My thoughts are I don't know why the bio blocks at all...I don't use them. Getting wood with the highest possible BTU's might be a better way to go. Compare red oak to bio blocks in terms of BTU. Also, not for nothing, but neither me or the wife get up to stoke the stove. Maybe once or twice a year, on the coldest nights, or if we can't sleep. That's it. I'm not motivated enough to get my ass out of a warm bed to do that.
New Guy; forced into burning for primary heat.
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LOL, I hear you. Neither of us are getting up just to stoke a fire either. Fortunately our schedules are such that one of us will always be near the insert at least once every 4 hours to load as needed.
Brought a half cord up to the deck this weekend. These racks are steps away from the door.
I also purchased a couple of oil filled radiator style room heaters for $40 each. Hoping for supplemental heat in the rooms farthest from the fireplace.
I still don't know what to expect this winter but I'm trying to get as prepared as I can be.
I also purchased a couple of oil filled radiator style room heaters for $40 each. Hoping for supplemental heat in the rooms farthest from the fireplace.
I still don't know what to expect this winter but I'm trying to get as prepared as I can be.
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Grisu
Minister of Fire
Are you really sure that wood is dry? It is so light that it looks like it never has been exposed to any sun and no checks on the ends. Do you see any hissing or bubbling when putting it in the stove?
Either your house is really airtight or your insert pulls a lot of air. You can try adding some pipe to the chimney to improve draft. How tall is it? I assume the liner has not been insulated when you did not specify it during the install.
Either your house is really airtight or your insert pulls a lot of air. You can try adding some pipe to the chimney to improve draft. How tall is it? I assume the liner has not been insulated when you did not specify it during the install.
Am I sure? Not really. I am only going by what the mm says. Everything I've checked reads in the teens on a fresh split. I can't say how accurate the meter is though. I've never had any hissing or bubbling at all.
The chimney is about 18-20'. You're probably right about the insulation. Unfortunately, I wouldn't have even known to specify it.
The chimney is about 18-20'. You're probably right about the insulation. Unfortunately, I wouldn't have even known to specify it.
Grisu
Minister of Fire
Sounds dry but maybe test your MM on some fresh cut wood. It should read above 40% (which is usually out of range).
That should be enough height. When you turn down the air do you see flames coming off the burn tubes in the top of the firebox? Are there other appliances in your house that may pull air out (bathroom fan, furnace etc.)?
Yea. The day I got the meter I stuck it it a piece of green maple and and it max out.
When I turn the air down, I don't think there are any flames coming from the tubes but the fire does seem to separate itself from the wood. The gap between the bottom of the flame and the wood grows until the fire just disappears. If I crack the door, the wood ignites again.
As I said, this issue only happens when all the windows are closed. With the window cracked about an inch, the fire is robust. (although I don't believe its hot enough at 400° but that could be due to poor thermo placement)
When I turn the air down, I don't think there are any flames coming from the tubes but the fire does seem to separate itself from the wood. The gap between the bottom of the flame and the wood grows until the fire just disappears. If I crack the door, the wood ignites again.
As I said, this issue only happens when all the windows are closed. With the window cracked about an inch, the fire is robust. (although I don't believe its hot enough at 400° but that could be due to poor thermo placement)
Poindexter
Minister of Fire
Couple other things you can do to test a MM. Lick your finger and set the pins in the puddle. Meter should max.
Also, kiln dried 2 by whatever should read about 7% or so if it has been in the house for a while and is visibly dry.
Also, kiln dried 2 by whatever should read about 7% or so if it has been in the house for a while and is visibly dry.
Have to agree that visually that doesn't look like well seasoned wood. There is minimal checking on the ends.
cookin2night
Member
That happens to me too. What i realized is you have to get a good bed of hot coals before you can choose the door and use the damper. I have almost the same unit you have but made by us stove.
Yea, I'm obviously not a pro but all I have to go on is the mm reading. I can only assume that readings in the 14-19% range is accurate. Aside from looks, I haven't seen any evidence that this wood is green or even semi seasoned. It burns quick and fast when a window is cracked. No hissing or bubbling.
