I bought a used 12 year old lennox striker c160 fireplace insert, in great condition. One of those EPA burning stoves with baffle. I also bought and installed FireFlex 316L/Ti Basic Flexible Chimney Liner and insulated it. On my first day of using I had an overfire/out of control fire. My last stove in a different house was old school. No baffle. I would heat that stove up, get some hot coals, and load it up on the coals and turn down the damper for a long burn overnight. I did that with this stove, and came back down about an hour later to a roaring fire, even though my air control was turned all the way down. The stove was VERY hot, my stove temperature gauge was buried (not sure how accurate it was because just bought it) and I almost had a heart attack. Anyway, I didn't know what to do. I just sat there for a minute, contemplated hosing it with a fire extinguisher or water but was afraid to open the damper control or door out of fear it would rage hotter. After a few minutes, I ended up shoving a wet rag in the area where the damper air goes in and it settled down and started cooling off. I didn't have the surround panels on so I could see the liner between the stove and the block off plate. The liner and the stove were not glowing to my knowledge but the chimney liner did change colors to a yellow/gold/brown color. Besides changing my burning technique, should I be concerned about the stove or liner?
Overfire!!!
- Thread starter etsov
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The Striker is a good small stove with a modern secondary reburn system. The primary air control regulates the airwash air to the fire, the secondary air going to the tubes is unregulated. What happened is that the wood was put on a too hot coal bed causing it to outgas very rapidly. The wood gases were ignited by air fed through the secondary causing a dramatic fire bloom as the wood gases were burned. Modern stoves are designed to not smolder, wasting fuel in the form of smoke up the flue.
Another factor might be strong draft. How tall is the liner on the stove and how cold was it outside?
It takes a little time to relearn burning habits, but don't worry too much. This is a good stove. One thing to check is the stove door gasket to make sure it is not leaking and contributing additional air to the fire. Do the dollar bill test all around the door to verify the gasket is sealing well. The next time, burn the coal bed down further before reloading, and consider burning thicker splits if possible.
Another factor might be strong draft. How tall is the liner on the stove and how cold was it outside?
It takes a little time to relearn burning habits, but don't worry too much. This is a good stove. One thing to check is the stove door gasket to make sure it is not leaking and contributing additional air to the fire. Do the dollar bill test all around the door to verify the gasket is sealing well. The next time, burn the coal bed down further before reloading, and consider burning thicker splits if possible.
Thank you! The liner is 18' tall. It was 32" outside. The door gasket looks good but I'll check it as you said. I think that air control on full close still lets in air, and when I shoved a wet rag in where the air enters, it seemed to settle down, but I suppose that may have been a coincidence. A few questions:
1) How hot can an overfire get and can it ruin a brand new liner that is rated to 2100f?
2) Should I be concerned about the yellow brown look of the liner? Is there some color that it could turn which would be worrisome?
3) What should I do in a future overfire situation if it happens if I can't stop the air? I thought I read somewhere opening up the damper can help but that seems counterintuitive.
4) Where does the primary air control air enter the system? I thought it was the tubes but I guess not.
5) Is there a way to control the air that goes to the tubes?
Sorry for all the questions but I like to know how things work, especially something like this.
1) How hot can an overfire get and can it ruin a brand new liner that is rated to 2100f?
2) Should I be concerned about the yellow brown look of the liner? Is there some color that it could turn which would be worrisome?
3) What should I do in a future overfire situation if it happens if I can't stop the air? I thought I read somewhere opening up the damper can help but that seems counterintuitive.
4) Where does the primary air control air enter the system? I thought it was the tubes but I guess not.
5) Is there a way to control the air that goes to the tubes?
Sorry for all the questions but I like to know how things work, especially something like this.
Yes, that is typical to avoid smoldering the fire.
The liner is fine. The highest heat is in the firebox. A bit of discoloration is typical.
At this point, I'm not sure this was an overfire, vs a really robust burn. The best thing is to avoid it by not setting up the conditions for such rapid outgassing of the wood volatiles. If there is a hot coal bed, open up the air at least 50% for about 30 minutes before the reload to burn it down quicker. Reload with larger splits. Small, thin splits will outgas faster.
If this happens again, the best thing is to not panic. Stay calm. Do not open the air control. What you did worked well. Another option would be to open up the stove door. This will flood the firebox with cooler air, but it will also stop secondary combustion which after a minute will tame the fire.
The secondary air goes through the tubes and is unregulated. There is no option to control it.
And if all fails and things are getting worse after letting in cooling air, dry sand. It's safe for the stove and covers the fuel. You can scoop it out after all is said and done.
If it makes you feel safer, have a bucket and shovel nearby (not too close, plastic bucket etc...)
If it makes you feel safer, have a bucket and shovel nearby (not too close, plastic bucket etc...)
Thanks everyone. I still think it was an overfire. A few other notes. First, as I came down the stairs I smelled the fire. Second, the stove was almost too hot to approach. Third, I loaded the stove all the way to the top, small dry splits. I crisscrossed the wood so there was good air gaps between layers. Wood very close to what I now know are the secondary burn tubes (The burn tubes provided air for the fire to grow at the top). The stove thermometer was buried. The max temp on the thermometer is 900. It was way past that. On closer inspection, the liner is now gold brown. At some ridges, after scrubbing a bit it is grey.
My hope was the thermometer is broken. It's brand new but it was cheap off amazon.
Anyway, everything seems to be running fine now, although I am super paranoid about reloading the thing before going to bed. Obviously, I wouldn't load it like I did, but still, it makes me nervous. Are there any good threads about reloading a small stove?
My hope was the thermometer is broken. It's brand new but it was cheap off amazon.
Anyway, everything seems to be running fine now, although I am super paranoid about reloading the thing before going to bed. Obviously, I wouldn't load it like I did, but still, it makes me nervous. Are there any good threads about reloading a small stove?
brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
Or ashes...if you have a bucket of ashes near by, shovel that in...
Yes. Ashes too. But I keep those outside.
I have some dry sand available always (for when the steps to the front door get icy), so put some in a bucket in the garage (walkout basement) that I can get to in a few seconds.
Sand or ashes save your stove. Water will crack an overheated stove. Fire extinguishers might corrode it. Don't hesitate to use those if truly needed, but I'd first try sand (or ashes).
I have some dry sand available always (for when the steps to the front door get icy), so put some in a bucket in the garage (walkout basement) that I can get to in a few seconds.
Sand or ashes save your stove. Water will crack an overheated stove. Fire extinguishers might corrode it. Don't hesitate to use those if truly needed, but I'd first try sand (or ashes).
It sounds to me like the small dry splits and criss crossing is why it burned the way it did. Use larger pieces and pack them together to slow down the burn.
Yup, That's a good Starting fire set up (use top down for the best starts). But for reload on lots of hot coals, try Bigger splits or if you don't have those then pack smaller ones tighter to create bigger "like" splits.
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