Pics- Hearth Remodel and Hampton I300 install

[nlittle]

nlittle - I moved my temp gauge onto the top of the stove and with 3 good size splits I'm getting 600 degrees. Much higher temp reading here than on top of the shelf. I have not loaded it up yet and I'm curious to see what the reading will be with a full load in a coal stage.

I was playing with it all weekend and yesterday I put what I would consider a full load (about 9 or 10 splits) on nice hot coals. The temp inside the blower area got to 500+ and stayed steady. There were secondaries for so long the middle tube started to look red. I put the fan on high and sat there sweating it out. Literally!
I thought it handled it pretty well, but I had the air all the way down, which I know is a no-no with the fan on but that thing would have taken off!

Do you use the fan with the air shut all the way down or do you always leave the 1/2" as stated in the manual?

Edit, not sure what the mix of wood was. Probably not much hardwood so all oak or something may have different results.

 

[stejus]

I was playing with it all weekend and yesterday I put what I would consider a full load (about 9 or 10 splits) on nice hot coals. The temp inside the blower area got to 500+ and stayed steady. There were secondaries for so long the middle tube started to look red. I put the fan on high and sat there sweating it out. Literally!
I thought it handled it pretty well, but I had the air all the way down, which I know is a no-no with the fan on but that thing would have taken off!

Do you use the fan with the air shut all the way down or do you always leave the 1/2" as stated in the manual?

Edit, not sure what the mix of wood was. Probably not much hardwood so all oak or something may have different results.

I suspect your 500+ reading was steady and didn't climb because you had the blower on high. This will move air away from the top plate and cool it down. While you're creating heat in the stove, you're also moving it away. If you had some soft wood in the mix, this will limit the extent of the burn time at that 500+ degree reading. Softwood will heat up quickly, but dissipate faster than hardwood.

When I turn down the air, I go as far as 1/2" away from fully closed. I haven't tried using the blower fully closed. I suspect the long burn mode (fully closed) wants the stove to maintain a high temp for longer periods. By running air over the top, you are drawing heat away.

I can get 8 to 10 hours with 1/2" air and the blower on low. I come down in the morning and the blower has turned off, but there's still a good bed of hot coals to reload. If I closed fully overnight with the blower off, I'm willing to bet there would be more coals and a warming stove, but you would have lost all that heat to the immediate hearth area and not out into the rooms.

 

[nlittle]

I put it on high and closed the air because I was getting nervous...the "overfire" on the Rutland starts after 500 so I did not want to get it higher than it was. I put the load in at 5:30 and still had a nice bed of coals at 9:30. Of course I opened the air and lowered the blower once I felt more comfortable with the stove temp and it was too hot in the room. I need to move some air around for sure! I guess I need to trust the stove a bit more too, sounds like it can get much hotter and still be OK. Maybe I will get a couple bundles of the kiln dried stuff and see how long a load of that goes with the air 1/2" and the blower on low. At least I will be sure what I am burning. Oh and the hearth area was VERY warm. Glad I ensured I got a good distance with the R value on my extension!

 

[stejus]

I hit 600 degrees this weekend with some coals, two medium splits running n/s and two small 2" rounds laying e/w on top. It didn't take long for the temp to reach 600 and the secondary burn in action. 600 degrees is no where near an overfire condition. This stove can reach temps beyond 600 and still be fine. Hampton and Regancy do not reveal what the stove temp should be in their manuals. They only reference to an overfire is "If the insert begin to glow, you are overfiring".

From personal experience, the only time you can over fire a stove is if you load it up and get distracted. Leaving the door open to get the fire going and walking away. Leaving the air open fully and walking away. Loading the stove and lie down on the coach with full intention to close down the air, but you fall asleep (ok, I'm guilty!). Once you close down the air, I believe it's hard to overfire the stove if burning cord wood. I've heard pallets and processed logs can burn much hotter and if you load you stove up with this stuff, it can get out of control.

Here's another tip, if you ever feel you are burning it too hot, look in the gap between the stove top and top shelf. If you see the flue collar glowing red, you are overfiring. Don't panic if it happens. It's happened to me a couple times and as long as you catch it in a reasonable amount of time, you will be ok.

 

[nlittle]

I am officially changing your name to Hampton I300 Obi Wan.
I was looking in there and did not see any glowing so that is good. I just have to get used to it and keep experimenting. I know I will have a nice warm winter! Thanks for all the tips, I appreciate it.
Now on to a wall fan to circulate some of that wonderful heat!