Overfiring

[Stegman]

How long does a stove need to be overfiring for it to cause potential problems? We've had our Jotul run away from us a couple of times this winter - once it got up to about 650 or so for about 10 minutes, and the other time it got up to about 700 or so for 10-15 minutes.

I'm hoping that wasn't long enough or hot enough to cause any damage. Anyone out there know when you have to start worrying? Is it like 800 degrees for half an hour or more, or can something like I experienced be detrimental too?

For what it's worth, I think the issue for us is that we've been burning much better wood this year. Last year was our first with the stove, and we were burning less-than-fully-seasoned wood we inherited from the previous owner.

Thanks in advance, and I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.

 

[leeave96]

I don't think 700 degrees is an overfiring condition on that stove. But, when my stoves hit 700, there is a LOT of heat being generated.

Happy burning,
Bill

 

[firefighterjake]

I don't know if there really is a set time . . . but I would guess at the time you mentioned and those temps you will have experinenced only a few butterflies in your stomach and no damage to the stove.

 

[BrotherBart]

Normal operating range for Jotuls is 450 - 650. 700 isn't over-firing that stove lately. It could cruise all day long at 700 without hurting it.

 

[colebrookman]

Yup BB nailed it, as usual. But at those temps you'll be running around in your skivvies all night. Be safe.
Ed

 

[Scott2373]

My Jotul's safe operating range is up to 700 as stated in the manual. No worries! :-D

 

[Wood Duck]

I have aslways assumed that overfire damage would be evident pretty much immediately- things like the stove cracked, the shape warped a little and the door doesn't close tightly, etc. Is there another way that overfire would damage a stove?

 

[remkel]

650-700 is not a problem. Had mine up there a few times over the past month.

 

[Troutchaser]

Ya, Stegman, 700 here is just batting practice.

 

[Stegman]

Thank goodness. I probably should have checked my manual, but it's more fun polling all the experts here.

Thanks gang. Merry Christmas [or whatever end of year holiday you celebrate].

 

[ohlongarm]

According to BK it would take a temp of 1500 plus degrees to overfire their stove. They say it would be close to impossible to get one that hot,I believe em,I've had mine at 750 several times just toying with it. Cranked a Quadrafire several times to 800/900 but alas the sides cracked and the thing was scrapped but replaced by them. Guess it comes down to what the stove mfg recommends.

 

[begreen]

I'm certain that no stove mfg. would suggest that the stove top temp can be taken up to 1500F. At that temperature it would be illuminating the room with the glow! If BK said 1500°F are you sure they didn't mean the firebox or cat temperature and not the steel?

 

[HotCoals]

According to BK it would take a temp of 1500 plus degrees to overfire their stove. They say it would be close to impossible to get one that hot,I believe em,I've had mine at 750 several times just toying with it. Cranked a Quadrafire several times to 800/900 but alas the sides cracked and the thing was scrapped but replaced by them. Guess it comes down to what the stove mfg recommends.

Man..
I have seen 650 stove top and I thought that was hot.
The cat can handle 1500...not the stove.
I kinda figure whatever the IR temp is above the cat..say 600..that the cat is twice that..1200.

 

[firecracker_77]

I can't get those temps, but when I smell that paint on the flue, it's a good sign to back-off. I don't want all that black paint grayed out. I would say 700 is pretty warm. 800 is dangerzone. When it starts glowing, really bad. You could safely drive a car 100 mph, but it's probably harder on it than 65 or 70 would be.

 

[Benchwrench]

all this feedback is good to know since I've touched 730º a few times.
At this temp I can start to smell the paint.
Thankfully the stove peaks for a few moments and doesn't maintain this type of temp. for very long.

 

[ozzy73]

I see 700 - 750 frequently on the HT on a full load. Primary air is closed at 400 and it still climbs to 700 +. N/S loads tend burn really stinkin hot even If I burn the coals down and reload around 300. If you take the stove up to that temp regularly the burning paint smell will disapear E/W is the key for me.
The newer EPA stoves are able to take these temps.

 

[Gark]

Ours is caste iron and twice it got to 830 f. on the shoulders where the secondary/cat output collects. That's bad. Yet it still burns normally. The first couple years of burning with it, we were too worried about overburns. Most new stove users are. The 650 or almost 700 briefly you saw is just where it should be in cold weather.

 

[woodmiser]

Hit 900+ with my cast iron Clydesdale once. All kinds of strange sounds coming from the chimney pretty much let me know she was hot. Problem was the load was super dry. No more issues once I've mixed in the oak.

 

[oldspark]

You are going to hear a lot of preaching from me for a flue damper now, not sure why the manufactors say you dont need one, maybe in their test lab they had the perfect height chimney and no strong winds. Over fireing will be less of an issue when you install and learn how and when to use one.

 

[robertmcw]

I have an Avalon Olympic 1190 insert and it got once up about to 850. I closed the damper and opened the bypass and put the fan at high and it took about a half hour to cool to 700. The outside paint is fine and I don’t see any cracks. The chimney sweep guy checked it this year and he said it is fine. My wood is oak and it was cut and stacked and it is 7 years old. The meter says it has 10% - 14% water but if I have a lot of the coals it will get at 700 quick so I can’t put more than two splits or it gets to hot. My insert likes to cruse at 450 – 550 and all I need to do is to add two splits when it 450 or every 3 hours and the house is fine. We have gas for heat but we burn wood 24/7. Most of my old wood will be burned this year and I have new oak wood that has cut, splinted and stacked it in the barn for three years for next year and the meter says it in the 16% - 17% water area. I hope the water content help the burn time longer to I can sleep without adding wood an night. Now we are working on the next match of wood for three years out.

Robert

 

[Lumber-Jack]

From what I have seen, I believe the first thing manufacturers look for as evidence of over-firing is a warped top surface of the stove, on steel stoves anyway.
If you take a straight edge and lay it across the top of your stove (when the stove has cooled down), it should be obvious if it has been warped by the heat or not.

 

[begreen]

With 1/4 or 5/16 tops, some stoves will show warping of the baffle or burntube rack first. Or they may start popping welds.

 

[lopiliberty]

My lopi liberty is just getting going at 650. Usually with a full load of oak,ash,and locust it will top out at 750 and hold there for 2 or so hours and start coming back down, but on occasions it will get away from me and get to 800 (don't like to get it any hotter than 750) and then I turn the fan on to cool it off. One night it got to 900 plus for a very short period of time and didn't even phase it. I will tell you that when your stove likes to run at 700 to 750 you better be a heat lover and like to run around in shorts and a t-shirt.