Fire starting 101 - how did I not know this before this year.

[MrEd]

Going on my third year of burning 100% wood with my Tarm Solo 60 (no storage hooked up yet), of course once it is humming along it throws all the heat I need and keeps the house at a toasty 73 degreess no matter how cold it is out.

However, one of my big complaints had always been how long it took me to start getting heat from a cold boiler, usually an hour and a lot of wood to get a completely cold boiler to min 140 degrees, and the some more time to really start throwing heat.

When I built fires, I normally put two medium sized logs in first (one left, one right laying front-to-back), bunches of newspaper in the middle, smaller wood on top of that, a couple of cross pieces and then some more wood arrange front-to-back. I'd leave enough space to light the newspaper - and away in went (top door left open, bottom door left closed tight) - but as I said, it usually took a bare minimum of an hour to get up to temperatures and I always felt like my whole first load of wood got used up before I even got a single bit of heat into the house.

The other day, quite by accident, I built the fire and forgot to put in the newspaper first, so instead I closed the top door, and stuffed the bottom chamber with newspaper and lit it up that way - leaving the bottom door opening and the top closed tight. Much to my amazement, with the bottom door open, and top door closed I now go from a dead-cold boiler (which lives in an unheated space), to 150 degrees in just under 15 minutes - an amazing difference. How could I have been so dense for over two years?

How do you folks start your fire? Do those of you with an upper and lower door leave the top open, or the bottom open?

 

[PassionForFire&Water]

Do you have a boiler return water temperature protection valve in your system layout (Thermovar)?

 

[MrEd]

Do you have a boiler return water temperature protection valve in your system layout (Thermovar)?

Yes, but it really doesn't even come into play since until the water gets to about 140-145, the pump does not kick on (so there is no return water yet).

 

[willworkforwood]

.....When I built fires, I normally put two medium sized logs in first ....

The key for me in building fires (cold or warm boiler) is loading a bunch of very small, dry stuff in first. I lay 2 very small splits (around 2x2) just outside of the nozzle opening, 3 rolled-up newspaper over the nozzle, and then a pile of very dry wood chips and shards. Then a few small splits (2x2 - 2x3) over the pile, and light it up. This fire takes off like a shot, and I close the door inside of 1 minute. Once the fire is cooking a few minutes later, I pile on whatever amount of playing-card sized splits I'm going to use (usually around 1/3-1/2 full). I've found that by using lots of small, dry kindling there is minimal time and waste in getting the boiler up-to-temp.
Although you don't describe the size of one of these "logs", I'm guessing it's something greater than playing-card size. If so, I think that may be working against you getting an optimal fire going quickly. The idea is to get a coal bed going over the nozzle, and small dry wood will do that job very well. Not saying that the choice of door doesn't make a difference, but with lots of kindling you may find you can close the door much faster than you currently are doing, and get your boiler up to temp in much less time as well. Now, all of that being said, without storage your boiler isn't going to get cold for the next couple of months or so, correct ;-)

 

[henfruit]

A little cardboard some small pieces of pine then small oak, then i fill it full to the top.I put the torch up through the nozzle for 30 to 40 seconds then close all the doors close the by pass damper hit the start button and we have gasification in just a few minuets.

 

[goosegunner]

Rake charcoal over nozzle light with propane torch, news paper, 10-12" handful of kindling and small splits, few more small splits, close both doors, fan on damper open for 5-10 minutes, close damper.

Gg

 

[mikefrommaine]

A little cardboard some small pieces of pine then small oak, then i fill it full to the top.I put the torch up through the nozzle for 30 to 40 seconds then close all the doors close the by pass damper hit the start button and we have gasification in just a few minuets.

That is pretty much what works for me. But I throw a small piece of wax paper below the cardboard-- it lights quickly and gets the cardboard burning without having to hold the torch under the cardboard.

 

[chuck172]

I throw some crumpled newspaper over the nozzel, then some small splits, then big pieces. I get the draft going by lighting a piece of newspaper in the back of the firebox.
I then take a couple of phone book pages and light the fire in the lower chamber through the nozzel. I roll the phone book pages up like a fuse or a wick. I keep the bottom door open till everything catches good, then close the bottom door and start the blower.

 

[flyingcow]

kindlin' on crisscrosed over nozzle, 2 or 3 pieces of newpaper, throw match. By the time I gather wood, kindlin' is cracklig, throw wood on top(smaller splits first on bottom) fill chamber, shut door. All done in 10 mins, walk away. Will have 165 degree water flowing from boiler to house in 45 mins. 190 in 60 mins. But my draft is different than your Solo 60.

 

[huffdawg]

A little cardboard some small pieces of pine then small oak, then i fill it full to the top.I put the torch up through the nozzle for 30 to 40 seconds then close all the doors close the by pass damper hit the start button and we have gasification in just a few minuets.

That sounds like a good smoke free way of lighting , I'll have to try it. I have been filling up the top chamber with crumpled newspaper on bottom, then kindling with the rest normal firewood chunks . But when I torch it I will get a bit ofsmoke out of the top door.

If I leave the bottom door open to much my draft is so good that the whole boiler room vibrates and the boiler starts woofing .

