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What kind of stove do you have? Just curious, because smaller stove can be a challenge when it comes to trying to get overnight burns. My stove is a mid size, 2 cubic foot firebox, I try to time my reloads so that around 10:30 I am down to a even layer of coals maybe 2 inches thick after I rakes them around then I load the stove and let the fire get going, I start backing the air down incrementally after 10 minutes or so, by 11 when I usually go to bed I can put my air intake on the lowest setting and go to bed, I'll have plenty of coals to put a normal split on at 6 or 7 am, and around 8 or 9 i still have enough that I can throw some small splits on and get my fire back. That's what works for me. If you have a smaller stove you may have to try some different things.
we usually load our Napoleon 1900P up with two or three medium size maple billets around 8:30-9:00pm.....we let that go to coals and when we hit the sack (around 11:00-11:30pm), we load it up with oak or locust and shut the draft down the whole way........always have a good bed of coals when we wake up at 6:00am.....but like the other poster said, holding an "all nighter" is hard to do with a small stove, the 1900 is a 3 cu. ft. firebox, which is big......how big is your stove?
Also it depends on the wood you are burning. If you have a softer wood it burns much faster, and is less likely to have coals. If you have properly seasoned oak, then you will have coals in the morning as compared to if you were burning pine.
Size of firebox and type of wood are the main determining factors here.
Shawn
Size of firebox and type of wood are the main determining factors here.
Shawn
Yea, I neglected to note what I'm burning in...Its a PE Vista insert. It's my first "real" fire. I had the smoke alarm go off a few times, good/bad? It was just about over the stove then I moved it 5' feet away and then I had to move it again...No CO2 thankfully. The wood, nothing great...Splits on the smaller size, just cause they aren't too seasoned. I know that's another issue. Place was warm though, can't wait till everything is 100% perfect....
James02 said:
Just like riding a bike, there is a learning curve and the more you burn wood, the better you become at it....we always use stuff like maple, cherry, poplar and some ash during the day when the wife is home.....at night, when we go to bed, always some good dry oak and locust.....I have two stacks in the basement, one is for nighttime/extended time-from-home burning, the other stack is for "when we are home" burning......and I have my wood stacked outback accordingly....I always bring the same amount of each into the basement so we have both on hand at all times....once you get the bugs out, you'll be amazed at how fun and comfortable it is to heat with wood......I ain't going back to fossil fuels, until my body can't do it no more....
Why is your smoke alarm going off? That could be an issue, what were the circumstances that made it go off? And the vista is a nice stove but it is a small stove, consistent all night burns will take good wood and plenty of practice until you get a routine that works.
James02 said:
Your smokes may go off from the paint curing, dust/ash rising on the air currents near the stove, etc. . . . in my own opinion you really shouldn't have a smoke detector too close to your woodstove or insert anyways to avoid false alarms.
Hehheh . . . CO2 . . . bubbles in the beer and soda . . . did you mean CO?
As others have said . . . depending on what you were burning, how much you loaded the stove and the size of your firebox you may not be able to have many or any coals in the morning for an easy relight. This morning was actually the first morning where I have had a fire overnight and was able to get the fire going as there were large enough coals to do so . . . mainly because I had added some decent maple instead of just the poplar that I have been burning as of late.
With the small coals I threw an egg carton and empty cereal box on them along with some kindling and small splits and bigger splits on top . . . opened up the air and side door . . . and waited . . . and voila in a few minutes I had smoke and then flames . . . and then from there I just went about the normal fire starting procedure of allowing the temps to go up and then dialing things down.
If I am home and doing reloads I try to wait until the coals are about the size of baseballs or softballs before I add a fresh load of wood on to them . . . I could probably allow them to burn down smaller, but I'm impatient and at this point I can toss whatever size wood on the coals and they will quickly and easily get going and I can get things adjusted in a short time.
With the small coals I threw an egg carton and empty cereal box on them along with some kindling and small splits and bigger splits on top . . . opened up the air and side door . . . and waited . . . and voila in a few minutes I had smoke and then flames . . . and then from there I just went about the normal fire starting procedure of allowing the temps to go up and then dialing things down.
If I am home and doing reloads I try to wait until the coals are about the size of baseballs or softballs before I add a fresh load of wood on to them . . . I could probably allow them to burn down smaller, but I'm impatient and at this point I can toss whatever size wood on the coals and they will quickly and easily get going and I can get things adjusted in a short time.
firefighterjake said:James02 said:
Your smokes may go off from the paint curing, dust/ash rising on the air currents near the stove, etc. . . . in my own opinion you really shouldn't have a smoke detector too close to your woodstove or insert anyways to avoid false alarms.
Hehheh . . . CO2 . . . bubbles in the beer and soda . . . did you mean CO?
Yea, CO...I'm not a truckie....ugg...
Another issue, I'm not terribly sure of the wood type. I'm a transplanted city boy, there's no trees in Queens NY. I did think about the curing paint smell for the smoke alarm but put it on my pay no mind list. I only happened 2x and didn't hear that train sound in the chimney indicating a fire.... Though a plane went over at one point and payed a bit closer attention. Any yea it's a small firebox, which I didn't realize. It's only my dog and bunny that I've got to keep warm. Thanks to all!!
James02 said:
You'll have plenty of time to learn about types of wood, densities, etc.....like I said there is a learning curve, and as far as I am concerned I think you are in the right place (here on Hearth.com) to learn a whole lot!
Fellow vista owner here.....you will not get an overnight burn. Period. Unless you stay up late and get up early.
Dry wood definetly helps, but it seems you know that. I have a rutland thermometer in the top left corner on the face next to the door. I typically reload between 350-400 for the overnighters loaded with rounds on bottom. The mfr states 8 hour burn time. That's until the last coal goes cold lol. Keep your kindling and starters handy lol.
Dry wood definetly helps, but it seems you know that. I have a rutland thermometer in the top left corner on the face next to the door. I typically reload between 350-400 for the overnighters loaded with rounds on bottom. The mfr states 8 hour burn time. That's until the last coal goes cold lol. Keep your kindling and starters handy lol.
As others have mentioned wood species matters when it come to burn times. Especially in a smaller stove. You should learn to recognize different hardwood species and be sure to load up with good coaling woods at night and burn the other stuff when you are awake. Good coaling species are oak, hickory, locust mulberry, sugar maple, there are others but those are probably the most common in your area. Learn to recognize these and save them for night time
James02 said:
Once the oak is ready, you will get 6+ hrs. I have had coals in the morning, but not every morning. Don't lose all hope, it gets better with practice. Learn to id trees and it will make overnight burning much easier. Get a book called the national audobon society field guide to trees.....get the eastern region. Money well spent imo.
James02 said:
It's OK. . . we still like city slickers here . . . heck, my Mom moved up to Maine here as a kid from the Bronx . . . I just try not to let too many people know that . . . I figure the fact that my great grandparents came from The County kind of balances everything out.
Room mate of mine actually grew up and lived on Long Island . . . Oyster Bay . . . he had some pretty high faluting neighbors . . . sadly his story did not end so well.
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