Weird ash on rug - Mt Vernon AE?

[jlar]

Hello,

I have a strange issue that i believe started maybe last year but maybe earlier. I have a the Mt Vernon AE and it is fairly old (close to 18 years or so, I think). I recently cleaned it and got it ready for this year use. The stove started up and ran fine. A while later I walked into the room and noticed a black "spot" on the rug a few feet out from the stove. See attached pics. It is very light, very black ashy, and fails apart at the touch leaving your fingers sooty. It reminds me of the texture of dryer lint.

I have had this happen a couple times already this year and noticed it a few times last year. I believe that the only place it could be coming from is out the top inside air vent ... the vents that provide the heat to the room. I am just confused as to what it could be and concerned if there is some safety issue. I do clean the blower "squirrel cage" but it gets dirty again pretty quick. The stuff on the cage is similar in texture. I don't clean anything after the blower as I don't really have much access to it and it was never suggested that it was needed. Could it get hot enough to char something?

Anybody seen this before? Any thoughts are appreciated.

Jim

 

[Whitenuckler]

Hello,

I have a strange issue that i believe started maybe last year but maybe earlier. I have a the Mt Vernon AE and it is fairly old (close to 18 years or so, I think). I recently cleaned it and got it ready for this year use. The stove started up and ran fine. A while later I walked into the room and noticed a black "spot" on the rug a few feet out from the stove. See attached pics. It is very light, very black ashy, and fails apart at the touch leaving your fingers sooty. It reminds me of the texture of dryer lint.

I have had this happen a couple times already this year and noticed it a few times last year. I believe that the only place it could be coming from is out the top inside air vent ... the vents that provide the heat to the room. I am just confused as to what it could be and concerned if there is some safety issue. I do clean the blower "squirrel cage" but it gets dirty again pretty quick. The stuff on the cage is similar in texture. I don't clean anything after the blower as I don't really have much access to it and it was never suggested that it was needed. Could it get hot enough to char something?

Anybody seen this before? Any thoughts are appreciated.

Jim

That could indicate a leak and do a full internal inspection. It might be time to replace it.

 

[johneh]

That could indicate a leak and do a full internal inspection. It might be time to replace it.

Whitenuckler, I agree it needs a full inspection. The thing that might bother me is that there is no complaint of smoke heavey during start up but also a faint smell when running. Also, the amount of ash seems more than a little through a small hole. It is also black, suggesting incomplete combustion. My feeling is the heat exchanger tubes may have a light coating of dust, lint, and hair clinging to the exchanger tubes. Especially because of the stove's age. Jlar also says the cage gets dirty very quickly. I think I would first try high-pressure air (compressor) blown into the exchanger tubes and see just how much crap blows out. Just a thought

 

[silverfox103]

Are you missing a cat?

Tom

 

[silverfox103]

Not familiar with the Mt Vernon AE but I would guess that something is not getting cleaned that should be.

That seems like a lot of ash, there's got to be a trail or clues, that should be obvious.

I would shut it down and tear it apart. There's got to be a gasket worn, crack someplace or something not put back correctly.

Is your stove an insert? Chimney clear and clean? Vent pipe clean? Door gasket?

I would not hesitate to call the factory or the local dealer, it would be worth the service call.

When all is said and done, it will end up being an easy solution; but you have to hunt it down first.

Good Luck

Tom

 

[jlar]

Thanks for the replies! I haven't dug into it yet but a couple things: I do occasionally get a smokey smell on startup that is pretty noticeable. Been like that for years. I have tried to find the source using things like flashlight and dark room but never found anything. Had a friend who sold and installed stoves come out once and he never found anything specific either. It does not always do it but it is pretty strong when it does. For reference, this is a standalone stove, not an insert, with a direct out the wall straight pipe, no vertical rise. Stove was just cleaned a few weeks ago (except for the squirrel cage) and it has only been run a few times this year.

Also .... tonight I shined my flashlight in the opening where the warm air comes out the top into the room (sorry for not having all correct terminology). I see coatings of dust both in gray (like what is caked on the squirrel cage convection motor) and in black (like that which has hit the rug). As stated before, I have never cleaned anything except the motor for this part of the system. The cage itself is caked up as usual because it is such a pain to clean. I don't see anything sooty in the area behind the two side panels. Dusty, yes, but not black/sooty. Would I see anything if I snaked an inspection camera down to the convection motor? Happy to blow air as a test if you can explain the best method to try it.

I am not opposed to having a pro come out and look. I am just wondering if it really is just something that needs a good cleaning.

And I have no pets to lose ....

Jim

 

[Whitenuckler]

Thanks for the replies! I haven't dug into it yet but a couple things: I do occasionally get a smokey smell on startup that is pretty noticeable. Been like that for years. I have tried to find the source using things like flashlight and dark room but never found anything. Had a friend who sold and installed stoves come out once and he never found anything specific either. It does not always do it but it is pretty strong when it does. For reference, this is a standalone stove, not an insert, with a direct out the wall straight pipe, no vertical rise. Stove was just cleaned a few weeks ago (except for the squirrel cage) and it has only been run a few times this year.

Also .... tonight I shined my flashlight in the opening where the warm air comes out the top into the room (sorry for not having all correct terminology). I see coatings of dust both in gray (like what is caked on the squirrel cage convection motor) and in black (like that which has hit the rug). As stated before, I have never cleaned anything except the motor for this part of the system. The cage itself is caked up as usual because it is such a pain to clean. I don't see anything sooty in the area behind the two side panels. Dusty, yes, but not black/sooty. Would I see anything if I snaked an inspection camera down to the convection motor? Happy to blow air as a test if you can explain the best method to try it.

I am not opposed to having a pro come out and look. I am just wondering if it really is just something that needs a good cleaning.

And I have no pets to lose ....

Jim

If you have, or can borrow an inspection camera and look at the heat exchange tubes that would be a good start. Because the stove interior draws a vacuum, the ash should not be coming out. The room fan blows through the exchange tubes, so if there were a bad weld or crack in them that could explain it. In your picture, is that an ash deposit on the floor in front of the stove?