BK Ashford 30 Install

[Ashful]

If your bypass was that hard to close, it was likely obstructed with some chimney chunks on the gasket. Mine were both like that after I hired the dealer to do my first year cleaning, they apparently didn’t know you had to sweep all of the crud that falls out of the chimney into the cat chamber, they just cammed that lever over hard to compress all of that crap into the gasket. Between that and two other issues I had with them not doing what they said they would, they aren’t coming back.

The best way to get at that area is to pull the stove pipe. Second best is to contort yourself and reach up in there from below. Just make sure that bypass gasket is clean all around, no bits of crud on it.

 

[MtnBURN]

^^^^^^What Ashful said. ^^^^^

Since starting to burn pine and oak vs. cottonwood...(and yes...my wood is dry) I've noticed quite a bit more creo >inside< my stove and a bit more in the pipe. Seemed like the draft was struggling a bit last week ....so I ran the brush up and got maybe a quart jar full of crap...and as Ash said....found chunks/creo dust around the gasket as well. I think I may have cammed it over with crap in it recently...and as a result...I did the bill test and found it was looser than it should be...tightened it down....and things seem much better now draft-wise. I also vacuumed the cat face. Looked behind it but it looked pretty good. Since I burn all the time...I'm gonna pop for a new cat/gaskets all around next season in the house stove. Everybody else will just get new gaskets.

Something you might also check since you have lots of creo smell....is to see if there is buildup behind the inside panels in the stove. Bend a coathanger or small metal rod and run it up/over the panels and down into that cavity and agitate it around. I did this over and over....from the front and the rear....and I got a lot of scale/baked on creo/crap out of my stove....far more than I expected... so in the future I will be on it/watching it/cleaning it far more often. It may also be up around the intake air tubes as well. Definitely was in my stove. The first fire after the cleanout I smelled some creo smell for the first time ever in my stove.....though I have to say after cleaning the pipe and messing with it all the whole house kinda reeked for bit of creo. There are definitely a lot of nooks and crannies >inside< these stoves.

Anyway....just a thought......and much respect for hanging in there.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Ok, feeling more confident! Set at ~70% today with 25lbs of ash and locust loaded E-W. Room is 77°F, but wife stays there is no smell! It's 48°F out. Still tons of coals after 6hrs. Doing great with smoke spillage as well for whatever reason.

Will try a bigger N-S load tomorrow I think.

@Ashful The bypass was that tight before I started burning. Trust me, I played with that thing for hours before it got installed. I checked the bypass gasket during the pipe cleaning and I had swept up the chips from the cleaning about 3 weeks ago.

 

[Woody Stover]

Bend a coathanger or small metal rod and run it up/over the panels and down into that cavity and agitate it around. I did this over and over....from the front and the rear....and I got a lot of scale/baked on creo/crap out of my stove....far more than I expected... so in the future I will be on it/watching it/cleaning it far more often.

That sounds like a royal PITA...no thanks.

 

[Ashful]

Just grabbing at ideas, here. One thing I may have mentioned before, is that some houses have a propensity to pull chimney smoke back into the house with the name-up air. My U-shaped house with a chimney at each end can sometimes do this. With the BKs ability to turn way down, it’s possible that smoke has a more acrid smell than others, which may be contributing to a few of the smoke/creo smell cases.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Just grabbing at ideas, here. One thing I may have mentioned before, is that some houses have a propensity to pull chimney smoke back into the house with the name-up air. My U-shaped house with a chimney at each end can sometimes do this. With the BKs ability to turn way down, it’s possible that smoke has a more acrid smell than others, which may be contributing to a few of the smoke/creo smell cases.

Yep. Good thoughts.

I'm on the side of a ridge, the prevailing wind comes down the slope, hits the four massive cedars on the opposite side of the house, and creates a downdraft right down onto the top of the house and chimney. Despite having a wonderful draft, sometime on restart, the smoke blows straight down around the house. If it were an acrid smoke, it would be terrible.

Cutting down the cedars would solve this, but there's not a chance in hell I'm cutting down these majestic trees. So, I pay close attention on restart. And a low burning stove might not work for me because of this.

Perhaps VCS could take a survey of his situation and see if he has a downdraft around the house.

 

[Woody Stover]

Just grabbing at ideas, here...some houses have a propensity to pull chimney smoke back into the house

I didn't go back to look but I'm pretty sure he smelled it more in the stove area.

 

[MtnBURN]

That sounds like a royal PITA...no thanks.

Yeah..I'd guess doing something like that every 3 years might take away your valuable time here speaking negatively about a stove you don't own ,huh?

There's certainly a royal (Queen wave) PITA in the mix here but it isn't a BK stove..

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Yes, the main smell comes from the cat probe hole and/or flue collar. I have had a little bit of smoke waft into the house with the window open on rare occasions.

I'm cooling down the house from 77 degrees (stat set at about 65%!) and trying a N-S half load set about 60%. We'll see how it goes! The long burn time today had a nice even heat. The furthest master bed was 74 and downstairs was 76 with stove running at medium all day.

Note: I have no confirmed creo smell with the bypass fully closed. I was worried but had no real creo yet. I may have to change the title if that is not the case!

Last, I will stick the bbq glove up near the gasket while reloading to clear any debris...

 

[weatherguy]

I had a smoke smell with my stove this year, turned out to be the bypass gasket. Hope yours is figured out, you have a good stove.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

@weatherguy what happened in your case?

So I ran it at about 55% stat setting with a nice good warm up and 30lbs loaded N-S. Smell nothing upstairs. I put my nose over the probe right when it hit temp and smelled a tiny waft, but then a minute later it was completely clean again running at a low rate.

