We've got our new Mansfield installed for a few weeks now. We've been burning it to keep the chill off, it hasn't been REALLY cold yet (yeah). I finally figured out how to find threads about the Mansfield itself, I know that soapstone is "a completely different animal" I also have seen how different one seems to be w/out a cat like woodstocks have.
so I have some questions about our new stove
**1) It smokes us out! Smoke just rolls out of the top of door if its open. With start up its not so bad, I have noticed I have to get kindling REALLY burning before shutting door, but when we go to reload it the smoke pours out! The only time it doesn't is when there are active flames from wood itself, but that's not when I need to reload it. I think the flue temps are still OK but of course they are cooler when it needs reload.
2) I've noticed it leaves a LOT of ashes. The manual said you might only have to empty ash pan every week, but after 1 or 2 burns its Full.
3) which brings me to how the heck are you suppose to empty the ash pan? I Don't like shoveling out of the box too much smoke. You are suppose to burn it w/ great closed... So I'm guessing you have to move the grate around now and then to let ash in pan (I really miss exterior control for ash grate!!). You are NOT suppose to burn any fire w/ Ash door open! but to burn it 24/7 I cant let the stove get cold (a whole day w/out fire) when it gets below 0. So how are you suppose to get ashes in pan and empty it while keeping your house warm while not opening the door while there is a fire??
4)How exactly does the air flow threw this stove? I did find a thread and find out the 2nd air comes in threw the tubes in back, but where does the initial air come in. I can't tell where the source of air is to burn coals and logs, I could load around it easier if I knew where it was.
5)I'm disappointed that the box seems smaller than I thought. Its because it seems SHORT door is a few inches higher than bottom of box and baffle comes down low so Im having a hard time not hitting the baffle when loading it! Once I get the wood in there its good except watching the height of logs. Getting it in is going to take some practice I think (and a glove!)
6)I read a lot of suggestions to get a pipe damper and we did. When do you use it?? I'm guessing to keep it cooler when the real 24/7 burn comes in to play. It doesn't seem like it would help getting things started and it would complicate the smoking out our house problem. Or do you use it to keep the overnight burn longer? Not sure how to take advantage of it to control the fire better.
7)Should I have 2 Temp guages 1 for stove & 1 for pipe?
I don't have a meter, and the wood probably isn't as dry as ideal but its what we have, cant buy the "manufactured log" type stuff. $$ is why were burning wood. Of course were always working on stacking for future years but there is a good breeze most of the time headed threw the stacks and tops are covered.
Looking forward to "getting to know" our new stove.
Thanks in advance for the help!!
so I have some questions about our new stove
**1) It smokes us out! Smoke just rolls out of the top of door if its open. With start up its not so bad, I have noticed I have to get kindling REALLY burning before shutting door, but when we go to reload it the smoke pours out! The only time it doesn't is when there are active flames from wood itself, but that's not when I need to reload it. I think the flue temps are still OK but of course they are cooler when it needs reload.
2) I've noticed it leaves a LOT of ashes. The manual said you might only have to empty ash pan every week, but after 1 or 2 burns its Full.
3) which brings me to how the heck are you suppose to empty the ash pan? I Don't like shoveling out of the box too much smoke. You are suppose to burn it w/ great closed... So I'm guessing you have to move the grate around now and then to let ash in pan (I really miss exterior control for ash grate!!). You are NOT suppose to burn any fire w/ Ash door open! but to burn it 24/7 I cant let the stove get cold (a whole day w/out fire) when it gets below 0. So how are you suppose to get ashes in pan and empty it while keeping your house warm while not opening the door while there is a fire??
4)How exactly does the air flow threw this stove? I did find a thread and find out the 2nd air comes in threw the tubes in back, but where does the initial air come in. I can't tell where the source of air is to burn coals and logs, I could load around it easier if I knew where it was.
5)I'm disappointed that the box seems smaller than I thought. Its because it seems SHORT door is a few inches higher than bottom of box and baffle comes down low so Im having a hard time not hitting the baffle when loading it! Once I get the wood in there its good except watching the height of logs. Getting it in is going to take some practice I think (and a glove!)
6)I read a lot of suggestions to get a pipe damper and we did. When do you use it?? I'm guessing to keep it cooler when the real 24/7 burn comes in to play. It doesn't seem like it would help getting things started and it would complicate the smoking out our house problem. Or do you use it to keep the overnight burn longer? Not sure how to take advantage of it to control the fire better.
7)Should I have 2 Temp guages 1 for stove & 1 for pipe?
I don't have a meter, and the wood probably isn't as dry as ideal but its what we have, cant buy the "manufactured log" type stuff. $$ is why were burning wood. Of course were always working on stacking for future years but there is a good breeze most of the time headed threw the stacks and tops are covered.
Looking forward to "getting to know" our new stove.
Thanks in advance for the help!!
I'll see if I can fix it.
