Air wash, operator or draft?

[Andy S.]

Are your air controls on the right side? If they are that means you have cool air traveling along that side of the stove before it enters the firebox. This will tend to keep that side of the box and glass cooler causing the soot deposits.

As you face the door the air control is on the left - the same side as the door handle. The discoloration tends to favor the hinge side (as it did in the case of the pics posted). Maybe it is operator error and I need to slow down the startup process even more?

I'll keep working at it. Thanks for all the tips, everyone.

 

[JStone]

I have a Lopi Endeavor (first year with an airtight stove) and I also get darkening glass, primarily on the bottom left side. I also think it's happening during the coaling stage. I will see if it still happens once things get real cold. I am burning mixed hard wood that has been seasoned 2 years indoors, MC on fresh split is 13-16MC.

edit* my startup process is similar to the OP. I get my probe thermo up to about 6-700 degrees before i start any dampering etc.