Advice on Burn Temps Hearthstone Homestead

[ddown]

My new Homestead is burning 325/350 flue temp and 550-600 surface temp with air shut all the way does this sound like a draft problem really close to overheating stove? getting 4-6 hr coal to coal burn times

 

[Highbeam]

Check the manual for overfire temps. My hearthstone will turn to dust (maybe) at 600 so I run it cooler. Do you want it to be at 550-600 or is that what you would like to prevent? Also, the burntime will most likely be better with cooler temps. You are releasing the wood's energy too quickly.

 

[edthedawg]

ddown - do you have a flue damper? what kind of flue off the stove? (pipe length, lined/unlined, interior/exterior / metal thru the roof, insulation, etc.?)

You want it to run longterm a little cooler for the sake of the stove, probably. It's ok to spike at 550-600 occasionally, but you shouldn't be spending 4-6 hours there. Purring along at 500ish oughtn'y be a problem, I'd think...

 

[Todd]

Yes, sound like it could be a overdrafting or extremely dry wood. How tall is your chimney and what diameter? Check your air slide mechanism. My old Homestead had a bolt in the way that prevented the slide from closing all the way, I had to grind it off.

 

[Vic99]

ddown,

Does sound like an overdraft problem, particularly if the flue is 2 stories + tall. I have ths same issue. A flue damper should work, but that is not always realistic (maybe you are venting into a pre-exisiting chimney.

Here's another solution, although not ideal. Fold a piece of aluminum foil a few times into a rectangle. Run your stove normally, eventually closing primary all the way (which on this stove still allows a bit of air in). When the stovetop temp becomes optimal, but still safe, say 525 ish, take the aluminum rectangle and wedge it into the opening that the primary lever controls. Experiment, but don't block the entire hole. The stovetop temp should level off after another 10 or 20 degree rise.

I've found that this doesn't increase my burn time, but it prevents overfiring situations and it does give me bigger coals. After the temp falls, it hovers at 250-300 F for a lot longer period.

If you could somehow create more bends in your flue, that could also reduce draft.

 

[ddown]

here's my question if i cant get flue temp over 325-350 how can I be overdrafting? Would a Damper raise or lower flue temp I used the Aluminum foil trick looking for the best solution. I love the storm and do have a 30+ foot stovepipe and chimney.

tom

 

[stoveguy13]

keeping the stove at 600+ degs would be over firing it a damper msy be a good thing to try 4-6 hours is kind of short burn time but not to bad

 

[edthedawg]

here's my question if i cant get flue temp over 325-350 how can I be overdrafting? Would a Damper raise or lower flue temp I used the Aluminum foil trick looking for the best solution. I love the storm and do have a 30+ foot stovepipe and chimney.

tom

I forgot to ask - "325-350 flue temp" - that's surface metal temp? Not probe-thermo (i.e. flue gas) temp, right??

My 35' SS flue needs the damper to keep firebox temps up - if I don't close the flue, all the heat goes right up the flue, and my stovetop temp won't get to 400. So I'm a bit baffled at the collective diagnosis of "overdraft" for what *sounds* like a borderline overfiring situation... Granted I'm battling wood issues which the OP doesn't appear to have... But if I was burning without cooking out the moisture, with my flue wide open, i'd STILL expect to see the flue temp higher than the stovetop. Bottom line is that IME, closing the flue damper tends to lower the flue temp, and raise the stove temp accordingly.

The aluminum foil trick (i.e. damping your intake, which limits both primary AND secondary air supplies) has been tried and enjoyed by more than a few. I haven't tried it myself, but have kicked the idea around a bit.

 

[edthedawg]

OK maybe i've been misreading this all along.

"My new Homestead is burning 325/350 flue temp and 550-600 surface temp with air shut all the way..."

325/350 flue temp - measured on the surface - right??

550-600 "surface temp" - is this the stovetop surface? or the flue metal surface? I assumed "surface temp" meant the top center stone of the stove...

