Still confused with burning the right way

[guest5234]

Sorry but I just need to ask this question if i am doing it correct for the best use of my stove.


I have a Jotul f250 with secondary air tubes on back brick near top.

I get the stove up to 350 - 400 stove pipe temp 18 inches from stove top.

I put 3 or 4 medium size splits into firebox a couple of inches below secondary air tubes.

I let them burn with thhe fire box full of flames for 10 mins or so till they are black then knock the main air completly off.

I have good secondary burn for 10 to 15 mins with real good jets of flames shooting out of the holes...when it dies down I open up the air and let the flames build up again and then start the secondary burn again for another 15 mins or so.

Am I doing it correct and getting the best use of my wood?
Thanks in adavance.

 

[fossil]

Howdy Neil. I don't have the same stove, but what I generally do with my Lopi is everything you described up to the point of shutting the primary completely. If I leave the primary open just a hair, my secondaries will just keep on cranking. I sometimes need to fiddle with it a bit to find the sweet spot, but if I shut my primary completely, I pretty much lose everything. I don't open the primary wider until the burn cycle is nearing completion, when I want to burn the coals down. Good to hear from you, old chap!. Rick

 

[guest5234]

Thanks fossil, I will try and just leave the primary open a bit to see if I can keep the secondaty going for longer....
Cheers mate.

 

[southbalto]

Sorry but I just need to ask this question if i am doing it correct for the best use of my stove.


I have a Jotul f250 with secondary air tubes on back brick near top.

I get the stove up to 350 - 400 stove pipe temp 18 inches from stove top.

I put 3 or 4 medium size splits into firebox a couple of inches below secondary air tubes.

I let them burn with thhe fire box full of flames for 10 mins or so till they are black then knock the main air completly off.

I have good secondary burn for 10 to 15 mins with real good jets of flames shooting out of the holes...when it dies down I open up the air and let the flames build up again and then start the secondary burn again for another 15 mins or so.

Am I doing it correct and getting the best use of my wood?
Thanks in adavance.

I'm still working the kinks out of my new epa stove. I'm used to the old smoke dragon types.

On mine, I've been letting the stove run wide open and the secondaries would begin going off even at full air. I cut back to half air for 15 min then close it completely. The secondary burn will then continue for an hour or more........

As a previous poster mentioned, I think it's all about finding the sweet spot.

 

[Cire3]

I found that with my Regency, same issues.

I flame it good "door cracked" and close the door after about 10 minutes or well flamed "full air on". Then I cut down to 50% after another 10. Then I can close mine all the way after that. Seems to work good on my stove.

 

[DBoon]

Try shutting the primary air down in 2 to 4 steps - don't take it all the way down in one step. You'll find what works best for you. Once it's in secondary burn mode, if your wood is dry, you should be able to leave it alone for 1+ hours after which point it will be starting the coaling stage.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I get the stove up to 350 - 400 stove pipe temp 18 inches from stove top.

I put 3 or 4 medium size splits into firebox a couple of inches below secondary air tubes.

I let them burn with thhe fire box full of flames for 10 mins or so till they are black then knock the main air completly off.

I have good secondary burn for 10 to 15 mins with real good jets of flames shooting out of the holes...when it dies down I open up the air and let the flames build up again and then start the secondary burn again for another 15 mins or so.

Am I doing it correct and getting the best use of my wood?
Thanks in adavance.

Neil, you have somewhat the right idea except for the constant fiddling with the draft. Instead of closing it completely, close it to maybe 1/4 open. You have to find the exact spot for how far to leave it open but once you do, you can just let the flames dance and enjoy the heat without fiddling with the stove.

Each stove and each installation can be a bit different so nobody can give you an exact setting; we can only recommend a starting point. In addition to that, you may very well find you need different settings with different types of wood.

 

[guest5234]

Thanks for the great info lads, I have had a burn and just cracked it open a bit and I have got a much better secondary, I always shut the aiy completly off which was my mistake.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Thanks for the great info lads, I have had a burn and just cracked it open a bit and I have got a much better secondary, I always shut the aiy completly off which was my mistake.

I do hope that helps.

On a different topic, and this might have been covered already in another thread, but why are European stove fireboxes so much smaller? I believe your stove has a maximum log length of 300 mm which converts to just under 12 inches. That is incredibly small for a U.S. stove. The majority of Jotul's European line seems to go no larger than 400mm. Does it have to do with government restrictions and safety codes?

 

[begreen]

Many European homes and rooms are smaller than US homes. The modern style stoves are often shallow and tall to take up less floorspace.

However, the Jotul F3 handles an 18" log, F400 handles a 20" log, F500 handles 22" and the F118 & F600 takes 24".

 

[guest5234]

Thanks for the great info lads, I have had a burn and just cracked it open a bit and I have got a much better secondary, I always shut the aiy completly off which was my mistake.

I do hope that helps.

On a different topic, and this might have been covered already in another thread, but why are European stove fireboxes so much smaller? I believe your stove has a maximum log length of 300 mm which converts to just under 12 inches. That is incredibly small for a U.S. stove. The majority of Jotul's European line seems to go no larger than 400mm. Does it have to do with government restrictions and safety codes?

Mine is the one in my avator, it has quite a tall firebox as you can see , the maximum output is 9kw. I have a big room and it does really pump out some heat.