Isle Royale Smoking... a lot

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I wanted to let everybody know that I am waiting for an appointment to be scheduled with a Quadra-fire dealer in my area to come out and check out my stove. I will certainly let everyone know what comes from it. In the meantime, I would like to ask everyone to look at this latest video that I put on Flickr and tell me what you think. If it's deemed valuable ( I think it is) I will forward it to Quad.
I think it shows flames coming out of my side wall wall behind that steel "pillar" that is on each side of the stove before the brick....I realize that I recorded it before but I think this time it came through much more clearly. It looks like a torch.
Being there is nothing solid there to burn my thinking is I have a leak and that air leak is burning the smoke and is also causing my high temperatures. Let me know what you think! Thanks!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/73330363@N05/16366882842/
 
Honestly, I can't tell that anything is wrong in the video. It just looks like active secondary burn to me. You need an experienced set of eyes there with you to start the stove, take it up to temp, and flatten out the temp at reasonable levels. If the tech can't do it, he'll hopefully have recommendations about what to do next.
 
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I definitely see what you are talking about. There is a steady torch coming from one area of the stove, as opposed to active flames moving around.

I'm not familiar with your stove, but if that isn't the normal main air supply point, then I think you may have found your problem. It may be the point where the main air feeds into the stove.

I've certainly never have seen a torch like effect such as that on my (very different) stove. Even if it is the main air supply point, there may be way too much air getting in.

Why don't you PM Chris from Quadra Fire and ask him to look at the video? He'll be able to tell you if that is normal or abnormal, I'm sure.
 
Thank you both taking a looking at this. Rideau, I agree with you that I should forward this to Quad.
I was also going to point out that the secondary burn is only on the right side of the stove again.
I was so happy to have the opportunity to record that torch because the new Quad Dealer told me, shortly before Quad posted and came to my rescue, that when they come out they didn't want the stove burning.
I almost forgot, that Is not the main supply of air normally. There are suppose to be only two, front and back.
 
You could try holding a lit candle near that point outside the stove, when that is happening. If that is in fact a leak of that magnitude, I would expect the flame to be sucked toward the stove.
 
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Those left and right vertical channels carry the air up to the secondary manifold, looks like it's missing some cement
 
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Kobeman, Do you have an opinion as to whether that leak would bypass my ability to control the air flow into the stove? My immediate thought is that it would but if it's merely channel to take the air someplace else is it six one way and a half a dozen the other?
Can we count the leaks I have had? The ash pan, the dollar bill test failing on the doors, the glass being loose, the primary air control being cocked and now, possibly, one of my vertical channels. Any guesses on how hot my stove got? I don't want to know. This was one dangerous stove.
 
Ahh, she's a hell of a stove, I won't say how hot my wife has had mine and it didn't care! That air in the channels is being preheated by the fire and then gets dumped thru the tubes up top, it's unregulated cept for the holes in the tubes, I suppose if it were dumping down low it would blast the coals and create a higher burn, Im following for quads reply
 
Does flame
Kobeman, Do you have an opinion as to whether that leak would bypass my ability to control the air flow into the stove? My immediate thought is that it would but if it's merely channel to take the air someplace else is it six one way and a half a dozen the other?
Can we count the leaks I have had? The ash pan, the dollar bill test failing on the doors, the glass being loose, the primary air control being cocked and now, possibly, one of my vertical channels. Any guesses on how hot my stove got? I don't want to know. This was one dangerous stove.

So you've fixed all those other gasket leaks?

Did you fix your chimney water leak?

Difficult to say if you have a leak in your stove from just a couple of videos. You didn't say if it happens all the time or if you move the wood around or if you change the air control.
 
As I said the dealer replaced the ash pan gasket, my friend assisted with the cocked primary air control, I tightened the glass after the the service person didn't and I also tightened the door because the same service person didn't believe what the manual had to say.
I haven't tried to fix the chimney leak yet but I do have concerns that the installation of the flashing it not congruent with the way Certainteed wants their siding to be installed.
Regardless of where I have my air control, air shouldn't be blowing in from the side of my stove as the videos do show.
Five leaks, previously all at the same time; when my stove was new, and just out of the box. Wow.
 
Too bad there wasn't a lemon law for wood stoves. I can't believe some think Quadrafire "stepped up to the plate". It appears they did nothing but drop the ball and pass the buck. At this point the only way Quadrafire can save face is to refund your money AND offer you a complimentry stove. One that works,. If this was a gas or oil fired appliance the issues would have been taken care of in days, not months. I'd be looking into your states Consumer Protection Laws and Implied Warranty Laws. Some pay triple damages and your documentation appears solid...
 
