New stove is burning, lots of coals

[ratkillingdog]

I posted awhile back about stuffing SUMMERS HEAT 50-SNC30LC in a double sided fireplace. Well, I did and I should have done it a long time ago. It hopefully will replace the Frontier that holds half a wheelbarrow of wood and has always been too hot or not hot enough. Stove special ordered from Lowes sight unseen because local codes prevent them from stocking woodstoves, but not selling them, but don't get me started on bureaucratic logic. Lowes did right by me. Extra effort, good price, and when I pulled out my wallet they spotted my veterans ID and knocked another 10% off after the deal was made.

Ended up with my jackhammer in the house and a wife in a foul mood, but I (we) like the stove. I understand how it works and the install is good with cosmetic corrections in progress. I am concerned with the smaller firebox and it carries lots of coals limiting amount of overnight wood. Are these stove prone to holding coals longer rather than burning to ash quicker? Any tips to burning down the coals faster?

 

[learnin to burn]

To burn down the coals rake them to the front of the stove and then place 1 small split on top of the coals close door and open primary air all the way. It might take2 or 3 times depending on the amount of coals though.

 

[savageactor7]

Are you burning locust comrade? Cause that will coal up something wicked.

As far as getting an over night burn..it's not going to happen unless you get up to reload. I'm thinking you might be choking down the stove a little too much if you think you have a coal problem. You'll enjoy that stove more if you burn it a little hotter...no matter how much wood you burn your still saving big $'s compared to oil and gas, so you may as well be warm.

 

[Pagey]

The only time I really have excessive coaling problems in during a really long cold snap. I find that during that time, I'm more prone to reload the stove before it really completes a "burn cycle". I find that I have the fewest coals when I let the stove completely go through the burn cycle, and when I open the primary air all the way during the charcoaling stage.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

To assist in getting rid of hot coals, don't wait for the stove to complete its cycle. Assist it a little. Once the stove top begins to show signs of cooling, start opening the draft more. When it is down to almost nothing but coals, open the draft full.

For example, on our stove will usually have the draft set to .25 or .5 (on a 1-4 scale). When the stovetop temperature gets down to 500 or a little above, we might open the draft to 1 or even 2. When there is nothing but coals or just a little bit of a log then we'll open it all the way. This will get rid of a lot of the coals.

If you have a lot of coals you can also put in some small wood (not much though) on top of the coals and let it burn which will have the effect of getting the coals hotter so they will burn down.

When all else fails, you can simply scoop out some coals but that is a terrible waste. We've never done that but I've read where some have but it is just like pouring out some of the gasoline out of your car so it runs out of gas sooner. Get all the heat you can from your fuel.

 

[firefighterjake]

To assist in getting rid of hot coals, don't wait for the stove to complete its cycle. Assist it a little. Once the stove top begins to show signs of cooling, start opening the draft more. When it is down to almost nothing but coals, open the draft full.

For example, on our stove will usually have the draft set to .25 or .5 (on a 1-4 scale). When the stovetop temperature gets down to 500 or a little above, we might open the draft to 1 or even 2. When there is nothing but coals or just a little bit of a log then we'll open it all the way. This will get rid of a lot of the coals.

If you have a lot of coals you can also put in some small wood (not much though) on top of the coals and let it burn which will have the effect of getting the coals hotter so they will burn down.

When all else fails, you can simply scoop out some coals but that is a terrible waste. We've never done that but I've read where some have but it is just like pouring out some of the gasoline out of your car so it runs out of gas sooner. Get all the heat you can from your fuel.

+1 . . . I don't have an Englander so I can't speak specifically to coaling and that stove, but when I have a lot of coals in the Oslo I will simply open the draft once the stove top temp is on the downhill slide or perhaps add one split to the mix.