Just wondering what evreybodys method is of doing a correct overnight burn? Im trying to get longer burn times and what im wondering is do i allow my stove to get up to the max temp that i like to see say 600deg's, then shut the air right down to low, or do i as soon as i stack the stove and i get a good fire going do i turn the air down to low before i get the high temps, or do i get the high temps and slowly turn the air down 1/4 at a time?
Correct Overnight Burn?
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On another note with out starting another thread should i not see any black buildup on my glass or is it normal to see just a lil build up in just the corners of the glass? thats where i notice i get the most buildup.
Oldhippie
Minister of Fire
- Dec 18, 2011
- 570
For me it depends on the coal bed I have as I start my last stack for the night. I'm sure it also depends on how much draft you have, which is dependent on your chimney height and temperature outside.
Having a good coal bed and nice dry oak I will already have 450~550'F temps on the griddle so I open up the primary air and get the wood charred and real good flames for about 10 or 15 minutes at most. Then I close the primary completely down so that there are some minimal small flames around the red hot coal bed and then lower logs. I let it settle there for at least another 15 minutes and then because I have a really strong draft and dry wood I close my flue damper.
If I do all those things right, and the moon aligns with the stars, then I get a nice coal bed in the morning, 8 hours later, to start my first load of the day. Last night I didn't turn the flue damper closed as an experiment.. no hot coals this morning. When my stove gets to just a coal bed, with a good draft even with my primary all the way closed the secondary air is enough to burn through my coal bed while I'm sleeping.
Everyone has different wood, draft, fuel capacity etc.. so it's a fine art, some luck and you need to experiment and figure out what works for you.
Having a good coal bed and nice dry oak I will already have 450~550'F temps on the griddle so I open up the primary air and get the wood charred and real good flames for about 10 or 15 minutes at most. Then I close the primary completely down so that there are some minimal small flames around the red hot coal bed and then lower logs. I let it settle there for at least another 15 minutes and then because I have a really strong draft and dry wood I close my flue damper.
If I do all those things right, and the moon aligns with the stars, then I get a nice coal bed in the morning, 8 hours later, to start my first load of the day. Last night I didn't turn the flue damper closed as an experiment.. no hot coals this morning. When my stove gets to just a coal bed, with a good draft even with my primary all the way closed the secondary air is enough to burn through my coal bed while I'm sleeping.
Everyone has different wood, draft, fuel capacity etc.. so it's a fine art, some luck and you need to experiment and figure out what works for you.
I try to turn down the air enough to keep some flames coming off the wood and some secondaries appearing at the top of the firebox. When I give the stove its final adjustment for the night I am always in the beginning stage of burning a load of wood, so if I have some flame and secondaries I know after a while I will have even more of both. My goal is always to burn cleanly and efficiently by keeping the secondary burn active, but for overnighters I try to maintain a clean burn but also to burn as slowly as possible to keep the stove hot longer. It takes practice to load the wood and adjust the air in the ideal way, and I keep improving (or at least changing) my technique.
I judge by looking for the secondary flames, not by stove top temperature. I don't think stovetop temperture is a very reliable indicator of what is happening in the stove because stovetop temperature lags behind the temperature inside (at least I get the impression it does) and because I don't trust my thermometer. If I see some secondaries in the beginning of a burn cycle I know more will be following as the wood and stove heat up.
With my stove and a full load of wood I want to have the primary air turned down at least 1/2 to avoid overheating the stove in a hour or two when I am asleep. However, if I just turn the air down to 1/2 right off the bat I might smoulder the wood for a long time and I don't want to do that so I wait until I have secondary flame and little by little turn the air down while maintaining secondary flame. I guess because the secondary burn is the thing that makes a new stove burn cleanly and efficiently, I focus on maintaining secondary flame as a way of knowing I am burning cleanly.
With my stove and a full load of wood I want to have the primary air turned down at least 1/2 to avoid overheating the stove in a hour or two when I am asleep. However, if I just turn the air down to 1/2 right off the bat I might smoulder the wood for a long time and I don't want to do that so I wait until I have secondary flame and little by little turn the air down while maintaining secondary flame. I guess because the secondary burn is the thing that makes a new stove burn cleanly and efficiently, I focus on maintaining secondary flame as a way of knowing I am burning cleanly.
eclecticcottage
Minister of Fire
Usually I have a decent coal bed for overnight burns, having either kept the stove running all day in colder weather or restarted it cold when I got home. Either way, I use some good kindling and 2-3 splits of small/medium size (maybe 4" on the wide end and about 4-5" "high") so that when I'm ready to pack it for the night, those are coaled up well. Then I add 3-5 splits of the same size OR two n/s on the sides with 2-4 ecobricks e/w between them depending on the weather (how long I need "meaningful" heat from the stove). Let it get going well with lots of flames, then damp down, then keep an eye on top temps and the flames, adjust if needed then go to bed. IF it's really cold out I will reload around 2 in the morning (we don't have good insulation and old windows, so we do lose heat quicker than a newer or tight house). Otherwise I have enough coals in the am to restart if needed (when it's above 40, we don't run a fire during the day if we're not home and it's usually around 60 when we get home-with a small space it's not too hard to get it back up to 70).
Like everyone else . . . good coal bed . . . load up a half hour before I go to bed . . . generally the bigger splits and rounds . . . loaded up pretty well . . . bring things up to temp and cut back the air . . . to the point where secondaries are sustained.
Wake up 7 hours later . . . rake up the coals . . . add splits . . . and away we go.
Wake up 7 hours later . . . rake up the coals . . . add splits . . . and away we go.
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