PE Summit - Getting hot with low air flow

[bryankloos]

Hey All,

My PE Summit is starting to run away on me with the damper shut. I'll load a big load with closed damper and she will slowly creep up in temp to an eventual good roar. In the past this has not happened.

I'm burning good 3 year dry oak fir the first time, so maybe this is the cause. that said, I want to be sure I'm not missing anything. The stove was new in 2014 and has never acted in this way. I historically only saw high temps with an open damper and large loads. I run the stove moderately, to hard in the very cold weather, but have only really overfired it maybe twice in 4 years.

Where should I look to ensure nothing is broken or in need of repair?

All help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Bryan

 

[Happy Stacker]

The first thing I would check is the seal on the door gasket. When did you last replace it?

 

[bryankloos]

I'm thinking it may be the door gasket. I have not replaced it since purchased new in 2014.
I'm assuming its time???

 

[begreen]

I'm thinking it may be the door gasket. I have not replaced it since purchased new in 2014.
I'm assuming its time???

It could be. If replaced, get an OEM gasket from the dealer.

What temp(s) were you seeing and where? Do you have a flue thermometer? If yes, is this on single-wall or a probe in double-wall stove pipe?

It could also be that you need to adapt burning practice to the dry wood. The next load, try closing down the air much sooner. This is especially true if the splits are on the small size.

 

[Dantheman300z]

My stove is as old and gasket is still good. When you say a good roar, is this primary or secondary flames?

As begreen asked, flue temps or stove top temps?

 

[bryankloos]

Well, if I load fresh splits on a coal bed and leave the damper shut it will climb from 250 up through 500. In the past I would have to open up the damper and bring the stove up to 500 and then shut off the air for it to creep up to 600 and then coast for a few hours. If I didn’t open up the air on a roload it wouldn’t get above 300. Now she will slowly creep up to 500 with no damper if I have a full firebox.

Secondaries burn well with no damper on the hot stove with dry wood.

 

[diverscale]

Ash tray door not properly closed?

 

[begreen]

Well, if I load fresh splits on a coal bed and leave the damper shut it will climb from 250 up through 500. In the past I would have to open up the damper and bring the stove up to 500 and then shut off the air for it to creep up to 600 and then coast for a few hours. If I didn’t open up the air on a roload it wouldn’t get above 300. Now she will slowly creep up to 500 with no damper if I have a full firebox.

Secondaries burn well with no damper on the hot stove with dry wood.

Where is the temp being read? If the 500º is the maximum stove top temp it reaches, then that doesn't sound too hot. Our stove on a full load of hardwood will often go up to 700º. It would be virtually impossible to only hit 300º with a full load of dry wood.

 

[bryankloos]

It’s an insert...

I measure temps at the front face above the hinge of the door. Common placement for the magnetic thermo.

In the past If I didn’t open up the damper it would just smolder away at 250-300 for all day. Yeah I know not the best for efficiency and the flue.

Now with the damper shut it will climb over two to three hours until it just 500+.

On a full load with full air before shutting down I can hit 700+ no problem.

I’m more interested in the closed damper behavior of recent. It’s either a leak or the good dry wood.

 

[Dantheman300z]

Good dry wood. If that is all that has changed of recent.

 

[begreen]

Yes, sounds like dry wood. You can close the air down faster. How thick are the splits?