secondary burn question

[mario veda]

I have now started burning in my new Regency F2400. Ive made 2 over night fires in it when the temps dropped to the 30s this weekend but now its back up to 50s at night so I will still be in the "break in" period when the night time temps drop again making a at least 2 more small fires between 400-550 temps as the manual suggested. I am trying to get a understanding for when I am done with the break in period how do I know when the" secondary fire" starts when I will run the fire at 600-650 with a normal size wood load. I guess I need some schooling on the secondary burn process. Im getting used to the slide air controller as to were to position it for a cleaner burn overnight.My old welded steel buckstove (non energy effeicent) was a large wood eating monster that required very little attention except for stuff it and light it so Im trying to understand the new stove I have better so I can run it at its best .Thanks for any input.... Mario

 

[soupy1957]

Some burning off of the gases from the wood, (especially in the newer EPA-rated stoves) occurs all the time anyway, as part of the normal process of the burn, in a tight stove system found in more contemporary stoves.

That being said,.........as you adjust your damper (air) controls down, reducing the amount of fresh air introduction, the gases build up more readily within the firebox and burn again. The evidence of this is found in the tubes with the series of holes in them, above the burn.
You will see a marked difference in the flow and structure of the flames, and even see some color variation to the flames, as the gases burn.

I have two tubes on the top of the inside of my firebox, and I often see the back one, more prevalently than the front one, showing signs of flaming, out of those holes. This along with the change to the behavior and characteristics of the flames, are my evidence that the gases are undergoing a second burn.

Let's face it, .......the secondary burn of the gases is designed to be a pollution reduction tool. You are doing the environment a favor, and your neighbors by reducing the amount of air quality pollutants you are putting in the air. Since the newer stoves are designed to accomplish this benefit, it became a part of "burning wood for heat" process, by default.

Rather than focus on how much evidence I have that the secondary burn is occurring in my particular stove, I focus more on the burn itself, for the sake of the burn. I concern myself with how much heat I am capturing and putting into the house, as opposed to "out the chimney." Be more attentive to that, and learning to maintain a fire, than worry about how efficient or how much evidence of efficiency is present with the secondary burn. Certainly I care about the environment and want to do my best to "tread lightly" as they say, bit I didn't become a wood burner to be a tree hugger. I became a wood burner because I'm basically a person who wants to save $$$$$$.

Your stove is designed to accomplish a secondary burn, so you can see the evidence in varying degrees depending on hot how a fire you burn, and how much you turn back the air. Believe that it is doing so, and move on to other aspects of the burn.

-Soupy1957

 

[mario veda]

Thank you.. that does make sense because I also burn wood to save on heating bill and I dont want to have to be worrying and haveing to babysit a stove, I just want to get it running right without alot of hassle and keep the chimney flue as cersote clean as it can be...I never had any problems with dirty flue build up with the old buckstove but it was a wood eater and this new stove burns longer and heats better with alot less wood. I have already seen that in the couple of burns Ive had so far.The weather folks are calling for a warmer winter this year in Va so I hope I get to use it more ,Today its suppose to be about 74 with overnight temps about 50ish... Let it snow.. LOL Mario

 

[firefighterjake]

I have now started burning in my new Regency F2400. Ive made 2 over night fires in it when the temps dropped to the 30s this weekend but now its back up to 50s at night so I will still be in the "break in" period when the night time temps drop again making a at least 2 more small fires between 400-550 temps as the manual suggested. I am trying to get a understanding for when I am done with the break in period how do I know when the" secondary fire" starts when I will run the fire at 600-650 with a normal size wood load. I guess I need some schooling on the secondary burn process. Im getting used to the slide air controller as to were to position it for a cleaner burn overnight.My old welded steel buckstove (non energy effeicent) was a large wood eating monster that required very little attention except for stuff it and light it so Im trying to understand the new stove I have better so I can run it at its best .Thanks for any input.... Mario

I'm not quite sure of your question . . . are you asking what the secondary burn is? If so, I think Soupy gave a pretty good description as you will know it when you see it as you will have brought your stove up to temp, started kicking back on the air and the result will typically be less flames or lazier flames on the wood and at the top of the firebox you will get the Northern Lights (where the combustible gases collect and burst into flames when they are ignited), Propane BBQ gas effect (blue jets of flame shooting out the burn tubes) or the Bowels of Hell (pretty much self explanatory -- looks like a Portal to Hell has opened up in your woodstove and you will fall to your knees convinced that you will be burning down your stove, house, the world, etc.)

If you're asking when to start cutting back on the air to achieve secondary combustion . . . it really depends on the stove and set up. The one thing you need to achieve a sustained secondary burn though is a good, hot stove.

 

[mario veda]

Yes Jake that was the question and both yours and Soupy answers have helped me understand what to look for .Thank you for your respones.Now if it just would get cold enough to run it I could enjoy the "light show"lol... mario in Va..