is this statement true or false?

[iceman]

The white exhaust is primarily water vapor as a result of the moisture in the wood and the combustion process. Water vapor plumes evaporate quickly, usually within a 20’ to 100’ of the exhaust (dependant upon the outdoor temperature and relative humidity). An exhaust plume of water vapor indicates high combustion efficiency and very clean combustion.



What appears to be white smoke is a stove burning with high combustion efficiency?
When ever I see smoke coming out I give it a little more air because I thought these stoves, when burning right you won't see anything coming out?

 

[thewoodlands]

The white exhaust is primarily water vapor as a result of the moisture in the wood and the combustion process. Water vapor plumes evaporate quickly, usually within a 20’ to 100’ of the exhaust (dependant upon the outdoor temperature and relative humidity). An exhaust plume of water vapor indicates high combustion efficiency and very clean combustion.



What appears to be white smoke is a stove burning with high combustion efficiency?
When ever I see smoke coming out I give it a little more air because I thought these stoves, when burning right you won't see anything coming out?

We have the Lopi Liberty and when it's burning correctly you see nothing coming out the stack, I was outside for two hours yesterday (working around the house) and looking at the stack thinking that it was burning correctly.


zap

 

[SolarAndWood]

I'm not sure that the absence of smoke necessarily means a clean efficient burn. I get no smoke out of the old smoke dragon at the camp with dry wood and tending the fire. However, given how much wood it consumes compared to the BK, I know that the majority of the heat goes up the stack.

 

[rdust]

I can't see smoke hanging around for 20-100 feet from the chimney if everything is right. Even on start up/reloads I only see smoke 10 feet or less from the chimney before it dissipates.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I agree. Usually we'll see more white smoke the colder it gets outside. That disappears quickly. On the other hand, when we reload the stove the smoke drifts off for a long distance. I really hate it when the weather pattern is such that smoke comes down to the ground. Then on reloads we really see it.

btw, that can be a weather forecaster. Smoke stays down, snow might cover the ground. Smoke goes up, better conditions; yup!

 

[RNLA]

I agree. No smoke is the best you can do. It says this in the manual for my stove, also if it does smoke to give it more air, get it hotter...

 

[burntime]

No smoke here except on reloads, even then it is short lived.

 

[CTYank]

I agree. Usually we'll see more white smoke the colder it gets outside. That disappears quickly. On the other hand, when we reload the stove the smoke drifts off for a long distance. I really hate it when the weather pattern is such that smoke comes down to the ground. Then on reloads we really see it.

btw, that can be a weather forecaster. Smoke stays down, snow might cover the ground. Smoke goes up, better conditions; yup!

If it disappears as it departs the chimney, it's NOT smoke. It's water vapor that condensed into very finely divided water droplets; when and how this happens depends totally on atmospheric conditions, mainly temp.

If it "drifts off for a long distance" it IS smoke. Which ideally would never be present.

 

[benjamin]

The white exhaust is primarily water vapor as a result of the moisture in the wood and the combustion process. Water vapor plumes evaporate quickly, usually within a 20’ to 100’ of the exhaust (dependant upon the outdoor temperature and relative humidity). An exhaust plume of water vapor indicates high combustion efficiency and very clean combustion.



What appears to be white smoke is a stove burning with high combustion efficiency?

True, yes.

If you look closely, especially when it's cold outside, you can see the exhaust coming out of the chimney clear on the inside and the white forming on the outside, that's steam in the middle and water vapor "mist" that you see around it.

I think it's hard to tell the difference based on how long it takes to dissipate, because even black diesel smoke dissipates pretty quickly, and jet contrails or power plant smokestacks can cross the sky and they are both mostly water.

If there's no water vapor visible, I'm guessing there is so enough extra air to lower the dew point excessively (wasting heat) and/or a high flue temp (also wasting heat), or there is only charcoal left, so no water or hydrogen to make any water.