I'm worried about the new guys!

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm concerned that the new people are either not using their stoves right or making too early of an assessment of the stove.

It is not winter yet!! When the outdoor temperature is 40 or 50 degrees, a tiny fire for a short time should be all you need. Don't try to burn up all your fuel before winter gets here.

I'm also worried that people are leaving the drafts open too far and too long. The stove top temperature isn't raising much so they leave the drafts open. Wrong! Close that thing some and some of that heat will stay in the stove instead of going up the chimney. And don't leave that stove if your draft is open 3/4 or full, or even at 1/2. It can get hot fast. These stoves are designed so that you can close the draft more to keep the heat in the house. For example, ours has settings of 1 though 4. We found that even at 1 it is too much draft once the fire is going. We have it barely open at all and in the winter when we fill the firebox we'll get 550 degree stove top temperature very easily.

I also worry about those who buy the stove and install it, then get the firewood. Wrong! Should have got the wood first. Also people have to understand the difference in how that stove works with different type of wood. Burn some dry soft maple, or some dry oak and there is a difference. The maple will burn hotter and faster. The oak will hold the fire longer. Now compare poplar or pine vs. oak and the difference is greater.

Now try burning some half seasoned wood vs good seasoned wood. Huge difference! Now try burning small splits vs. larger splits. Or what about that wood that you don't even have to split? There is a learning curve, but please don't think you will learn much when the outdoor temperature is above freezing.

Finally, please don't forget to check that chimney at least once per month. The reason is that most do not have good seasoned fuel and that will cause creosote. Also, those who insist in filling the firebox at this time of the year have to close the drafts too much and the smoke and/or gasses in the chimney cools too quickly and there is the creosote. Let's not have a bunch of chimney fires, please!

I don't know if I've worded this thread the best or even completely what is on my mind but this gives you some idea. I've re-typed it a couple of times but this time it is done. Now tear into me if you must but it is my hope that we can help a few people.

 

[karl]

If stupidity gets them into a mess, then hopefully it can get them out of it.

 

[branchburner]

I don't know if I've worded this thread the best or even completely what is on my mind but this gives you some idea. I've re-typed it a couple of times but this time it is done. Now tear into me if you must but it is my hope that we can help a few people.

You done good. Thanks!

 

[bokehman]

please don't think you will learn much when the outdoor temperature is above freezing.

Well, how do you learn how to use your stove if the outdoor temperature never drops below freezing?

 

[adrpga498]

Good post Backwoods. You indicate reasons why I burn my "junk ugly " splits during the shoulder season.

 

[DiBar]

Dennis, I like your post. Being a rookie woodburner, I have been reading this forum daily and have been getting lots of good info. One question - how do we check our particular chimney? We have 3 sections of double wall black stove pipe leading straight up from the top of the stove (Lopi Republic 1750) through our ceiling which is a 10 foot ceiling. Two of the sections, the bottom 2, are marked telescoping.It goes through a section of attic which is not accessible and exits the roof, one story at that point, I think when they talk about pitch it has a 10. the outside stove pipe is 8 or 10 feet up from where it meets the roof, can't remember which. so where exactly do you check it from? Thanks -

 

[Backwoods Savage]

bokehman, if the temperature never gets down to freezing, I'd have a very small stove for sure Then very, very small fires.


DiBar, that is what the telescoping pipe is for. You'll have to disconnect it. Another way, but difficult is to use a light and a mirror to look up the chimney. Otherwise, you need to get up on the roof, but then there is the problem of that 8-10' yet!

 

[DiBar]

Dennis, that is what I was thinking - doesn't sound like a neat job to me to have to take the pipe apart. I'm thinking that we will also have to clean it from the inside? Of course, that leaves the chimney cap....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes, I always dread the cap. Some are worse than others though. We put a new one on last year and it is still clean so hopefully this one will be good for a long time. We clean ours from the bottom but are able to do it outdoors. Our pipe goes out through the wall and then a tee. So we just take the cap off the bottom of the tee and run the brush up from there. Haven't had to do it yet on this new chimney but we will sooner or later. This stove burns very clean though and our wood is well seasoned.

 

[North of 60]

Thumbs up Backwoods. :coolsmile:

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Relax, it's a wood stove, not the space shuttle.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Bigg_Redd, relax only after you learn the stove. For sure it is not rocket science, but after reading some of these threads, there are lots of folks who just don't know much about this. Hopefully we can keep them safe, warm and happy.

btw, that fire from the space shuttle could heat a lot of homes! Bet that sucker really throws the heat.

 

[bokehman]

bokehman, if the temperature never gets down to freezing, I'd have a very small stove for sure Then very, very small fires.

I think my firebox is about 1.7cf. Overnight temp in the house at the moment drops to 72F, so we don't need any heating yet.

 

[jadm]

One question for you.

With my old insert (Napoleon 1101) I could shut the air down to low as soon as stove hit about 300*. It was a small insert and got to that temp. quite quickly.

Last winter I bought a Jotul 550 which is a monster in comparison. Weighs 550 pounds and has a much larger fire box. If I try to cut back on the air like I used to in the Napoleon I end up with smoke out of the stack, dirty glass, dirty bricks and a fire that is struggling. In this insert I have to be patient and let it get up to 400* (Rockland magnetic therm. on door which isn't really accurate but gives me an eye ball view of a temp. Top temp. with my IR would probably be about 500*...) before I can cut back on the air and keep things burning clean. I also have learned that I have to cut back much more gradually than I did with my Napoleon.

So, how does one cut back air more quickly when that process causes more creosote and smoke???

