When to empty the ashes; what is too full?

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botemout

Member
Nov 26, 2007
58
North Central NY
Hi all,

I've been using my QF 5700 for about two weeks now. I'm very pleased with it. Definitely cranks out the heat and is very easy to run. One difference between it and my first stove (a pre-EPA "Wonderwood") is that there is no slot for the ashes to fall into.

So, my question, I've got 2 weeks of ashes in it and it's still not, seeming, to cause a problem. What are the problems with having too much ash in the firebox? I would have thought that, perhaps, too much might smother the fire but it doesn't seem to effect it. Were I starting fires regularly, I could see it being hard to start them, but I suspect I'll be running most of the winter without completely restarting.

Unless there's some issue, I'll problem clean it out when it starts getting high enough to block the back air pipes (which is used to give more air for starting).

Thanks
 
botemout said:
Hi all,

I've been using my QF 5700 for about two weeks now. I'm very pleased with it. Definitely cranks out the heat and is very easy to run. One difference between it and my first stove (a pre-EPA "Wonderwood") is that there is no slot for the ashes to fall into.

So, my question, I've got 2 weeks of ashes in it and it's still not, seeming, to cause a problem. What are the problems with having too much ash in the firebox? I would have thought that, perhaps, too much might smother the fire but it doesn't seem to effect it. Were I starting fires regularly, I could see it being hard to start them, but I suspect I'll be running most of the winter without completely restarting.

Unless there's some issue, I'll problem clean it out when it starts getting high enough to block the back air pipes (which is used to give more air for starting).

Thanks
Click to expand...

Anything over a couple inches is just taking up space. At some point, you will get chunks of coals buried in those ashes.
When you do clean it out, leave at least an inch on the bottom. Realistically, you only need to empty them as needed. When you notice a burning difference.
I scoop the front stuff out each morning. Just what I do. You don't want she building up and falling into any air intake holes.
 
I usually go 2 weeks between cleanouts. The ash serves as insulation and the stove will burn a little better with some ash in there, but as some point is just taking up space. My ash bucket is a 10 gal galvanized trash can that I leave parked on the brick in the old fireplace behind the stove (hearthstove installation); I might have to empty it 3 times a year.
 
botemout we're 24/7 burners and each morning when the stove is the coolest we shovel out 3-4 shovels of ash from the front...then rake the hot coals forward over that ^ doghouse^ so they'll burn up. As was mentioned some ash is needed...but not much. As far as too much ash I dunno we never went that long but I'm thinking too much ash might disrupt the air that comes in the bottom front of the stove and cleans the glass.

Actually now that I think about it I've been cleaning ashes out more often than once a day because of this longggg shoulder season we've had here. That's because I've been burning dry punky deadfall...and there's not much too it.
 
Yes, empty ashes before they plug the draft holes and/or when there is not enough room for wood. Some like to take some ash out daily but we wait. On our stove, we remove ashes when they are level with the bottom of the firebox door.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Yes, empty ashes before they plug the draft holes and/or when there is not enough room for wood. Some like to take some ash out daily but we wait. On our stove, we remove ashes when they are level with the bottom of the firebox door.
Click to expand...

Does your burn time drop much when you are reloading with ashes to the bottom of the door? Doesn't that take up the room of a whole row of splits?
 
Before I rake my coals forward and open the air up I take half a shovel of ash out. If you do it every time it isn't a chore.

I have also found that when you leave all the ash in there and do one big clean out at the same time, you're going to pull coals out with it. You have more control over just getting ash when you just take the small scoop at the front of the stove.
 
fire_man said:
Backwoods Savage said:
Yes, empty ashes before they plug the draft holes and/or when there is not enough room for wood. Some like to take some ash out daily but we wait. On our stove, we remove ashes when they are level with the bottom of the firebox door.
Click to expand...

Does your burn time drop much when you are reloading with ashes to the bottom of the door? Doesn't that take up the room of a whole row of splits?
Click to expand...


If we let the ashes get any deeper, then we can't get as much in the stove but just that amount does not bother. We don't always load to the top either so have room to spare.
 
I use a "coalsaver" type of shovel to separate ash from coals and remove ash each morning. If I let more ash build up then there's so much material in there that it's difficult to separate the two.

Years ago I would let the ash accumulate for a longer period, thinking that it would burn down to almost nothing, and it does to a degree, but I find that the ash stifles air flow into the live coals and reduces heat when reloading so the stove ends up smoking longer. I burn 24/7 and will go 2 months or more in the winter without lighting a match. If I take out ash each day, then it's not a lot of material to separate from the coals and its so much easier to handle. Just part of the daily routine.

Dan
 
I find I get more heat from the stove with fewer ashes. In milder weather I let the ashes build up so that the stove doesn't cook us out of the house. I remove more ashes in anticipation of colder weather. I like to leave just enough ashes to preserve hot coals but not so much that it reduces how much heat I can get from the stove.
 
botemout go to any Hearth shop and have a look see till you find something you like. I recommend anything that's a one piece unit.
 
Get a coal shovel with high straight sides. They are usually better than most ash shovels that have a peanut shape and not much for sides. I made my own ash hoe/coal rake but am not really happy with it.
 
botemout said:
Can someone provide a link for a good rake or shovel?
Click to expand...

Search Koal Keeper, watch out with first use. this made in china product has some nasty paint fumes which immediately burn with the first use..., works OK. I may modify it a bit if I get motivated.

The longer 24" model seems about right for my stove, you need decent gloves as well if your stove still has some heat in it.
http://www.google.com/products?q="koal+keeper"&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:eek:fficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=IEodS5WsFdPHlAevtMnvCQ&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CCIQrQQwAg
 
rickw said:
I usually go 2 weeks between cleanouts. The ash serves as insulation and the stove will burn a little better with some ash in there, but as some point is just taking up space. My ash bucket is a 10 gal galvanized trash can that I leave parked on the brick in the old fireplace behind the stove (hearthstove installation); I might have to empty it 3 times a year.
Click to expand...

You might want to consider placing the trash can outside and use a smaller ash bucket to empty the stove ash into then transport to the trashcan outside. Leaving a galvanized trash can full of hot coals is bad due to the galvanized burning off of the trash can & the CO that can potentially gas off of the hot coals.
 
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