Too bad there wasn't a lemon law for wood stoves. I can't believe some think Quadrafire "stepped up to the plate". It appears they did nothing but drop the ball and pass the buck. At this point the only way Quadrafire can save face is to refund your money AND offer you a complimentry stove. One that works,. If this was a gas or oil fired appliance the issues would have been taken care of in days, not months. I'd be looking into your states Consumer Protection Laws and Implied Warranty Laws. Some pay triple damages and your documentation appears solid...

If I recall correctly, you are the poster that recommended the OP put this into the credit card dispute last March. That didn't turn out so well.

Quadrafire has stepped up to the plate. I'm looking forward to see how this one turns out. This is a well-loved model for nearly everyone who has owned it. If there's a manufacturing defect, I would expect Quad to resolve it. But I don't think anyone knows what the problem is yet, except that the installation required a really tall chimney for an easy breathing stove. Without being there, it's basically guesswork on anything else.
 
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Wow! This has gone on for a year! Like I said before this is horrendous customer service by the dealer, thier installer, and Quadrafire. They aren't even in the game. Based on what I've read here the OP has been defrauded over $6k. I couldn't imagine stringing one of my customers along for a few weeks like let alone almost a year like Quadrafire and thier agents have done. Shameful....
 
Based on what I've read here the OP has been defrauded over $6k.
I am sorry but i dont see any fraud here at all. Poor service absolutely, crappy install yes, but fraud no way. I just read the thread and if i had read it earlier i would have recommended having an independent sweep come look at it fix the problems and submitting a bill to the dealer to cover that cost. I would still recommend that at this point call around and check references of local csia and nfi pros and get a good reliable on to diagnose and fix the problem if i was closer i would come do it my self but bucks co is at least 3 hours from me and i am not driving that far
 
I wanted to change this.

Wow, thank you all for your input. I do think everyone here is trying to help and everyone has a different idea as to what is the right solution.
My right solution is to get a replacement stove. Not a different stove, but a replacement stove. One that doesn't have five leaks and doesn't uncontrollably overfire for just about a year because of doors, glass, the primary, the ash pan and now some tube that brings air to the manifold. I didn't intentionally buy a defective stove and I don't want someone to put mortar on a tube and tell me everything is alright when my manual says otherwise. Day after day of overfiring takes its toll. This wasn't once or twice or even three times but every single time. As of now its 758.
As far as the crappy install I would like that remedied too. I shouldn't have to go out there and caulk the thing to keep the rain out it should have been done correctly the first time. That is what I paid for, that is why I went to a dealer, that is what I deserve.
None of this second rate crap.
If you want to disagree with me go right on ahead. Like I said there are a lot of people on this board and we are not likely to agree on everything but I didn't buy this on Craigslist and I don't want to be treated like I did.

bhollar, I could have submitted a bill to the dealer but I think it would have ended up in court. I say that because they had a way of consistently blowing me off. I tried to tell Wood Heat (dealer) the day after I had the stove installed it was overfiring and the sales person instead asked me for my credit card number to pay for the chimney and then had to go and hung up.
The way I found out that my chimney was three an half feet short was my house filled up with smoke for maybe an hour? Maybe more? I can’t remember if I had leather gloves then or not. When I contacted Wood Heat about that with photographs and videos and they never got back to me again. A fitting response is to have their insurance company send out a company that re-mediates smoke damage and to apologize to me for it. But, no. Nothing. If the buyer doesn’t figure it out, well, it will just keep happening. I imagine you're an honest person but I also imagine that if I sent Wood Heat a bill, it would have clogged their toilet.

A new stove, preferably an install that respects Certainteeds vinyl siding installation instructions, a chimney that won't fall away from my house and, if they see fit, an apology. All but the apology I paid for. The apology I earned.

We’ll see if Quad does business different than Wood Heat.
 
I wanted to change this.