Huff

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

I just lay small dry splits across the nozzle & progressively larger wood over that. I light underneath with a propane torch(loading door kept closed). At 350 to 370 flue gas I close the bottom door, leave bypass open till about 390 & close. It probably takes 1/2 hour to heat the boiler to 180 this way, sometimes a bit longer if the wood isn't real dry. Randy

 

[NWfuel]

Has anyone tried the Super Cedar firestarter? I would be more than happy to send you ALL free samples for your feed back. Email us your ship to address and they are on the way.
[email protected]

I would think that all would be needed is the Super Cedar. No kindling or newspaper needed. I like the idea of these nozzle's directing air on the Super Cedar which should (once flaming well) work like a blow torch. Please be sure that air is blown in a direction away from ones assets as to not have flying embers gone wild. Once ignited do not stir or disturb the Super Cedar.

Thomas

 

[woodsmaster]

A little cardboard some small pieces of pine then small oak, then i fill it full to the top.I put the torch up through the nozzle for 30 to 40 seconds then close all the doors close the by pass damper hit the start button and we have gasification in just a few minuets.

That is pretty much what works for me. But I throw a small piece of wax paper below the cardboard-- it lights quickly and gets the cardboard burning without having to hold the torch under the cardboard.

That is also similar to how I do it, only I leave the top door cracked with the bypass open untill the flue temp reaches over 300 F about 5 min. then shut door, pull the bypass and walk away.

 

[flyingcow]

Has anyone tried the Super Cedar firestarter? I would be more than happy to send you ALL free samples for your feed back. Email us your ship to address and they are on the way.
[email protected]

I would think that all would be needed is the Super Cedar. No kindling or newspaper needed. I like the idea of these nozzle's directing air on the Super Cedar which should (once flaming well) work like a blow torch. Please be sure that air is blown in a direction away from ones assets as to not have flying embers gone wild. Once ignited do not stir or disturb the Super Cedar.

Thomas

These do work very well.

 

[EffectaBoilerUser (USA)]

I have an effecta lambda 35 boiler which unlike most others discussed on hearth.com does not have a bypass lever.

The method for starting my boiler is to pile up the previous burns "dead" coals over the nozzle and to light these with a propane torch.

After about 30 seconds I place a handfull of kindling on top of the red hot coals.

I then fill up the boiler with wood (smaller splits on the bottom and larger splits on the top), close the top (primary) door and walk away. This whole process takes less than 5 minutes.

Brian

 

[henfruit]

No bypass door? It this something like a wood gun? How do you dump the smoke when loading?

 

[EffectaBoilerUser (USA)]

The effecta lambda boiler has a negative draft system (fan is in the rear of the boiler and "sucks" the incomming combustion air vs. "pushing it" with a fan in the front of the boiler.)

It also has a lambda sensor in the chimney which controls the primary and secondary draft opening dampers automatically, thoughout the entire burn.

Thus, once a fire is started the top door is closed and as a good bed of coals is established the upper, primary dampers shut down and the bottom, secondary dampers open up automatically.

I used to have an EKO40 and had to mess with the bypass lever quite a bit when starting a fire.

Brian

 

[henfruit]

Load, lite,hit the start button walk away.

 

[JP11]

Suck or blow...

So your fan is in the wood gasses? I would think that a fan pushing clean air would last longer than a fan sucking smoke.

I'm new at all of this.

I thought all of these boilers shut themselves off when they sensed they were out of wood. No? So shouldn't there always be charcoal in the bottom of the boiler? Do I have this wrong.. I may need to change the story with the wife on how easy it is.

I've been telling her just a torch and stack some wood....and away it goes. I can add cardboard to the instructions easy enough... but I don't want her to have to "tinker" I'm looking for ON, OFF type directions. I figure it will be just a few steps. (to include opening and closing the bypas during loading)


JP

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Suck or blow...

So your fan is in the wood gasses? I would think that a fan pushing clean air would last longer than a fan sucking smoke.

I'm new at all of this.

I thought all of these boilers shut themselves off when they sensed they were out of wood. No? So shouldn't there always be charcoal in the bottom of the boiler? Do I have this wrong.. I may need to change the story with the wife on how easy it is.

I've been telling her just a torch and stack some wood....and away it goes. I can add cardboard to the instructions easy enough... but I don't want her to have to "tinker" I'm looking for ON, OFF type directions. I figure it will be just a few steps. (to include opening and closing the bypas during loading)


JP

The Lambda boilers are like this, load, light & walk away. My Atmos certainly isn't. Randy

 

[henfruit]

Ok we can take the cardboard to the dump,more work for you.little wood big wood light and go.

 

[JP11]

No... i have A LOT of cardboard. Especially November and December due to holiday picture orders. does cardboard leave behind a lot of ash. Not that I want to use it as a fuel source.. but dang..that would make the dump runs easier. I could have her throw in 3 or 4 inches of cardboard and then load the wood on top of that???


JP

 

[maple1]

Cardboard is pretty ashey, yes, but it starts fires pretty darned good. Usually doesn't take much.

 

[henfruit]

J P, See if you have any birch trees.Birch bark makes great fire starter burns hot.

 

[JP11]

Oh Jeez.. you really want to get me in trouble with the wife. Birch trees all end up in the pictures my wife takes.

Yellow birch are ugly.. those work? I could split em up real small. My main concern is making it easy and near effortless for her to fill the stove twice a day AT MOST.

Figure I can tell her... when it's cold outside and the tanks get to X.. do a burn.

I'm trying to prepare as best I can by getting good dry wood put up. Next week looks to be warm. Splitter should be here soon. Dad's even getting into the act and coming over to cut some this weekend while I'm gone.

JP