Minimum Good Burning Temperature

Obviously the lower the temp the longer the burn but I think most will say as long as it not smoking you're good.

You'll get more buidup burning at low temps. Definately should be in the manual. Our Jotul says between 400-600 is optimal. You def dont wanna burn low temp fires all the time. In fact, I try to reach 650-700 a few times a week just to burn stuff that might be in the stack.

I run the Super 27 at 400 - 450 often on the warmer days. As long as the secondaries are working, that's the main thing, and the flue temps are above creosote levels. But as begreen said, you have to keep the loads on the small side to keep the temps that low.

Even on a large load, when the fire cools down, it's okay to let it run on down. By the time it's all coals with no flame, most of the creosote has burned off.

My Jotul F600 seems like it will burn nice and clean as low as 300F to 350F. However, you should note where you are taking your temperature readings from on the stove. My manual says to put your magnetic thermometer on the top of the stove on one of the four corners. That is where I'm taking these low burn temps from. When I hit the top center of the stove when the corners are at 400F I get a reading of 525F. logger says he burns his Oslo as high as 700F a couple times a week. If he is taking those readings from a corner of the top like the manual indicates then his hottest spot on the stove could be pushing 800F - 900F, which for me would be a couple hundred degrees above my comfort zone (psychological comfort).

In my short experience with the jotul oslo I found out that its ok to let it calm down to 350 once the stove is really hot.

So I first let it run up to 450 minimum for some time and then let it slow down.

Faillure to do this means my wood burns, disappears, but doesn't give any heat. Also no secondaries.

I find mine needs to be around 200C (~400F) to get a good clean burn. Anything less and when i try to damper it down it wont behave. On a small load that would mean leaving the damper open around midway, on a full load it will go past that temp even when air is fully closed (once the load is charred, etc of course).

tahoostas said:

I find mine needs to be around 200C (~400F) to get a good clean burn.

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I have found the same. I can't damp it down very much on small loads otherwise I start smoking. My dad's nice dry firewood that I was using previously is now mostly gone, so I am back to semi-wet wood and I think that might be part of it.

Cynnergy said:

I have found the same. I can't damp it down very much on small loads otherwise I start smoking. My dad's nice dry firewood that I was using previously is now mostly gone, so I am back to semi-wet wood and I think that might be part of it.

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Probably so. Do you know the moisture content of the semi wet stuff?

FWIW, I can control a small load pretty well down that far without smouldering. Not so much with a more full load, though. It takes dry wood to do that, though.

LOL I know. I'm not admitting it here though . Which reminds me about another wet wood question, I will post shortly in a separate thread.

Jags said:

And don't gloss over the point that BG made. The stage of the burn means quite a bit. If you are at the coaling stage you could be cruising at 350F and still be burning very clean. The coals have much less volatiles in them than logs do.

Check your stack - no smoke - good burn.

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This is what I do. I don't even pay attention to the thermo.

Sprinter said:

FWIW, I can control a small load pretty well down that far without smouldering. Not so much with a more full load, though. It takes dry wood to do that, though.

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That's weird. I find it easier to damp it down and keep the burn clean on a full load (once up to temp). Whether it's 'under control' though is the topic for my next question.

Jags said:

Check your stack - no smoke - good burn.

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It's really amazing sometimes to go out early in the burn and watch it go from heavy smoke to almost invisible in seconds. That's what it's all about.

Cynnergy said:

That's weird. I find it easier to damp it down and keep the burn clean on a full load (once up to temp). Whether it's 'under control' though is the topic for my next question.

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What I meant to say is that with a larger load, it's hard to keep the stove temps down that far. Then it can hit 600 before settling down even with the air full down.

Cynnergy said:

LOL I know. I'm not admitting it here though . Which reminds me about another wet wood question, I will post shortly in a separate thread.

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We're waiting

Sounds like you're going to have to get something to supplement with, like North Idaho Energy Logs which should be available up there.

'Min Temperature' will probably vary quite a bit based on stove type, design, wood being burned, moisture content, ambient temps, humidity, available draft, thermometer placement, style, accuracy, etc. ...and probably a few dozen other things that I left out.

I generally look for lazy translucent blue/purple flames, ideally starting at the wood and playing up against the secondaries. Or if there are yellow/orange flames, they should be 'lighting' when hitting the secondary. No smoke out of the flue, though a notable amount of steam may form on colder days (water formed from complete combustion).

I've got some kiln-dried pine flooring offcuts to help out. And doug fir really isn't too hard burn, even when wet. Alder is ok if it's in with drier things, but the hemlock is useless. I'll have to check the chimney soon though .