today and for the first time ever, saw rust and don't like it.
Going into yr #4 with this stove and never had a hint of any rust in there
until now so I know it has to be because of the OAK and a combination
of the abnormally warm/wet weather we've been having here. Bummer.

 

[insuranceman1]

I'm now contemplating disconnecting the OAK I installed this Fall.
Cleaned the stove today and for the first time ever, saw rust and don't like it.
Going into yr #4 with this stove and never had a hint of any rust in there
until now so I know it has to be because of the OAK and a combination
of the abnormally warm/wet weather we've been having here. Bummer.

I had mentioned on another thread that I thought the moisture from the outside air may cause rust. Most people say the stove will dry the air but what about when the stove is off. The oak is still allowing the moist air in to stove. I am happy without the oak on my stove.

 

[krooser]

If you burn your stove on high once per week you'll never see any rust. I believe most rust issues are caused by burning on low which makes for a smoky fire, incomplete combustion and acids from that poor combustion.

that's why auto manufacturers say to change you oil more often if you only make short trips... the engine never gets hot enough to burn off the contaminants...

 

[Xena]

Krooser that sounds great in theory but just isn't true.
Since day one with this stove I've done a daily high burn for 30 minutes
every day so unfortunately that doesn't solve the rust problem that
has begun since installing the OAK.

 

[insuranceman1]

If you burn your stove on high once per week you'll never see any rust. I believe most rust issues are caused by burning on low which makes for a smoky fire, incomplete combustion and acids from that poor combustion.

that's why auto manufacturers say to change you oil more often if you only make short trips... the engine never gets hot enough to burn off the contaminants...

What about when stove is not in use? Summer, would you unhook your oak? I am no expert at all so I am just wondering because I have considered adding an oak. Thanks

 

[bungalobob]

I'm now contemplating disconnecting the OAK I installed this Fall.
Cleaned the stove today and for the first time ever, saw rust and don't like it.
Going into yr #4 with this stove and never had a hint of any rust in there
until now so I know it has to be because of the OAK and a combination
of the abnormally warm/wet weather we've been having here. Bummer.

Hey, Zeta, sorry to hear about that. I have only been running mine for a few weeks and was planning on checking for that after about a month of running. Read of others with this problem, but I thought it might have had to do with those that had moisture dripping off their air supply piping, possibly because they were getting their humidity to high in the house. I have not had any of that yet. Did you have any moisture on yours? I really like having the option of an OAK, it allowed me to install where I did, plus not having drafts near windows and doors is great.

 

[Xena]

What about when stove is not in use? Summer, would you unhook your oak?
I am no expert at all so I am just wondering because I have considered adding an oak. Thanks

Hi insuranceman1. As I said, I'm going into the 4th year with this stove.
Just installed the OAK this Fall. Never had a rust problem in the
previous years with no outside air, which is why I think I can safely say the rust is most
likely because of the warm/wet days we've had. A daily high burn for 30 minutes every day has also
been my practice since day one so the only difference in this equation is the OAK.

Anyway, I disconnected it before firing the stove back up after todays cleaning.
Maybe will reconnect it once the cold temps settle back in - if they ever do that is.
Will definitely disconnect it when the heating season is over though.


Bungalobob - Nope. No condensation on the length of pipe in the basement, or dripping
from the outside of it where it exits the house.

 

[bungalobob]

Well, I'll be doing my first in depth cleaning next week. I'll post my findings, hopefully no sign of rust. Brought a bag of pellets in from the garage a little while ago, lots of moisture on the bags out there. Crazy weather for sure.

 

[Xena]

Same here on the condensation on the bags in the garage.
I ran a 50,000 btu kerosene heater out there for a few
hours today to dry the place up some. Colder weather on
the way should fix that problem.

 

[krooser]

My outside air comes in the vent pipe. from around the hot exhaust.. it sems to work pretty good.

Where do you see that rust?

 

[Xena]

My st croix has a separate inlet for an outside air pipe.
The rust was just about everywhere there was ash.
As I said, going into yr #4 and never had it before
until now. Stove was completely rust free inside before
and I'd like to keep it that way.

Going to leave it disconnected until the next cleaning.
Wire brushed most of it away so I will know if it occurs again.
If there is no additional rust at the next interval as I suspect
there won't be, the oak stays off.

 

[Lobstah]

Couple of things.
It may be more of an indictment against the finish used on the stove than just the OAK.
Also, I'd brush any loose rust off, and just hit it with a rust converter/paint, and continue to use the OAK. Better combustion with colder air (more dense), and not pulling as much cold air into the house.

just my $.00000002,

Jim

 

[Dougsey]

Zeta, I disconnected my OAK last season after two middle of the night shutdowns that I attributed to pressure switch trips.

They both happened on very cold nights.

Have not had a shutdown since.

 

[Xena]

Couple of things.
It may be more of an indictment against the finish used on the stove than just the OAK.
Also, I'd brush any loose rust off, and just hit it with a rust converter/paint,
and continue to use the OAK.

Nah, doubt it has to do with fit/finish. Never had it before, installed oak,
4 weeks later cleaned stove = rust.

Thanks for the suggestion but can't get a paint can in many of the
areas where the rust was and I would rather my stove not rust out.
(As I said, it was almost everywhere there was ash buildup)
Wasn't heavy rust, simply because the oak hasn't been connected
all that long.

