Hearthstone Clydesdale Temps/Over-Firing

[BroadCove]

I've just started burning my Hearthstone Clydesdale insert regularly over the past few days, and all is going well. Being new to woodstoves, I want to make sure that I don't over-fire it. In looking through the manual though, and online at the Hearthstone website, I can't find any temperature listed anywhere (e.g., don't let the stove top get above x degrees). The manual has a section titled "Over-Fire Caution," and in that section its says "over-firing means the fireplace insert is operating at temperatures above the recommended temperatures outlined above in the 'burn rate' section." Here's the problem: unless I'm going blind (which is a possibility), there is no "burn rate" section. I was planning to call Hearthstone, but the website just refers me to my dealer. I'm heading over to the dealer today anyway, and I'm sure they'll give me an answer, but I want the manufacturer's answer.

Does anyone else have a Clydesdale with a manual that says what the recommended high temperature is and where to measure it or a number at Hearthstone that I can call?

 

[ClydesdaleBurner]

Hi BroadCove,

I noticed that too... the manual leads you to a place that does not exist in the manual! Crazy. Hearthstone should fix that, or else it seems that the user is not responsible for over-firing since they never say what temps is an overfire!

I'm going into my second season with the Clydesdale and last year I was wondering what the max stove top temps should be. From what I've experienced and emailing other Clydesdale owners, the stove top temps probably should not exceed 500 degrees or so. I think the highest I've ever had mine was 450 and it did faintly smell a little funny... My usual operating temps are 350 to 400 maybe 425 for a bit at its peak. If I can get the stove to cruise at or just under 400 degrees I find it puts out plenty of heat.

Please let me know what your dealer says. I'd be curious to find out the official overfiring temps.

Good luck

 

[SteveT]

I agree with Clydesdale Burner...

I get plenty of heat when I get up around 350 (top of insert) and only hit 400 once for a short while. I run the blower at fairly high speed and I think that is the main reason for good heat at moderate temperatures... the heat is in the room where it belongs rather than lingering in the stove. I think the same burn with no blower would result in another 50 or 100 degrees at the top of the insert (and until recently the blower was an option, as strange as that seems).

I'm very pleased with the Clydesdale but agree the manual is lacking.

 

[Highbeam]

For reference my Heritage manual allows me to get to 600 and the woodstock soapstone guys can go to 700. The clydesdale has more cast iron and the iron guys go to 800 so I would have to say that you should be safe going to at least 600.

 

[BroadCove]

Thanks, all. I did make it to the dealer today, but they were so busy I didn't stick around to talk to anyone. I got a pretty good fire going early this afternoon, and the highest I could get the stove top to was 425. It's been between 300-350 the rest of the day and giving off plenty of heat. I'll update this if I ever find out "the answer."

 

[woodmiser]

The latest manual is dated 5/2011 and does state on page 24...

After you have attained a high burn rate, monitor the stove temperatures frequently to ensure that the stove is not over-fired. The surface temperature on top front of the insert (firebox body under grill) should not routinely exceed 600° Fahrenheit (316° Celcius). Once you understand how your insert burns and heats in your particular setting, you can easily create a high burn rate without risk to the stove or chimney.

http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/assets/files/document_library/Clydesdale8491Manual.pdf

Unfortunately, I have a lot of trouble keeping mine below 600 with big loads and the damper fully closed. This is a new unit. I did check for door leaks with smoke and found none. I have trouble going to sleep if I haven't sat there making sure it wasn't going up (temp) before going to bed. I talked to Hearthstone. Their response was to check the gasket for leaks and if that's good, I should mix in some unseasoned wood. I didn't like that response. It tells me that they know it wants to burn hot and there isn't anything that can be done about it if the air is fully shut down except change the fuel.

My wood is a selection of super dry mixed hardwoods and three cords of semi-seasoned oak. I have trouble getting a fire going using the oak so I start with the dry stuff and then switch to the oak. I'm going to find out where this unit gets all of it's air. Apparently when they designed it, they had to allow a certain amount to pass emissions but unfortunately it created a fire dragon in the process.