As for not being able to get the stove north of 400°, I am going to assume that my thermo placement is not optimal.
As for not being able to get the stove north of 400°, I am going to assume that my thermo placement is not optimal.
Also, look at the pic again. Does the top 2 feet on the rack closest to the camera look dry? Or does it look any different than the rest? I ask because I personally cut and split that wood myself about 7 years ago and its been stored in my garage up until this weekend.
How quickly are you turning down the air? I can easily snuff a hot fire by closing the air too quickly. You want to do it in steps - it will take a bit to learn your specific stove, but on my stove I start by closing it half after it gets going good, and then about 1/8 every 5-10 min or so. I can't close my air totally off unless I have a full load - even with 3/4 of a load I need to keep it a bit open to keep from snuffing it.
No idea if this is the issue but I thought it might be another thing to try if you're not already doing it.
No idea if this is the issue but I thought it might be another thing to try if you're not already doing it.
We'll I'm going to assume that 7 yrs drying in the garage is plenty enough to dry out almost anything. My wood greys on the ends and checks with just a year or so in the elements. That was what I was looking for.
hoot
Burning Hunk
When I first started burning in a wood stove after buying an insert, I had a wall in my garage stacked with sweet gum and maple that had been there for at least 2-3 years. It was so dry I could not control the stove. Ended up keeping pieces of green wood on hand and once the fire started going out of control I'd throw a piece of green in there and she would settle right down. Now I have the opposite problem LOL. Hard to keep seasoned wood on hand.
Thanks begreen. Yea, being a newb, I was wondering if there was something I was missing visually as they appear to look the same to my uneducated eye.
I'm going to try to find a smaller thermometer. The Rutland is so big that it doesn't sit flat on the surface. As you can see, the left side of the thermo is "propped up" on the inserts side trim. Im thinking that may reduce the reading a bit. It burns inside the "good zone" but I feel it should be a bit hotter. My manual says maximum of 840°. Based on what I've read here, I should try to get it to at least 600° or so? Or would that be excessive given the small size of the unit?
View attachment 139301
I'm going to try to find a smaller thermometer. The Rutland is so big that it doesn't sit flat on the surface. As you can see, the left side of the thermo is "propped up" on the inserts side trim. Im thinking that may reduce the reading a bit. It burns inside the "good zone" but I feel it should be a bit hotter. My manual says maximum of 840°. Based on what I've read here, I should try to get it to at least 600° or so? Or would that be excessive given the small size of the unit?
View attachment 139301
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hoot
Burning Hunk
Inserts are a bugger to get a decent thermometer fit. I ended up installing a thermocouple and bought a cheap PID controller and hooked it up permanently
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=83
I might have $75 total in this.
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=83
I might have $75 total in this.
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cookin2night
Member
Funny you mentioned that. I considered asking here if that was an option but I didn't want to sound crazy. (In case I haven't sounded crazy yet)
There is a perfect place, a ledge just inside the box at the bottom of the glass that I thought was perfect for a thermo. Have you had any issues with placement inside the box? I guess I can try it. After all. The thermo only cost $11.
Yes, besides reaching temps that would be frequently outside of the range of the thermometer and rendering it shortly useless, the firebox temps are not necessarily directly related to the stove top temp. Also, I doubt that the paint would stand up long to the firebox temps and you would be sure to knock it more than once when loading the stove. The thermocouple idea is better if you want accurate temps.
Thanks begreen. I did have concerns about knocking it around. Is the thermocouple something someone can do with minimal experience in these matters?
hoot
Burning Hunk
Yes if you have a little mechanical and electrical abilities. I made the little bracket out of a Stanley hardware bracket for woodwork. I drilled and tapped the top of the stove after calling Hearthstone who said it's fine.
The thermocouple is an off the shelf unit and the PID box also. I hard wired the unit with a fuse to the stoves fan electrical supply.
prezes13
Minister of Fire
Hoot this is pretty cool. I am thinking about doing the same only difference is I would love to hook up two probes one for top stove another for a flue temp. Wonder if they make a PID box which you can hook up two probes to.
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