I made what I think is a discovery that worked for my stove to maximize heat output/burntime and reduce the coaling. I got up today late and fire appeared out but after opening the door I realized it was just at least 6" deep coal bed covered in ash. Well the house was cold and I wasn't about to try and burn down all those coals. After scooping out all but an 1" I realized I was down to 4 splits that would fit in N-S. So I loaded them 2 on each side leaving the center section open. Normally I would have laid them all flat on the bottom in preparation for another row. I was in my pajamas. Figured after I got my shower and got dressed I would bring the days wood in and continue to fill. Came back down after an hour and was surprised the stove was still burning at 650 degrees on only 4 small splits. Continued the practice rest of the day and liked the results. More heat, less coals. Must be giving an air path to the bottom helps create a more even burn.