DVC500 - Odor When Burning

I've just fired up my DVC500 for the third time but have a safety concern. I've never before been exposed to a coal stove/burning coal and still am not sure what to expect. The stove gives off an unusual odor (which at first I believed to be the paint burning off but now I am not so certain) and I want to know if this is normal. I have a 3-yr old and one on the way and I want to be sure that they are safe and that I do not have a functional problem with the stove.

The Harman ad for the stove says, "100% airtight", which makes me believe that I should not be smelling the burning coal in the house. I'm picking up a carbon-monoxide detector tonight but wanted to throw this question out to the experts before I become too concerned and decide to quit using the stove. Should I be smelling the coal burning even though the door is shut and the hopper is closed, or is it possible that I have a functional or install issue with the stove. (The stove was professionally installed)

I'm sure that this is normal but with the kids, I would rather sound stupid by asking than risk having a safety issue. Thanks in advance for any responses.

I wouldn't have any fires until you have at least one but preferably 2 working CO detectors along with fire/smoke alarms.

I'd bet that what you are smelling is just the paint, whatever curing. What does it smell like?
Once it's broken in, you shouldn't get any odor from your stove at all.
(On a warm day, with poor draw up you chimney, you may get a slight sulfur (rotten eggs) smell but by giving the fire more air you should be able to stop that)
How is your stove vented? (are you using a chimney or power vent?)

The DVC-500 is a completely air tight direct vent unit. No draft is required.

I would guess you are smelling the paint. You do have door seals around both doors right?

Fire it up HOT HOT HOT to burn off all the paint smells.

Get those CO detectors ASAP!!!

The third time you fired it? The paint should have burned off by now but if it wasn't fired very hard it could have a way to go. You smelled nothing the first two times? Have you oiled something? Did the kids leave a small plastic toy on it?

Paint, you may not be able to recognize the smell. Coal will make your nose want to curl.

Make sure the joints are sealed good, I had a problem with my Keystoker Direct vent, it was leaking at the joints and you could smell a slight sulpher smell, but YES, CO detectors are a Must maybe a good digital one to monitor near the stove to see if there are any problems. ANY CO can be deadly, most detectors don't go off until a certain PPM level, but if you have a digital, it can tell you if there is any CO or not. It should read 0.

CO is odorless. Keep this in mind. What you may be smelling is some paint from the stove pipe or maybe a light oil which was on the surface of the stove. BUT be careful, best to experiment on a sunny afternoon when the family is outdoors.
From Wikpedia:

Carbon monoxide is a significantly toxic gas and has no odor or color. It is the most common type of fatal poisoning in many countries.[19] Exposures can lead to significant toxicity of the central nervous system and heart. Following poisoning, long-term sequelae often occurs. Carbon monoxide can also have severe effects on the baby of a pregnant woman. Symptoms of mild poisoning include headaches and dizziness at concentrations less than 100 ppm. Concentrations as low as 667 ppm can cause up to 50% of the body's haemoglobin to be converted to carboxy-haemoglobin (HbCO). Carboxy-haemoglobin is quite stable but this change is reversible. Carboxy-haemoglobin is ineffective for delivering oxygen, resulting in some body parts not receiving oxygen needed. As a result, exposures of this level can be life-threatening. In the United States, OSHA limits long-term workplace exposure levels to 50 ppm.

WNY wrote:I had a problem with my Keystoker Direct vent, it was leaking at the joints and you could smell a slight sulpher smell,

The joints were leaking gases into your house when the stove was operating? (If that's the case maybe direct vents work differently than the natural draft of a chimney due to the forced fan-induced draft?)

Yes, that is right, remember, a direct vent is a vent motor mounted right on the stove, so the flue pipe from the motor to the outdoors is under pressure, not vacuum.. the only vacuum is in the stove.

Greg L

LsFarm wrote:Yes, that is right, remember, a direct vent is a vent motor mounted right on the stove, so the flue pipe from the motor to the outdoors is under pressure, not vacuum.. the only vacuum is in the stove.

Thanks Greg.....That makes sense. (Yet another reason to build a masonry chimney & not power vent a coal appliance, if you can avoid it, imo)
So I guess Marvin should seal his stove pipe joints. Sorry I gave you bad info!

In the DVC 500 manual it describes the function of the "test" mode. It will test the pressure among other things. It also advises how to determine what error occurred. With my 500 I have had to tighten the door glass clamps. Try to use equal pressure on all but don't over tighten. What type of coal? I mean like oil coated? Get the CO2 detectors, mount them low. I bought some with a memory and digital read out. There not that expensive when considering the possible outcome of not having them. Keep us posted, having the same stove ill be watching this thread. Good Luck

GR

Interesting. I too fired up my DVC-500 for the first time last week and we noticed a strange smell as well. I wrote it off as first use burn off. I haven't done a second burn yet however to see if it continues.

I have new CO2 sensors but am not sure of best location. SOme say high, some say low. I have a two story home. Suggestions and location proximity to stove?

thx

It would seem to me that if direct vent stoves are prone to leaking gases due to pressurization issues, that presents a real danger which should carry large warnings in their owner's manuals! Do they provide these warnings?

ablumny wrote:
I have new CO2 sensors but am not sure of best location. SOme say high, some say low. I have a two story home. Suggestions and location proximity to stove?

thx

My stove manual recommended that the CO2 detectors be mounted at table top level or lower as CO2 is heavier than air. I was just going by that. I have 2 in use, one approx 5' up and the other 2' up from floor.

I appreciate all of the responses and advice. I was unable to find a CO detector last night but after reading all of the posts about digital one's, I'll be sure to find a couple before lighting the stove again. The doors are all sealed but I'm having doubts about how tight the front (access) door is. I'm going to readjust the handle on it tonight, as it started out facing 10 o'clock but now is facing 6; it still feels sealed when shut however.

It is a direct vent stove; which is the reason for purchasing it since the insurance company deemed my original stovepipe unsafe, after insuring it for 30 years (seems 16 inches from the ceiling wasn't enough - had to be 18). There was nothing on or around the stove but the smell was of a chemical type smell (definately not rotten egg-ish). The coal is Blaschak rice coal.

I'll run the stove in test mode again to see if it outputs any errors. I haven't done this since the install. I will also install the CO detectors (waist height I guess) on each floor, and I will also readjust the handle to be certain that there is a tight seal. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again!

marvin wrote:I was unable to find a CO detector last night

Wow!!.....Home Depot, Lowes, WalMart.....almost any store carries them. (maybe stoves have become so popular the CO detector supplies are running low?)