I don't close the damper until I've dialed down the primary, sounds like you are doing it opposite.
Dutch West Small non cat stove brand new
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7:30 update: I have had 30 minutes of rumble, and the primary air has been shut for the last 30 minutes. Rumble still going, but I am going to let this go even if the rumble dies out. My stovetop temp is 430, and I'm using a Kingsford grill top thermometer and I've tested it up to 550 in the kitchen stove, so I know it's good until then at least.
I do have good seasoned dry oak, and I've always had great draft.
Flames look great, we'll see how it does. I have everything set now so I shouldn't need to really touch anything until the fire goes out....fingers crossed.
I do have good seasoned dry oak, and I've always had great draft.
Flames look great, we'll see how it does. I have everything set now so I shouldn't need to really touch anything until the fire goes out....fingers crossed.
TSC: Initially I got temps up to 600 with primary air open, and then shut it down, and THEN closed the damper.
.....and then it looked like it "stalled" out and I had no flames (maybe I misinterpreted that, but the temp was at 375 and falling fast).
So, I stoked the fire, added another log, and when I saw that the temp was at 375 stovetop, I opened the primary air 1/2 way to warm it up. I wanted to see though if I could close the damper and get the Rumble to start back up. It did start to rumble loudly immediately. So I decided to leave the primary air open a few minutes to see if I could get the temp back up to 400. that only took 10 minutes before I completely shut the primary valve.
As it is now (7:50), I have few flames, and the rumble has fallen off, but the stove top is hot and we'll see how it goes.....
.....and then it looked like it "stalled" out and I had no flames (maybe I misinterpreted that, but the temp was at 375 and falling fast).
So, I stoked the fire, added another log, and when I saw that the temp was at 375 stovetop, I opened the primary air 1/2 way to warm it up. I wanted to see though if I could close the damper and get the Rumble to start back up. It did start to rumble loudly immediately. So I decided to leave the primary air open a few minutes to see if I could get the temp back up to 400. that only took 10 minutes before I completely shut the primary valve.
As it is now (7:50), I have few flames, and the rumble has fallen off, but the stove top is hot and we'll see how it goes.....
Badbob -
Original paint was rubbing off and the top plate was a little crooked so I took it back to the dealer. I wasn't impressed when I saw other stoves he worked on so I decided to do it myself. Heating season was over that first year so I took my time and did it right. Still looks brand new after two years and runs great. A complete teardown and re-gasket wasn't necessary, but I feel better having done it.
Narrangansett -
If it falls below 350 I would open the air and damper back up until 550 or 600 and try again. You'll get it figured out, I had the same issues too. You'll get longer burn times and won't have to babysit the stove anymore. You shouldn't see any smoke coming from the stack when it's running good. My neighbors ask me why I have all this wood and never burn any. I burn 24/7 but they never see smoke.
Original paint was rubbing off and the top plate was a little crooked so I took it back to the dealer. I wasn't impressed when I saw other stoves he worked on so I decided to do it myself. Heating season was over that first year so I took my time and did it right. Still looks brand new after two years and runs great. A complete teardown and re-gasket wasn't necessary, but I feel better having done it.
Narrangansett -
If it falls below 350 I would open the air and damper back up until 550 or 600 and try again. You'll get it figured out, I had the same issues too. You'll get longer burn times and won't have to babysit the stove anymore. You shouldn't see any smoke coming from the stack when it's running good. My neighbors ask me why I have all this wood and never burn any. I burn 24/7 but they never see smoke.
Very very impressive TSC. I hit 325 on the stove top.
It's 8:45 and I just opened the damper and put the primary air at 1/2 open.
Warming her back up.
Over two hours at this burn and there is a lot of wood left to burn. we'll see how it turns out.
It's 8:45 and I just opened the damper and put the primary air at 1/2 open.
Warming her back up.
Over two hours at this burn and there is a lot of wood left to burn. we'll see how it turns out.
The rumble will not last for 8 hrs. It gets quieter as the gases in the wood get burned up. I always let the stove heat up to 600 then closed the damper and SLOWLY turned down the air and the stove would run around 450. Make sure your oak is not sizzling. Also, load the stove, get it up to temp., but don't put anymore wood in the stove until it goes through your original load.
10:30 update: I still have coals, and this fire has been going for 4 hours, although I put in a HUGE log at the 30 minute mark when I stoked the fire. The remnants of that log is what is giving me the coals that I have right now. So, if you take that away, I would have about a handful of coals now. When I say handful of coals, I mean that I don't even have a coal bed big enough to reload for another everburn load....i.e. I need to put another log or kindling in to REESTABLISH another coal bed in another 30 minutes so that I can start this all over again.
The stove top temp is 275 and falling.
I am wondering what my burn time would be if I just loaded up fuel, choke down the primary air control and leave the damper open. I'm betting that I will get the same 3 1/2 hour burn with much less effort.
I hate to mention this, but it does establish a good reference point. Last week, I had a 17 year old broken Pacific catalytic Stove (warped baffle with no catalytic combustor left), and I was getting 4 hour burns with the same wood. And here's what I did to get that four hour burn: Load up newspaper, fatwood starters, and full load of fuel. Light fire with primary air open all the way, come back 15 minutes and choke down the air, and that's it. I could leave it for 4 hours and I got the same amount of heat (if not more if you factor in that the fire went longer) as this stove so far.
