I know this is a long shot and this was posted a long time ago, but I've got the XL 6421 and have smoke in the house. Looking for some advice.
Dutchwest XL 2462 Rebuild
- Thread starter Zkx14
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Is there a screen on the chimney cap? Check it for plugging if there is. How is the stove connected to the chimney?
How much wood has been burned since the flue system was last cleaned?
How much wood has been burned since the flue system was last cleaned?
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Just had it cleaned not even 3 weeks ago. No screen and replaced almost all door gaskets and top gasket. Cat clean.
Do you hear minor chuffs during startup? If so the fire may need more air. This could be due to a change in wood.
This could be poorly seasoned wood causing the problem. If you can get a boxload of known dry wood that has been seasoned for a couple years from a friend, that should help isolate the issue. Otherwise, get an inexpensive moisture meter and test the wood. General makes a decent one and you can get it through Amazon. To test you'll need to take a thick split and replit it in half. Then press the meter probes firmly into the freshly exposed face of the wood (not the end grain). If the reading is >20 then the wood is probably the issue. Without a meter, a subjective test is to press the freshly exposed face of wood up against your cheek. If it feels damp or wet then the wood needs more seasoning. Also, bang two splits together. If they go thud instead of a note (like banging two baseball bats together) then the wood is wet.
What is the chimney setup...liner? Total vertical height, etc.
Harbor Freight has a moisture meter for $14. But it takes button batteries, and I had to clean the contacts recently when it failed to fire up.
The wood you test should be brought up to room temp for accurate reading. Then, as begreen said, re-split and test in the center of a fresh face.
Gas station wood is hit-and-miss as to how dry it is. You can get a few compressed-wood bricks at the farm store and see how it burns.
If it is warm outside, you may need to pre-heat the liner with a hair dryer or a propane torch, to get it warm enough to prevent smoke roll-out. Or use a paraffin fire-starter (no chemicals that may damage the cat.) Keep the door closed until the flue is warm.
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Get a tube of Rutland furnace cement in a caulking tube. When the stove is COLD, remove the top, then inject the cement into every joint you see. Some will take it in, some not. Do the same from the inside (vacuum first) in all corners. Doesn't have to be pretty, and it's pretty easy though awkward and messy. In 20 minutes you'll be done.That stove is old enough that there will be some gaps, which is likely exacerbating the green wood problem.
From my experience with this stove, it is definitely prone to 'puffbacks' as mentioned above. While that is more likely with less than great wood. I am running some very dry stuff now and it still happens occasionally. Even if the firebox has leaks, they should be drawing air in if you have good draft.
Another longshot... the damper adjuster broke off of the damper this morning. What is the best/cheapest way to get this repaired? What bolts are used to hold it in place? Thanks! Can I just drill hles through the damper and attach the adjuster with nut and bolts?
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![[Hearth.com] Dutchwest XL 2462 Rebuild](/talk/data/attachments/241/241583-0602c3ef9b61d799875fe28be05cb258.jpg?hash=fW_QSJSInC)
![[Hearth.com] Dutchwest XL 2462 Rebuild](/talk/data/attachments/241/241587-3486ea65c45c90c8a063cbf877a95740.jpg?hash=szo0UUXYod)
Unfortunately this looks like it was over fired. The damper is warped and the bolt that holds it down on the left broke off. Urg Back to oil heat.
Can you drill the broken bolt and use a screw extractor? Should be pretty easy to fashion a hinge cap that would work for that right side. But yeah, if the bypass door is warped to where it won't seal, you'd need to replace that...
lopiliberty
Minister of Fire
Looks like the top is cracked and warped in two places if I'm seeing correctly. Mine cracked and warped in the same place which is what led to it permently retireing to the scape yard
I think that is the little insert. If you look at beginning of the thread I compared this ( old style) to the replacement. That was the reason I rebuilt mine. My top and damper door had warped up together and actually functions for a while that way.
In regard to rebuilding the Dutchwest XL 2462, the rectangular cast iron back liner in the firebox (Dutchwest calls it the Back Grate [though it is solid] part #7001178A of ours has a few partial cracks and I have a new one. I am wondering it there is any reason not to install the new one, and then the old one (w/ cracks patched w/ cement) inside of the new one. Would only take longer than original bolts (2). Any thoughts or experience here? Thanks?[/QUOTE]
I have been referring to Zkx14's thread on rebuilding the Dutchwest XL. The single bolt that goes through (holds on?) the cover over the stainless air distributer (cover that leads to the upper baffle) broke off when I tried to remove it. I was able to get the four bolts out that hold on the upper baffle and am ready to replace the baffle and distributor. The cover has remained in place and seems solid, even though that single bolt through it has broken off. Does anything hold the cover up there beside the bolt? Based on your experience do you think the cover will stay up if I bolt on the new baffle and cement in the new distributor? Thanks very much.
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Hi, just received notification of your post... I'm not sure this would matter either way. I think it is really just a deflector to protect the main body of the stove especially if overfired. Apparently it did its job. I would just put the replacement in if it was me,
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