How is the best way to load an Oslo 500 to get a longer burn? If I put in large splits or rounds it messes with the airflow in the stove and the fire won't burn evenly. Also if you put more wood in the stove you will get more heat even if you turn down the air right? This is because the secondaries kick in and burn strong. My question is, I guess, how do you go for a longer lower burn setting? I would like to load it for night or when I'm gone. Also how do you load larger pieces without blocking the airflow?
Oslo loading question
- Thread starter cdirks
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Stump_Branch
Minister of Fire
Your correct on bigger splits. Try better quality wood like oak, black locust etc.
Personally when i load the stove i like the bottom row to be facing north south in the box. The rest get loaded east west. This gets air to the back and under the splits for even air. However once you have a nice bed of coals this shouldnt matter. Try filling the box on a nice bed, once the flame is going dampen down and call it a night. Secondaries dont burn more wood rather the smoke, meaning once hot enough you should be able to dampen down quite a bit and not smolder. Filling the nox doesnt completly mean a hotter burn, just more fuel available.
Theres a bit of a learning curve, try to do this over the weekend to get a feel for it.
Good luck.
Personally when i load the stove i like the bottom row to be facing north south in the box. The rest get loaded east west. This gets air to the back and under the splits for even air. However once you have a nice bed of coals this shouldnt matter. Try filling the box on a nice bed, once the flame is going dampen down and call it a night. Secondaries dont burn more wood rather the smoke, meaning once hot enough you should be able to dampen down quite a bit and not smolder. Filling the nox doesnt completly mean a hotter burn, just more fuel available.
Theres a bit of a learning curve, try to do this over the weekend to get a feel for it.
Good luck.
remkel
Minister of Fire
cdirks said:
Before loading, be certain to pull the hot coals to the front of the stove. Even if they pile up in front of the air intake, it will still allow the air to move through the coals and provide a spark for the loaded wood. I load my F600 e/w through the side door and just let her rip. Once it is up to the temperature you desire, turn the air down and let her cruise!
Good luck.
For a longer burn (overnight, say) I load up the stove as usual except I add one unsplit round at the back of the stove. Part of it will still be going pretty good 8-9 hours later. This works with oak or hickory, but I cannot say if it would work with other species.
logger
Minister of Fire
I usually burn east-west to get longer burns. I get the fire cranking around 450-500 before shutting down the primary. I do this in 10-15 minute intervals. I'll shut it 1/4 closed and wait 10 min, then shut her 1/2 and wait another 10, then shut her to around 3/4 closed and let the secondaries ride for a while. I dont add a large round until a good hot bed of coals has been established and as mentioned above, rake the coals forward and put the largest splits or rounds towards the back. I do this before bed or work and fill it to the top (just dont have it hitting the tubes). With good hardwoods, there should be enough coals to ignite new splits 8-10 hrs later. I've even got 13 hrs once (lots of variables).
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
I pretty much load the stove for overnight or overday in the same way as I do any other time . . . with a few exceptions . . . the biggest exception being that I generally load it with some of my "better" wood if available -- usually whatever I have that is better BTU wise and/or a bit larger. I also fill up the firebox a little more -- leaving some space between the baffle and the wood . . . no sense risking damage to the baffle.
As Logger said it helps to have had a fire going for a while and have a decent bed of coals . . . typically I'll load one larger square split, round or rectangle split in the back, small to medium sized splits in the front and as mentioned I'll fill the firebox a little more than normal . . . I also "shut" it down in pretty much the same way as Logger . . . the exception being that with my wood and set up I can typically close it down all the way and the secondaries are rocking.
As for the air flow . . . non-issue . . . I try to keep a bit of space between the secondary air inlet holes . . . primary air comes through the front top so this should be a non-issue . . . I do leave an inch or two at the top of the firebox just so the secondaries can do their thing without the wood and off gases getting in the way.
