First year burner frustrations

[JR82]

I've been reading on here for months the heartaches first year burners go through thinking all the while i was ahead of the game. Less than one week in to the season and i'm already getting frustrated. Get the stove top up to around 550, seems like decent secondary action, then i go outside and look at the chimney to see the smoke just pouring out. Wood isn't sizzling, but it is some punky junk i'm trying to get rid of in the shoulder season. Hopefully the main supply burns cleaner. If not its going to be a frustrating winter.

 

[Skier76]

Do a test burn with some of your better wood. At 550, you should be burning pretty clean.

 

[gzecc]

More air to increase your burn might decrease your smoke.

 

[Bubbavh]

Along with not so dry wood you maybe choking your stove too much or too fast. Most seem to do it in 4 or more stages. Be patient it is going to take some time to learn how to operate that stove. The other bit of advice to new burners is to buy next years wood now. Most wood suppliers are not going to give you dry enough wood. The last thing you will come to find is that you will probably run out of wood. Another good reason to buy next years supply. My last bit of advice is to read read read there is a lot of good advice on this site. (not all good but a lot!)

Welcome to the forums and enjoy that new stove!

 

[zzr7ky]

I'd suspect wood first. Also agree that more air, and waiting longer. I have less than perfect wood I'm using now. I pretty well light and burn the first load, then the stove and chimney are nice and toasty. The second load will act better.

Good luck!
Mike

 

[JR82]

Not sure how much I will burn through this year, but I think I have a good start on next year's supply already. With more scrounging opportunities waiting for me when I get the time, I should be set much early then i was this first time around. The gf doesn't understand why I am cutting and splitting every at opportunity, but she sure loves that heat already! I know air control has been part of my struggle. I've expiremented with more or less air without much effect on the smoke output. Maybe i'm cutting down too fast, but only once have I been able to get it down to closed or close to closed without loosing the flames.

 

[JR82]

Agreed, the second load always takes off better and the secondary kicks in nicely once a good bed of coals has been established, but it smokes just as much. I'll keep expirementing with my air control.

 

[gzecc]

IMO Its better to err on the side of burning too much wood and too much air than build creosote. I don't think its cold enough yet to have a really hot fire. Once you do, come down on the air slowly, until there is no smoke. This is a good 1/2 -1 hour after a all consuming fire. Close slowly until the smoke disappears.

 

[JR82]

It's definitely not cold enough to really get a feel for the opperation yet. Last night it was plenty warm downstairs. I will be monitoring the creosote production closely. Fortunately getting on the roof to check is a breeze.

 

[savageactor7]

JR82 I'm king of the punky wood burners and dry punky wood does not smoke when thrown into an established fire. Don't be discouraged these newer stoves require an good coal bed to preform to maximum efficiency. Once you start burning 24/7 you'll be happier with the stove...providing of course the wood is properly seasoned. For our stove if we let the fire go down to a coal bed the chimney will smoke for a short time until the secondaries take over...once you have sufficient heat/flames you can throw in more wood without any chimney smoke.

You'll be alright...it's a shoulder season thing.

 

[gzecc]

JR what town are you in? I'm in Bedminster

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I'd try a few fires with better wood. Buy a bag of the supermarket stuff if you have to just to see how the stove is supposed to burn.

Matt

 

[JR82]

gzecc I'm in the andover area, north of 80.

 

[Slow1]

One thing I learned about punky wood is that it probably isn't nearly as dry as you think it is. The way I learned this is that I had some left over from last year. I though it was dry and in fact it was in my basement at end of the season.. It sat there all summer forgotten. I discovered it a month ago and when I went to pick it up it was MUCH lighter than I remembered it being and even more flaky throughout. So my point is that there is a good chance that the heart of that punky wood may be rather wet and contributing to a cooler fire than you think. I'll second/third/whatever the vote is up to now for you to give a try with some good solid wood and see what happens.

 

[JR82]

I should mention i have mixed in a piece or two of solid wood for a good overnight burn. But I will try a full load to see how that works out.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

JR, you may not want to try a full load just yet or you'll have every door and window open trying to cool off.

Keep in mind that right now is probably the most difficult time to heat with wood. When it gets cold outside things will go much, much smoother. So being new to wood burning, trying to learn and then burning punky wood, you are bound to get a bit frustrated. DON'T.

Use this as learning the stove before you really need much heat. You'll probably be amazed how much easier things get when it gets cold outside. You'll keep the fire going, which means you'll have an established coal bed so things will work better. Your next frustration might be that coal bed too! Soon you'll wonder why those coals won't burn down and they are so high you can't get much wood in the stove. It's all a part of learning and you simply can not learn it all in a few short burns. Take your time, be patient and as stated, be sure to check the chimney at least once per month all winter long.

Good luck.

 

[drdoct]

One thing I learned about punky wood is that it probably isn't nearly as dry as you think it is. The way I learned this is that I had some left over from last year. I though it was dry and in fact it was in my basement at end of the season.. It sat there all summer forgotten. I discovered it a month ago and when I went to pick it up it was MUCH lighter than I remembered it being and even more flaky throughout. So my point is that there is a good chance that the heart of that punky wood may be rather wet and contributing to a cooler fire than you think. I'll second/third/whatever the vote is up to now for you to give a try with some good solid wood and see what happens.

+1

There's a reason the wood is punky, and punky wood is VERY hard to dry out. Do you have a moisture tester? I've got good gray, checked pieces of wood registering 30% still. Always blame the wood first. Also, I get mine up to around 700 before closing off the air. I find it burns better secondaries that way. But all stoves are different.