Just asking around and am new to this forum/website. I am in the midst of dealing with the sales rep regarding the brand new Lopi Leyden Wood stove just purchased. I installed this stove in an existing 8"stove pipe installed properly. I previously burned wood through a Vermont Casting Vigilant, and switched to the Leyden due to better efficiency and new look. After the initial burn and the fumes cleared I played with the interal damper and air intake to allow different temps and got excellent burn times. I did notice a "weird smell" and one morning looked in the back of the stove to notice black liquid creosote leaking from the rear cowl, down the back of the stove and into the blower and all over my hearth. The dealer came to the house and cleaned it up removed the cowl and added new gasket material which had a large gap in it. Also got a new blower to boot. Tried again, this time I allowed the air intake to be wide open but closed the internal damper down. Noticed new leak of liquid creosote in a new spot. I have been told it is my wood, the temp of the stove, the air cooled stove pipe in roof and everything else. Oh by the way, my in-laws purchased this stove at the same time and they are having same issue, except they vent into a regular ole chimney.
Lopi Leyden Issues
- Thread starter gbrunelli
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Does the Leyden manual suggest 6" or 8" venting? My stove works with the same downdraft afterburner and needs 6". Once you have a good fire going, are you waiting until you have a deep bed of coals to close the damper? Do you have a stove top thermometer to monitor temps before and after you close the damper? Also, try going outside and looking at your chimney - you should have no smoke. My guess is that you are getting long burns but not efficient ones, most likely due to wet wood or insufficient draft. Downdraft stoves like to burn really dry wood at really hot temps, and they need a good chimney to do so. The stove may seem to be burning fine but the creosote indicates otherwise.
I'm guessing you need a 6" chimney and drier wood. Seems to me everything I've read about this stove suggests that DRY wood is imperative.
The key with this stove is to ensure that the combustor in the back lights off. When this happens, then the back of the stove is going to be really hot and you'll see zero smoke.
I'd suggest doing your burning on a Saturday so you can run outside and see the exhaust, at least until you learn how to operate the stove.
If you're closing off the bypass damper with the stove too cool, then the combustor will not ignite and you'll have a creosote generator.
The best thing to do is have a magnetic thermometer on your stove pipe to know what the exhaust temperature is. If the combustor is ignited, then the temps inside the back of the stove are going to be running in the 1300-1700 degrees (but you can't measure that). When the bypass is closed, you should see the stove pipe temperature climb, and if it doesn't then you need to let things get a little hotter before closing.
One way of telling if the combustor has ignited is to listen for the telltale rumble in the back of the stove when you close the bypass. It's very comforting when you hear this. The rumble will continue for a few minutes and then settle out. After 5-10 minutes you should see zero smoke from the chimney.
After you close off the bypass, then you can close off the smaller draft control in increments. Be careful not to close it off too fast, because you can put out the combustor.
When you have this worked out, it's nice that this stove will operate on a low setting for a long time.
I'd suggest doing your burning on a Saturday so you can run outside and see the exhaust, at least until you learn how to operate the stove.
If you're closing off the bypass damper with the stove too cool, then the combustor will not ignite and you'll have a creosote generator.
The best thing to do is have a magnetic thermometer on your stove pipe to know what the exhaust temperature is. If the combustor is ignited, then the temps inside the back of the stove are going to be running in the 1300-1700 degrees (but you can't measure that). When the bypass is closed, you should see the stove pipe temperature climb, and if it doesn't then you need to let things get a little hotter before closing.
One way of telling if the combustor has ignited is to listen for the telltale rumble in the back of the stove when you close the bypass. It's very comforting when you hear this. The rumble will continue for a few minutes and then settle out. After 5-10 minutes you should see zero smoke from the chimney.
After you close off the bypass, then you can close off the smaller draft control in increments. Be careful not to close it off too fast, because you can put out the combustor.
When you have this worked out, it's nice that this stove will operate on a low setting for a long time.
I have currently only burned the wood that has been split/stacked for two years. I receive a new load from the same guy every March or so and it comes split. Rep is coming to the houses Tuesday. Now that you all mention it, I cannot remeber if I have heard the secondary combustor kick on in back. Max temp on stovepipe therm I have seen is like 800, then I damper down and leave airintake open. Stove then runs at 450-500degs. I bring wood in basement/garage and store some there so I always have plenty of dry wood. I assume it is fairly seasoned by now.
woodster said:
Is this "two yr split stacked wood" what your supplier is calling it or has it truly been split and stacked in YOUR yard??? All signs point towards wet wood, unfortunately there are many wood suppliers out there who will false advertise.
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