14 hours with the 30

Last night I loaded the stove with three really massive slabs and a little bit of filler at just before 10:30 last night. Stove top is currently sitting at 254 degrees with the sides sitting at 320-340 degrees. This is the longest burn I have had with the 30.

A few things with the big slabs:

• They took longer to get going
• Stove top temps were 600-650 as oppose to 700-750
• Stove top temps stayed north of 550 for over 6 hours (I got to bed at 4:30)
• Coaling and split break down took forever. 6 hours latter and the big slabs were maintaining their shape.

Love big splits...like to put at least one that will barely fit through the door in with each load in the colder weather.

That is a great burn you got.

Makes you wonder what would happen if it was a controllable cat stove and instead of having the stove sit at 550-650 for 6 hours it burned at 450 during that time span.

Probably could have gotten another 6-8 hours of heat under that premise.

Thanks for the write up on the bigger splits BrowningBAR.

I'm pretty sure the 30 will be our next stove, it's a little bigger than what we have now and just recently we've uncovered and are burning some larger pre-911 splits that the little women now appreciates. So that means more bigger splits are in our future. I keep checking out the end of season close outs ...since my one of my neighbors picked one up for 4 bills and really likes it.

I have reasons for preferring smaller splits but they are more labor intensive. meh, I just do whatever now.

Great. I use large splits almost all the time. I prefer them for the longer burn. When it is extremely cold, I cut back to 4-5" splits which will generate more heat but burn faster and need refilling as necessary. In my Englander in Maine, I always use large splits. I filled the stove up once and left the cabin for two days. When I got back, there was a pile of embers in the pit and still very hot. I raked it down a bit and refilled, back in business. Large splits = longer burn; smaller splits = faster heat. Take your pick. Cheers!

I was also getting good burns from small splits. The small splits allowed me to pack the stove tight. I was getting consistent 10-12 hours of stove top temps north of 250 with tightly packed small splits.

Try to tightly pack your small splits. It will give you a longer burn.

Glad to hear about the long burn.

I have been getting 8 hour burn time easy with the Mag.

With my "humongo" oak score last week I'm planning on splitting larger; as I'm 1 year ahead now. I cannot go "too" large as my stove is a 13NC. This time last year I was splitting "woman wood" as I wanted to make sure it'd dry in a year....................it did, an now I'm CSSing white oak for 2 years from now at the earliest..........................it was standing dead. There is also a bunch of maple in my recent score, so that'll dry quickly.

I don't recall that. I recall saying it was a bad idea telling a new burner to expect an 8 hour burn from two or three splits in the 30. Which resulted in some nasty PMs sent my way.

I still stand by that.

I can't imagine a 14 hour burni in temps like we had last week would be that practical, even in a 30.

That is why I provided temps to give you a better understanding as to what the stove was doing. The stove top temp was at 254 when I reloaded and the sides were at 320-340 degrees.

I've already decided that all new wood processed will double in size for next yr. As you have noticed large splits help hold down the initial first couple hr top temps and the first 6hrs is the crucial time period things need to go at a controlled rate.

Nice burn! I agree big splits with flat sides is definitely the way to go to get the longest burn.

I agree with you despite what anyone has to say,my neighbor has a 30,a good stove but a 30 is a wood eater period in temps we had last week ,I don't care if the split filled the stove E/W N/S it ain't happening it is what it is,I doubt if any heat at 14 hours ,that was negligible could be felt or had. The beast is what it is ,it ain't a cat stove and never will be.My neighbor has gone through 4 cords already with his 30 and I ain't seen 2 yet. Relax it's only a woodstove.

Agreed but with dry wood at 18%or lower a BK would be all over that,and then some. Fourteen hours on a full packed solid stove with MC 18%- would be attainable easily at 0 to -15 wind chill,I know cause we had it.But again I have no need to wait 14 hours when 12 hours between reloads fits perfectly in my schedule. At the end of the 12 hours the house remains in 70's and the stove is still at 400+*sorry it is what it is.

Having an insert, I can't relate to that, (yet...probably never), but those temps seems darn warm after 14 hours! Congrats!

it's great being able to go long with decent stove top temps. This is almost identical to my daily burning routine. I've finally got it down for how much wood to NOT load in it for my shorter 7-8 hour overnight burns.

That's great!

I have been thinking about getting one of these stoves also. A lot of people seem to say good things about them on here. savageactor7 you said your neighbor picked one up for $400? Was that new? Do you know where he got it? I keep an eye on the local HDs but no sales yet...

Nice job Browning Bar on the 14 hour burn.
I like to load 3 massive splits on really hot coals (approx. 375F stove top) . And use the groove raked down the middle for air flow.
Out gassing starts almost immediately but stove doesnt get out of control due to the huge splits.
My stove which is rated for 12 hours , I almost got that with the 3 huge splits.

254 will heat my house very well when it's 65 outside. I'm not sure about your neck of the woods, but it hot over here.

Hey BB. Next time you loader up could you weigh the wood first. Or maybe weigh a couple loads to get an average of how much your getting in.

Come on! If you gotta weight it??? We might be thinkin it to death!I'm just saying!