loading and stuffing a firebox

CheaperthanYou said:

when it comes to a reload and stuffing for a overnight run what is the general consensus? Do I try and get as much as possible into the firebox?

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Pretty much yes. I do it that way not only for overnight burns but also during reloads during the day. Why spend more time tending the stove than necessary?

have as much wood touching with as little air space possible?

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Yes

can I keep it filled right up to the secondary tubes.

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Usually top of the firebrick. You want to leave about 2 inches of airspace below the baffle for the combustion gases to accumulate and ignite -> your secondaries.

I jam wood in there Tetris style, leaving no air gap etc. Before it's really warmed up enough to close the air down, the wood volume has decreased enough to provide a little space (which I don't think is necessary anyway).

The closer the wood is to the secondary air tubes, the quicker I get secondary flames in my insert.

I load right up to the tubes, packed in tight as possible for longer burns

Glad you posted this question because I am unsure of what to do after loading the wood for an alnighter. After raking the coals forward, then putting the wood in (bigger pieces in the back) do you leave the air all the way open until the firebox is full of flame and all the wood is charred or do you just leave the air open until you see secondaries then close air down by 1/4's until you have just a lazy flame and secondary action? How do you know when to start turning down the air? Stove top temps or just by eyeballing it. I havent yet worked up the nerve to fully stuff the stove yet.

Jags said:

Mark - rake the coals forward. Load like you mentioned. Primary air wide open till you start to char the wood. Start tuning the stove down in steps (I personally do this in one motion, but I have been running this stove for years). At about 100 degrees below your peak temp you want - crank it down for the long haul. Monitor for stable temps.

Again - I would like to stress - work up to the "fill it to the gills" stage. You will want to learn how the stove reacts as you get more and more fuel in its belly. There really is a learning curve and ALL stoves and installs are a little unique.

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Thanks Jags, I have had pretty good success with my last 3, 1/2 full loads (before those I made the mistake of not raking the coals forward and put a bunch on hot coals and it got real interesting but was able to control it) but I know with a full load packed tight that the stuff in the back won't get charred and I dont want to create any creosote problems is my worry.

Loading N/S will prevent issues with the back not burning properly in most stoves.

What's the purpose of raking the coals forward? On reloads, I've been laying the new wood on the coal bed, which is evenly distributed. Is this wrong or dangerous?

Interesting. I've never had much luck packing the stove as full as I can get it.

I have a very small stove (Englander 17-VL - 1.1 cu. ft. firebox) so there's only room for a stack of medium sized splits in the back and small splits in front. I find that if I don't leave a little gap between the front and rear stacks the fire smothers, I need that airflow coming up between them. I guess the one exception would be if I have a really thick bed of hot coals, then I can do about whatever I want. But most of the time I just get a smokey smoldering mess if I don't leave some gaps for air circulation.

Alan

siddfynch said:

What's the purpose of raking the coals forward? On reloads, I've been laying the new wood on the coal bed, which is evenly distributed. Is this wrong or dangerous?

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The air inlet is normally in the front. Raking coals forward generally heats them up quicker. Doing as you are is not wrong at all if it lights up quick!

Adios Pantalones said:

Adios Pantalones Minister of Fire Joined: May 20, 2008 Messages: 5,982 Loc: S.NH- Mass's smoking section New Loading N/S will prevent issues with the back not burning properly in most stoves

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My stove Drolet 1800 is wider than deep and most of my wood wont fit N/S so I am stuck with E/W loading.

I've got a Vermont Castings Dutchwest Sequoia which I rebuilt this summer. (the inner top plate had warped and cracked.) I'm wondering if I have a draft issue because my all nighters haven't been doing too well. I generally have a good bed of coals that I load my splits onto; as much as I can get in. Then I close the air down. (that may be around 11:00 - 11:30) I get up to check the fire around 2:45 (lately) and add a few splits to it. Then get up for the day between 6:00 and 7:00 and there is generally a decent amount of coals.

The new design for the inner top plate has a "wedge" shaped "cut out" between the cat and the secondary damper. A "wedge" of iron, bolts into the cut out. I'm thinking the fit is not snug, with a bit of a gap (about 1/8") on either side. Could this "gap" cause enough of an air leak to prevent me from controlling the burn better during the night? If so, should I use some furnace cement in the gaps and seal the sucker up?

Thoughts? Thanks!

Jags said:

A safety note: Work up to the "stuff the sucker full" stage. Make sure that you understand how the stove reacts and that you can maintain control over the full load.

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I think this is good advice. Today was the first day it was cold enough to try and keep my stove going day and night. This morning at 7:30 there was a bed of coals that I thought were burned down pretty low and my magnetic flue therm said it was in the low range. I was going off to work so I put three average size splits--not small but not giant--and in 5 minutes it had shot up into the too hot zone--about 550 degrees. If I had packed it with the idea of having coals left after 8 hours I think it would have exploded. Maybe this will be different when it is even colder or maybe my coals were not as low as I thought. Still learning.

Adios Pantalones said:

The air inlet is normally in the front. Raking coals forward generally heats them up quicker. Doing as you are is not wrong at all if it lights up quick!

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Is anyone familiar with the new T5--it has an air opening in the right rear in the ashbox frame and another in the front. I saw them myself when the stove was new and unused. In that case, wouldn't it be just as good to restart with the coals spread out. Seems to be working so far.

dyerkutn said:

Is anyone familiar with the new T5--it has an air opening in the right rear in the ashbox frame and another in the front. I saw them myself when the stove was new and unused. In that case, wouldn't it be just as good to restart with the coals spread out. Seems to be working so far.

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Whatever works

I think it also depends on your goal. A full firebox will burn longer, but doesn't get as hot as when I load it 3/4's full with air gaps. With my undersized stoves, I trade long burn times for max heat output.

Mark Richards said:

but I know with a full load packed tight that the stuff in the back won't get charred

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When I load the stove, I put a small piece of kindling vertically-oriented in the back to create an air space between the back log and the back of the firebox. This makes sure it gets charred well, and prevents smoldering.

How far forward do you guys load the stove when you pack it full, how close to the glass are you? I have had an over fire in the past and don't want to repeat it , I got a replacement stove and this one seems like it's easier to control as it gets colder ill load it up more.

FWIW, I read on here that less airspace(more wood) causes airflow to be more turbulent, which gives a better burn.

I usually load full, but that's on top of a couple of short splits placed N-S like andirons, which leaves a lot of space in the bottom but gets plenty of air to the coals.

I've been burning a few long splits this year e/w (they won't fit n/s) and the difference in burn time is significant. It takes a lot for a few good sized splits e/w to really get away from me. Although one tried to roll out on me - stove gloves rock. Also will load them on a flat bed of coals and this seems to work well. This stove likes to burn n/s.