Noticing a definite problem with one-year old fireview on the first fires of this season, concerned

[leeave96]

I think your wood is fine. I run my Keystone all over the place. Sometimes at .5 and sometimes at 1.5 - depending on the need. I do know that draft will make a big difference in your stoves performance and really you need to think of air flow vs a static draft setting. So if the temps are warm outside, to get the same air through your stove as a cold January day, you are going to have to open things up a bit.

As far as the cat, the test there in the end is to look out the chimney. If you got smoke, it ain't fired-off because the stove isn't hot enough to do so or you got a bad cat. I had to replace my ceramic cat last year at the end of the season on my Keystone. It could have been thermal shock or a bad cat - I don't really know, but Woodstock sent me a new SS one to replace it and I like it so far.

BTW, these Woodstock stoves like the Fireview and Keystone have a nice window with andirons in the picture. Open things up and enjoy some flames. When I first bought my Keystone, I was obsessed with cat only burn - no flames. After a few weeks of that, I said to myself, NO FLAMES - might be OK for shoulder season or overnight, but I paid some serious $$$'s for this stove and I want to see and enjoy the fireview, and now that's what we do. A beautiful stove is even more so with that fireplace look going on inside.

You got a great stove!

Good luck,
Bill

 

[Todd]

Something else to consider is split size. Sometimes people go with splits a little on the large size and it ends up taking a little longer to get going. Try and use a size that you can fit more than 4 splits in the box, it will burn better and won't cut down the burn times. I like to fit 1 large split in the back and fill in from there, usually shoot for 6 splits.

 

[pen]

Something else to consider is split size. Sometimes people go with splits a little on the large size and it ends up taking a little longer to get going. Try and use a size that you can fit more than 4 splits in the box, it will burn better and won't cut down the burn times. I like to fit 1 large split in the back and fill in from there, usually shoot for 6 splits.

+1. It's amazing how even having the wood laid in the stove makes a difference. I've had probably 12 shoulder burns so far on a couple of these fires it was a pain simply because one log shifted on me before things really took off. Once corrected, the fire came to life.

pen

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Something else to consider is split size. Sometimes people go with splits a little on the large size and it ends up taking a little longer to get going. Try and use a size that you can fit more than 4 splits in the box, it will burn better and won't cut down the burn times. I like to fit 1 large split in the back and fill in from there, usually shoot for 6 splits.

+1. It's amazing how even having the wood laid in the stove makes a difference. I've had probably 12 shoulder burns so far on a couple of these fires it was a pain simply because one log shifted on me before things really took off. Once corrected, the fire came to life.

pen

My wife calls it the magic poke. Many times I'll come in after she has lit a fire and the thing just isn't going well. I'll simply move the wood a bit and Preto! It works.

 

[Todd]

Something else to consider is split size. Sometimes people go with splits a little on the large size and it ends up taking a little longer to get going. Try and use a size that you can fit more than 4 splits in the box, it will burn better and won't cut down the burn times. I like to fit 1 large split in the back and fill in from there, usually shoot for 6 splits.

+1. It's amazing how even having the wood laid in the stove makes a difference. I've had probably 12 shoulder burns so far on a couple of these fires it was a pain simply because one log shifted on me before things really took off. Once corrected, the fire came to life.

pen

My wife calls it the magic poke. Many times I'll come in after she has lit a fire and the thing just isn't going well. I'll simply move the wood a bit and Preto! It works.

Oh My! You sure left yourself open on that one Dennis! :lol: Dennis has a magic poker.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

No worries there Todd. :cheese:

 

[MishMouse]

+1 on the temp.

1) My suggestion is to try running when it gets a little colder outside to see if that fixes your issue.
2) For your current temps, adjust your air, your fire-off temps and how you put wood in the stove based upon outside temps.

On my stove it is amazing on how much outside temps effect the running of this stove.
Mine is a downdraft stove and uses a chamber to achieve secondary combustion.

For reference: I have included what I do for my stove:

Below Zero
Very easy to operate, stove heats quickly and achievess 500 without issue stove pipe on double wall does not get above 500
Just a few coals will kick off a full stove full of the splits and within 15 mins it is ready to go.
From dead stop it may take 20-30 mins to get it going fully.


Between 0-32
Easy to operate, stove heats quickly and achievess 500 without issue stove pipe on double wall may get to 500 and above (need to watch to ensure that it doesn't)
A good bed of coals a full stove full of splits of wood and within 15-20 mins it is ready to go.
From dead stop it may take 25-40 mins to get it going fully.

Between 32-45* Currently operating
Stove takes sometime to heat may not get to 500 before stove pipe on double wall may gets to 500 and above (need to watch to ensure that it doesn't)
A good bed of coals, making sure you do not add too big of splits on bottom or to fill it up before it gets going, 20-35 mins and it is ready to go. (may stall)
From dead stop it may take 35-50 mins to get it going fully. (will stall)

Between 45-55
Stove takes a long time to heat and will not get to 500 before stove pipe on double wall may gets to 500 and above (need to watch to ensure that it doesn't)
A good bed of coals, a few small splits getting them to burn then adding bigger pieces, 40-55 mins and it is ready to go. (will stall)
From dead stop it may take 45-60+ mins to get it going fully. (will stall)

Thankfully for me I live in MN and typically do not even try to use the stove unless it gets under 45 outside.