Quadra Fire Isle Royale Burn Time

[kmindcl]

So, I got up at 5:15am to find my Saint Bernard sleeping within a foot of the stove. Not a good sign. Stove was 150 degrees and just had warm ashes with a couple of big coals left. Stove never did reach over 500 last night. Husband going to help me resize photos when he gets home tonight and I will post. Was 34 degrees outside so I think the draft should be okay. Going to try the process again today when I can see the smoke from the chimney.

Northwoods - I said dryer vent because it looked like the tube venting my dryer to the outside....but yes, it was a "flexible liner" they put inside the exitsting pipe in the chimney. I didn't hear any sizzling or notice any moisture. Our wood is not seasoned (we just didn't know we were getting the stove until early fall) but there are cracks in it. I'll pay more attention when I light in a little bit.

 

[Jags]

Our wood is not seasoned (we just didn't know we were getting the stove until early fall) but there are cracks in it.

Ding, ding, ding - we have a winner.

I believe that you have just found your answer. This explains both the low stove top temps as well as the consumption of wood with less than desirable heat output (in other words, chewing through wood and not producing heat). This stove will NOT burn unseasoned wood with any kind of good results. It will do it, but its gonna suck. You are actually lucky that you have one of the easiest breathing stoves on the market (epa market).

You need to find yourself a couple of arm loads of KNOWN good wood, just so you can convince yourself that what I am saying is true.

A family member, a friend, a neighbor that burns might be able to help you out. I might suggest the bundles of wood at your local corner store, but I am not convinced that those bundles are a guarantee either. Pallet wood, is another common goto, but it is a pain in the neck.

Bottom line. Find yourself a stove load of good, dry wood and see how it reacts.

 

[kmindcl]

So I just spoke with the store that sold it and installed it. and passed along Jags' info She basically said it's useless for this season since we don't have seasoned wood which really devastates me. We've worked with them before and sent them a good deal of business. She knew we had no wood, and that we were getting it, and never told us that if it wasn't seasoned, we shouldn't use the stove. If so, we would have gotten our wood this year, and got the stove next year. Including buying our propane tank so we didn't have to take gas, we're out 10k, and now I find I have to buy thousands of dollars of propane this year and let this stove sit until we get our wood seasoned.

Thanks for all the help. Great information and guidance. Guess I'll go fire up the furnace now. sigh.

 

[Jags]

Guess I'll go fire up the furnace now. sigh.

Slow down a bit. This is where "networking" comes into play. You need to start talking to people. People at work. Craigslist adds. Wood suppliers, neighbors. There is dry wood out there waiting for you - somewhere. See if you can find other wood burners that are well supplied. Maybe a trade could be worked out. Your unseasoned stuff for their seasoned stuff (assuming you can find somebody that is ahead). I sure wouldn't just "chalk this up" for the season.

There are many stacks of wood along peoples back fence line that haven't had a stick removed in three years. These are the people you need to find.

 

[pen]

Another option maybe Envi-blocks, bio-bricks, etc. The man-made fuel mixed w/ what you have may get you through. Start ordering next year's wood now!

pen

 

[maxed_out]

+1 what jags and pen said. You got options-don't count yourself out just yet.

Also, treat yourself to a couple of bundles of the dry supermarket wood. Try burning that-NO I'm not saying load up on it becasue it will be very costly. Then let us know how it burns.

 

[kmindcl]

Installers came up and brought some "seasoned" wood and started the fire. One thing was that the thermometer we bought seemed to be 75 degrees different (lower) than their thermometer. Didn't see any difference in burn time. Burned just as quick as our wood does. He said just keep loading/tending it . We find we have to keep adjusting the air when we do. One thing we noticed is that the new chimney vent/cap he installed is not centered. It's pushed all the way to one side so it hangs over to that side as opposed to having equal spacing all around. He said that's just aesthetics and not to worry. We do have a cord of seasoned wood (I hope) coming this weekend. Hoping to take your advice and mix it in with our wood.

 

[Jags]

Do what you can. Thats all that can be asked. Of course this means that you are positioning yourself RIGHT NOW to be ready for next winter, RIGHT?

That said. Use this winter as your learning curve. You will get better as you learn the stove and the stove will get better at its job, also.

One thing that might sound goofy - but would help alot - Actually weigh the load of wood that you plan on stuffing the stove with. With that number we (the mighty math gurus on this board) can crunch those numbers and give you a fair idea of what would be "Normal" to expect out of it.

 

[Jags]

Do what you can. Thats all that can be asked. Of course this means that you are positioning yourself RIGHT NOW to be ready for next winter, RIGHT?

That said. Use this winter as your learning curve. You will