I'm pretty sure this was it guys!

I wiped around 3 accessible sides of the bypass gasket and there was a small amount of debris, nothing that should block the door.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

@weatherguy what happened in your case?

So I ran it at about 55% stat setting with a nice good warm up and 30lbs loaded N-S. Smell nothing upstairs. I put my nose over the probe right when it hit temp and smelled a tiny waft, but then a minute later it was completely clean again running at a low rate.

I'm pretty sure this was it guys!

I wiped around 3 accessible sides of the bypass gasket and there was a small amount of debris, nothing that should block the door.

Happy for you. And, nice job with your persistence. Was afraid we were losing you here towards the end.

I think I noticed that you did change the title?

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Happy for you. And, nice job with your persistence. Was afraid we were losing you here towards the end.

I think I noticed that you did change the title?

Yes, title is changed for now . Apparently my wife was up a few times last night and did not smell anything upstairs. I was also up once. Had probably 1-2hrs left of active coals this morning. Started a quick full reload and out the door in about 20 minutes. I set it close to 50% for the day, let's see how it runs. At some point I can see it stalling and still making some smell, but that should be gone with practice...

 

[Ashful]

So, to review, the issue was that the bypass was’t closing properly? If I scroll back around post #210, it seems you finally got it to cam over, and that’s where you stopped having the problem?

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

@Ashful Yes that is my current theory. Time will tell if the symptoms are gone completely. I believe the bypass had been jammed and was partially cracked open. That would cause it to both blow smoke toward the cat probe hole and also stall easily because the flow wasn't completely going through the combustor. It also makes sense that there was more smoke out the cap then expected while running at medium or high. I was getting large plumes of smoke with the bypass closed if there were large flames going in the box. The smoke seems greatly reduced now.

After 250+ turns of the bypass lever it seems to have worn whatever resistance was there and closes fully. It wouldn't go past level. Now it goes to about 30° below level (as seen in picture). There is a little something catching while reopening now but it can be forced through.

 

[spudman99]

I likewise commend you VCS for staying with the stove and working through the issues. You clearly were frustrated but reached out to the Hearth.com community for solutions . Without this forum it is doubtful this issue would have been resolved, and you would have returned the product.

Just let us know what day you are having an open house for forum members and what we can bring

Edit - Picture of bypass lever is post #199 on page 8 for those wishing to see the level

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

I think another diagnostic test should be to do the paper/dollar bill test with the bypass gasket. I would expect it should hold paper just like the door gasket?

 

[SpaceBus]

I think another diagnostic test should be to do the paper/dollar bill test with the bypass gasket. I would expect it should hold paper just like the door gasket?

Yes, this is correct

 

[moresnow]

There is a little something catching while reopening now but it can be forced through.

I have this happen off and on. Never hindered operation here. Probably deposits.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

I'm pretty sure there is a defect in the bypass cam surface or bypass shaft that caused this problem. I will inspect it when I do the spring sweeping but for now I'm going to try to finally enjoy the stove and cross my fingers that the creosote smell issues are finished.

 

[lsucet]

I think another diagnostic test should be to do the paper/dollar bill test with the bypass gasket. I would expect it should hold paper just like the door gasket?

It will have some resistance but it will not grab it like the door.

 

[Woody Stover]

I believe the bypass had been jammed and was partially cracked open. That would cause it to both blow smoke toward the cat probe hole and also stall easily because the flow wasn't completely going through the combustor. It also makes sense that there was more smoke out the cap then expected while running at medium or high. I was getting large plumes of smoke with the bypass closed if there were large flames going in the box. The smoke seems greatly reduced now.
After 250+ turns of the bypass lever it seems to have worn whatever resistance was there and closes fully. It wouldn't go past level. Now it goes to about 30° below level (as seen in picture). There is a little something catching while reopening now but it can be forced through.

It would appear that you have finally gotten it figured out. That's great, and it's no doubt a big relief!
Can you pretty easily get the pipe off to access the bypass area? If not, I might be inclined to put a telescoping pipe on there, if that's possible.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Oh no!! The dreaded creosote is back tonight! I loaded at 9 and it rocketed up to high range after slowly turning to 65% stat setting. It had good wispy flames for 15min, started to smell just a little creo coming out, then the flame went out and lots of creo smell came out. The upstairs is full of it. Window is back open and doors are closed losing all my heating for the night

The only difference is that I threw in ONE sycamore chunk. The rest ash. That syc stash was measured at 25% MC in September, but it's very difficult to check because it doesn't split. I'll have to purge out the sycamore and take it easier. I hope it's just the wood

If that's it, it's way too sensitive to the wood quality. I can't measure every log I throw in there! Not sure what to do. Such a let down. I don't know what this means about the bypass. Could it be all wood quality? It doesn't make sense!

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

I checked the stove and it cooled down and stopped emitting creo, unfortunately there is quite a lot upstairs to air out. I had to raise the stat to about 75%.

Is anyone else's BK that sensitive to MC? I will check the sycamore tomorrow and see, but doubt it is over 25% MC if that.

 

[AlbergSteve]

I'm really struggling to see how the bypass gasket has anything to do with smoke smell outside of the stove.

The bypass lever not camming all the way over could have been a rough burr on the contact surfaces between the lever rod and the adjustable ramp that it cams against. Mine is nice and smooth for the first week after lubing it then it gets rough after the lube gets burned off and needs a bit more welly to get it to to go all the way over. I don't bother lubing it any more.