Basic burn techniques day and night

[mywaynow]

This is my first season running a wood stove. I have used them in the past, but only when at other cabins. Generally speaking, given that the stove is running 24/7 during the 40 degree and under season (4 months), what should be the approach when someone can babysit the stove versus the overnight?

I imagine there is not much variation to long burn times; load it with large logs, reduce the air and let'r run...... Currently I load around midnight and wake to a couple inches of red coals at 6 am. It is usually a bit cooler in the house at that point, so I start adding a couple split logs 3+ inches squared. I open the air up and check the stove in a couple of hours. It is usually ready for a couple more logs at that point. I still do not have a stove thermometer, and if the brain would just click today, I will get one, but have no idea of stove temps yet.

I guess the main question is for daily hotter stove temps. Is it best to have fewer logs burning quicker/hotter, or more logs burning longer at lower temps?

 

[bokehman]

I open the air up and check the stove in a couple of hours. It is usually ready for a couple more logs at that point.

I don't get this bit. Why are you burning with the air open? Is this an EPA stove? If it is and you want more heat put more fuel in it. Opening up the air is just to get the new load of wood started, but just wastes the fuel to the outside air. The stove is most efficient, and normally hottest with the air completely, or almost completely closed.

 

[mywaynow]

I did not correctly describe the action. The stove is an older VC Defiant 1A. It has what I believe is a convection exhaust that my burn off some smoke, but is not a current catalytic stove. What I meant by opening up the air is to allow more air flow as opposed to the overnight damped setting. The valve has alot of adjustment to it, and I open it about 10% of it's max setting. If I just load up the stove with wood, and leave it closed, the heat level is reduced. The stove can't keep up with the temps in that form. With the air opened, the logs will not smolder, but ignite.

 

[Dune]

If I am around the stove, I put less wood and burn it hot. If it is real cold, I burn more pine. I check it every couple hours or more often, and add about three pieces at a time. If it is too warm I might add one piece, the idea being to keep the stove out of smolder-mode. I have little choice about some smoldering at night, if I want an overnight burn, so I try to balance this out by burning hotter in the day. If I am leaving for a few hours I may put in some extra pieces and still set the air for a hot burn. If I am leaving for the whole day, just like at night, I use no pine, and some large rounds, and set the air the same as a night burn. Hope this helps. Specific questions are easier to answer than general ones.

 

[firefighterjake]

My reloading procedure for when I am around during the day or evening is the same procedure as when I load up for the overnight or overday . . . the only difference is if I know I'm going to be around the house I'm less picky with my wood -- this is when I use my chunks and wood that isn't as long as my good stuff, I use my punks and softwood or wood that is not known for its long burn time and I use my uglies -- the wood that is mangled or has a stub of a branch and therefore doesn't fit into the firebox as neat as my good stuff.