I think our stove works much better with a good load. I like it warm and I don't have to think about it for 8 - 10 hours. You really don't save any wood making smaller fires and it's more work!
Jim
Jim
Small fires in a big stove
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jbrown56 said:
I like it warm too, but there are certain days a full load, even running at a low temp of 400-450 will make the stove room 80+ degrees. With a small load, I will have the same stove top temp, but the rest of the stove runs at a cooler temp. The makes the stove room sit at about 75 degrees.
3 medium splits seem to give me about 6 hours of heat.
6-8 large splits would give me 8-14 hours of heat. So, it's not much more work. I'm saving the large splits when it's needed, and I'm not overheating the place.
Yes, it really depends on the house layout. Ours is quite open, with the stove somewhat centrally located. Heat diffuses very well throughout the entire house. With temps in the 40's I can get away with a large load of softwood and let it cruise. If this was hardwood, it might get too hot.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Scotty Overkill said:
Sometimes I have to open a nearby window when starting the fire from a cold start . . . otherwise no issues . . . I just avoid loading the stove to the gills, don't use my primo wood (punks, chunks, uglies and the low BTU wood works well here) . . . and above all else . . . avoid the temptation to reload or reload too many times (let the stove heat up and then radiate the heat outward . . . and give it time.)
Usually when I get in "trouble" (i.e. overheating the house) it's because I've reloaded the stove . . . or reloaded it one too many times instead of sitting back and letting that hot hunk of cast iron slowly warm up the house.
I still like the bigger stuff for nighttime burns. Small and medium fo the days when either my wife or I are home....for some people that doesn't work, but it works for us. I will be build small fires in milder weather but let it pretty much go out on 50+ degree days. Rainy days, hot fires in cycles, deal with the sluggish draft...
Still wondering if a 30 would be the way to go for the third stove. Parts costs are still a concern. If I can swing a new stove like the 2in1 Defiant or the PH, I would think differently. If I am sticking to the low budget, I am just wondering if parts costs will be my undoing with three VC cat stoves.
The Defiant and 30 are about the same size stove. I have been burning small hot fires the last few days to see how the stove and room temps react. Still unsure.
The Defiant and 30 are about the same size stove. I have been burning small hot fires the last few days to see how the stove and room temps react. Still unsure.
Out of curiosity and a bit of the devils advocate, if you can get looong burns times in a large stove with only 3-4 chunks of wood, why buy a large stove? A small stove will hold 3-4 splits.
Hardrockmaple said:
I can share my experience as to why.
For me, a big stove offers a lot more mass. Let's compare the Encore with the Defiant. The Defiant is throwing a lot more heat at 350 degrees than the Encore does at 350 degrees.
When the Encore is at 350 it isn't throwing much heat. The Defiant is much different. The Defiant can live off of coals and produce heat far longer than the Encore due to it's increased size.
The load I put into the Defiant earlier would have only given me 4-5 hours of usable heat if burned in the same way in the Encore or the Heritage. Meanwhile I just now put a new load into the Defiant nearly eight hours later.
For me, the larger stove provides more mass to live off of when I am down to coals while also giving me the option to load the stove up for a longer and/or hotter burn than a smaller stove.
Stump_Branch
Minister of Fire
Browning, firebox size apart, i think youd notice a difference in the cat non cat aspect. If the 30 was meant for true back up then id see it as the best choice. Still think best burns, load size not factored, cats better.
Not to say i dont love the heat from the non cat. But shes bound for duty only in the fridgid cold. Two strategic cat stoves and one "spare" stove might be nice.
Heck vc replacement costs, someone has to be the resident vc trouble shooter.....might as well fill that role.
Not to say i dont love the heat from the non cat. But shes bound for duty only in the fridgid cold. Two strategic cat stoves and one "spare" stove might be nice.
Heck vc replacement costs, someone has to be the resident vc trouble shooter.....might as well fill that role.
So you dont freeze your ass off when it gets colder, 3 or 4 splits only gets it when its "mild" here in Iowa. Also 3 or 4 splits aint gonna last too long.Hardrockmaple said:
Stump_Branch said:
Running a Heritage I know what you mean. And I agree, in my situation running three cat stoves is the better way to go.
I think I'd be a little less concerned if I was going to have at least one 2in1 stove since I already priced out parts and I know it will be a lot cheaper to maintain.
I just want to make sure a few years from now I'm not swapping out any more stoves due to maintenance costs.
madrone
Minister of Fire
Scotty Overkill said:
When conditions are such that I suspect I'll have lousy draw, I build a sort of masonry heater style fire of mostly kindling and smaller pieces that I let burn down. (Popping open the nearest window for a minute is still sometimes required.)