Wow, thank you all for your input. I do think everyone here is trying to help and everyone has a different idea as to what is the right solution.
My right solution is to get a replacement stove. Not a different stove, but a replacement stove. One that doesn't have five leaks and doesn't uncontrollably overfire for just about a year because of doors, glass, the primary, the ash pan and now some tube that brings air to the manifold. I didn't intentionally buy a defective stove and I don't want someone to put mortar on a tube and tell me everything is alright when my manual says otherwise. Day after day of overfiring takes its toll. This wasn't once or twice or even three times but every single time. As of now its 758.
As far as the crappy install I would like that remedied too. I shouldn't have to go out there and caulk the thing to keep the rain out it should have been done correctly the first time. That is what I paid for, that is why I went to a dealer, that is what I deserve.
None of this second rate crap.
If you want to disagree with me go right on ahead. Like I said there are a lot of people on this board and we are not likely to agree on everything but I didn't buy this on Craigslist and I don't want to be treated like I did.

bhollar, I could have submitted a bill to the dealer but I think it would have ended up in court. I say that because they had a way of consistently blowing me off. I tried to tell Wood Heat (dealer) the day after I had the stove installed it was overfiring and the sales person instead asked me for my credit card number to pay for the chimney and then had to go and hung up.
The way I found out that my chimney was three an half feet short was my house filled up with smoke for maybe an hour? Maybe more? I can’t remember if I had leather gloves then or not. When I contacted Wood Heat about that with photographs and videos and they never got back to me again. A fitting response is to have their insurance company send out a company that re-mediates smoke damage and to apologize to me for it. But, no. Nothing. If the buyer doesn’t figure it out, well, it will just keep happening. I imagine you're an honest person but I also imagine that if I sent Wood Heat a bill, it would have clogged their toilet.

A new stove, preferably an install that respects Certainteeds vinyl siding installation instructions, a chimney that won't fall away from my house and, if they see fit, an apology. All but the apology I paid for. The apology I earned.

We’ll see if Quad does business different than Wood Heat.

Hey JS, just wanted to check in to see how things are going. After I received your email last week, the Director of Consumer Care took your case on and I believe contacted Wood Heat. Feel free to shoot me an email and we can go over your case notes, and I can dig up some answers for you. -Chris
 
bhollar, I could have submitted a bill to the dealer but I think it would have ended up in court. I say that because they had a way of consistently blowing me off. I tried to tell Wood Heat (dealer) the day after I had the stove installed it was overfiring and the sales person instead asked me for my credit card number to pay for the chimney and then had to go and hung up.
The way I found out that my chimney was three an half feet short was my house filled up with smoke for maybe an hour? Maybe more? I can’t remember if I had leather gloves then or not. When I contacted Wood Heat about that with photographs and videos and they never got back to me again. A fitting response is to have their insurance company send out a company that re-mediates smoke damage and to apologize to me for it. But, no. Nothing. If the buyer doesn’t figure it out, well, it will just keep happening. I imagine you're an honest person but I also imagine that if I sent Wood Heat a bill, it would have clogged their toilet.
I totally agree that the dealer seems like a hack and that is why i suggested getting someone else out to look at it. If you had smoke damage submit it to your insurance and they will go after the dealer. I doubt you really need a new stove just a competent tech to go over it and now possibly replace the tubes. But i am not looking at it. And I see no reason that the chimney would fall off of the house the tee support looks like it is installed correctly as well as the other supports. They should have caulked the wall pass thru though obviously. I agree that they would probably not pay the bill but at this point i would have gone to some one else for sure you have allot of money tied up in something that you cant use correctly and i am pretty sure that a competent tech could get it straightened out.
 
I wanted to change this.

Wow, thank you all for your input. I do think everyone here is trying to help and everyone has a different idea as to what is the right solution.
My right solution is to get a replacement stove. Not a different stove, but a replacement stove. One that doesn't have five leaks and doesn't uncontrollably overfire for just about a year because of doors, glass, the primary, the ash pan and now some tube that brings air to the manifold. I didn't intentionally buy a defective stove and I don't want someone to put mortar on a tube and tell me everything is alright when my manual says otherwise. Day after day of overfiring takes its toll. This wasn't once or twice or even three times but every single time. As of now its 758.
As far as the crappy install I would like that remedied too. I shouldn't have to go out there and caulk the thing to keep the rain out it should have been done correctly the first time. That is what I paid for, that is why I went to a dealer, that is what I deserve.
None of this second rate crap.
If you want to disagree with me go right on ahead. Like I said there are a lot of people on this board and we are not likely to agree on everything but I didn't buy this on Craigslist and I don't want to be treated like I did.

bhollar, I could have submitted a bill to the dealer but I think it would have ended up in court. I say that because they had a way of consistently blowing me off. I tried to tell Wood Heat (dealer) the day after I had the stove installed it was overfiring and the sales person instead asked me for my credit card number to pay for the chimney and then had to go and hung up.
The way I found out that my chimney was three an half feet short was my house filled up with smoke for maybe an hour? Maybe more? I can’t remember if I had leather gloves then or not. When I contacted Wood Heat about that with photographs and videos and they never got back to me again. A fitting response is to have their insurance company send out a company that re-mediates smoke damage and to apologize to me for it. But, no. Nothing. If the buyer doesn’t figure it out, well, it will just keep happening. I imagine you're an honest person but I also imagine that if I sent Wood Heat a bill, it would have clogged their toilet.

