Runaway in the Endeavor

[bag of hammers]

A wise old timer that used to sell VCs told me one time that running a Oak with an adjustable damper was a cure for the everburn runaways.

As I'm still in the process of getting my OAK set up I'm seriously thinking of something like this - a damper in the line. I got the skinny on the aluminum foil trick here recently, but I have no idea if / how I could even access secondary air ports on my pedestal stove. So far the only overfire situation I've been close to was from wide open primary air, apparently (too much?) really dry kindling, and not paying enough attention. But it would probably be nice to know I could kill all air completely if I had to. Maybe even a cover over the outside OAK intake - I could get to this in about 15 seconds.

Im suprised that with EPA stoves theres not a lever to shut down the air completely

That would be great. Does any EPA stove have something like this?

 

[Pagey]

Wish there was a "kill switch" to all the secondary air as well. I am going to fashion something this weekend when I am less exhausted, hopefully.

 

[etiger2007]

Wish there was a "kill switch" to all the secondary air as well. I am going to fashion something this weekend when I am less exhausted, hopefully.

I better get to the patent office lol

 

[wkpoor]

etiger2007 said: ↑
Im suprised that with EPA stoves theres not a lever to shut down the air completely

Does any EPA stove have something like this?

The Elm allows for full air shutdown. And I use it daily.

 

[lopiliberty]

A runaway fire in my liberty is usually a weekly if not a daily thing, although I usually catch it before it gets to 800 or above. My liberty likes to run between 700 and 750 on a full load, but when it starts to go beyond 750 I start to keep a close eye on things. I just turn the fan on high, cool it down to 550 or so and turn the fan back off. My liberty likes to take back off again after its settled in for a burn, because of this I only fill it up when I'm home and at night only use 3 or 4 splits depending on size. Its real scary to think who many times these stove have run away at night or when your not home. I guess what you don't know won't hurt you. Like pagey has said as much as I love my liberty, I am really starting to lean toward a cat stove

 

[corey21]

So if i am correct this is why they build these stoves so well is to maintain the inferno.

 

[Sprinter]

I assume the big pot of cold water is a heat sink?

I'm sure he didn't mean to pour cold water on the stove. You may end up buying a new stove. Same with putting water on the fire. Bad idea.

 

[Sprinter]

The Elm allows for full air shutdown. And I use it daily.

I'm surprised. I was under the impression that it was an EPA requirement thing.

 

[rdust]

I'm surprised. I was under the impression that it was an EPA requirement thing.

His stove isn't EPA certified.

 

[Sprinter]

His stove isn't EPA certified.

Got it. Thanks.

 

[wkpoor]

His stove isn't EPA certified.

Correct nor is it UL listed.

 

[bag of hammers]

Interesting - the "non-EPA, non-UL" stove appears to have the best feature of all.

 

[jharkin]

I'm sure he didn't mean to pour cold water on the stove. You may end up buying a new stove. Same with putting water on the fire. Bad idea.

In fact you may end up in the ER. Pouring an entire pot of ice water onto hot iron could result in it shattering explosively from thermal shock.

 

[jharkin]

... I am really starting to lean toward a cat stove

Catalytic stoves are a great choice, but be aware they are not intrinsically immune to runaways. There are some excellent catalytic designs that you really have to work at it to get in trouble with - i.e. Woodstock Fireview, Blaze King, but there are also some cat designs that are finicky and you have to be careful with, like Vermont Castings (as I, BBar, and a few others on here can attest to).

A cat stove overfire can be downright scary and without a probe thermometer you might not even realize its happening... Before I got a handle on all the gasket seals and learned how to run a big load right Ive had mine hit over 1800F in the catalyst chamber, that ignited spontaneous secondary combustion in front of the catalyst resulting in flames and sparks shooting back into the firebox from the cat intake and cast iron panels inside the firebox glowing orange. There was a thread last year where another member saw something like 2300F on a catalyst probe, I dont even want to image the results of that.

Ive learned that what gets you in trouble is burning a full load of either very small splits loose packed or very light fast burning wood. You end up with the wood outgassing faster than the cat can reburn it. Sort out your heavier wood for the full loads, use bigger splits and pack it tight and even a VC can be kept under control.

 

[ailanthus]

I assume the big pot of cold water is a heat sink?

Maybe it's for washing pants...

 

[Treacherous]

Wish there was a "kill switch" to all the secondary air as well. I am going to fashion something this weekend when I am less exhausted, hopefully.

Out of curiosity what did you end up with for the "kill switch" for the secondaries? Kind of tight spot between the heat shield and stove. It appears they are about right in the middle on the side of stove and 3 or 4 inches up.

 

[Pagey]

Out of curiosity what did you end up with for the "kill switch" for the secondaries? Kind of tight spot between the heat shield and stove. It appears they are about right in the middle on the side of stove and 3 or 4 inches up.

I've been working quite a bit of OT since coworkers are on vacation. I have honestly been too lazy to fashion anything yet. Stove 1, Pagey 0.

 

[johnsgunworks]

I have been able to drop the temp. of my Endeavor fairly rapidly by opening the bypass damper while shutting down on the air control. This allows more heat to escape up the chimney.

 

[smokeater]

This may have been brought up before, I had a few runaways with my old stove I had a fairly large portable fan moving air around the room, I stuck it right in front of the stove and turned it on high the fire calmed down right away,I presume it is reducing the air the stove can get?Anyway it worked well.

 

[thewoodlands]

A runaway fire in my liberty is usually a weekly if not a daily thing, although I usually catch it before it gets to 800 or above. My liberty likes to run between 700 and 750 on a full load, but when it starts to go beyond 750 I start to keep a close eye on things. I just turn the fan on high, cool it down to 550 or so and turn the fan back off. My liberty likes to take back off again after its settled in for a burn, because of this I only fill it up when I'm home and at night only use 3 or 4 splits depending on size. Its real scary to think who many times these stove have run away at night or when your not home. I guess what you don't know won't hurt you. Like pagey has said as much as I love my liberty, I am really starting to lean toward a cat stove

So far this year our Liberty has been easy to control, still has the original door gasket. Most of what we burned so far has been Cherry, on the colder nights we mix Cherry with either Beech or Sugar Maple.

 

[Treacherous]

I've only had a few instances of a runaway but they were my fault as I had left the bypass damper open on a reload.

Closing everything down and turning the fan on high gets mine under control quick.

Great burn last night 3 Douglas Fir splits and two energy logs. At reload I had a nice coal bed with a 275 degree stovetop at 14 hours. I run my fan all the time too.