Use extra coals - top down reload

[Green Energy]

Some one may have already suggested this, so I am not claiming anything new. I saw some threads on what to do with extra coals. The zipper method sounds good for those that load N-S. However, my stove is much better for E-W loading. I have become a true believer in top down fires because, for a non-cat burn tube stove, it heats up the burn tube area the fastest, thereby activating the secondaries in short order.

This time of year when I do a lot more reloads than cold starts, I have found that if I have excess coals when I am going to pack the stove for the overnight,

1. I move the coals up to the front
2. Put a large, 4-6" round or large split in the back with another med-large split next to it.
3. Put a split that fits on top of the back split (second tier split in the back)
4. Shovel 3 or 4 stove tool shovels full of hot coals along on top of the second bottom split and in front of the back second tier split
5. Fit one or two more medium splits on the bottom, in the front
6. Put a small soft wood split or two on the second tier, in front of the coals
7. Pack the rest of the stove

I use mostly oak, especially when doing an overnight load. I found that if I did not get a top fire going, it took longer to get the secondaries going. So using this method, I can get the reload going very fast and button up the stove for the night faster. Call it the "top down reload", unless someone else has named it. It is also a great use of those excess coals for us E-W burners.

 

[shawneyboy]

Just a suggestion next reload post some pics so others can see what you are doing.. This will probably help some E/W loaders.

 

[Skier76]

I never thought of putting some coals on top of the base splits; that's a great idea. I load east/west with our stove, so I'll give this a shot

 

[maverick06]

Ive done that a few times, works great! Really gets the secondary burn to light up!

 

[NH_Wood]

I cut a lot of 19-20" splits before I started using the stove - forcing me to load E/W for a lot of cycles (too long for comfortable N/S and I'm not cutting them down!). My stove runs nice with E/W splits, but I just can fit as many splits. I'll try this method to 'fill in the gaps' from laying the E/W splits and hopefully create a little more room for more wood. Also should let the fire take off much faster - I'll give it a go on my next E/W burn - thanks! Cheers!

 

[Green Energy]

Just a suggestion next reload post some pics so others can see what you are doing.. This will probably help some E/W loaders.

OK, here goes a try to up load a sequence of pics with a sequence of replies:

1. Move coals to the front:

 

[Green Energy]

2. Place large split in the back bottom tier, second split next to it on bottom, fit a split on top of the back bottom split (Back second tier spilt):

 

[Green Energy]

3. Shovel coals from the front - up onto the shelve created by the second bottom split:

 

[Green Energy]

Getting my numbers mixed up from the original post -

Fit splits in the rest of the stove and a piece of soft wood on top of and in front of the coals on the "shelf" (on top of the second bottom split)

 

[Green Energy]

Five minutes after packing stove - (I had to leave the side door open because my soft wood split was not as seasoned as I though, I think I grabbed it from the wrong pile)

 

[Green Energy]

About 20 minutes after packing stove, with coals shoveled up on "shelve", stove top was about 500 degrees, secondaries real strong, bottom tier of wood doesn't look like it's burning, while top is going to town. (Pic of the inside is immediately after opening side door)

 

[Green Energy]

At about 35-45 minutes after reload, my stove top temp (back, left hand corner) hit 700 F. Scary. I think it may have been due to leave the side door open too long right after reload, and then when secondaries got strong at 20 minutes, I opened the door to take the pic at 20 minutes. So I put a stove glove over the air intake. I have a 3" piece of flex duct connected to my OAK air intake, but it does not connect to the outside). So at 1 hour, the stove has settled down to 600 F. Going to bed, I will see what I have after 8 hours or so.

Photo after 60 minutes, stove top 600 F, after 15 min of blocking the OAK with a stove glove

 

[Green Energy]

Healthy coals bed this morning, 8 hrs later. More than enough to do another top down reload by shoveling the coals up on the "shelve" created by a couple of splits placed in the back. An hour later, stove is cruising at 650 F.

 

[Skier76]

Great pics! And shots with the side door open really help. Thanks for posting.

 

[jotul8e2]

Some one may have already suggested this,...

I did, in fact, mention this exact plan (except for the use of softwood) in a recent post on the topic of "what to do with excess coals". I did not, however, mention its value in getting the stove back up to operating temps quickly - which it does. Your photos are also very helpful - well done.

I note that we have the exact same stove - Jotul Oslo. This may well be one of those things which works with our particular model and not other brands, or even other models of Jotul stoves. It appears to me that the circulation pattern in an Oslo is across the top, down the front door/glass through the grate and up the back. However, it seems likely that some variation of this will work with any epa non-cat stove since they all rely on some sort of circulation pattern for efficient burns. I am not at all sure it would work with my old Dutchwest cat stove, and its construction does not facilitate shoveling coals anyway.

Some feedback on this procedure from the owners of other makes might be useful to other members here.

 

[Intheswamp]

Excellent

Thanks for taking the time to do this photo documentary, you did a great job.

This should be very helpful when I get my little F3 set up.

Ed