With the temperature drop we had a few days ago, I was able to try my first E/W overnight burns. I was very pleased with the results.
1st night- started at 8pm 275 degree stove top. Raked coals forward. Loaded 1 very large slab in the back and 3 medium/large slabs. Large slab-locust. Others-ash and cherry. Firebox not completely full. Watched TV while shutting it down. Reached 700 stove top, put blower on high brings it back down to around 600. I won't go into the details, but suffice to say, I took way to long to shut it down. My very bright flashlight is at work, so I couldn't take a look at my chimney. I wanted to be sure I was burning clean. Go to bed about 1030, stove top is at 550. Come back down at 8am. Stove temp is at 250, blower is off, and the room is warm. Not bad.
2nd night-start at 8pm 250 stove top. Rake coals forward. Load 2 large slabs 1-red oak 1-locust and 3 medium/largish splits 2 locust and 1 cherry. Firebox is completely full with 1.5-2inches clearance to the tubes. Watch TV while shutting it down. Reached 725 stove top, use blower on high to bring it down to 625. Again, take to long to shut it down. Go to bed at 1030, stove top almost 600. Come back down at 8am. Stove is 275, blower is on, room is very warm. Turn the blower to low and leave it be. Come back down at 9am, blower on, stove at 250. Hang out with the baby downstairs. Blower goes off about 10 minutes later. Stove, chimney and room stay warm for the next hour and I go run some errands. Come back at 2pm and decide to do a small fire to keep it warm. Rake coals forward(there were plenty left in the back) and open the air. Toss on a few small splits and it takes right off. Very happy and impressed with this.
Mistakes made
1) I'm waiting way to long to shut it down and wasting a ton of fuel. I think if I can find a sweet spot and get the stove to peak at 650 (without cranking the blower) and settle in at 550, I would probably extend my burn a good bit more.
2) I've been reading some of the other burn time threads, and I've been leaving my door cracked WAY to long. When I'm closing the door, the fire is raging. Again, wasting more fuel and rocketing my stove temps over 700.
Overall, I'm very pleased with this. I've only been burning this stove for about 2 1/2 months total. I never thought that I'd get 12 hours out of this thing and now I think I can go longer. I just wish that it was in my main living space upstairs. Getting the heat distributed is a struggle. The basement gets hot. I can't do fans on the floor because my one year old gets into everything.
That being said, my costly foam insulation job in the attic is paying huge dividends. We keep the thermostat at a higher temp and the house is warmer and not drafty at all(was a nightmare before). The furnace used to run every ten minutes at 40 degrees outside. Now it runs twice an hour.
1st night- started at 8pm 275 degree stove top. Raked coals forward. Loaded 1 very large slab in the back and 3 medium/large slabs. Large slab-locust. Others-ash and cherry. Firebox not completely full. Watched TV while shutting it down. Reached 700 stove top, put blower on high brings it back down to around 600. I won't go into the details, but suffice to say, I took way to long to shut it down. My very bright flashlight is at work, so I couldn't take a look at my chimney. I wanted to be sure I was burning clean. Go to bed about 1030, stove top is at 550. Come back down at 8am. Stove temp is at 250, blower is off, and the room is warm. Not bad.
2nd night-start at 8pm 250 stove top. Rake coals forward. Load 2 large slabs 1-red oak 1-locust and 3 medium/largish splits 2 locust and 1 cherry. Firebox is completely full with 1.5-2inches clearance to the tubes. Watch TV while shutting it down. Reached 725 stove top, use blower on high to bring it down to 625. Again, take to long to shut it down. Go to bed at 1030, stove top almost 600. Come back down at 8am. Stove is 275, blower is on, room is very warm. Turn the blower to low and leave it be. Come back down at 9am, blower on, stove at 250. Hang out with the baby downstairs. Blower goes off about 10 minutes later. Stove, chimney and room stay warm for the next hour and I go run some errands. Come back at 2pm and decide to do a small fire to keep it warm. Rake coals forward(there were plenty left in the back) and open the air. Toss on a few small splits and it takes right off. Very happy and impressed with this.
Mistakes made
1) I'm waiting way to long to shut it down and wasting a ton of fuel. I think if I can find a sweet spot and get the stove to peak at 650 (without cranking the blower) and settle in at 550, I would probably extend my burn a good bit more.
2) I've been reading some of the other burn time threads, and I've been leaving my door cracked WAY to long. When I'm closing the door, the fire is raging. Again, wasting more fuel and rocketing my stove temps over 700.
Overall, I'm very pleased with this. I've only been burning this stove for about 2 1/2 months total. I never thought that I'd get 12 hours out of this thing and now I think I can go longer. I just wish that it was in my main living space upstairs. Getting the heat distributed is a struggle. The basement gets hot. I can't do fans on the floor because my one year old gets into everything.
That being said, my costly foam insulation job in the attic is paying huge dividends. We keep the thermostat at a higher temp and the house is warmer and not drafty at all(was a nightmare before). The furnace used to run every ten minutes at 40 degrees outside. Now it runs twice an hour.
