VC Defiant - burning rubber smell, now not venting

[MindingtheFarm]

Our stove was purchased brand new a couple years ago but just recently installed. Everything was fine burning seasoned wood the first couple of weeks, then we began noticing a burning smell not quite like rubber but not wood related either. Now when attempting to get it going in the morning the smoke will not vent, actually slips out through the flue collar and major smoke billows out when opening the lid or front doors. Seems like a gasket may have burned up but am not sure which one would control the venting. Any clues?
- The stove pipe is new as well and no relative build-up,
- Changing the draft lever open or closed makes no difference to the smoke drafting, it will not,
- The exhaust through the stovepipe is not shared with any other fuel burner.

 

[moresnow]

A few examples of this exact issue have showed up recently(every year). All were plugged venting systems. Sweep your venting system entirely first. If you have a screen type spark arrestor at the termination of your venting system it should get your close attention! Very possibly your problem. Imo.
Post what you find after sweeping.
Good luck.

 

[kborndale]

You say your wood is seasoned, how do you determine that? More often than not your issues are caused because wet wood plugs something up (normally the chimney cap screen) on your exhaust with creosote.

 

[Eman85]

It sounds like you have a flue blockage from buildup in the pipe or the cap. Can you see the cap easily?, does it have a screen?

 

[Fred B. NJ]

If you have smoke coming out the door then you don't have a good draft going up the chimney. My VC Vigilant is in a room with sliding doors to the outside. When starting a new fire I open that door some to reduce the negative pressure in the room. This will get the warmer room temp to pull a draft up the chimney.
The smell you have. My guess is related. I get this too usually when outside temps are down around freezing and no wind. This results in a poor draft. Unburned gasses build in the stove and that is what your smelling. This was explained to me by Vermont Castings, the real original VC back in the early 80's. In addition, sometimes those gasses will ignite and cause a back puff. Then you get a heavy smoke smell in the house.

 

[MindingtheFarm]

Our VC Defiant is relatively new and just installed two and a half weeks ago and has been used since installation. The stove pipe is new double wall stainless steel. I inspected the Flue, pipe and cap. The flue and pipe have maybe an 1/8 inch? of crystals? build up. The cap is clear. It may be just a coincidence, but this problem started suddenly after cleaning the fire box and ash pan. Prior to that the stove worked great.
I almost forgot my wood is a mix of white oak and fir. It has been down for 5 years but was just cut and split last summer. I don't have a method to check the moisture content of the wood.

 

[kborndale]

Oak split last summer is much too wet to be burning. Oak takes 2-3 years after being split to be ready to burn, it doesn't really dry until it is split. Stick to the fir for now, that dries much faster.

 

[MindingtheFarm]

Oak split last summer is much too wet to be burning. Oak takes 2-3 years after being split to be ready to burn, it doesn't really dry until it is split. Stick to the fir for now, that dries much faster.

The wood is very dry, prior to coming down the trees on our property were completely dead, then down on the ground for several years before sawing and splitting. The fir was just as dry. I believe after discussing this situation with a family member, they noted the barometric pressure may be a cause for the draft issue. A new system came in this week which may be the culprit. I have been attempting to build a fire this afternoon with the door(s) open, we live in a log home so everything is pretty tight inside. Again, no problems lighting the fire prior to the beginning of this week so it may just be a pressure problem.

 

[MindingtheFarm]

If you have smoke coming out the door then you don't have a good draft going up the chimney. My VC Vigilant is in a room with sliding doors to the outside. When starting a new fire I open that door some to reduce the negative pressure in the room. This will get the warmer room temp to pull a draft up the chimney.
The smell you have. My guess is related. I get this too usually when outside temps are down around freezing and no wind. This results in a poor draft. Unburned gasses build in the stove and that is what your smelling. This was explained to me by Vermont Castings, the real original VC back in the early 80's. In addition, sometimes those gasses will ignite and cause a back puff. Then you get a heavy smoke smell in the house.

Thank you Fred, I agree, definitely feel this is a drafting problem based on the barometric pressure, I'll let you know if I am able to get a new fire started.

 

[MindingtheFarm]

If you have smoke coming out the door then you don't have a good draft going up the chimney. My VC Vigilant is in a room with sliding doors to the outside. When starting a new fire I open that door some to reduce the negative pressure in the room. This will get the warmer room temp to pull a draft up the chimney.
The smell you have. My guess is related. I get this too usually when outside temps are down around freezing and no wind. This results in a poor draft. Unburned gasses build in the stove and that is what your smelling. This was explained to me by Vermont Castings, the real original VC back in the early 80's. In addition, sometimes those gasses will ignite and cause a back puff. Then you get a heavy smoke smell in the house.

Fred, I have located the intake vent for the defiant in the lower back of the stove. It is opening and closing as it should. My thought was that if I introduced air into that intake vent it would super charge the fire box with fresh air but when I blow air into that vent using a blow drier no air was going into the fire box. Does that sound like something may be plugged in the intake air vent system?

 

[begreen]

Check the chimney cap screen for plugging, even if the connector looks whistle clean.

 

[Fred B. NJ]

Fred, I have located the intake vent for the defiant in the lower back of the stove. It is opening and closing as it should. My thought was that if I introduced air into that intake vent it would super charge the fire box with fresh air but when I blow air into that vent using a blow drier no air was going into the fire box. Does that sound like something may be plugged in the intake air vent system?

Since your stove is brand new I would think not. My VC stove is from 1981. Back then it came with a printed manual. One page shows the internal views of all three VC stoves of the time and the air flow path. This includes the Defiant. But not sure if todays Defiant is made the same way. Air should come out the holes on the back plate and the left side and the bottom. I still think you have a draft problem and not a stove problem. I stopped burning my stove in downdraft mode 30 years ago to help combat this problem. I just burn updraft. I still get the occasional back puff but not near as much. When I clean the stove and take down the stove pipe I always run the shop vac hose behind the back plate and suck air through the air holes. I've never noticed any obstruction other then some ash. My secondary air port is fully open too. That's the metal flapper on the lower left side. At least in the original VC stoves.

 

[MindingtheFarm]

Thank you, Fred, I'm Kirk and this is all great information. I have been racking my brain trying to figure this out and my wife has been helping field questions. I will continue with this and keep asking questions.

 

[Fred B. NJ]

Nice to meet you Kirk. And please let us know how you make out.