Fireview Stovetop Temperature observation...

[fire_man]

I've noticed the stove top temperature on my Fireview likes to settle to EXACTLY 500 F and stay there for a long time. It might overshoot, and it does not depend on wood type, but it always seems to end up within a tiny pinprick of that 500 F mark. This is with the Woodstock thermometer and with a Condor. I also notice at the end of the burn it likes to settle exactly at the 250 F mark for a long time - sometimes over an hour.

Has anyone else noticed this? I am guessing it has something to do with the principles of how the catalytic combustor works. The converter has a natural light off temp, and that explains the 250 F point. The 500 F point is more mystical but I'm sure has a good explanation. Any thermodynamics or chemical guys out there? Or Maybe I should just get another beer and stop wondering??

 

[sauer]

i'll have one if your going

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That top temperature is a bit strange Tony. For sure if you are placing the thermometer in the center of the stove top. We have no problem getting over 600 degrees. I've never timed the various temperatures to see how long it stays at one. We usually reload when it gets down to 300-350.

 

[fire_man]

That top temperature is a bit strange Tony. For sure if you are placing the thermometer in the center of the stove top. We have no problem getting over 600 degrees. I've never timed the various temperatures to see how long it stays at one. We usually reload when it gets down to 300-350.

Last year I was getting over 700F (measured on top, in center) consistently with full loads of Beech. I was so concerned I called Woodstock for fear of overfiring the stove. This year has been soft maple and heavily spalted beech, and we rarely get much over 550 F. It's all been seasoned 2.5 years. In a week or so I will be getting into 2.5 year old Red Oak,so I'll see how that goes, but the max stove top temps do seem to heavily depend on the type of wood we burn.

The other thing I notice is the stove top temps don't go much over 600 F if flames first develop in the firebox. There was something about that old beech wood that no flames (secondaries) formed until it hit 700F.

 

[leeave96]

Tony,

My Keystone does the same thing most of the time. If I push the stove a bit, I will hit 600+ stove top, but when I am down to coals, the stove top is 250-ish.

I just put in a 6 inch SS liner in my chimney and my draft is much better and moving past 500 degrees is much easier now.

My wood is mainly oak and locust with a sprinkle of maple and pine.

I don't get hung-up as much as I did before about stove top temperatures as there is more to getting heat out of my stove than just cat generated heat. More flames along with the cat going gives me a lot of radiant heat.

Good luck,
Bill

 

[Todd]

Lately I've been burning 3 year old Oak that was cut dead standing and this stuff is the best I've ever burned in my stoves. It catches fast, burns hot and long with little ash. Stove top always goes up to 600+ with a full load and drops down to 250-300 after 9-10 hours. I have burned many different types of wood and they all have their own little quirks but I think I'll try and stick to 3 year old Oak if I can.

 

[Slow1]

I'll jump on the "type of wood" train. I've been burning loads of black birch and have found they like to burn hotter - I get 600 top with flames in the box pretty easily. My oak seems to like to burn at a bit lower stove top temp all other things being as equal as I can make them. The oak in question is 3+ years split, the BB is about 2 (my moisture meter is broken and I don't intend to replace it but that is another story). I've also burned other wood (mixed loads) and found they settle at different temps. So the types (density?) does seem to make a difference in the surface temp.

Now the other thing I've been watching is the temp of the sides/front of the stove in relation to the top. Oddly it seems that the little bit of flames can add a lot to the temp on the sides of the stove (with minimal surface temp impact) and length of burn is only a bit shorter. Adding the air to get those flames helps to get the coals burned down at end of burn (and thus even more heat on sides of stove) and better reloads as a result.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Slow1, I've recommended opening the draft full at or just before the end of the burn for a long time. This way one does not have the problem of too many coals at the end of the cycle. And yes, those flames make the stove produce more heat. I don't think you need big flames necessarily but some flame is good.

I have to agree with Todd on the 3 year old oak. In fact, my wife and I cut some oak the last couple of days. We'll patiently wait for that to dry.

 

[fire_man]

Slow1, I've recommended opening the draft full at or just before the end of the burn for a long time. This way one does not have the problem of too many coals at the end of the cycle. And yes, those flames make the stove produce more heat. I don't think you need big flames necessarily but some flame is good.

I have to agree with Todd on the 3 year old oak. In fact, my wife and I cut some oak the last couple of days. We'll patiently wait for that to dry.

Dennis: This is one of many good tips of yours I have taken and worked out very well - to open up the draft near the end of the burn. I almost gave up on my Fireview the first year because of a coaling problem. Dryer wood and higher draft kept me and the FV happily together. I was afraid to open up the draft for fear of hurting the combustor, but now realize its ok as long as flames have died down, after the stovetop temps have peaked and started falling.

It's gonna be weird if we do buy the new WS stove, probably a whole new learning curve. I feel so comfortable with the FV and for the most part know just how to drive it to keep us warm.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Thanks Tony. I'm betting there will be little to change on burning that monster vs. the Fireview. Only time will tell on that.