Pel-Pro TSC 90 Black Glass

[ecohe]

I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this--my Pel-Pro TSC90's glass gets black fairly quickly after I start the stove. It does do its job of heating the room and the flame seems to be like it should be, but there are a couple of other points I want to make about this:

1) I don't have the outside air hooked up. I have a pretty drafty house and was told I most probably won't need it. The problem is just that there isn't any place to vent it out. I am using it on a fireplace hearth and have a liner that goes up my chimney to vent it out.
2) I have two carbon monoxide alarms hooked up in the room with the stove, neither one is registering any carbon monoxide, but my eyes burn and I can smell the stove is on. After about an hour in the room, I don't feel great. Maybe it is just an allergy, not sure. Some say I may just need to run a humidifier.
3) I have only been through about 20 bags of pellets with this stove. The seal seems ok, but I couldn't be sure it does it's job. One thing that may or may not be normal is that the bottom middle of the seal has tape of some sort on it. Maybe that is normal?
4) It doesn't seem to make a difference how much ash is in the stove at the time I start it, the glass is going to get black in about an hour or so.

Thank you for any ideas.

 

[Joe.G]

So, Black glass quickly can be a few different things,
Poor Pellets try and different brand and se if it changes
Dirty stove not running like it should, clogged areas from Ash blockage
Exhaust fan running slow/Clogged, If you are running up a chimney the stove may not be venting properly you need to see if it is blocked from ash settling.
Most important is if you are getting sick stop using the stove until you are sure it is no C02 poising witch is deadly and could be an issue if the stove is not venting properly. Outside air intake not being hooked up is most likely not your issue.

 

[ecohe]

Thank you for the response Joe. I at least don't think the issue is CO given that I have two different styles of carbon monoxide detectors nearby in the same room as the stove and both stay on "0" -- one of them is pretty new. At any rate, I am not going to be running the stove for any long periods of time until I work this out.

The pattern of the black glass is currently such that the top of the glass gets black and moves down towards the bottom. I am not sure how I can tell if there is any general ash blockage in the chimney. There seems to be very slight visible signs of smoke exiting the chimney at the top, but this is supposedly a very efficient stove. Is there any way for an average person to test the seal on the door or check for ash blockage?

Thank you.

 

[johneh]

A low fire (feed on low ) will cause dirty glass because the stove is not
most efficient on low. You could try more air intake on low to increase
combustion.
To test seals do the door bill test. A banknote should have a fair resistance
to being pulled out. If it is tight all the way around then the seal should be good.
Do a leaf blower trick to clean any hidden ash pockets.
Even though my home is not airtight I have an OAK why because I just hate to
see air that I have heated for my home being sucked in for combustion air, then
being sent up the chimney

 

[ecohe]

Ok, well I think I found one of the problems--I did see smoke coming out of the back of my stove and into the room. Can someone tell me the best way to fix this. Easier is better for me. And even better would be links to specific products. See photo the arrows indicte where the smoke is escaping.

 

[johneh]

Hi-temp silicone
Right on the pipe, it says Sealant requires

 

[ARC]

You can even buy it at walmart or any autoparts store.

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-oz-...6xbE52TDbSAAheWJnVCczQjRkI_LDWXYaAlxvEALw_wcB

 

[Joe.G]

You have an ash clean out at the bottom of the pipe in the picture what does that look like? I brelieve you are going to have lot of ash build up in your exhaust set up. You have a long run of pipe.

 

[ecohe]

Thanks, everyone. I ordered the sealant. This was a professional install, so I always assumed it was done correctly.

 

[johneh]

It may have been done right but it takes just a pinhole to get exhaust smoke into the house