# Smells like beef jerky?



## Piker (Nov 13, 2008)

New Econoburn up and running.  Thermal storage not completed as of yet, but hopefully before the end of the year.  Thank you to all who helped me out on this install.

Funny thing though... the econoburn puts out a different smell than other stoves... kind of like smoked beef jerky.  I think there is a little smoke escaping around the gasket of the door to the firebox.  The door is tight, but I wonder if there is a way to get the door to seal better?  Why does it smell like a slim-jim?

So far, after one full day and a half of operation... LOVE the boiler.  Tons of heat, and seems to be pretty easy on the wood pile so far... especially considering it's warmer in the house than it's ever been.  Obviously there hasn't been enough time to really tell how the wood usage is going to compare with my old forced air stove, but we're off to a good start.  

Thanks again


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## flyingcow (Nov 13, 2008)

I've heard that roasted mice smell about the same. Might have had a few settling in the econoburn before first fire. :coolsmile:


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## Piker (Nov 13, 2008)

lol... well, I have never heard that one before, but I suppose it's possible.

I don't know... I like a good slim jim from time to time...  but I would rather not smell like one... or a roasted rat either....

lol


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## CowboyAndy (Nov 13, 2008)

I wouldnt mind my house smelling like beef jerky all the time...



my wife might mind, though.


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## Piker (Nov 13, 2008)

Soooo...

does anyone have any ideas to get the door to seal better?


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## JustWood (Nov 13, 2008)

Whoever welded it together left their bologna samich in between the jacket! :gulp:


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## Piker (Nov 13, 2008)

this thread might not help me.

lol


maybe I could just get one of those extra long slim jims and replace the existing gasket with that.  

I just read of someone putting mineral oil on their door seal... what woudl that do?  keep the seal from hardening I take it?


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## flyingcow (Nov 13, 2008)

I've spent quite a bit of time on the phone with econonburn, responded to my  questions quickly. Call them.


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## Piker (Nov 13, 2008)

It's not that I think there is anything wrong with the boiler... not in the least... a door seal is a door seal.  it appears to be hitting on the flange all the way around, but I definitely smell a little smoke coming from around the door.  I don't want to goop it up with hi-temp rtv... that will just make a mess.  I might try the mineral oil.  I think it's supposed to make the seal more supple and keep it from getting hard.  Worst case scenario, the food and drug people come in looking for my beef jerky cooking license when the seal fails altogether... and then I replace the seal.

Sooo... unless anyone says "DON"T DO THAT"... that's what I am going to do.


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## MrEd (Nov 13, 2008)

My Tarm gives off a very pleasant faint smell that is unlike anything I have smelled before. Not quite a smoke smell, but hard to describe. Beef-jerkey? maybe...


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## Piker (Nov 13, 2008)

it must be something in the gasification process that makes that smell... it's not really objectionable... but very different.  

might not be beef jerky... but is smells good enough to eat.


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## MGC67 (Nov 13, 2008)

I must admit I know that smell, I went in to a local dealer today to purchase a hearthstone shelburne and his store smelled like beef jerky.  At the time I could not describe it, you hit the nail on the head though with that description.  It was a little over-powering after spending a long time their.  Hope I dont run into that , my wife will hate wood burning for sure.


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## Nofossil (Nov 13, 2008)

I've noticed two smells. The wood gas that's produced in the primary chamber has a sharp acrid smell and is truly noxious. Even the slightest leak around the upper door gasket will be instantly noticeable.

The flue gas after secondary combustion is usually odorless, but sometimes has what Eric describes as a 'nutty' smell. Pleasant, but in my case very faint if it's present at all, and then only if I open the lower door during operation.

I wonder if there are chemicals used in manufacturing that are cooking off?

No beef jerky smell here, although I do have a smoker that smells pretty dang good even weeks after I've used it.


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## JustWood (Nov 14, 2008)

I heard somewhere , I think from Pook that Eco was putting liquid smoke in their finished boilers to mesmorize new boiler owners . i.e.  a sales gimick to increase  sales. ;-)


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## Piker (Nov 14, 2008)

This topic was a good one.  

Nofossil,
     I agree with you about the different smells respective of the top and bottom burn chambers.  I often like to peer into the lower chamber to see the torch, and it doesn't really smell at all unless you're not getting complete combustion and there is a little smoke down there.  The upper chamber, however... that's where the smell originates... and for what ever reason it doesn't smell like a regular wood stove, I don't know... it just smells like smoked beef jerky.  

To be sure, the door on the upper chamber was a tad leaky.  I read somewhere about someone putting mineral oil on their gasket to cure this...  So, after work today I went to the store to look for mineral oil.  To my great dismay it was located in the laxative isle at walmart and said "Lubricant" on the label.  I couldn't bring myself to take it to the register.  On a whim I looked at the ingredient of "Baby oil" and voila... mineral oil with fragrance.  It seemed more pallatable to purchase "Baby oil" as opposed to "lubricant" so I bought some, took it home, brushed it on the door gasket, and we're good to go.  Cured the problem 100%.  

So if anyone's interested, baby oil on your gasket is the ticket.  I plan on once a week just dabbing a little on for good measure.  I did notice that some creosote ran down off the door and laid on the ledge infront of the gasket... and when I opened the door it made ribbons of creosote that would have gotten trapped in the gasket had I not removed them.  I don't think the creosote in the firebox will be an issue once I get the thermal storage up and running.  That's a few weeks away though.

cheers.


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## pybyr (Nov 14, 2008)

Piker said:
			
		

> This topic was a good one.
> 
> Nofossil,
> I agree with you about the different smells respective of the top and bottom burn chambers.  I often like to peer into the lower chamber to see the torch, and it doesn't really smell at all unless you're not getting complete combustion and there is a little smoke down there.  The upper chamber, however... that's where the smell originates... and for what ever reason it doesn't smell like a regular wood stove, I don't know... it just smells like smoked beef jerky.
> ...



see my other recent note about Dow Corning #4 Silicone insulating compound for gasket goo.  

order it from McMaster Carr and it will arrive in about 2 days and you won't need to wonder who's thinking what you're doing with it, or with who...

can't wait to get my Econoburn fully installed so that I can smell the beef jerky  

well, it can't be worse than the hovel I lived in in winter 1991 with a woodstove with a 10' chimney that wouldn't draw- and made me and everything I owned smell like a smokehouse for a long time after.  It took 'til the next August until the smell of cooking bacon even became appealing again


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## mtnmizer (Nov 14, 2008)

Piker said:
			
		

> New Econoburn up and running.  Thermal storage not completed as of yet, but hopefully before the end of the year.  Thank you to all who helped me out on this install.
> 
> Funny thing though... the econoburn puts out a different smell than other stoves... kind of like smoked beef jerky.  I think there is a little smoke escaping around the gasket of the door to the firebox.  The door is tight, but I wonder if there is a way to get the door to seal better?  Why does it smell like a slim-jim?
> 
> ...



  Congrats on the new install---got any pictures to share?  Love to see the piping
configuration..  I hope to get my econo on line next week.. MM


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