How tight do you load the stove?

[Northern NH Mike]

The cold weather that has rolled in during the past week has allowed me to really fire things up. My stove will take a 20" split, (East-West) but unfortunately I only have 18" logs out there. I have added some smaller pieces (North-South) to the side of the larger splits to tray and cut down on the empty space in the box. My question is how tight do you load your stove and am I correct in that the less empty space, the slower the burn rate initially?

 

[LLigetfa]

The E/W dimension in my stove is 22" and I cut wood to around 20" so there is an inch of play on each side, loading E/W. I make it a point to try and fit the pieces in like a jigsaw puzzle with very little space between them. The more spaces there are the faster the fire spreads. Short and irregular shaped splits I set aside for daytime burning as I only pack the stove for overnight burns.

I rake all the coals to the front so that the fire burns from the front to the back.

 

[ansehnlich1]

I pack as much wood into the stove that I can, but normally only when I'm getting ready for an overnight burn, or in the morning prior to leaving for work.

My wife leaves for work an hour and a half after I do, so the stove is settled in when she walks out the door.

When I'm home for the weekend I just burn up all the unusual stuff that's laying around, and all the soft wood I have, saving the hickory, oak, and cherry for the long burns and cold nights.

 

[DBoon]

I've tried loading my (small) Lopi Answer pretty tightly recently. But I find that the logs in the very back will charcoal, but not burn - they are right up against the firebrick. I might also get a (clean) burn stall and smoking midway through the burn. Is this just what happens with a tightly loaded stove, or am I doing something wrong?

If I leave about a half inch between the back wood pieces and the firebrick, this problem doesn't happen. I get a faster burn though.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I pack it tight all the way to the top NS every time.

 

[North of 60]

To the gills every time and let it smoulder away.

 

[Elderthewelder]

I've tried loading my (small) Lopi Answer pretty tightly recently. But I find that the logs in the very back will charcoal, but not burn - they are right up against the firebrick. I might also get a (clean) burn stall and smoking midway through the burn. Is this just what happens with a tightly loaded stove, or am I doing something wrong?

If I leave about a half inch between the back wood pieces and the firebrick, this problem doesn't happen. I get a faster burn though.

Exact same thing happens to me with my small Country insert if i pack it tight

 

[Cearbhaill]

Heh, this time of year mine will run me out of the room if I pack it too tight.
I put just enough in to keep it simmering for 3-4 hours, but then I am home to tend it and am a bad sleeper anyway.
Now deeper into the season I will want the heat more, but not yet.

 

[precaud]

Mine is typically about a 2/3 load. Rarely do I stuff it full.

 

[LLigetfa]

I make a spot in the ashes at the back of the stove for a large 1/4 split that I seat in so there's no gaps and it becomes my coal base that I pull forward in the morning. Sometimes it has a bit of black to it but gets glowing as soon as I give it air. All the other wood I put in is pretty much reduced to ashes by morning.

 

[skinnykid]

on colder nights, as tight as possible.

 

[Martin Strand III]

..... My question is how tight do you load your stove and am I correct in that the less empty space, the slower the burn rate initially?

Yes, more wood in the firebox means more heat with the following caveats:

1. Loading up a COLD firebox to the max means a slower AND DIRTIER start with increased creosote production. :-( (Avoid this.)
2. Top down fires to start up a cold stove yield faster heat and a cleaner early burn.
3. An overloaded firebox can cause you to OVERFIRE your stove unless you are attentive and dial down the incoming air appropriately.
4. Parallel, opposed to criss-cross, side-to-side stacking with larger pieces ("less empty space") in a hot firebox results in longer burn times.

Aye,
Marty
Grandma used to say, "Work smarter, not harder."

 

[ozzy73]

Any pics of fully loaded firebox ? I am always afraid to load more than 1/2 full, to afraid of a blazing runaway fire.
It makes me feel a little safer to load 1/4 full and know it will not over fire when I have the air intake wide open.

 

[cycloxer]

If I am going for a max burn I use the jigsaw puzzle method and litterally pack every square inch of the firebox to the top of the baffles. This will give you a great high energy, long burn, but you have to be careful with the air control. I have had the stove get pretty hot a few times when I was inattentive.

If I am just crusing at the mid level I load the box 1/2-2/3 full. It is a bit more controllable and you can burn very clean and efficiently this way.

Of course every stove and install will burn differently.

 

[quads]

I never pack mine full, even below zero and the wind blowing. The most I ever put in it is maybe 5 fist-diameter 20 inch long splits, on top of a good bed of coals. The 7 cubic foot firebox packed tight with wood is just a little too much heat. Especially since there isn't a lot of control over it.

 

[Martin Strand III]

Any pics of fully loaded firebox ? I am always afraid to load more than 1/2 full, to afraid of a blazing runaway fire.
It makes me feel a little safer to load 1/4 full and know it will not over fire when I have the air intake wide open.

Fear not, unless you have an old leaky, non-airtight stove.

When you can be in constant attendance for the duration of the fire, fill the firebox, lite the fire, open the air intake all the way and the flue damper, if present. Now watch your temperature gauge climb as you watch and listen to the building fire. After several minutes, you will hear the fire begin to roar, assuming you have adequate draft. When your flue or stove top gauge starts to get in the 600 - 800* F range, dampen down (partially close) the air intake to keep the stove from over firing remembering metal starts to glow red at about 900* F. Getting this hot occasionally will most likely do nothing. Firing red hot routinely or in one prolonged fire (unattended or intentional) will probably damage the stove or begin an unwanted fire inside your home near the stove.

