First Fire Of The Year

[Todd]

1/3 Super Cedar, a full load of White Birch and 20 minutes later I engaged the cat at #2 and let her rip for about another 20 minutes. Pictures were at the 1 hour mark after I turned it down to #1. Looks like the cat temp settled down to about 1400 with a good glow on half the cat. Stove top still rising almost 600.

I like this cat probe, I lit off at 650 while the stove top was only about 150. She took off quickly with a nice glowing cat. Probably could of engaged sooner but waited for a little more flame and charring of the wood. Cat temp quickly rose to 1500 about 20 minutes after light off with a full cerry red glow then I started to turn the air down.

After 1 1/2 hours the stove top settled in at 550, cat probe 1250 and external pipe temp 240. Nice lazy floating flame, feels good to burn again.

 

[Poult]

Todd, that looks nice! It's been hot here lately, but this next week is supposed to get some nights in the 40's, so I may be getting a fire ready some mornings. Will be nice to have a frying pan of eggs going on there again!

Poult

 

[rdust]

Do you have to do a yearly break in fire with the keystone to drive moisture out of the stones? I thought soapstone stoves required that? I hope I don't need to light up for a while, it's going to stay cool tomorrow but I'll just put on a flannel or dig out a blanket if need be. It's way to early for me to be lighting a match.

 

[Todd]

Do you have to do a yearly break in fire with the keystone to drive moisture out of the stones? I thought soapstone stoves required that? I hope I don't need to light up for a while, it's going to stay cool tomorrow but I'll just put on a flannel or dig out a blanket if need be. It's way to early for me to be lighting a match.

I've heard a break in doesn't hurt so yes, I had a small kindling fire the night before just to get any moisture out of those rocks.

 

[rdust]

I've heard a break in doesn't hurt so yes, I had a small kindling fire the night before just to get any moisture out of those rocks.

Sooo it's really your second fire! ;-) Do you care to revise you title statement!? :lol:

 

[BrotherBart]

I've heard a break in doesn't hurt so yes, I had a small kindling fire the night before just to get any moisture out of those rocks.

Sooo it's really your second fire! ;-) Do you care to revise you title statement!? :lol:

Picky, picky, picky.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Good job Todd. I'm burning also, Cat currently @ 1700, stove and flue around 600. Been kinda chilly here last few days, been burning slab wood. Got 16 hours out of 3/4 load of slab wood 2 days ago, w/stove top of over 200 at the end. What the heck, burn when you want to, right?

 

[Todd]

Ha, breakin kindling fires don't count. Tonights fire was needed since the woman of the house told me so. :lol:

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Ha, breakin kindling fires don't count. Tonights fire was needed since the woman of the house told me so. :lol:

"As you wish." The three most important words a man may utter while married.

 

[DexterDay]

Very Nice Todd... Its 70 here and I was burnin a bit ago.

Just lit off the Englander 30-NC Tonight (Just installed). Secondaries were firing off at 300* and the Stove top hit 500 within an hr. Only used a few splits, that were started by a Supar Cedar also w/ some kindling.

Cant wait to finally Join the Cub of Woodstove burners (had Fireplace for years)

 

[BrotherBart]

Don't tell Todd that. He is famous here for saying that you have to have non-cats up to a bazillion degrees before secondaries light off. :lol:

 

[DexterDay]

Don't tell Todd that. He is famous here for saying that you have to have non-cats up to a bazillion degrees before secondaries light off. :lol:

I promise... Pics to Prove it.... And this is the 1st time I used the stove. I have seen You-Tube videos that sow people getting no Heat out of the 30.... I had 10.5 Cord before I even had it hooked up. Your wood supply is everything. This was wood that was only 2 months Old (Silver maple/smaller splits).

I cant complain for the price I paid. one day I hope to talk the Wife into an expensive Wood stove upstairs. until I can prove how much heat that it will put out, the set-up stays the same.

 

[Woody Stover]

I like this cat probe

I need to start ordering my stuff. Steel cat, probe, screen scoop...I guess that's it for now. I think I'll rig a mirror so I can easily see the probe dial...
Hopefully I've got a little more time before I'll have to fire up.

 

[leeave96]

1/3 Super Cedar, a full load of White Birch and 20 minutes later I engaged the cat at #2 and let her rip for about another 20 minutes. Pictures were at the 1 hour mark after I turned it down to #1. Looks like the cat temp settled down to about 1400 with a good glow on half the cat. Stove top still rising almost 600.

I like this cat probe, I lit off at 650 while the stove top was only about 150. She took off quickly with a nice glowing cat. Probably could of engaged sooner but waited for a little more flame and charring of the wood. Cat temp quickly rose to 1500 about 20 minutes after light off with a full cerry red glow then I started to turn the air down.

After 1 1/2 hours the stove top settled in at 550, cat probe 1250 and external pipe temp 240. Nice lazy floating flame, feels good to burn again.

Which stove? Keystone #1 (K1) or Keystone #2 (K2) and which chimney, the old one (CH1) or the new one (CH2) ?

