New to stove, Vermont casting overnight burn time.

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fdnyfirecracker

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Nov 2, 2014
6
Long Island, NY
Hello to all who read this. I am new to wood stoves and trying to work out the details before the winter really hits. I have an new encore vermont casting 6 inch pipe. The manual and the sales man both said 10 to 12 hours average on the burn time when she is loaded up. I am not even getting 5. We go to be at 11pm. When I have to be up at 4 there is still enough coals to just add more wood. When we up at 6am the stove is warm to the touch and nothing but ash. We used the stove all day, then load it up to the gills. The damper is closed and my air is on lowest it can go. I just learned about raking coals and bring them to the front so I have not yet done that. I am using left over wood that is about 5 years old so I don't know if it is too old or dry. That is the only thing I can think of. I have the stove on the lowest setting and from what I can tell every thing seems tight.

Question 2. There are time the flue temp are high but damper and air intake are closed. I know, with this stove, that a closed air intake does not mean it is closed. Anyone have a way of reducing that even more. Is there something i am missing?
 
Without trying to sound condescending, make sure you are actually putting the stove on the lowest setting. We installed a new BK and my wife had the house up to about 98 degrees as she thought that 3 was the lowest and 1 was the highest. (She wasn't actually reading the dial, just going by direction she turned it).
Otherwise, it would seem you have some form of an air leak?
Good luck,
P
 
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My guess is that you are using softer wood. There are lots of charts for BTU comparisons, here is one: https://chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm

Softer wood will burn much faster compared to good oak, locust, etc. Your wood also could be full of dry rot. If you think your wood is good, I would call the dealer and have them check it out.

Also, most of us keep our largest splits for overnight burns. The smaller splits will burn much faster with so much surface exposed to the fire.
 
Thank you both. Don't worry no offense taken. I already made sure it was on low. I physical watch the dampers open and close just to make sure. The wood I have right now is supper light and borderline rot. So I am guessing this could be it. Once I get a load of newly seasoned wood I guess I will really know then. Thanks for the large log advice I'll keep that I mind. Just so I am not chase ghosts does everone get the burntime the mmanufacturer says? Why not. what has been your difference.
 
Manufacturers love to inflate numbers, wood stove manufacturers are not immune to this problem. That is why we go by the size of the firebox to get a rough estimate on burn time, some cat stoves can burn longer on lower settings but for a good baseline for overnight burns you would want a 2+ cu ft firebox.
 
I have an unrelated stove but with advertised 8-9 hour burn times. I figure it really only generates enough heat for about 5-6 hours, and expect closer to 4-5 hours once it starts getting truly cold out. I know my wood is very dry, like you several years old, and it was stored in doors. So probably on the verge of dry rot (some of it is paper light). So I am in the same boat as you. What I have found is that if I put 1 split of wet (25-30% wet!) cedar in with a full load of my very dry wood I get a bit longer burn with a lower flue temp. I find my flue temp will peak at about 800-850 degrees on a full load, but my stove doesn't get crazy hot (I need a stove top thermometer!). Just hot enough to get the water in a copper kettle to simmer and very occasionally get to a full boil. I am thinking about installing a flue damper to reduce the flue temp and hopefully increase the stove temp. However I want to get a stove top therm to confirm my findings before doing that.

Ian
 
If it is the flex burn encore I have the same model.

I would be concerned about your wood. If you are saying it is borderline rot...that could certainly be an issue.

With an ash species fully loaded stove I will get 8-10 hour burn times with the stove closed 3/4 of the way. I don't have any oak or hickory or locust which would probably get me at 10-12 hours.

That being said the stove WILL stay above 200-300 for 14-15 hours if left alone and not reloading BUT there would be very small coals with which you could restart the fire with a little care (But touching the stove would certainly still burn your hand). So that being said..."burn" time is very subjective.

But overall I define my times as when the firebox gets down to 2-3 inches of coals such that I can easily load logs in and restart without difficulty. That is really only 8-9 hours max with the stove mostly or all the way closed.

If the stove is open fully or 1/4 you can easily only get 4-5 hours of a stove at 550-650 degrees before having to reload. But that is really running the stove hot and open.
 
Do you know species and moisture content? If it is aged 5 years that should be pretty darn seasoned.

If it is a soft wood or pine species however I would expect the results you are getting. If it is ash, oak, maple I would not expect the results you are getting.

The next step would be to ensure the gaskets are ok, you wouldn't expect a problem in a new stove, but I have a stove top thermometer and a flue thermometer. Even when the stove is cruising at 500-600 the flue is rarely above 300-350. If you are having a roaring fire despite the stove closed down that would represent an issue.
 
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I would go to your local grocery store and buy a couple bundles of kiln-dried firewood. Buy the biggest splits you can find and see what results you get. This is a simple and definitive way to answer the wood question. The other thing to check (as already mentioned) is your door gasket or any other source of uncontrolled air being introduced.
 
fdnyfirecracker said:
The wood I have right now is supper light and borderline rot. So I am guessing this could be it.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Skunky is the term I use. There is a direct correlation to the weight of wood when dry and the potential BTU it can provide. I've got lots of standing dead elms that I cut and burn as time allows to get to them. If I get them early enough, they make good firewood, left too long and they are less than have the weight for the same sized piece and I'll get half the heat from it too. If they are dry enough, I use them as kindling and they are great for when I need a quick, hot fire. I find they seem to leave more ash for the amount of heat generated too but around here, if it doesn't go into the stove, it goes onto the brush dump which is actually more work for me.
 
