Just got my NC30. Now how do I get a fire going?

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udt89

New Member
Sep 19, 2010
22
long island
Well I guess i wouldnt have made a good boy scout or survived very long on a deserted island.

Every time i feel the fire "catches" and has a good burn going, as soon as I close the door it kills it. I have searched the forums and read a lot of threads about this. I went out and bought supermarket wood to eliminate the seasoned wood variable. And its not working with that either. My chimney is definitely long enough. I've tried burning e/w and n/s. and using the vent control lever above the ash box when the door is closed doesnt really affect the fire at all, its like its not even working.

So maybe im just building it wrong?
 
Well, it's likely the draft or the wood. Sometimes storebought is not great either. Where is the stove located and what are the outdoor temps when you are trying to start a fire? Mild temps and a basement location can make for weak draft in some cases.

Can you describe the flue installation in detail? Include all elbows, tees, horizontal runs and the lengths of pipe up to the cap.

And what size splits are you using to start the fire? Can you describe the process you are are trying?
 
I am wondering if you have the air control open or shut.

Since all else seems to be in order, I will venture to guess that the air control is closed. Once the stove and the stove pipe is hot it will draw more air because the draft is stronger. Once a good draft is established, you can throttle the air control down to get the rate of burn you would want.
 
paging Brotherbart....the englander king. The only thing to add is that you check the baffles in the top and make sure they are pushed towards the back of the stove.
 
well after closing the door and leaving it to post here the fire has kicked back up and is steady.

maybe it just wasnt hot enough like someone said. the piping is straight up to the attic about 12 feet then there is a couple of turns then out through the roof another 6 feet total. All in all the chimney height is probably 20 ft.

i will check that the baffles are pointed back when the fire dies down, but for now......so far so good.
 
Your temps are mild right now. That reduces draft and may require leaving the door open a crack until the fire is burning strongly. Good to hear the beast is waking up. Be sure to open some windows. It is going to get hot and smelly in there shortly.

Are the turns in the attic gentle 30 deg elbow offsets?

BB will be by shortly to give you your tshirt.
 
Hey,
I'm a brand new nc30 burner this year too, ya really gotta let that fire get going for a good little bit. Once it gets going strong enough you will have no problem shutting the door and once it is going good I can shut the air all the way down and still get strong burns, but I also know for a fact I have good seasoned wood in the 14 to 18 percent range. Just use the way the door handle is hooked to lock it in place a couple inches open in the beginning.
 
Build the fire from a a cold stove with lots of kindling and small splits and let it build a coal bed. Then lay bigger splits on top of that coal bed and you ain't gonna believe what happens next.

The last year or so there haven't been enough posts about the importance of a good bed of coals. Used to be every other thread it seemed.
 
udt89 said:
well after closing the door and leaving it to post here the fire has kicked back up and is steady.

maybe it just wasnt hot enough like someone said. the piping is straight up to the attic about 12 feet then there is a couple of turns then out through the roof another 6 feet total. All in all the chimney height is probably 20 ft.

.

Twenty feet of stack is allot of surface area to heat up. Then ad a few angles to push the air through makes it even more tricky.

But you have a fire started under less than ideal conditions. Good job! As Sir Green stated it will get easier as the temps drop this winter.
 
BrotherBart said:
Build the fire from a a cold stove with lots of kindling and small splits and let it build a coal bed. Then lay bigger splits on top of that coal bed and you ain't gonna believe what happens next.

The last year or so there haven't been enough posts about the importance of a good bed of coals. Used to be every other thread it seemed.


I keep learning everyday something new....


Thanks BB Keep up the good work here....


By the way I have to go to Home Depot in the morning and Pay for the NC 30 (999.00 plus a 10% off coupon = 899.99) they only have one left so I better hurry.....

They are selling like hot cakes here in the Poconos....
 
well just had a smoke detector go off. house doesnt seem smokey. took out a flashlight and can tell there is smoke in the beam.

normal? i dont seen any smoke escaping the stove or the joints in the chimney. attic is crystal clear.
 
It is the paint on the stove. That is what B.Green was speaking of a few post up. After a few good burns that issue will go away.
 
thanks for the fast reply

and the bed of coals idea is dead on. the fire has just got more intense as the failed attempts at starting the fire caught and smoldered.

thanks again for all the help.
 
Are the turns in the attic gentle 30 deg elbow offsets?
 
the bends are gentle. so far i havent had much of an issue keeping a fire going and hot.

i am having a problem with smoke coming off the top of the stove still. have had about 6-7 fires and still today there was a good amount of smoking coming off the top of the stove.

will this ever stop? my smoke detectors give me a headache every time i start a fire
 
The smoking should be over after a few hot fires. How large a fire are you burning? What is the stove top temperature after the stove is warmed up?
 
Get it up to at least 500 for a thorough baking of the paint. At 340 it is just getting warmed up.
 
You've just begun to get the stove hot at that temp.
Crank her up to 500-600, and open some windows.
When I painted our stove, it took a few fires to get rid of the stink, and the alarm went off about 3 different times.
No probs now, though.
Edit: BeGreen beat me to it.
BB should be back shortly with your shirt.
 
You're doing fine, it's bad draft day here on the Island. Kinda warm now, but with temps dropping down tonight *note to self, bring in the rest of the house plants*


I just started the Pacific, to burn of accumulated papers, and to make sure all systems are go, and am having a hard time with the draft getting the kindling going to warm up the house for tonight.

Wait until later ;-)
 
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