I am back with an update on my wood stove insert not heating up. The installer came yesterday ( 2 of them). I pretty much watched them the entire time. When they removed the surround there was a block off plate and insulation blanket is what they called it. This is all new to me so not sure what they looked like. The block off plate was 2 pieces, one on each side of the flue pipe. They just reached up, pull out the metal block of plates and pulled out the insulation. For some reason I would have thought the block off plates would be bolted on somehow. The insulation was in a few large peices (3-4), I guess together they consist of a blanket?! They installed the liner. I watched the clock and it took them about 1 1/2 hours total from start to finish. Again, the clock off plates were just put into place reaching up and fitting them in. lNow a few of their comments. When I asked the importance of a block off plate for air supply he said not really, the block off plate was really to protect the insulation from catching on fire. Not that the insulation would but just an extra protection. At this point I started to doubt his ability or if he was even aware of the importance of a correct install. Based on the comments from this site the block off plate is very important. I told him that with the surround in place I could feel a draft and if I put a match their the flame sucks in. How come? With the block off plate and insulation why would it do this? He said "Hmm". Not quite the answer I was looking for.
Now the other guy starts to light up the wood stove. As he was filling it with paper and kindling he made a comment that this was a "convection oven" and it really wont get high, high heat, maybe 350 degrees. I said this is a wood stove, not a convection oven that I am aware of. He said the heat circulates. I told him for 350 I would run the furnace, why even buy a wood stove. I said the manual even says optimum heat is 450 - 550. I showed him the stove thermometer and that would be not even in the range of optimum heat. Too close to creosote according to the manual. I got another "Hmm" from this guy. Within 20 minutes he got it up to 575 degrees and to say the least I was very happy. He was a little surprised though, clown! This was with just kindling though. He looked at my stack of wood from home depot and said it was not seasoned wood, it was too heavy. I read that weighing it was not enough though due to different woods. He did comment that the draft was much much better, very little smoke.
They left and I started to throw in the home depot wood and the temp started to drop to around 450 degrees. I took a ride over to my sister's home and got some of her wood for confirmation. She has seasoned wood from at least 2 years ago so I am 100% that it is seasoned. I tossed it in and it caught right away, beautiful full fire, big yellow flames. Temp was at 475 though. Was not able to get it back up to 575. All night. Not sure if it is because of the crappy wood from earlier. Napoleon emailed me a few days ago and said the optimum heat should be 450 -550, so I guess i am in the range. A little jealous that some of you can get 600-700.
Now my latest question. My ash bed is too big. Started the first fire at 2:30pm, by 8pm there was a good 5+ inches of ash so I am unable to put in more than 2-3 small logs in. Everyone says to get the heat it needs wood but I was unable to really stuff with wood for a nice heat because the ash bed was too high. 3 small logs and the wood it touching the top of the stove. How does everyone fill the stove at night for a slow burn with a bed full of ash. When I say ash I mean a full, glaring red bed of hot coals 5-6 inches deep. I thought the ash was suppose to burn off so you can keep putting in wood? I put the last log in at 10pm. This morning at 9am there was a little over 3 inches of ash. Still a little hot. I dont want to start a new fire until the ash cools off completely so I can remove it from the stove. If I leave in and start a fire I would think the ash bed would be extremely too high to get a suffient amount of wood in. Am I doing the operation correct? Is this normal for the ash bed?
Thank you.
Now the other guy starts to light up the wood stove. As he was filling it with paper and kindling he made a comment that this was a "convection oven" and it really wont get high, high heat, maybe 350 degrees. I said this is a wood stove, not a convection oven that I am aware of. He said the heat circulates. I told him for 350 I would run the furnace, why even buy a wood stove. I said the manual even says optimum heat is 450 - 550. I showed him the stove thermometer and that would be not even in the range of optimum heat. Too close to creosote according to the manual. I got another "Hmm" from this guy. Within 20 minutes he got it up to 575 degrees and to say the least I was very happy. He was a little surprised though, clown! This was with just kindling though. He looked at my stack of wood from home depot and said it was not seasoned wood, it was too heavy. I read that weighing it was not enough though due to different woods. He did comment that the draft was much much better, very little smoke.
They left and I started to throw in the home depot wood and the temp started to drop to around 450 degrees. I took a ride over to my sister's home and got some of her wood for confirmation. She has seasoned wood from at least 2 years ago so I am 100% that it is seasoned. I tossed it in and it caught right away, beautiful full fire, big yellow flames. Temp was at 475 though. Was not able to get it back up to 575. All night. Not sure if it is because of the crappy wood from earlier. Napoleon emailed me a few days ago and said the optimum heat should be 450 -550, so I guess i am in the range. A little jealous that some of you can get 600-700.
Now my latest question. My ash bed is too big. Started the first fire at 2:30pm, by 8pm there was a good 5+ inches of ash so I am unable to put in more than 2-3 small logs in. Everyone says to get the heat it needs wood but I was unable to really stuff with wood for a nice heat because the ash bed was too high. 3 small logs and the wood it touching the top of the stove. How does everyone fill the stove at night for a slow burn with a bed full of ash. When I say ash I mean a full, glaring red bed of hot coals 5-6 inches deep. I thought the ash was suppose to burn off so you can keep putting in wood? I put the last log in at 10pm. This morning at 9am there was a little over 3 inches of ash. Still a little hot. I dont want to start a new fire until the ash cools off completely so I can remove it from the stove. If I leave in and start a fire I would think the ash bed would be extremely too high to get a suffient amount of wood in. Am I doing the operation correct? Is this normal for the ash bed?
Thank you.
