hubby working today...wife needs some advise

[Hallibean6]

Hubby had to work today and I am trying (and I mean trying) to get and keep the stove going. I can not get the temp to even go to 300. Of course then I worry about creosote (chimney is not puffing smoke only looks like clear heat vapor.) Okay guys be kind, take me thru step by step if you have to an don't laugh I really thought I was paying attention when hubby showed me stuff. He has it burning at about 350 to 400 most times.

 

[ewlsey]

You're not going to hurt anything in one day. If there is a fire and some heat, you're doing fine.

 

[Poindexter]

What stove, or what kind of stove are we talking about?

Does it have or not have a catalytic combustor?

Is the firebox mostly full of wood? Is the wood mostly lit up and burning, or just laying there?

 

[Hallibean6]

What stove, or what kind of stove are we talking about?

Does it have or not have a catalytic combustor?

Is the firebox mostly full of wood? Is the wood mostly lit up and burning, or just laying there?

Englander 30, mixture of some wood (burning) and hot coals. Unless I leave the damper open almost all the way any fire goes out and temp starts to drop.

 

[webby3650]

Even at 350-400 that stove is just barely running. But that's fine if it's enough heat for you.
It sounds like your wood might not be as dry as it should be. Just leave the air open longer.

 

[CenterTree]

Hard to tell from the pic, but it looks like you need more wood in there. (unless that is mostly burned down stuff ) It doesn't "look" full enough to get temps very high.???

Also, how long has the fire been going at the time of that pic?

 

[ewlsey]

Think of an EPA wood stove fire like a chain reaction. You get the fire started by opening the damper and feeding it as much air as it wants. But, it won't make any real heat because so much air is traveling up the chimney. So, you have to start closing the damper as the fire builds.

Close the damper a bit, let the fire recover, then turn it down a bit more. Eventually, the secondary burn with take off. This will make the stove get really warm. The warmer the stove, the stronger the draft that is created in the chimney. To fight the stronger draft, you turn down the damper even more. Eventually you run out of damper adjustment, or the fire won't recover. That is where you leave it until the secondary burn goes out. At that point you can open it a bit.

 

[Hallibean6]

Hard to tell from the pic, but it looks like you need more wood in there. (unless that is mostly burned down stuff ) It doesn't "look" full enough to get temps very high.???

Also, how long has the fire been going at the time of that pic?

Mostly burned down stuff. I have been trying small splits and some bigger half rounds (not real big)

 

[RickBlaine]

I have the Englander 13 (smaller sister to the NC-30) and member "ewlsey" (and fellow Illinoisan) is correct: you close the air in stages....from full air, close the air 1/4 of the way, wait ten minutes, then another 1/4 so that the air is now "half way" shut off. As "CenterTree" mentioned, load up with a little more wood- the NC-30 is a big steel stove and takes time to heat all that metal.

Your hubby may have been mixing some dry wood with a few pieces of "wetter" wood. Your wood may not be dry enough to shut the air down all the way.

Pretty soon, you and that stove will be finishing each others' sentences you will read it so well!

 

[Hallibean6]

I have the Englander 13 (smaller sister to the NC-30) and member "ewlsey" (and fellow Illinoisan) is correct: you close the air in stages....from full air, close the air 1/4 of the way, wait ten minutes, then another 1/4 so that the air is now "half way" shut off. As "CenterTree" mentioned, load up with a little more wood- the NC-30 is a big steel stove and takes time to heat all that metal.

Your hubby may have been mixing some dry wood with a few pieces of "wetter" wood. Your wood may not be dry enough to shut the air down all the way.

Pretty soon, you and that stove will be finishing each others' sentences you will read it so well!

Follow up on earlier... yup not enuf wood in there and I had taken wood from the wrong stack. Took wood that wasn't as dry as we needed. Lesson learned. Thanks all for the comments. Hubby home and now it's his baby for a while

 

[blades]

NC 30 is pretty picky on moisture content, rule of thumb says 20% but the 30 really doesn't wake up until you are feeding it fuel in the 15% class . The performance and burn characteristics are unbelievable different. At 20% it just doesn't allow enough combustion air in with out cracking the door for awhile. At 15% it like using one of those auto ignition torches - about 15 minutes after starting secondaries are all ready starting to roll sometimes even faster. As with all the epa generation stoves dry fuel is critical.
With good dry fuel and a moderatly hot coal bed 3 splits that are dry enough will take off and push the stove temp to cruising range in a very short time.