Thank you all for your thoughts. It was definitely the wood. I just got a few cords of seasoned. Now I have the exact opposite issue. My temp seem to drop too fast when my damper is closed and air open. I am going to post anouther question about temperatures.
 
Charlequestions [quote="Charles1981 said:
Do you know species and moisture content? If it is aged 5 years that should be pretty darn seasoned.

If it is a soft wood or pine species however I would expect the results you are getting. If it is ash, oak, maple I would not expect the results you are getting.

The next step would be to ensure the gaskets are ok, you wouldn't expect a problem in a new stove, but I have a stove top thermometer and a flue thermometer. Even when the stove is cruising at 500-600 the flue is rarely above 300-350. If you are having a roaring fire despite the stove closed down that would represent an issue.
Click to expand...

1, post: 1800415, member: 26901"]I
Charles1981 said:
If it is the flex burn encore I have the same model.

I would be concerned about your wood. If you are saying it is borderline rot...that could certainly be an issue.

With an ash species fully loaded stove I will get 8-10 hour burn times with the stove closed 3/4 of the way. I don't have any oak or hickory or locust which would probably get me at 10-12 hours.

That being said the stove WILL stay above 200-300 for 14-15 hours if left alone and not reloading BUT there would be very small coals with which you could restart the fire with a little care (But touching the stove would certainly still burn your hand). So that being said..."burn" time is very subjective.

But overall I define my times as when the firebox gets down to 2-3 inches of coals such that I can easily load logs in and restart without difficulty. That is really only 8-9 hours max with the stove mostly or all the way closed.

If the stove is open fully or 1/4 you can easily only get 4-5 hours of a stove at 550-650 degrees before having to reload. But that is really running the stove hot and open.
Click to expand...

x burn encore I have the same model.

I would be concerned about your wood. If you are saying it is borderline rot...that could certainly be an issue.

With an ash species fully loaded stove I will get 8-10 hour burn times with the stove closed 3/4 of the way. I don't have any oak or hickory or locust which would probably get me at 10-12 hours.

That being said the stove WILL stay above 200-300 for 14-15 hours if left alone and not reloading BUT there would be very small coals with which you could restart the fire with a little care (But touching the stove would certainly still burn your hand). So that being said..."burn" time is very subjective.

But overall I define my times as when the firebox gets down to 2-3 inches of coals such that I can easily load logs in and restart without difficulty. That is really only 8-9 hours max with the stove mostly or all the way closed.

If the stove is open fully or 1/4 you can easily only get 4-5 hours of a stove at 550-650 degrees before having to reload. But that is really running the stove hot and open.[/quote]
Thanks. When you reload, does your temp drop to the point it doesnt

Charles1981 said:
If it is the flex burn encore I have the same model.

I would be concerned about your wood. If you are saying it is borderline rot...that could certainly be an issue.

With an ash species fully loaded stove I will get 8-10 hour burn times with the stove closed 3/4 of the way. I don't have any oak or hickory or locust which would probably get me at 10-12 hours.

That being said the stove WILL stay above 200-300 for 14-15 hours if left alone and not reloading BUT there would be very small coals with which you could restart the fire with a little care (But touching the stove would certainly still burn your hand). So that being said..."burn" time is very subjective.

But overall I define my times as when the firebox gets down to 2-3 inches of coals such that I can easily load logs in and restart without difficulty. That is really only 8-9 hours max with the stove mostly or all the way closed.

If the stove is open fully or 1/4 you can easily only get 4-5 hours of a stove at 550-650 degrees before having to reload. But that is really running the stove hot and open.
Click to expand...
Thanks. A few questions. I got a a load seasoned wood. I have a probe thermometer in the flue pipe and I use a laser thermometer for my truck to check temp of the stove. My flue temp is around 500 and the griddle is reading 350 at the center. My damper is closed and air is open wide. It's maintained this theme for a few hours(so it's stable) does this seem right. Shouldn't the temp go threw the roof with the air open. I have a great bed of coals. One thought is I didn't touch the coals or ash before I loaded up the stove. Was that a mistake? Is my flu temp suppost to be low and my stove high?
 
fdnyfirecracker said:
1, post: 1800415, member: 26901"]I

Thanks. A few questions. I got a a load seasoned wood. I have a probe thermometer in the flue pipe and I use a laser thermometer for my truck to check temp of the stove. My flue temp is around 500 and the griddle is reading 350 at the center. My damper is closed and air is open wide. It's maintained this theme for a few hours(so it's stable) does this seem right. Shouldn't the temp go threw the roof with the air open. I have a great bed of coals. One thought is I didn't touch the coals or ash before I loaded up the stove. Was that a mistake? Is my flu temp suppost to be low and my stove high?
Click to expand...

With the left handle/damper closed I would expect your stove temperature to climb and the flue temperature to drop for sure.

With the damper open the flue temperature will be higher. But the moment you close it, the griddle temp should easily continue to climb to 500-600 and the flue temperature should drop below 300.
 
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