Another observation I have made with this insert that is different than with my Napoleon...When I cut back on the air in the Napoleon the temps. did continue to climb higher. Sometimes much higher. I have not had that happen with my Jotul. Once air is cut back it stops rising and maintains the temp. it was at when I began to cut back on the air.

Yes, I have seasoned wood. It is hard woods and some red oak. Oak has been sitting for 1 1/2 years at least and the other for a year. In Colorado we are dry, dry, dry so seasoning wood isn't much of a problem compared to some of the places people live who are on this forum.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

perplexed, I am not familiar with the Jotul stove but will say that there can be a tremendous difference in the way you have to handle one stove over the other. When you switch, there is a learning curve. For example, I'm not a young man any longer and have handled more than a couple stoves. Each one has been different, but when we got the Fireview a year ago it was really a lot different from anything I've ever owned. Before long we were very happy but it did take a bit of time to find the proper way to handle things.

It sounds like your fuel supply is good and I agree, it can be dry in Colorado....and not too level in most spots.

So the two stoves are quite a bit different. With a 550 lb stove it will also take longer to heat it all up too. Our little Fireview also weighs in around 500 lbs. It doesn't look like it should weigh that much but after lifting it, yes, it does!

Take your time and learn what this stove will do. It won't be long before you'll be cooking that thing too. Snow probably not too far from you already.

 

[begreen]

bokehman, if the temperature never gets down to freezing, I'd have a very small stove for sure Then very, very small fires.

Guess I am going about it all wrong, but the T6 is happy burning when it gets below 50. Temps rarely get below freezing for long here, maybe for only a week per winter unless we get an unusual cold snap. Most of our heating is when it's 35-45 outside. That's our average winter temp.

I think it's more a question of the size of the house to be heated and a proper flue on the stove that helps it burn and heat well. But this is in an old farmhouse, with full northern exposure and a lot of glass. For a new, really tight house, I'd be down a size in stove for sure.

 

[InTheRockies]

Backwoods,

Some of us silly people live where it's getting too cold too fast and having to burn 24/7 already. I wish we were just dipping down to freezing at night in my valley, but we're now going down to 20 F (-6 C). Daytime temps are only going in to the 40s--heck we've had a few days where the highs were only in the 30s. My valley was lucky enough to duck a snow storm that was forecast to hit us, however, snow caps are redeveloping on the mountains. I'm definitely going to have to get more wood from the nearby mill, but they've got stuff so seasoned that it's completely silver throughout. I should have the roof repairs on my overflow wood shed finished today and the wood I get this next week will go into that shed and not be burned until the main wood shed is empty. Enjoy your more moderate fall weather.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We figured some of you folks were getting hit already. You definitely get it before we do. We've had lots of freezing nights but daytime has been mostly in the 50's. The cold will hit us very soon though.

Hey, aren't they forecasting another possible snow storm coming this week out there? If so, enjoy it. We'll be thinking of you! lol

 

[snowtime]

Getting to know your stove is the key. This is our first EPA and its been interesting. We are lucky as the T6 works well for shoulder and it puts out for cold. We are not down to -40 yet but I feel confident it will do the job.
The stove puts out a nice controllable burst with a couple of small splits but if you need real heat then 3" to 4" of coals through out the box and add a couple of 6 to 7" rounds. We are burning pine. She goes right to 750 even when set to the lowest setting and stays there for about an hour then settles down to 700 for an hour. After that she goes to 500 and stays there for another hour before starting the slow downturn and this is without a full box. This T6 wants to get hot if you have good draft and good wood. We measure the heat right on the steel firebox 5" in front and to the side of the chimney.
This thread is timely as each install is so different and the users can not expect that their stove will behave exactly as predicted. I also think temp readings can be misleading. I know our temps are reasonably accurate because of where we measure them. Some of the places we hear people place their thermometers will give a much lower reading. How many have stated that this stove or that does not have a great place to put the thermometer. I think stove temp is just a guide and if you think the stove is putting out to much heat then maybe it is and you should turn it down.
It still is hard to believe the lack of smoke from this heater. When we are outside the greenhouses are puffing away and the house looks like no one lives there.

 

[Joey Jones]

I'm burning mostly 24/7 now as the last week nights temps have been in the low 20"s.... Yep I'm burning all my junk wood....pine, spruce, fir, hemlock and a couple of parts from my 67 Chevy..Like seat stuffing etc.

 

[Andy99]

If it makes you feel any better I'm concerned I'm not using my stove correctly also. That why I'm here trying to learn as much as I can....

 

[guest5234]

Backwoods, I have my first Stove Jotul f250, I find small hot fires with the top air inlet above the glass door is best set at halfway with the fire showing plenty of flames...am I burning correct?

 

[SlyFerret]

I for one am ready for the weather to turn colder. I've got a big stove in a pretty well insulated house, so by the time the house cools down enough to relight the stove, I'm firing up a cold stove every time.

This part of the year is proving to be difficult, for me at least, because I can't get a coal bed established.

Bring on the winter, baby!

-SF

 

[BrotherBart]

Most of my winter is like that Sly. Half load at night and the stove gives off heat till morning. Half load in the morning and it radiates just enough to keep the place warm during the day. That is why I like a big stove with lots of mass. It keeps giving off gentle heat long after the fire is gone. It is virtually impossible with the 30 to burn around the clock in this house except in Jan. and Feb. We would be roasted. It is going down into the 20's tonight so that night load will be be a big'un.

If we had the space for it an Equinox would be our perfect stove. Fire the crap out of it once a day and be done with it.

 

[SlyFerret]

Yeah, I'm doing the half load in the AM, half load in the PM thing too.

-SF