Did you just drill a hole through the cast cover plate on the top of your stove for the probe therometer - is that what I'm seeing? If so, are you going to cut a hole in the soapstone and let it set back in place with the probe on top of it - or recessed in it?

Thanks!
Bill

 

[cptoneleg]

Don't tell Todd that. He is famous here for saying that you have to have non-cats up to a bazillion degrees before secondaries light off. :lol:

Yes keep it a secret mine kick in around 275 to 300

 

[Todd]

1/3 Super Cedar, a full load of White Birch and 20 minutes later I engaged the cat at #2 and let her rip for about another 20 minutes. Pictures were at the 1 hour mark after I turned it down to #1. Looks like the cat temp settled down to about 1400 with a good glow on half the cat. Stove top still rising almost 600.

I like this cat probe, I lit off at 650 while the stove top was only about 150. She took off quickly with a nice glowing cat. Probably could of engaged sooner but waited for a little more flame and charring of the wood. Cat temp quickly rose to 1500 about 20 minutes after light off with a full cerry red glow then I started to turn the air down.

After 1 1/2 hours the stove top settled in at 550, cat probe 1250 and external pipe temp 240. Nice lazy floating flame, feels good to burn again.

Which stove? Keystone #1 (K1) or Keystone #2 (K2) and which chimney, the old one (CH1) or the new one (CH2) ?

Did you just drill a hole through the cast cover plate on the top of your stove for the probe therometer - is that what I'm seeing? If so, are you going to cut a hole in the soapstone and let it set back in place with the probe on top of it - or recessed in it?

Thanks!
Bill

It's the basement stove with the new supaflue chimney. Yes, I drilled a hole down through the top plate and inserted a 4" probe. It's just the right size to get the probe end half way between the heat shield and cat and also about 1" away. I'm still thinking about cutting hole in the stone with a hole saw so it sits recessed but I'd have to order a new slab cuz I broke this one. I kind a like it the way it is with my boot warmers up there and I'm also thinking if it was recessed around soapstone it might effect the temps.

 

[Todd]

Don't tell Todd that. He is famous here for saying that you have to have non-cats up to a bazillion degrees before secondaries light off. :lol:

I promise... Pics to Prove it.... And this is the 1st time I used the stove. I have seen You-Tube videos that sow people getting no Heat out of the 30.... I had 10.5 Cord before I even had it hooked up. Your wood supply is everything. This was wood that was only 2 months Old (Silver maple/smaller splits).

I cant complain for the price I paid. one day I hope to talk the Wife into an expensive Wood stove upstairs. until I can prove how much heat that it will put out, the set-up stays the same.

Nice fire, once you get that stove up to that bazillion degree mark she'll start to throw a little bit of heat. Still waiting on BB to install his probe so he knows when his secondaries are going.:lol:

 

[PapaDave]

Ha, breakin kindling fires don't count. Tonights fire was needed since the woman of the house told me so. :lol:

"As you wish." The three most important words a man may utter while married.

"Yes, dear", is also used extensively in these types of situations. :lol:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

So Todd, you really did it! No doubt you'll have another fire tonight as it is going to get a bit nippy. Feels like fall out there but I didn't bring any wood in so no fire here (I think)yet.

For the moisture in the soapstone, Hearthstone does recommend a burn-in type fire every fall but Woodstock does not. But does it hurt to have a small break-in fire? Methinks not and furthermore, usually your first fires are small anyway so all should be fine. I've never worried about one in the 4 years we've run the Fireview and so far, so good.

 

[Todd]

Yep, looks like another fire tonight. My daughter is visiting from VA and she's been complaining all day about the cold. Maybe I should fire both stoves up to make her feel more like VA?

I always do a little kindling fire before the season starts and never noticed any moisture or sweat coming off the stone like I did with a brand new stove, but I figure I might as well play it safe.

Dennis, you have plenty of firewood, no sense in being the least bit chilly when you wake up, even if the sun does warm things up pretty quickly this time of year. I love these cool Sep days and like to keep all the windows open for the fresh air. I could keep them closed up to keep the warm air in but it just feels stuffy. Doesn't take much to bring the temp back up with a quick evening fire.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes we could burn as we do have plenty of wood. The windows have been closed since late afternoon yesterday and it is really nice in the house right now. Coming in the front door it almost feels like we've had a fire going but we haven't yet. If it get too cool though, it won't take long to get one going. I need to replace the cat but will wait until we get to Woodstock to get the new steel cat.

Todd, you've had the steel cat for a while now I think so I'd like your opinion on how they perform.

 

[Todd]

Todd, you've had the steel cat for a while now I think so I'd like your opinion on how they perform.

I've only had the steel cat since last March and can't really tel any difference in heat output or stove top temps but they do light off quicker. This new probe will tell me more as we get going this year. I really like the advantage it has against thermo shock, if my new probe tells me I can engage sooner I will, 400 degrees verses 500 with the old ceramic cat. And I also won't have to worry about cracking or ruining the cat. After last night I have a feeling I will be engaging as soon as a fresh load catches and the probe is at light off temp. I use to wait 10-20 minutes before depending on the load and coal bed. There is a big lag time difference between the stove top and probe temp.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Thanks Todd and we'll be looking for more reports from you.