Damper Problems? Homestead Question

[Jonathan Corcoran]

If I did this right there should be a little video of my new Homestead with the damper fully closed. I've had some folks tell me that the stove chews through wood and likes small splits. I've noticed the same thing.
Does it look like the damper is really closed? Any thoughts? I am burning Doug Fir at 18% moisture. I am still having a tough time getting the stove to actively burn longer than 2ish hours.

 

[BrotherBart]

Quit letting that doghouse air incinerate the wood and open the primary air damper some. When you close the air all the way down you just create a blow torch.

 

[Jonathan Corcoran]

Quit letting that doghouse air incinerate the wood and open the primary air damper some. When you close the air all the way down you just create a blow torch.

So that middle blow hole in the wood is from the damper being closed? We have a 25 foot masonry chimney and the outside air kit. I've been thinking we were getting too much air.

 

[begreen]

With a 25 ft chimney it might be worth considering a key damper in the flue connector. Have you tried thicker splits? Fir burns quickly.

 

[BrotherBart]

As you close down the primary air damper it shifts the air to the point of least resistance. The draft is pulling air at a constant rate. So when you close the damper it increases the air coming in through the secondary air tubes and the hole in the blow hole in the "dog house" in the front.

 

[Jonathan Corcoran]

With a 25 ft chimney it might be worth considering a key damper in the flue connector. Have you tried thicker splits? Fir burns quickly.

We have tried thicker splits and can creep up to 2.5 hous of active burn time. I wonder if a key damper works with the rear exiting flue? Fir is what I have for this year. I am looking for some madrona

 

[Jonathan Corcoran]

As you close down the primary air damper it shifts the air to the point of least resistance. The draft is pulling air at a constant rate. So when you close the damper it increases the air coming in through the secondary air tubes and the hole in the blow hole in the "dog house" in the front.

I am going to need to do some more reading about this. I am still not 100% sure what all the part functions are on my stove.

 

[BrotherBart]

Raises the question of "active burn time". Whole lot of the burn, 50 percent, is the coal stage. Where 50 percent of the heat in the wood is released.

 

[begreen]

Yes, what is active burn time? The period of visible flames? Or the period of meaningful heat coming off the wood and coals that follow?

 

[BrotherBart]

I am going to need to do some more reading about this. I am still not 100% sure what all the part functions are on my stove.

The reason we are here. The last line of my sig says it all.

 

[Jonathan Corcoran]

Raises the question of "active burn time". Whole lot of the burn, 50 percent, is the coal stage. Where 50 percent of the heat in the wood is released.

Duh that makes sense. For some reason I've been thinking, "I see big flames for 2 hours and I should see them for 4 or 5." I told my wife I'd learn something tonite!

 

[Charles1981]

Burn time is in real world more likely time from ignition of a fire until it is coals giving off minimal heat. Or the longest you can go between reloading and still get wood to take off even if you have to crack the door to get the coals enough oxygen to start igniting the new wood.

In my encore I see flame for about 4-6 hours depending on the hardness of the wood species i have loaded. then i get a good 2-3 more hours of very hot coals. With the stove being cast iron the stop top stays above 300 for an easy 10 hours..I can stretch a reload 10 hours on my 2.3cuft stove if I pack it to the gills but i am left with tiny little coals and really having to coax the stove to start up again.

That is burning a mix of oak, ash, cherry.

I have cotton wood galore as well. I am lucky to get by with 5-6 hour reloads and the coals it makes are crappy. So if you are just burning pine wood I would not expect more then 2-3 hours of flames if you are lucky before it is burned down to coals.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah the firebox in my stove is around twice the size of yours. Loaded it at eight o'clock and the flames were done by ten. Wafting blue flames on top of the wood since then and it will be around 200 stove top when I get up around eight in the morning. Air 1/4 open.

That rock should keep radiating heat longer than my steel stove. But probably not because of the load size difference.

 

[hamsey]

Quit letting that doghouse air incinerate the wood and open the primary air damper some. When you close the air all the way down you just create a blow torch.

So how does one go about getting longer burn times? I thought you want to shut the damper down as much as possible to get a longer burn. I have noticed this blow torch with some of my burns. Never really thought about it. Makes sense. Need to figure this out also.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

We have a 24 foot chimney. We got consistent 6 hour or so burn cycles out of the Homestead when it was really cold (all eastern hardwoods).. It is a hard stove to load "full". I ended up blocking some of the secondary air intake to make it a little easier to control..

Also, when first installed the stove was kind of uncontrollable. Turning the air down "all the way" would still allow the thing to creep.. well rush.. into the gates of Hades stage.. I got to looking and fiddling, and found the air control lever was slightly bent in shipping or something, and once I pulled it apart and straightened it out, turns out what felt like "closed" was still about 1/2 open. Stove behaved much better after I fixed that. You might check to make sure you are getting closed, when you think you are. Four screws hold the air control gate to the bottom of the stove. Pretty much had to have it in my hand to see what it was doing.

 

[Jonathan Corcoran]

We have a 24 foot chimney. We got consistent 6 hour or so burn cycles out of the Homestead when it was really cold (all eastern hardwoods).. It is a hard stove to load "full"...Stove behaved much better after I fixed that. You might check to make sure you are getting closed, when you think you are. Four screws hold the air control gate to the bottom of the stove. Pretty much had to have it in my hand to see what it was doing

I am going to have to start making my splits 12-14 inches long. Should make loading it up way easier. I am also going to take a look at the damper lever to check for anything amiss! Thanks for the tip.