VC Aspen C3 leaking from back??

[Deere-nh]

I will apologize as the picture was hard to take and not the best. The woodstove is in a fireplace and is a tight fit for me to get back there.

It appears that I may have a little creosote leaking from the back of the stove. It looks like it maybe leaking underneath the back plate. It does look like there is a gasket. In the manual it didn't show that there is a gasket on the back. Curious if anyone had any experience with this issue? Or what size gasket it is. I didn't think that this was part of the burn chamber.

A little back story on the stove, it is a 2021. I purchased used in 2022 and I believe previous owner said he went in the back and adjusted the chain. Also if there is any input on how to adjust the chain back to normal it would be appreciated.

 

[30WCF]

I don’t see any smoke in the picture. Sometimes if I don’t have a good draft going I get smoke out the back. I always assumed it was coming out of the Outside Air Intake. I actually never looked since it’s just on occasion and I know why it’s doing it for 30seconds or a minute while I’m getting the draft going.
You don’t look like you have an airtight seal on the vent duct, so I’d bet that’s where it’s coming from while you are getting established or if you open the door to feed it on a warm day.

 

[30WCF]

It appears that I may have a little creosote leaking from the back of the stove. It looks like it maybe leaking underneath the back plate. It does look like there is a gasket. In the manual it didn't show that there is a gasket on the back. Curious if anyone had any experience with this issue? Or what size gasket it is. I didn't think that this was part of the burn chamber.

There shouldn’t be creasote leaking there. It also looks too light in color to be creasote. Looks more like sooty rain water that may have found its way back there.
If it is creasote, your wool blanket should be drenched in it, and maybe a little got around where the thermostat is and ran down the back. I doubt it though. But, if it’s sooty rain water, I think it would have had to taken the same path.

 

[30WCF]

Looking at it again, I think those may be old stains. There is more over by where the penny is laying. Is it dripping past the block-off plate?

 

[EbS-P]

Clean it up and see if it continues. Some Jotuls would leak when new as the stove cement cured and drive off all the moisture. Had a similar blackish look.

 

[Deere-nh]

I don’t see any smoke in the picture. Sometimes if I don’t have a good draft going I get smoke out the back. I always assumed it was coming out of the Outside Air Intake. I actually never looked since it’s just on occasion and I know why it’s doing it for 30seconds or a minute while I’m getting the draft going.
You don’t look like you have an airtight seal on the vent duct, so I’d bet that’s where it’s coming from while you are getting established or if you open the door to feed it on a warm day.

I have a very strong draft. I think too much where the stove runs very hot around 600F to 800F. Don't believe this is an issue.

I do seem to get a weird smell when the stove is running. I can't pin point where the smell is coming from, or what exactly it smells like but it does seem to through off TVOCs but no PM2.5. I wonder if it is this soot off gasing or something.

Do you think it would be fine to use a foil tape for an air tight seal for the air intake?

 

[Deere-nh]

There shouldn’t be creasote leaking there. It also looks too light in color to be creasote. Looks more like sooty rain water that may have found its way back there.
If it is creasote, your wool blanket should be drenched in it, and maybe a little got around where the thermostat is and ran down the back. I doubt it though. But, if it’s sooty rain water, I think it would have had to taken the same path.

I dont believe it's water. I checked it today and it is sooty. It's also raining pretty good today and it's not wet. Also the liner comes down and goes into a T and there is a 90 directly off the woodstove. So, I think it would be tough to have water get into the stove.

The wool blanket looks good. There does appear to be some creasote in the back wall of the woodstove.

 

[Deere-nh]

Looking at it again, I think those may be old stains. There is more over by where the penny is laying. Is it dripping past the block-off plate?

Yes I believe the stains on the brinks are from the previous fireplace. It's tough to tell if there are any new stains. Curious what your thoughts are inside the stove with the creasote.

 

[30WCF]

Sorry. I spaced off for a while. The bricks look like they are plenty clean, which indicates a good burn. The metal looks real greasy and damp though. I’ll have to take a look at mine to compare. It needs the chimney swept anyway still from winter.

 

[Deere-nh]

I cleaned up the gasket in the back and it still has a smell as soon as the metal is hot. This smell doesn't seem normal to me.

I put a torch inside the firebox and heated the top plate and it seemed to get the same smell.