Etched stove glass

[richardwale]

It's the etching, the cloudy deposit on the glass, that when you wipe with a damp cloth it  disappears but when dry comes backs, this is what I've discovered the sandpaper removes. 

[woodrascal]

On 05/03/2018 at 22:18, Alycidon said:

Ethching is usually caused by cleaning the glass with ash,   dont.  For smoke use either smoke remover or worktop cleaner from supermarkets.   For heavy tar deposits message me.

 

A

I've been cleaning the glass on some of our stoves with wood ash and a damp piece of newspaper for over 14 years and never had any 'etching' problems. The glass on one of my Charnwood Country 4's has the original glass in it and was bought new 15 years ago. It is still absolutely crystal clear.

[Alycidon]

I have seen etching and the customers have stated they only burnt wood,    maybe there was a bit of solid fuel in there somewhere. Thanks for the advice.

 

A

[openspaceman]

17 hours ago, richardwale said:

It's the etching, the cloudy deposit on the glass, that when you wipe with a damp cloth it  disappears but when dry comes backs, this is what I've discovered the sandpaper removes. 

I suspect it's a deposit of molten fly ash. Molten potash forms a euctectic mixture with silica and glass is largely silica so it fuses into the glass. You said yours was a ceramic which may be different from glass.

[mattplace]

I never had any trouble with my old fire and my parents 7 yr old aga log burner glass is still like new.
Mine is a Burley Holywell and I replace the glass every year.
We both burn the same wood and no solid fuel has ever been near mine.
I wonder if it's the more efficient stoves which are affected?

[sandspider]

Mine's a Burley Brampton, and I find the airwash doesn't work very well - glass fogs up quite quickly. But a wipe with a damp cloth gets it off, nothing seems to be sinking into the glass - yet.

 

One thing I have noticed recently is that the ash in the bottom of the stove is forming into solid lumps in parts - like lava, or boiler slag! It takes the poker to get it out of the stove (in lumps) at emptying time. Does this mean I'm over firing it or something? Too much moisture in the wood? Burley suggest wood less than 14% moisture, but that's quite hard to come by in Wales in winter, even kiln dried!

Edited March 7, 2018 by sandspider

[richardwale]

Sand mines a burley Wakerley. I'm sure it's the lack of air wash that causes the problems.

[mattplace]

Mine's a Burley Brampton, and I find the airwash doesn't work very well - glass fogs up quite quickly. But a wipe with a damp cloth gets it off, nothing seems to be sinking into the glass - yet.
 
One thing I have noticed recently is that the ash in the bottom of the stove is forming into solid lumps in parts - like lava, or boiler slag! It takes the poker to get it out of the stove (in lumps) at emptying time. Does this mean I'm over firing it or something? Too much moisture in the wood? Burley suggest wood less than 14% moisture, but that's quite hard to come by in Wales in winter, even kiln dried!

That's how my glass starts, then it starts at the top left corner and slowly expands across.

My Ash goes like that and I just assumed it's how it goes with good stoves. I probably empty it once a week with it being used every day. Unbelievable compared to my old inefficient stove which I had to empty every day!

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, sandspider said:

One thing I have noticed recently is that the ash in the bottom of the stove is forming into solid lumps in parts - like lava, or boiler slag! It takes the poker to get it out of the stove (in lumps) at emptying time. Does this mean I'm over firing it or something?

It's clinker, the fire has got hot enough to fuse the ash. I've never experienced it other than with coal where it blocks the grate and stops air getting through. It is worse with fuels with high ash, like straw or willow SRC.

[forestgough]

I had a milky ,foggy type of deposit on my glass ,that reappeared after cleaning with ash or cider vinegar as suggested on youtube. Then I tried 1500 grade wet and dry paper and 10 minutes of rubbing and wiping later it was crystal clear and has stayed that way all week.

  I burn anything in my burner from painted wood to logs to chipboard etc.