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I tend to reload when the temps get just under 300 degrees stove top temp. Reloading a hot stove can be tough to control as far as keeping temps at a safe range.
 
awesome thanks! any info on where one can find a thermometer for a wood stove? also where is the best part of the stove to attach it?
 
awesome thanks! any info on where one can find a thermometer for a wood stove? also where is the best part of the stove to attach it?

Check your owners manual, they may reference this there. I have mine directley on my stove top. My old insert I could not put it on top so i chose to put it in the upper left corner above the door. This Condar Madallion magenetic temp gauage seems to be pretty accurate, its within 30 degrees of my Infrared gun. I bought this one at Northline Express.com. but im sure TSC or your local big box store will have one.
 

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You can get the stovetop thermometer at a hardware store or at tractor supply. Look for a "Rutland" brand. They seem to be pretty accurate and well made. They are magnetic. You will need to place the thermometer "on top" of the stove. Place it inside the small area where the air blows out of from the fans directly above the door. You can slide it in there a bit having the two tabs facing outward towards you. You will not be able to read the numbers due to where the thermometer is but you will get a general idea by being able to see where the needle is in comparison to the two tabs. In between the tabs is ideal.
 
ok so i picked up a few moisture meters. one is from harbor freight (with pins) and i borrowed the other one from ebay (pinless ryobi). wanted to have 2 sets of eyes on the wood. question about the pinned one...how far do the pins have to go inside the wood? am i pushing this thing in the wood as far as i can or just giving it a little prick or pinch?
 
ok so i picked up a few moisture meters. one is from harbor freight (with pins) and i borrowed the other one from ebay (pinless ryobi). wanted to have 2 sets of eyes on the wood. question about the pinned one...how far do the pins have to go inside the wood? am i pushing this thing in the wood as far as i can or just giving it a little prick or pinch?

I push mine in as far as I can... which usually isn't too much.
 
ok so i picked up a few moisture meters. one is from harbor freight (with pins) and i borrowed the other one from ebay (pinless ryobi). wanted to have 2 sets of eyes on the wood. question about the pinned one...how far do the pins have to go inside the wood? am i pushing this thing in the wood as far as i can or just giving it a little prick or pinch?

I use a drill with the smallest bit I have and insert the pins in the holes.
 
so waiting for the thermometer in the mail...in the mean time was wondering if anyone ever has any trouble with wood lighting when you are adding to HOT coals (some of the coals still have a flame coming off them). i am finding that i have to leave the door cracked for the wood to light. its mostly cherry, maple, oak and hickory wood. all of it is very seasoned. ~12-15% moisture content. i have the installer coming again on saturday as well because it seems like something still isn't right here.
 
I use a drill with the smallest bit I have and insert the pins in the holes.
The most accurate way of checking moisture content it to re-split an average sized split ... then take your reading on the freshly split 'face' of the wood. No need to push the pins in - just rest them on the wood surface and apply light pressure
 
so waiting for the thermometer in the mail...in the mean time was wondering if anyone ever has any trouble with wood lighting when you are adding to HOT coals (some of the coals still have a flame coming off them). i am finding that i have to leave the door cracked for the wood to light. its mostly cherry, maple, oak and hickory wood. all of it is very seasoned. ~12-15% moisture content. i have the installer coming again on saturday as well because it seems like something still isn't right here.

Im finding with my new insert if I have that sucker packed full a cracked door for a few minutes helps things out, once going she cruises. If its four splits or less the door dosent need to be cracked. ( in my case)
 
Im finding with my new insert if I have that sucker packed full a cracked door for a few minutes helps things out, once going she cruises. If its four splits or less the door dosent need to be cracked. ( in my case)

Couldnt agree more Ed, I really have to start getting it packed for the night 1\2 hr. earlier, I find myself needing to hang out a bit with the door cracked making sure its going good before I can turn in.
 
Don't lite the fire and then leave the door wide open. If you put paper in it and lite it and then only leave the door cracked this should heat up the flue and get the draft going and not let smoke into the house.
 
so u are leaving the door cracked for ~30 min?

No, just 5 or 10 minutes. I just watch in for a bit after that to make sure its burning good and doesnt start to smolder before I turn the air down. I am told every stove is different, so this has just been my experience with mine. Im basically just talking about when I load it full, because I dont want all that wood packed tight to smother it.
 
No, just 5 or 10 minutes. I just watch in for a bit after that to make sure its burning good and doesnt start to smolder before I turn the air down. I am told every stove is different, so this has just been my experience with mine. Im basically just talking about when I load it full, because I dont want all that wood packed tight to smother it.

It sounds like we have the same routine, I'll load it for the night make sure its not going to get out of hand then off to bed I go. If I didnt do it that way I would get up every five mintues because my thoughts would get the best of me :cool:.
 
yea i just threw a piece of cherry in and 2 pieces of hickory on a HOT fire at 11.30am. after 15 min with door cracked its still not full blast. something just isnt right. hopefully they can fix this when they come out here on saturday
 
will the fan on "high" setting burn through the wood faster? or is the wood burning time just a product of the air control alone?
 
when the air control is pressed in should there barely be a visible flame? i've been burning alot less wood in the past week. i think i'm starting to figure this sucker out.....
 
Yes, I would say, most times. Sometimes, when things are going real well, I put it all the way in even with the fan on. Most times so far I've kept it between 1/4 and 1/2 inch out. I like that it's controllable.
 
awesome. thank you. one thing i am still struggling with is overnight burns.i usually use about 4-5 nice size logs (cherry, hickory, oak)... after 7-8 hours (fan on low and air control in about 3/4 of the way), the ashes arent really hot so i need to start a fire from scratch again. i am loading E/W. anyone have some advice on what i can do better to get the 8-12 hours the manufacturer suggests?
 
will the fan on "high" setting burn through the wood faster? or is the wood burning time just a product of the air control alone?

The blower only moves convection air around the OUTSIDE of the firebox. It has nothing to do with the combustion air INSIDE the firebox.
 
awesome. thank you. one thing i am still struggling with is overnight burns.i usually use about 4-5 nice size logs (cherry, hickory, oak)... after 7-8 hours (fan on low and air control in about 3/4 of the way), the ashes arent really hot so i need to start a fire from scratch again. i am loading E/W. anyone have some advice on what i can do better to get the 8-12 hours the manufacturer suggests?

I doubt you will EVER get that long a burn. I burned that unit for 4 - 5 winters up here in NY & put 4 - 5 cords of mixed hardwoods thru it each winter. I loaded it up every nite at about 11PM & at 5:30AM when I got up it was ready to be reloaded. Coals were still glowing & the blower would still be operating, so that meant the firebox hadn't cooled down all that much..Rake the coals to the front & load the wood in the back. Open the Air ALL the way...15 minutes & she's blazing...NO need to leave the door cracked EVER...BTW, I figured 8 hours MAX with a full firebox, so three loads of wood per day...
 
so u are leaving the door cracked for ~30 min?
Be sure to use a timer. For the first 30 minutes or so, you will either have the door cracked or the air full up. Many here, including me, can tell stories about how easy it is to get distracted during this period. Personally, I only keep the the door open for a few minutes, but it depends on the size of wood splits.
 
Yes, I would say, most times. Sometimes, when things are going real well, I put it all the way in even with the fan on. Most times so far I've kept it between 1/4 and 1/2 inch out. I like that it's controllable.

When you've got the air down that low and there's "barely a visible flame" like John noted, is the chimney smoking at all?
 
I didn't say there was a barely visible flame. I would close the air about more than 3/4 of the way for an overnight burn. More like a quarter inch out.
 
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