A new stove, preferably an install that respects Certainteeds vinyl siding installation instructions, a chimney that won't fall away from my house and, if they see fit, an apology. All but the apology I paid for. The apology I earned.

We’ll see if Quad does business different than Wood Heat.
I have Isle Royale with same setup as yours (prefab chimney through wall and up side of house about 25') so your problem fascinates me. Having been an installer years ago I installed it myself and have had none of these problems. From reading your posts I can't tell what initially caused your hot burns. Perhaps operator error (sorry but you seemed confused about your air controls in the beginning so this seems possible), perhaps a poor gasket job at factory, perhaps you got unlucky and got a defective stove. Any of these could cause overfiring, which could lead to cracking or warping, which could cause an air leak you can't fix. I wish I knew for sure what happened. I can't wait to see what Quad does for you. This thread has had over 12,000 views last I checked so a lot of people are watching and waiting.
 
Matt, One major difference is that you installed the stove and knew what you were doing. Not to be redundant but I had leaking doors, leaking glass, the ash pan gasket leaked, the primary slide leaked, the tube on the right hand side of the stove still leaks plus the damper and manometer that I discovered here, by advice here on Hearth, (thx) and then learn to install it. Without it, the stove reaches -.20, that's minus point twenty. That too, can cause a very hot stove. Add all of these up and you have a problem. You didn't have this. You relied on yourself. I relied on people that I hired to take care of me. As it turns out, this is a valuable difference.
This was why I posted the parts list on this thread so that the next guy/gal who comes along, and was thrown to the dogs, and is thoroughly confused, can go through this more easily from the long curve of mano-what? But, that's really what this board is about. And that's a good thing.
This was definitely a jump in the water and learn to swim experience. I would never recommend for somebody else to do this. It's too much hassle. One year later and I'm still screwing around with this crap. Just shoot me.
 
Any word from quad? I think we all know what the current situation is and everyone is just waiting for quadrafire to get on site it seems.
 
Matt, One major difference is that you installed the stove and knew what you were doing. Not to be redundant but I had leaking doors, leaking glass, the ash pan gasket leaked, the primary slide leaked, the tube on the right hand side of the stove still leaks plus the damper and manometer that I discovered here, by advice here on Hearth, (thx) and then learn to install it. Without it, the stove reaches -.20, that's minus point twenty. That too, can cause a very hot stove. Add all of these up and you have a problem. You didn't have this. You relied on yourself. I relied on people that I hired to take care of me. As it turns out, this is a valuable difference.
This was why I posted the parts list on this thread so that the next guy/gal who comes along, and was thrown to the dogs, and is thoroughly confused, can go through this more easily from the long curve of mano-what? But, that's really what this board is about. And that's a good thing.
This was definitely a jump in the water and learn to swim experience. I would never recommend for somebody else to do this. It's too much hassle. One year later and I'm still screwing around with this crap. Just shoot me.
Have you talked to Quad yet?
 
Only sometimes do I get notices that somene has posted here ...
Quad isn't coming out. A different dealer is scheduled to look at the stove this week.
As far as direct correspondence, it's limited. Usually it's from me to them.
 
Only sometimes do I get notices that somene has posted here ...
Quad isn't coming out. A different dealer is scheduled to look at the stove this week.
As far as direct correspondence, it's limited. Usually it's from me to them.

Hey JS, I just wanted to assure you that I am still keeping track of your case, and watching each step that our Tech team and the dealers in your area are taking. Because of the season that we are in, extra time is limited, and some dealers only available over a month out. Same with our Consumer Care teams. This is not an excuse of the situation, just an explanation of the time constraints. Although, I can assure you that your situation is our top priority right now, myself and the Director of Consumer Care have thoroughly discussed this and have pushed for the necessary steps to be taken.

Please let me know if I can offer any other answers or assistance going forward.
 
Boy, I have to say that post would stop me from buying a Quadrafire. I realize the OP is able to heat with his stove, but still! A month out for service because it is the busy season. We only heat or need our stoves during the busy season. Once a company has sold me product, I want them to stand behind it and provide service in a timely fashion. One month is not timely, and especially disturbing when service is one month out for a "top priority" problem.

My manufacturer is incredibly busy at the moment, but deals with any issue I have immediately. That is worth its weight in gold.
 
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