Adjust air intake to your heat requirements. I leave flue dampers open until the fire is dead out.

Learn to control the fire by air intake. Learn how to control your stove. Most accidents and injuries come from operator error.

Aye,
Marty

 

[mikepinto65]

I never pack mine full, even below zero and the wind blowing. The most I ever put in it is maybe 5 fist-diameter 20 inch long splits, on top of a good bed of coals. The 7 cubic foot firebox packed tight with wood is just a little too much heat. Especially since there isn't a lot of control over it.

What stove do you have Quads a Papa Bear? I measured out my grandfathers stove (Fisher knockoff, All Niter Big Moe) and came up with around 7cf of firebox.

 

[quads]

I never pack mine full, even below zero and the wind blowing. The most I ever put in it is maybe 5 fist-diameter 20 inch long splits, on top of a good bed of coals. The 7 cubic foot firebox packed tight with wood is just a little too much heat. Especially since there isn't a lot of control over it.

What stove do you have Quads a Papa Bear? I measured out my grandfathers stove (Fisher knockoff, All Niter Big Moe) and came up with around 7cf of firebox.

No, but it's similar to a Fisher, only even heavier. I think it was built in Wisconsin Rapids where it was bought in about 1970.

 

[ozzy73]

Fear not, unless you have an old leaky, non-airtight stove.

When you can be in constant attendance for the duration of the fire, fill the firebox, lite the fire, open the air intake all the way and the flue damper, if present. Now watch your temperature gauge climb as you watch and listen to the building fire. After several minutes, you will hear the fire begin to roar, assuming you have adequate draft. When your flue or stove top gauge starts to get in the 600 - 800* F range, dampen down (partially close) the air intake to keep the stove from over firing remembering metal starts to glow red at about 900* F. Getting this hot occasionally will most likely do nothing. Firing red hot routinely or in one prolonged fire (unattended or intentional) will probably damage the stove or begin an unwanted fire inside your home near the stove.

Adjust air intake to your heat requirements. I leave flue dampers open until the fire is dead out.

Learn to control the fire by air intake. Learn how to control your stove. Most accidents and injuries come from operator error.

Aye,
Marty

I might be a little to genttle when using my stove ( not an air tight stove) according to what you are saying. I usually never let the stove top get hotter than 600 - 650 *F. I did over fire it once to 800*F and it sounded like German submarine with its wall's pinging and cracking at a dept of 10,000 feet. It really freaked me out. As far as the flue damper i usually close of about 400*F and work with the air intake to control the fire.

My neighbour has the same stove and he does not use a stove top/flue gauge. He is not concered about the stove temp and his place is approx 85*F.

Am I not running the stove to hot enough ?

 

[firefighterjake]

Last year every overnight fire was loaded as tightly as possible . . . this year I came to the conclusion that you don't necessarily need to or want to pack every available space with wood. Sure, more wood is generally better . . . but I find that you reach a certain point where managing to fit that one final piece into the firebox just isn't worth the few extra coals you might end up with in the morning. I mean to say, I am routinely loading the firebox up 75-80% height-wise and 80-90% on the length and can still come out in the morning to a warm stove and find some coals to get things going . . . while I'm not saying that you should just toss in three small splits and call it good for the overnight fire, what I am saying is that you don't necessarily need to pack in every nook and cranny . . . and in doing so risk bashing your baffle, burn tubes or crack your glass by trying to wedge everything in as tight as possible.

 

[cycloxer]

managing to fit that one final piece into the firebox just isn't worth the few extra coals

Yup, I fill to a 'comfortably full' level. I don't need to deal with broken glass or ash all over the place in the morning. I do spend a little time to pack the box properly for the last load to minimize the chance of shifting or rolling logs. Of course, this becomes more critical with smaller firebox stoves like the Castine. The guys with 10 cu. ft. stoves can just shove the whole tree in there and slam the door shut.

 

[LLigetfa]

I do spend a little time to pack the box properly for the last load to minimize the chance of shifting or rolling logs.

I don't have round logs cuz I split everything. I select the right shaped pieces so as not to have anything fall against the door.

 

[Northern NH Mike]

I mean to say, I am routinely loading the firebox up 75-80% height-wise and 80-90% on the length and can still come out in the morning to a warm stove and find some coals to get things going . . . while I'm not saying that you should just toss in three small splits and call it good for the overnight fire, what I am saying is that you don't necessarily need to pack in every nook and cranny . . . and in doing so risk bashing your baffle, burn tubes or crack your glass by trying to wedge everything in as tight as possible.

Thanks for all the responses. With Jake's comment and my experience the past year I think I'm on the right track. With a relatively heavy(not necessarily tight) load and good air management I can get a solid 8 hours of heat overnight, with a morning room temp of 68-70 °F, a stovetop temp of 250, and have coals to stir up in the morning to get things rolling again.

I like the jigsaw puzzle analogies and will likely try to take a bit more time to fit things together. Arctic front is coming in the next few days, so plenty of opportunity to try.

 

[Bootlegger]

My Englander came with instructions not to load any wood above the firebricks, this is about 2/3 full. What happens if I load it up to the baffles and secondary burn pipes?

 

[cycloxer]

Filled to the baffles? Nothing other than that your stove now has a lot of fuel in it and if you don't pay attention you risk running it too hot. If you watch your stove temps, it is not a big deal. I fill my Jotul right up to the baffles all the time.