Calm my nerves

JCass · Oct 25, 2012

Let me set the scene:

New insert (installed two months ago). Yesterday it was 45 high and 33 low overnight. Since i'm so new to woodburning, I have been practicing with the stove the last few days. I have had great success with getting the stove up to temp (~500) and letting it run. Good secondary burns etc...

Last night (around 9:30) I decided to load for a overnight burn. Keep in mind I have a PE vista insert. Small firebox. But, I stuffed it full with the stove top temp (read with an IR thermometer) sitting at 350 and a good coal bed. The coals had been burned down for a while.

I loaded a couple big rounds and large splits after raking the coals to the front. I left the air flow on high until the stove reached 450. Then started to step it down. But, this is where I get nervous. The temp rose rapidly after 450 to 650. I stepped the air down to about 10%. Temps kept rising to 700 then leveled. Heart was thumping. Living room was 80 degrees. It leveled and fell to about 670 and cruised.
Woke up this morning (6 am) to a 200 degree stove top and coals for easy start up. Also, and I don't know if this means anything, but the glass was completely clean. I don't think I over fired the stove, but I was tense.

Any tips, opinions, etc... about my methods are welcome. Must keep my family safe.

I can supply more specifics if needed.

Wood Duck · Oct 25, 2012

That sounds pretty normal to me. Maybe try the next few big loads during daytime so you can watch the whole burn cycle, rather than try to do it overnight when you are not watching. After a while you'll get more comfortable with large loads of wood.

jhoff310 · Oct 25, 2012

You're right on...let them burn hot like that...a good hot fire like that reduces any creosote. I burn my free standing up to about 600 and start dialing it back, my temp will peak around 700 or so then slowly fall as the air is decreased. Sounds like you did everything right and had a good fire, the kind you need when its 0 outside

Jeff

My Oslo heats my home · Oct 25, 2012

The only difference with my loads before bed is how I bring the temps up and then down. Everything is just about the same with me (as yours) up until how you dialed it down. I take my air completely down to low after I get the stovetop to 650 on the reload. I find I get moderate temps through most of the night and decent coals for the morning reload.

wingarcher · Oct 25, 2012

A large load on a hot bed of coals will get going faster than a large load on a small bed of coals. You should modify your air control to match the rate of change of combustion in the stove- it's ramping up slowly, so you can ramp the air down slowly. It's charging along like a freight train- get that air shut down sooner and quicker.

Every fire will be different, so while there can be hard and fast rules on what to do, you have to learn to evaluate the current fire and then apply the rules appropriately.

begreen · Oct 25, 2012

Well, the good thing is that it appears that your wood is nice and dry. The only difference I would have done is to shut down the air sooner. Try closing down the air when the stove top reaches 500F. Close it all the way. Raging secondaries are not necessary for good heat. They should be lazy and wafting.

FWIW, occasional spikes to 700F are not unusual. You'll get used to it with more practice. There's a learning curve for all of us, especially with a new stove.

AnalogKid · Oct 25, 2012

Pardon me, I am going to hijack this thread rather than starting a new one since it relates to this topic....

Can someone share a link to what you guys are using to determine the temp of your stoves?

Thanks

Dakotas Dad · Oct 25, 2012

My main comment is.. how did you sleep during your first overnighter? took me a couple weeks to do that. lol.

But it does sound like your wood is good, draft is strong. That covers about 80% of the stove working right. Might have started airing down a little earlier, and don't be afraid to bottom out the primary air. You CAN'T smother the fire with that control. The EPA has seen to that.

Dakotas Dad · Oct 25, 2012

AnalogKid said:
Pardon me, I am going to hijack this thread rather than starting a new one since it relates to this topic....

Can someone share a link to what you guys are using to determine the temp of your stoves?

Thanks

I have a IR thermometer I shoot right at the center of the center top stone. I pay way more attention to my flue temps though. For that I have a probe.

EDIT... also, my guess is, MOST people who heat with wood don't know what temps the stove is hitting.

Here on hearth, you have a concentrated group of certified "stove geeks" fiddlers/tweakers/modifiers and the like..

So it may skew your view of what all is involved in heating with wood.

Most of my family, including extended, heat with wood. I am the only one (out of more than a dozen) who actually monitors my stove, properly seasons my wood, etc. In fact, I was just on the phone with my baby brother, we are both splitting wood today.. mine is getting stacked in the '17-'18 stack.. his is going to the porch...

begreen · Oct 25, 2012

AnalogKid said:
Pardon me, I am going to hijack this thread rather than starting a new one since it relates to this topic....

Can someone share a link to what you guys are using to determine the temp of your stoves?

Thanks

It varies with the stove, for example, Jotul suggests putting it at one of the corners of the griddle. But generally about 6" in front left or right of the flue collar will work.

corey21 · Oct 25, 2012

Sounds good to me but i would wait it got down to 250 300 to reload.

JCass · Oct 25, 2012

Analogkid, I purchased from amazon the highest rated IR thermometer with the most reviews
that fit in my budget. Works great. I point mine right in the center of the stove just above the door.

JCass · Oct 25, 2012

Dakotas Dad said:
My main comment is.. how did you sleep during your first overnighter? took me a couple weeks to do that. lol.

Surprisingly, I slept well. And warm!

mfglickman · Oct 25, 2012

Someone here told me last year that sleeping with your first few overnight burns is like sleeping with a newborn in the house, and I found that to be true.

Sounds like you got a good overnight burn. 700 does not sound too high to me - then again in winter I regularly get my soapstone stove up to 650 and have on occasion seen 700 (though it freaks me out). Something I do is load up for the night at least an hour before I plan to go to bed, so I can feel confident that I've seen the temp peak and that things are going along well.

Good luck!

JCass · Oct 25, 2012

mfglickman said:
on occasion seen 700 (though it freaks me out).

There is just something freaky about having a 700 degree steel box in your living room.

mfglickman · Oct 25, 2012

JCass said:
There is just something freaky about having a 700 degree steel box in your living room.

Indeed. And my box is soapstone, so I start thinking about how hot it must be inside to get the rock to that temp outside and...well, then I need a drink.

Ashful · Oct 25, 2012

I used to sleep in a house with three open fireplaces... often right in front of one of them. My first night sleeping in a house with a wood stove was very uneventful. Heck... the fire is contained in a metal BOX! Some of you need to try open hearth burning.

That said, the few times I've loaded up full on warmer nights, and seen the stove backpuffing... I stayed up later than I'd have liked to, watching the stove.

James02 · Oct 25, 2012

I suspect those big rounds that you put in there.....Aren't seasoned that well....Keep an eye on build up....just sayin....

corey21 · Oct 25, 2012

Joful said:
I used to sleep in a house with three open fireplaces... often right in front of one of them. My first night sleeping in a house with a wood stove was very uneventful. Heck... the fire is contained in a metal BOX! Some of you need to try open hearth burning.

That said, the few times I've loaded up full on warmer nights, and seen the stove backpuffing... I stayed up later than I'd have liked to, watching the stove.

I have also slept in a house with an open fireplace it is a lot different then a stove.

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