Some of you may remember that I'm still working with an older stove that's had some problems that are now repaired. However, the stove still wasn't giving burn times that would get me through the night w/o getting up at 3-4 in the morning for a reload.
I must still have an air leak (can't figure out where it would be coming in the stove), because once the stove is going well, I can completely close the air and it'll still burn up around 700 and sometimes higher. Don't usually need that kind of heat and it burns the wood too fast.
Fast forward to about 2 months ago when I got myself a damper built into a small piece of pipe (Duravent) and installed it.
I've been experimenting and can now get the stove to behave much better. Last night I put about 8 splits in the stove on a small bed of coals, got it burning well and the stove back up to about 350 with the pipe about 300 (external thermometer). Closed the pipe damper and the air all the way. Kept an eye on it for about 1/2 hr., then went to bed about 11:30.
I slept in until about 8 and got up to the house at 68, and the stove at almost 300 and it stayed there until about 8:30.
My limited math skills tell me that's 9 hrs. w/o the house getting too cold. Granted, the outside temp only went down to about 24 last night, but if this keeps working this way, I'll be a VERY happy camper this winter (I'd be happy with 7 hours).
I'll be checking the flue after the cold really cranks up to make sure I'm not getting any unusual buildup (just checked 2 days ago).
Wish me luck!
I must still have an air leak (can't figure out where it would be coming in the stove), because once the stove is going well, I can completely close the air and it'll still burn up around 700 and sometimes higher. Don't usually need that kind of heat and it burns the wood too fast.
Fast forward to about 2 months ago when I got myself a damper built into a small piece of pipe (Duravent) and installed it.
I've been experimenting and can now get the stove to behave much better. Last night I put about 8 splits in the stove on a small bed of coals, got it burning well and the stove back up to about 350 with the pipe about 300 (external thermometer). Closed the pipe damper and the air all the way. Kept an eye on it for about 1/2 hr., then went to bed about 11:30.
I slept in until about 8 and got up to the house at 68, and the stove at almost 300 and it stayed there until about 8:30.
My limited math skills tell me that's 9 hrs. w/o the house getting too cold. Granted, the outside temp only went down to about 24 last night, but if this keeps working this way, I'll be a VERY happy camper this winter (I'd be happy with 7 hours).
I'll be checking the flue after the cold really cranks up to make sure I'm not getting any unusual buildup (just checked 2 days ago).
Wish me luck!
