Problems with burn control

[Adam2050]

Having problems with the burn control on my wood stove, mix of coal and soft/hard wood on atm.

Thing is shut down in all three places yet it's still running away with itself.

What does this point to, it has a flue all the way up to the pot.

Any ideas so I can suggest to my landlord otherwise I fear running through wood like a steam train.

 

[begreen]

Hard to say without knowing the installation better. What stove is this and how tall is the chimney. Has the stove been inspected for leaks and/or cracks?

 

[Adam2050]

Hard to say without knowing the installation better. What stove is this and how tall is the chimney. Has the stove been inspected for leaks and/or cracks?

It's a stratford Eco Boiler 16KW I believe, can't remember the model number it's only about a year old, we had the stop of the chimney redone and the everything put back.

It's standard 2 story cottage if that helps.

Not been inspected, where would a crack likely be, because there's none on the sides or front I can physically see, I understand they can be smaller. It was installed by a HETAS certified engineer in the UK.

 

[begreen]

We don't see this stove over here. It appears to be a secondary burn stove which means the fire will get more vigorous as the air is turned down, until the outgassing stage of the wood is done. Do you have a thermometer on the stove top so that you know how it is running? Small pieces of wood will combust much faster. Have you tried loading larger, thicker wood splits without adding any coal to slow down the burn? Is the stove tied into the hot water radiators?

 

[Adam2050]

We don't see this stove over here. It appears to be a secondary burn stove which means the fire will get more vigorous as the air is turned down, until the outgassing stage of the wood is done. Do you have a thermometer on the stove top so that you know how it is running? Small pieces of wood will combust much faster. Have you tried loading larger, thicker wood splits without adding any coal to slow down the burn? Is the stove tied into the hot water radiators?

Right that makes kinda sense, I used a lot of small wood today then coal then pieces of larger wood, but seems to be still up to speed, so it's best to not load coal until died down and build with larger wood for a slower release of the gases? I will try this on my next burn and let you know. Glad I posted

Yes it's tied into the radiators.

 

[Adam2050]

Though it died down then, right down, so I put larger wood back on accross the bottom, and it's starting to rage again like it's getting air from a source. Something's not right.

 

[begreen]

How are you setting the air control once the fire has started burning well. Are you closing it down in increments until the fire gets lazy?

Wait, this stove has a thermostatic control. It is going to set the air according to the temperature setting and will self regulate. The thermostat should be set to 5 for starting. The grate should be set to +. It looks like there is an airwash control which should be set to the minimum it takes to keep the glass reasonably clear.

 

[Adam2050]

How are you setting the air control once the fire has started burning well. Are you closing it down in increments until the fire gets lazy?

Just shutting it tight all places, but it's raging away from stage go.

 

[Grisu]

Have your checked your door gaskets for a tight seal?

 

[Adam2050]

Have your checked your door gaskets for a tight seal?

How would I go about doing that? And if it was that how would I sort it?

 

[Grisu]

Take a 5 Euro bill (or a dollar bill if you have one). Open the door of the cold stove, hold the bill along the frame, close the door so that the bill gets squeezed between the gasket and the frame. Pull on it. With a good seal the bill should come out only with considerable resistance. If you can easily pull it out, your gasket should be replaced. Check your manual and/or ask the manufacturer. Do the test at several locations along the door opening.

 

[Adam2050]

Take a 5 Euro bill (or a dollar bill if you have one). Open the door of the cold stove, hold the bill along the frame, close the door so that the bill gets squeezed between the gasket and the frame. Pull on it. With a good seal the bill should come out only with considerable resistance. If you can easily pull it out, your gasket should be replaced. Check your manual and/or ask the manufacturer. Do the test at several locations along the door opening.

I will check that one tomorrow, should it of gone so early in it's life or is it like anything else poor build quality these days.