Ash production WAY down...

[ArsenalDon]

I am wondering what happened here...The first part of my first burn season I was emptying the ash pan out every other day...now it is down to once a week. Now...is this a clue? Crappy unseasoned wood the first part of the season and well seasoned wood now. Does under-seasoned wood cause more ash than seasoned wood? Was burning a lot of wood that was close to 25% early on, now all wood is about 11%.

 

[DanCorcoran]

You got it. You reload more often with wet wood, leaving more unburnt coals. Dry woods burns more quickly and thoroughly.

 

[Wood Duck]

Seasoning doesn't affect the true ash content of wood, but as DanCorcoran says, unseasoned wood will leave a lot more coals mixed in with the ash than you'd get with well seasoned wood. Those coals could be burnt eventually so they aren't really ash (ash = the unburnable fraction of wood) but they can cause you to have to remove the accumulated small coals and ash more frequently.

Maybe you are getting better at running the stove so you're getting a more complete burn. Maybe now that it is warming up you are allowing the coals to burn longer before reloading, and that is reducing the buildup of coals and ash that you were previously. Another possibility is that you have changed to a different species of wood. Some woods have lower ash content than others.

 

[ArsenalDon]

Another possibility is that you have changed to a different species of wood. Some woods have lower ash content than others.

did not know that..I am burning more cedar

 

[madison]

IMHO the species of wood as well as, how much dirt and soil are on the exterior of the wood plays a big role in the amount and properties of the ash.