Coal bed, Catch 22

[bokehman]

If I wait until the coal bed burns down before adding more wood the fire is not hot enough to get the new load burning quick. If I don't wait for it to burn down I have about 0.75 Cu/Ft of coal bed. How do I get it to burn down and still maintain enough heat to start a new load burning?

Details: Start a hot fire with about 5lb of tinder and small/medium sized pieces. Burn fast with primary 3/4 open. When flames are just past peak add another 15/20lb of medium/large splits. As soon as this catches close the primary. Whole process takes about 1 hour. After about 2.5 hours it stops flaming and leaves this enormous coal bed. If I pull it all forward It is consumed a bit quicker because it is in the stream of the door wash but even then the fire would go out if I left it before reducing all the coals to ash.

So how do I make it burn the coal bed faster and properly?

 

[begreen]

On the coal bed, put some tinder first, then smalll splits. Leave door ajar until this gets burning well. Then add larger splits.

 

[jqgs214]

ADD ONE small split to coal bed and burn it wide open. Will reduce coal bed significantly and be ready for a big reload.

 

[MrGriz]

Let the coal bed burn down quite a bit and then re-load with small splits to get a good fire going again. Then add the full load of medium to large splits. Think of it as a cycle, rather than a flat heating curve. Through the burn cycle (with each load), the stove will heat up to a maximum point then cool to the point where you re-load and start the curve over.

You might also consider re-opening the air once the fire gets to a coal stage. This, sometimes combined with raking the coals forward, will keep them burning hotter and faster.

 

[ansehnlich1]

I load my Oslo at night, and in the morning, adding some throughout the day. My wife and I will let 'er die down a bit and not load anything at all after about 3 or so in the afternoon, then when it's about 5 or so she's ready to stir up the coals, empty ashes, and get er goin again. I also rake the coals right over the air inlet if theres a big pile of 'em, and do what's said here, throw a split of light weight stuff on there, and let er flame up, that'll burn them coals down a bit.

 

[Robbie]

Really dry wood will cure all your problems.

I used to go through this until my wood was dried for over a year. Now when I put a split on it usually lights up in flame before I get the door shut............then when it's burned there are hardly any coals left, just fine ash.

So the key to adding dry wood to already burned wood is to catch it when it still has a few small coals left and get ready because it will light in a hurry.


Robbie

 

[Hotnall]

I Agree about the dry wood.

I've also come across some client using very hard wood that does not burn down to a fine ash this tends to wast space in the combustion chamber and seriously effects heat out put.
So if the your wood is very hard or has a hard dark core you'll need to burn it a little faster than normal to get the coals to dissipate.
When you add a new load open the primary to burn down the coals and get the new load burning then close it down again.

 

[JimWalshin845]

OK... buy a thermostat and hook it to a low voltage bell. Set the thermostat to the temp that will let you know that your stove is running low. The setup will cost you about $60 and any tech at radio shack can clue you in how to do it.

 

[Henz]

check out that one like that had the movie of proper methods of managing your woodstove etc. It was very informative.