As for long and low burns . . . it's pretty hard with the Oslo or most any other secondary burners . . . if I want a long burn typically it means loading up the firebox and cranking out the heat . . . if I don't want so much heat (such as this time of year) I'll fire up the stove and get it cruising, but not do any reloads . . . rely on the residual heat from the cast iron to radiate out and keep the home heated. When it comes to low and slow the guys with the cats have the stove with the most meow.
As Logger said it helps to have had a fire going for a while and have a decent bed of coals . . . typically I'll load one larger square split, round or rectangle split in the back, small to medium sized splits in the front and as mentioned I'll fill the firebox a little more than normal . . . I also "shut" it down in pretty much the same way as Logger . . . the exception being that with my wood and set up I can typically close it down all the way and the secondaries are rocking.
As for the air flow . . . non-issue . . . I try to keep a bit of space between the secondary air inlet holes . . . primary air comes through the front top so this should be a non-issue . . . I do leave an inch or two at the top of the firebox just so the secondaries can do their thing without the wood and off gases getting in the way.
As for long and low burns . . . it's pretty hard with the Oslo or most any other secondary burners . . . if I want a long burn typically it means loading up the firebox and cranking out the heat . . . if I don't want so much heat (such as this time of year) I'll fire up the stove and get it cruising, but not do any reloads . . . rely on the residual heat from the cast iron to radiate out and keep the home heated. When it comes to low and slow the guys with the cats have the stove with the most meow.
ansehnlich1
Retired Hearth.com Member
22 inch logs/splits work best, packs the firebox full e/w.
Go figure, an 18 inch split is 4 inches shorter, times say, four or five splits in the firebox, and that adds up to a whole other split eh? So burnin' 18 inchers robs ya of a whole split in the firebox for an overnight.
I pack mine full up as much as I can get in, let 'er rip, then back the air down to just a wee bit open.
Every morning she's burnt down to coals, I thrash 'em around a bit and then load her up again.
Go figure, an 18 inch split is 4 inches shorter, times say, four or five splits in the firebox, and that adds up to a whole other split eh? So burnin' 18 inchers robs ya of a whole split in the firebox for an overnight.
I pack mine full up as much as I can get in, let 'er rip, then back the air down to just a wee bit open.
Every morning she's burnt down to coals, I thrash 'em around a bit and then load her up again.
Blue Vomit
Minister of Fire
This is my first season with the Oslo. I've been loading it for overnights as described above. Pretty good results so far using my crappy shoulder season wood. I'm hoping to get longer burns using better quality wood later in the season when I need it. Shoulder season is the time to experiment.
Good luck
Good luck
Like others have said, big splits and 22" long work for me. Splits against the air doghouse are not an issue with dry wood.
Last season, my first with the Oslo I only had 16" splits very small, even though they were oak, I had split them very small, so they would dry as much as possible. I got about 4 to 5 hrs of good burn. Which I mean throw logs on bed of coals and they take right off.
This year I have some Red Maple big splits getting 10 to 12 hrs. I am really surpised at the difference, I have some big splits of Oak but they won't be ready for 2 more yrs.
So this year I have about 3 cords of Oak small splits and about 1 1/2 of red Maple large and long.
We will see how things go this year when the really cold gets here. All of my wood is better than last season (Dryer) which solves alot of problems.
10" is good for N to S loading 22' for E and W loading for me.
Last season, my first with the Oslo I only had 16" splits very small, even though they were oak, I had split them very small, so they would dry as much as possible. I got about 4 to 5 hrs of good burn. Which I mean throw logs on bed of coals and they take right off.
This year I have some Red Maple big splits getting 10 to 12 hrs. I am really surpised at the difference, I have some big splits of Oak but they won't be ready for 2 more yrs.
So this year I have about 3 cords of Oak small splits and about 1 1/2 of red Maple large and long.
We will see how things go this year when the really cold gets here. All of my wood is better than last season (Dryer) which solves alot of problems.
10" is good for N to S loading 22' for E and W loading for me.
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