Burned 24/7 for the first 3 years with no ill effects to the stove
so if I have to leave the outside air disconnnected it's no biggy.

 

[cac4]

Just because 2 things happen at or around the same time, does not create a cause and effect.

"finish" wears over time. The only way you could show a cause/effect here is if you had another identical stove, purchased at the same time, used in the exact same way for 4 years, THEN put an OAK on one and not the other.

Not to mention, the air outside your house is much drier than the air INSIDE your house. What you're suggesting is that you will inhibit further corrosion by exposing unprotected iron to MORE moisture...it just doesn't make any sense at all.

 

[Xena]

Not to mention, the air outside your house is much drier than the air INSIDE your house.
What you're suggesting is that you will inhibit further corrosion by exposing unprotected
iron to MORE moisture...it just doesn't make any sense at all.

I'm not a meteorologist so whatever, but considering that the rust
wasn't even really penetrating the metal
so much as it was sort of mixed in with the ash and left
sort of a stain in the spot - sort of the same way it would
if you left a wet brillo pad sitting on your counter. The
painted metal where that ash sat is not tainted, and is
not bare or unprotected metal... In fact, now that I cleaned
it off there is no sign that it was ever there...so that's why
I'm going to leave the oak disconnected for 4 weeks.

If there is no more rust at the next cleaning, then I
will reconnect for 4 more weeks. If the moisture reappears after that,
I'm going to definitely say it was caused by the combo of wet/dry weather
getting sucked in via the outside air. Not asking anyone to agree or
disagree with me but if my findings are as I suspect I will leave the
kit disconnected.

 

[Lobstah]

"cac4, the rust wasn’t even really penetrating the metal
so much as it was sort of mixed in with the ash and left
sort of a stain in the spot - sort of the same way it would
if you left a wet brillo pad sitting on your counter. The
painted metal where that ash sat is not tainted at all. "

Now I'm confused. So there was a rust stain from the ash, on the paint?...
But it's not actual rust?

Jim

 

[Xena]

Lol. The ash had moisture in it that when sitting on the metal
started to produce a rust stain. I'm sure if I didn't clean the
stove it would have continued to build up and eat away at the
metal. Was definitely rust it just hadn't had enough time to
destroy anything yet.

 

[smirnov3]

last summer, I had a lot of rust develop on a new stove. from that I learned that

1) as soon as the burn season ends, clean & empty the stove - the ash absorbes moisture & can create a corrosive mixture. At the very least, it will trap moisture right up against the metal

2) spray PAM (or any other vegetable oil aerosol) onto all metal surfaces inside the stove. If outside (humid) air can reach it via the exhaust flue, spray it. you can use WD-40 or any other oil that you like, but keep in mind that you will be breathing some of that when you fire up the stove in the fall. that's why I stick with the vegetable oils.

 

[StrangeRanger]

last summer, I had a lot of rust develop on a new stove. from that I learned that

1) as soon as the burn season ends, clean & empty the stove - the ash absorbes moisture & can create a corrosive mixture. At the very least, it will trap moisture right up against the metal

2) spray PAM (or any other vegetable oil aerosol) onto all metal surfaces inside the stove. If outside (humid) air can reach it via the exhaust flue, spray it. you can use WD-40 or any other oil that you like, but keep in mind that you will be breathing some of that when you fire up the stove in the fall. that's why I stick with the vegetable oils.

WD-40 is a water displacer, not really a lube, and will evaporate very quickly. Not really a good choice for long term protection. The vege oil based products will give better results over time.
j

 

[PunKid8888]

I have not had my stove a whole season yet, but on the really warm humid days I have seen moisture droplets on the under side of my burn pot plate (stove off) a little surface rust might develop but nothing to be worried about. As soon as the burn season is over I plan on doing a full clean and ductapeing the intake an exhaust outside. should have no problem

 

[Skunk]

Echo the "mostly harmless surface rust" sentiment. If the ash is collecting the moisture, and you're regularly cleaning out and scraping the ash, then *shrug*?

From all research, the benefits to the OAK outweigh this con (imho).

You'd really think that burning the stove high at intervals would mitigate any issue too.. huh.

 

[bungalobob]

Zeta, ever wish you never said anything at all about something?

 

[mnoack]

last summer, I had a lot of rust develop on a new stove. from that I learned that

1) as soon as the burn season ends, clean & empty the stove - the ash absorbes moisture & can create a corrosive mixture. At the very least, it will trap moisture right up against the metal

2) spray PAM (or any other vegetable oil aerosol) onto all metal surfaces inside the stove. If outside (humid) air can reach it via the exhaust flue, spray it. you can use WD-40 or any other oil that you like, but keep in mind that you will be breathing some of that when you fire up the stove in the fall. that's why I stick with the vegetable oils.

I had this problem as well. A lot of condensation & rust buildup on the stove during the time when it was not running.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

sometimes moisture can accumulate in the stove entering through the oak during the summer months as well , usually its more prevalent in stoves with full liners going up flues as they 'draw" a bit, what ive recommended in the past to help dessicate stoves in the off season is a couple boxes of baking soda like you put in your fridge. this not only absorbs moisture but also helps with the "stack smell" you can get from the stove setting idle with what little ash is left in the unit accumulating moisture. as a rule also you should never leave pellets in the hopper over the summer as they can absorb moisture and swell in extreme cases and not burn well in more moderate ones. i put one box in the burn pot and one in the hopper. ive not seen rust at all with my unit since doing this.