Both stoves (the Pacific Summit and the Dutch West 2477) are rated at exactly 35,000 Max BTU's, but the 17 year old steel stove is doing laps around this brand new cast iron stove.
I guess that I should be patient, but I have a perfectly good broken stove sitting outside that gave me better heat than what I've got now.
The stove top temp is 275 and falling.
I am wondering what my burn time would be if I just loaded up fuel, choke down the primary air control and leave the damper open. I'm betting that I will get the same 3 1/2 hour burn with much less effort.
I hate to mention this, but it does establish a good reference point. Last week, I had a 17 year old broken Pacific catalytic Stove (warped baffle with no catalytic combustor left), and I was getting 4 hour burns with the same wood. And here's what I did to get that four hour burn: Load up newspaper, fatwood starters, and full load of fuel. Light fire with primary air open all the way, come back 15 minutes and choke down the air, and that's it. I could leave it for 4 hours and I got the same amount of heat (if not more if you factor in that the fire went longer) as this stove so far.
Both stoves (the Pacific Summit and the Dutch West 2477) are rated at exactly 35,000 Max BTU's, but the 17 year old steel stove is doing laps around this brand new cast iron stove.
I guess that I should be patient, but I have a perfectly good broken stove sitting outside that gave me better heat than what I've got now.
I have good news.
Last night, I got a full 8 hour burn. Here's how I did it:
I reloaded as much wood as I could at midnight when I had a good bed of coals going. The damper was open, and primary air open all the way. I let the stove top temp climb to 450F (took about 15 minutes) and then put the primary air at halfway open. Waited another 15 minutes until Stove Top Temp was 600F. Then I closed the primary air valve all the way. Then I opened the door and saw that the wood I put in there had "shrunk" up a little so that I could reposition some pieces. I made sure to keep the throat of the secondary intake clear (except for hot coals), and then I sort of "settled" some of the pieces on top to fall in a little tighter next to eachother. By doing that, I created more room at the top of the firebox to add more wood. So, I then added two more pieces (as dense as I could find) that would fit up top. You really have to be creative about how to get those pieces in there, because it's tricky when the fire is roaring at 600 temps on the *outside*. Anyways, I got those two extra pieces in there, shut the side access door. Then I closed the damper and went to bed around 1230.
I went downstairs at 8 AM and voila, there were hot coals in the stove, and the basement temp was 69. I could have let it go another half hour too.
There is a lot that I learned from everyone here and I am very grateful for the tips and encouragement. When I went to bed last night, I didn't think I would wake up and NOT have to make a fire. This was the whole reason I got the stove.
I did the same process again today before I left home, so hopefully there will be hot coals when I get home tonight.
Thank you again to all who have helped me. I'll keep updating with progress.
Last night, I got a full 8 hour burn. Here's how I did it:
I reloaded as much wood as I could at midnight when I had a good bed of coals going. The damper was open, and primary air open all the way. I let the stove top temp climb to 450F (took about 15 minutes) and then put the primary air at halfway open. Waited another 15 minutes until Stove Top Temp was 600F. Then I closed the primary air valve all the way. Then I opened the door and saw that the wood I put in there had "shrunk" up a little so that I could reposition some pieces. I made sure to keep the throat of the secondary intake clear (except for hot coals), and then I sort of "settled" some of the pieces on top to fall in a little tighter next to eachother. By doing that, I created more room at the top of the firebox to add more wood. So, I then added two more pieces (as dense as I could find) that would fit up top. You really have to be creative about how to get those pieces in there, because it's tricky when the fire is roaring at 600 temps on the *outside*. Anyways, I got those two extra pieces in there, shut the side access door. Then I closed the damper and went to bed around 1230.
I went downstairs at 8 AM and voila, there were hot coals in the stove, and the basement temp was 69. I could have let it go another half hour too.
There is a lot that I learned from everyone here and I am very grateful for the tips and encouragement. When I went to bed last night, I didn't think I would wake up and NOT have to make a fire. This was the whole reason I got the stove.
I did the same process again today before I left home, so hopefully there will be hot coals when I get home tonight.
Thank you again to all who have helped me. I'll keep updating with progress.
Any chance you can get a moisture reading on the wood you're burning? I know you stated that you're burning well seasoned oak, and that you have had it on racks for a year, but oak can hold the water longer than most wood. I season mine 3 years. If we are talking indoor racks, it may not be a problem. Just a thought.
I have no experience with this particular stove, but it is possible that the new stove is just a bit more discerning than the old stove (which newer stoves tend to be), so you never noticed a higher MC before.
I have no experience with this particular stove, but it is possible that the new stove is just a bit more discerning than the old stove (which newer stoves tend to be), so you never noticed a higher MC before.
That is good news. It's hard to fill the stove all the way with the glass and fragile components. It's important to cut your wood as long as you can so more fits in. You've probably already learned not to use the front loading door unless you want to clean up ashes all the time.
I just had my Dutchwest 2478 installed on December 21, 2010, and I don't know how I ever lived without it! I found the www.hearth.com website and was reading the experience of others, so I subscribed to keep myself up-to-date. Thanks for all the information-sharing. Merry Christmas!
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