90% of my burning is either small fires in a large stove, or one or two loads that burn down. I've been glad to have the capacity when I've needed it, though...
oldspark said:
I live in Canada, it gets cold here and I burn about 4 sticks (mid sized) every 3-4 hrs. I believe its about how warm you want to keep your house. BB reports that he is getting heat for 5-6 hrs with 3-4 splits. I agree that keeping the mass of the house at a certain temp is the easiest way to conserve wood. I know I use more wood if I let the house drop to 65 F and then have to heat the whole thing back up to my live in temp of 69-70 than if I just try to maintain the 70F. Getting to know your stove well enough to just maintain a certain house temp is the fun part.
The point was if you dont have a bigger stove you are not going to heat the house when it gets real cold, below 0 with a south wind and the stove has trouble keeping up and I need all the heat I can get.
Hardrockmaple said:
Actually I just got 8 hours from four splits.
The plan/hope is that I figure out the stove well enough to run two Defiants and an Encore. If I figure the stove out right I can get up to 14 hours on a single, full load, which is impossible to do on most small stoves.
I could probably come close on a Fireview, but the initial cost is higher and I wonder about the heat production at lower temps.
My one though is to move the Defiant into the Living room and put a fireview in the Den, which is where the Defiant is currently.
Either way, I need to get the SOB to stop smoking when the cat is engaged!
HighHeat22
Member
Can't wait to get a new stove for next season. You guys make me drool. I am lucky to get 2 1/2 hours on 3 splits and not much heat.
Hate my stove. Too small and hard to get stove top over 400. Have pulled my hair out all season. Have checked everything possible. People on forum talk about 500 or 600 degree stove top and I just can only imagine.
Look out next year.
Hate my stove. Too small and hard to get stove top over 400. Have pulled my hair out all season. Have checked everything possible. People on forum talk about 500 or 600 degree stove top and I just can only imagine.
Look out next year.
HighHeat22 said:
Even a small stove should be able to up to a high temp. I ran a Intrepid, which is a small stove, and could get the stove top up to 700 degrees. Are you sure there isn't any other issue that is preventing you from higher stove temps?
HighHeat22
Member
No idea. Have tried everything. Have checked everything. Completely disgusted with situation.
About 10 year old country s210 with 2.1 cu ft box. Is EPA. I got about 2 years ago. 15 ft. single wall inside with about 12 ft. double stainless up top.
Have checked chimney for leaks found about 4 small inside and sealed. Checked door with dollar bill is OK.
Wood is about 2 1/2 years old with moisture content about 16 to 18.
Have cleaned chimney and stove 2 times this year and did not find anything out of ordinary and cap was clean. Burn times are ridiculous around 4 or 5 hours and keep air down around 25% with just lazy flames. Any lower and glass will dirty up.
No idea. next year new stove for sure. Either Englander or Drolet.
About 10 year old country s210 with 2.1 cu ft box. Is EPA. I got about 2 years ago. 15 ft. single wall inside with about 12 ft. double stainless up top.
Have checked chimney for leaks found about 4 small inside and sealed. Checked door with dollar bill is OK.
Wood is about 2 1/2 years old with moisture content about 16 to 18.
Have cleaned chimney and stove 2 times this year and did not find anything out of ordinary and cap was clean. Burn times are ridiculous around 4 or 5 hours and keep air down around 25% with just lazy flames. Any lower and glass will dirty up.
No idea. next year new stove for sure. Either Englander or Drolet.
HighHeat22 said:
A 2.1 cu ft firebox is not a small stove.
"keep air down around 25% with just lazy flames. Any lower and glass will dirty up."
With 2 and a half year old wood you should be able to have the air completely closed down and maintain high temps with clean glass. The fact that you have lazy flame with the air still open seems to indicate a fuel or draft issue.
Where were these 'leaks'?
HighHeat22
Member
Is 6 inch pipe with two 45 degrees at the top. I had to get over about 5 inchs and I did not want to use one 90.
The leaks where inside where the blackpipe come together they where very small and I sealed them up. Some one on forum told me to use a flame around the seams to look for leaks.
Yes, seems to be draft or fuel problem. I got a good load of oak from a friend and tried and had same results low stove top temps.
Any suggestions I am open to try.
The leaks where inside where the blackpipe come together they where very small and I sealed them up. Some one on forum told me to use a flame around the seams to look for leaks.
Yes, seems to be draft or fuel problem. I got a good load of oak from a friend and tried and had same results low stove top temps.
Any suggestions I am open to try.
HighHeat22
Member
Why ?. This is the first I have heard this.
Inside my house I have a 2 story with an open ceiling in the room the stove is in. How am I suppose to reach to the ceiling with is around 17 ft.
Inside my house I have a 2 story with an open ceiling in the room the stove is in. How am I suppose to reach to the ceiling with is around 17 ft.
That much of a single wall pipe will reduce the temp of the chimney and the draft, double wall pipe would be the solution.
HighHeat22
Member
I have talked to administrators on the forum and they have not said a thing about a limit on single wall length inside the house.
Maybe, you are right there is a problem. But, this limit on black pipe length is news to me.
Maybe, you are right there is a problem. But, this limit on black pipe length is news to me.
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