Smelly gas coals

[JohnD]

One of my relations has a gas-coals open fire fitted in an existing fireplace (house is 100+ years old).

Last winter I could smell something from the fire and had it serviced and the chimney checked (I had thought that the fumes were not rising up the chimney correctly). the CORGI said no blockage, the smell was because the "coals" were dirty. He cleaned them and it was OK.

This year I have again smelt it (once, it is usually OK).

Is it likely to be dirty coals, and can I clean them myself?

Could it be that the chimney takes time to warm up and draw properly? The chimney is on the outside of an external wall (no chimneybreast) and about 450mm deep and 2000 wide (it is a big house). The room has a big gap under the door (carpets replaced by hard flooring). Windows are original but in fair condition, so not draughty but not airtight.

I have left a CO indicating patch on the mantlepiece but it is clean.

 

[nickso]

if there is a lot of dust on an appliance or coals then it can smell if its not been cleaned off. i wouldnt recommend you do it yourself as the coals usually need to go back in a certain way and a spillage test needs to be done if you have disturbed anything just in case.

it may be that there is a certain amount of spillage from the fire on initial heating....thats not uncommon.

those CO patches are useless....do not rely on it.....get yourself a proper audible CO detector and get the fire regularly serviced.

 

[corgiman]

as nick says get it serviced

I am shocked by the amount of times that I hear people say "Well I hardly use it so I dont get it serviced as its not worth it"

a gas fire is not a car and should be serviced every year, who knows whats happened to bits of it you cant see

 

[scatmanjohn]

If you have the MI's that show how the coals go then you can do them yourself.

Its usually in the User instructions anyway.

 

[suffolklad]

hi very interesting post . I have a baxi wentworth gas coal effect fire and i too have same problem . it really smells when you start it up after it hasnt been used in summer. i have took my coals off and vacumed them and put them back as manual says . it does smell like burning dust but takes ages to go .it never smelt when it was new . we actually havnt used it alot since its been in most probably why it smells . ours has an oxygen depletion sensor but dont know if it works. ARE THE SENSORS CHECKED ON THE SERVICE BY THE CORGI GUY? SURELY THERES NO POINT IN HAVING THEM IF THEY ARE NOT TESTED ? . i beleive the smell is dust is it ?

 

[doitall]

Have you read the manufacturers instructions, some require the ODS to be renewed every year.

As for relying on them to work I would sooner take a stroll down the middle of the M1 on a Friday afternoon

 

[wilhelm]

hi dia....

that analogy is flawed. cos you can walk down the m1 on a friday pm.

 

[doitall]

hi dia....

that analogy is flawed. cos you can walk down the m1 on a friday pm.

True but I bet you wouldn't last long

if any appliance relies on gadgets like ODS and Catalitic converters then they are not safe in my opinion.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

hi dia....

that analogy is flawed. cos you can walk down the m1 on a friday pm.

True, but only until the police catch you or the ambulance men scrape you up

 

[suffolklad]

so why are they not tested by the corgi guy surely any safety device is no good if it cant be tested . the service book says nothing about renewing oxygen depletion sensor each year . does anyone corgi know the regulations for the sensors then ?.

 

[doitall]

so why are they not tested by the corgi guy surely any safety device is no good if it cant be tested . the service book says nothing about renewing oxygen depletion sensor each year . does anyone corgi know the regulations for the sensors then ?.

Coppied from Argi.org talking about Cannon fires.

and informed me that the fire MUST have the oxygen depletion sensor pilot assembly replaced every service, every year. Not only is the warranty invalid without it, but receipt of purchase of the ODS is required as proof.

http://www.argi.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3423&start=0

 

[suffolklad]

cheers thanks for that do it all, i will check manual again and perhaps ask baxi too .

 

[RigidRaider]

Sounds to me like a classsic problem of a big cold flue not drawing properly. Can't you smoke test it?

 

[oilman]

I presume the ODS is similar to the oxygen cells used in combustion analysers. If so they have a lifetime independant of wether the fire has been used or not. If this IS the type of sensor then as dia says, it's a really bad scheme.

 

[scatmanjohn]

so why are they not tested by the corgi guy surely any safety device is no good if it cant be tested . the service book says nothing about renewing oxygen depletion sensor each year . does anyone corgi know the regulations for the sensors then ?.

Coppied from Argi.org talking about Cannon fires.

and informed me that the fire MUST have the oxygen depletion sensor pilot assembly replaced every service, every year. Not only is the warranty invalid without it, but receipt of purchase of the ODS is required as proof.

http://www.-/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3423&start=0

I have seen other manufacturers who say the same.

IMHO its a con to invalidate the warranty.

Can't think of any other reason.

I would be suprised if you could find anyone who actually does it.

I have a fire at home that uses exactly the same part and there is no such condition imposed.