Need Advice on Faster Startup Time

OK, after reading advice yet again, I tried the 'top down ' method on a cold stove. We rarely have a cold stove but it's been milder and the sun has been shining so our solar house hasn't needed the stove during the daytime. I posted earlier that loading a full stove did not work for me when the kindling is on the bottom.

For 'top down' I had large splits on the bottom, medium in the middle, small above that, then a few pieces of newspaper and some dry cedar kindling. I do not use super cedars as I have no intention of buying wood, got way too much.

The first light seemed to go well, then sizzled out so I put in more paper with more kindling and it caught on very nicely. I turned the stove to 1/2 after 6 min., then had to open up again as it started to die out. Once I got past 10 min.,, I could turn it down to 1/2, then fully closed after another 10. It worked well but honestly, I doubt I got the room warmer any faster than my old method. I saved a tiny bit of time, maybe. You still have to 'attend' the stove to turn it down, so the only difference is in not opening up and tossing in a few splits but you are still loading the same wood, just all at once instead of a bit at a time.

It's certainly not a big deal for me, with my stove which method I use. I've got a large stove with plenty of draft so others may find it works better for them. Well worth seeing it work though and I would suggest anyone who has not tried it, give it a try and see if it works better for you.

Reading about this top down stuff...I think I am going to need to try that! Also may need to look at the super cedars. Like DougA, I have so much small stuff blowing into my yard all year long, buying anything seems nuts. But they do sound like an interesting solution.

Smoked said:

Reading about this top down stuff...I think I am going to need to try that! Also may need to look at the super cedars. Like DougA, I have so much small stuff blowing into my yard all year long, buying anything seems nuts. But they do sound like an interesting solution.

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I break each "puck" into 8 or 10 chunks and use 2 per cold start. It's worth it to me for the fast start they give.

That's about what I do Woody, when I use one. I just break a small amount off, or even rub some crumbs off. A little goes a long way with the supercedars. I bought a box a few years ago, then a new box last year for back up. I still have about half of the first box left. Only use them shoulder season. The two boxes will probably last my lifetime. Maybe I'll give some as gifts: like to support a good product, but can't really use more than I have.

You're using way too much kindling. If your wood is as dry as you say, you should only need a few pieces of kindling and paper. Last night I went from cold stove to 500 degree stove top in right around 20 minutes. Here's what I do:

1. Two pine splits N/S in the middle of the stove with about 6 inches between the two.
2. 2 or 3 pieces of crumpled up newspaper in between them.
3. Handful of kindling on top of the paper. Kindling for me is small branches I pick up from the yard and in the woods that vary between tiny and around half inch diameter.
4. One pine split on top of kindling.
5. Light paper and leave door cracked for around 5 minutes.
6. Criss-cross 2 small hardwood splits over the top and close the door. Leave air fully open.
7. After about 10 minutes I rearrange the coals and put 2 or 3 splits in and begin the process of closing down the air.

Dry wood is the key. The dry white pine really takes off quick and burns hot.

I didn't read all the replies because I'll loose my mind if I have to read one more "top down" method post, so. . .

Sounds like you are having no trouble actually starting the fire. If that be the case feed your fire (additional) smaller splits. If it's not fast enough, split those smaller splits.

Doug, I do think the top down method is probably the method of choice for anyone who has a problem with smoke entering their home when they open the stove door. If you load once and don't open the door until the end of the burn when it is time to reload, there is no opportunity for smoke to exit the stove into the room. I don't have the problem, but there seem to be a good number of people who are dealing with some degree of smoke spillage.

rideau said:

Doug, I do think the top down method is probably the method of choice for anyone who has a problem with smoke entering their home when they open the stove door. If you load once and don't open the door until the end of the burn when it is time to reload, there is no opportunity for smoke to exit the stove into the room. I don't have the problem, but there seem to be a good number of people who are dealing with some degree of smoke spillage.

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That would make a lot of sense. After trying it a few times, I'm back to my usual method of starting with some kindling, small splits, then see what's needed. We're getting a lot of sunshine during the day, so I am only burning half time now and enjoying the solar heat. Last night I got lazy and didn't even load a fire but it was needed this morning. The other factor is that I'm using up some of the smaller splits & softwood that were intended for the old stove and I'm keeping the good stuff for next winter.

+1 on top down method with my old Vermont Castings Vigilant: Fill to 75% with large splits. Newspaper, cardboard, and lastly twigs near the top. Light the paper. Zero smoke spillage, so I keep the door cracked for extra air. In about 15 minutes she's at 550. Close door, damper, air for cruise as needed.

I know they say you shouldn't but as rarely as I start a fire cold, I put cardboard on one side. Start it with newspaper, let it get hot. Put the smaller splits on top and it will encourage the top down scenario.

Works quick and easy for me.

Is there any benefit to closing the damper part way while heating up instead of wfo? keeping more heat in the box?? Intake air open fully, Damper 1/2-3/4 closed??

Fastdonzi said:

Is there any benefit to closing the damper part way while heating up instead of wfo?

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No

I recommend leaving your door cracked longer imo.

With a cold stove I throw in a good layer of newspaper on the bottom, then some bark and small pieces or you can take a axe/maul and take a small piece and easily half or third it if you are desperate. And then at least one medium size split on top.

Light the newspaper, leave the door cracked, and the blaze is off. I will check back in 5-10 minutes and add another medium to large size split, and continue to leave the door open another 5-10 minutes. Usually by then I have a stove top of 400-500. I then jam the stove full, and close the door handle. I make sure the stove top stays at 400-500 or continues to rise. Then I engage my catalyst (usually takes about 25-30 minutes from cold to engage the catalyst). Then it is another 5min at full throttle with bypass closed before I start to close down the air in 1/4 increments every 5-10 minutes and rarely do we shut the stove down 100%.

If the stove isn't getting hot enough you aren't adding enough fuel, and if you are adding lots of fuel but it is going out then you don't have enough air.

The only other issue would be if your bone dry wood actually isn't as dry as your think it is. Because dry would should really take off on its own and not necessarily need so much assistance in my opinion.

Fastdonzi said:

Is there any benefit to closing the damper part way while heating up instead of wfo? keeping more heat in the box?? Intake air open fully, Damper 1/2-3/4 closed??

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Obviously, you never want to see the connector pipe glowing. I like to cut the air as low as possible while still seeing a lively fire in the box. In my cat stoves, that raises the stove temp quicker than leaving the air wide open.

I've never heated with anything but Woodstock stoves. Perhaps different stoves need to be started in different manners. I'm surprised at the number of people who start their fires by leaving their stovebox doors open for a period of time. A Woodstock stove would take longer get to temp if one did this. There is zero indication for doing so. And my experience, as Woody stated above, has been that closing the flue damper and air down to a level to merely maintain a healthy burn has consistently resulted in the firebox getting hot more quickly.

My stove will start well with the doors closed but you have to baby the fire more, add smaller kindling at a slower pace which can be in precious supply sometimes or involve me going outside to collect some when I don't want to and force me to wait longer before adding larger sized splits ect.

Leaving the door open just means you can add larger pieces sooner and catch the wood more quickly. Because of the increased air flow, yes the stove itself does not heat up as efficiently because it is going straight up the chimney and is sucking in massive amounts of room temperature air. However, leaving the door open almost all of the wood you add has no difficulty catching within seconds and then there are plenty of coals on the bottom of the pile at that point after 15-20 min. So, when you close the door and give the stove 5 minutes it is usually ready to shut down immediately.

We are talking about getting the stove from cold to cruising as quickly as possible. As long as you are watching the stove closely it shouldn't be a problem imo.