What are you using to measure temps? An IR gun? a Rutland on the top center stone? I think I'm confusing myself now pls clarify!

 

[bcnu]

My Homestead rarely gets above 425. I could probably get above 550 if I really packed it with my dry oak, but my dry fir and ash and whatever else I have stays around 400 before heading down. I have tossed in a fes pieces of dry 2x4 and 2x6 and that sure takes the temp up quickly.

 

[ddown]

Not really understanding draft. But here is a theory the non adjustable air intake is driven by the high draft chimney. So with the left side lever shut there is still enough air being pulled in via the primary to accelerate combustion. I will try a damper in the AM when I can go buy one. I love the quality of heat it's much better than my Quadrafire. I used to keep that dampered down and run around 400 Flue temp but never had thing glowing. but cooked us out and never got over 6hr burn. So I'll try draft It almost has to be the issue.
Opinions

 

[Todd]

I think a damper is a good cheap fix. Especially with this below zero weather, the draft really likes to take off.

 

[ddown]

With 2 pieces of wood on that are small it's running at 325 Flue and 375 stovetop with air closed down the air has to be coming from somewhere.

It is efficient !

 

[ddown]

Well added the Damper Stove is happy and I am also. Right back into specs 350 Flue and 400 stove top running 1 hr with a full load!!

Thanks to everyone Appreciate It :cheese:

 

[ddown]

Wow burnt a whole load perfectly, Then I raked coals forward reloaded and Now leaking again at ashpan. Fourth Gasket does anyone have any ideas or did I just get a bad stove?

ddown

 

[edthedawg]

Maybe i'm the dummy but i can't quite parse your sentence above. "Fourth gasket" - you've replaced the ashpan gasket 4 times? With my normal ash bed, opening the ashpan door would do nothing to affect the fire - it's pretty solid over the full bottom of the stove. A leaking gasket seems a little odd. replacing it 4X and having it still fail is Very Wrong. You've done the replacements yourself every time? Or had the dealer do them?

 

[ddown]

Both Dealer and myself have replaced gasket he even sent me home with more gasket and cement, and low and behold now a cracked stone GRRRRRR!
If I bang on the ash grate I can get it to stop but during the burn cycle it will start again either 1 hr or three hrs it eventually will take off again.
I'm calling the dealer again. "I'm not Happy"

 

[Todd]

That ash pan is a joke! I also had problems with my Homestead ash pan. I ended up sealing it off by taking out the square cast iron piece that holds the round ash grate, then placed the ash grate on top of the square hole for support and slid the bottom soapstone slabs over the top. Then I went to Menards and bought some firebrick and cut them to fit the outside gaps. I never used the ash pan again, just scooped the ash out.

 

[04RevX]

I don't even bother with the ash pan. I just use a small shovel and metal bucket and be done with it.

 

[ddown]

I'm there on the POS Ash Pan. I really love the heat and the comfort and how it burns. THat's why I choose this stove. I just can't understand the over enginnered ashpan that won't seal and half through a burn cycle will start venting into the box.

 

[Todd]

Some people seal it up by filling it up with ash and leave it.

 

[ddown]

It's already filled up with ash and I don't ever pull the ash Pan

 

[Highbeam]

So does the air from the ash pan somehow percolate through the one inch thick bed of ash? Or is it less ash that you keep in there on the floor. Sorry to hear about the cracked stone. Happy to hear that the damper worked for you.

 

[ddown]

I think so. Since I don't use the Ashpan I put a bead of furnace cent on the top of the gasket and put it in. Second load in now of wood seems to be running right at 450 with no round burn pattern. I have my fingers crossed that this is it. Still haven't got call from dealer.

 

[jeffman3]

My Tribute doesn't have the ash pan, but you just can't run these stoves "to the line" so to speak, they just can't take it, even within the limits in the manual. I hope your dealer will work with you on it.