Want to see what the Pro's say

[AppalachianStan]

I started a new fire just now and would like to know what the pro's think.
I put two 3" splits E/W and stacked the kindling on top and put newspaper in between the wood stack. It took about 30 minutes for the fire to get the stove to 450* and it started to drop. Now is that good for a starter fire? and I took a pic of the inside of my chimney to see how it looked. What to you think?

 

[begreen]

Looks fine. My starter fires are simpler, but whatever works is fine. Hope you pulled the camera out of the pipe before lighting the fire. %-P

 

[AppalachianStan]

Thanks BeGreen, Now when is a good time to put more wood on the coals? Yes I got the camera in time. Lol

 

[begreen]

In the future I would pull off the top 2 levels of the starter stack and put a couple larger 3-4" splits on top. You can add more wood once the smaller kindling is just coals and the larger wood is all aglow.

Have you seen the video a the bottom of this page? It shows the process using top down starting.

http://www.woodheat.org/wood-heat-videos.html

 

[AppalachianStan]

250* I pulled the damper all the way out put five 3" splits on coals. 10 minutes at 350* and damper in to 1/2 way. at 20 minutes top out 450*. now at 26 minutes 350* damper 1/4 way. now at 29 minutes 400* damper 1/4 way.

 

[begreen]

Stan, I am not familiar with your stove. When you say damper, are you referring to a flue bypass damper? Are you also adjusting an air control?

 

[AppalachianStan]

Flue bypass damper is closed at 40 minutes at 425*. Air control at 40 minutes is about 1/3 if you call that and air control. lol

 

[AppalachianStan]

Here is some pic of Damper and Air control.

 

[Dix]

Stan, it would help if you put your stove in your signature line.

WTH are ya burning in, my friend? ;-)

 

[AppalachianStan]

I hope I put my stove in my signature line right.

 

[Dix]

I hope I put my stove in my signature line right.

Yep

 

[begreen]

This is an Appalachian 52 IIRC. Stan, we need to find out if this stove is has a catalytic combustor or not. The later model did have the catalyst. If so, there is a prescribed procedure for running it, but first we need to determine if it has a cat and if so, whether the cat is good or bad. If this is a cat stove and the cat is plugged, it could explain your experience.

 

[AppalachianStan]

This is a cat stove but the guy I bought it from took it out I just find out like two weeks ago. But you are the first to say it is a 52 IIRC I stall do not know the year of it. I will have to what for the 1st of the mouth to order the cat. I can wait to see how it burns then.

 

[AppalachianStan]

I should say I think it is a cat stove there is a place in the top of the box that the damper rod go though and it looks like one should go there.

 

[fossil]

...you are the first to say it is a 52 IIRC..

IIRC = "If I Recall Correctly"

 

[AppalachianStan]

...you are the first to say it is a 52 IIRC..

IIRC = "If I Recall Correctly"

Oh ok. lol

 

[begreen]

Without the cat, all bets are off. Once the cat is in I would run it as instructed in the newer manual (link posted earlier by daleeper).

2. BUILDING AND MAINTAINING A FIRE
(A) Open the damper fully by pulling the damper
control panel all the way out.
(B) Place a base of crumpled uncolored newspaper in the
bottom of the stove. Lay pieces of kindling on top of the
newspaper and light it.
(C) As the kindling begins to burn, add several larger
pieces of wood until the fire is burning well. At this
point, regular size logs may be added.
NOTE: Until the fire is burning well, leave the draft
controls in the door fully open.
NEVER USE GASOLINE, GASOLINE TYPE
LANTERN FUEL, KEROSENE, CHARCOAL,
LIGHTER FLUID, OR SIMILAR LIQUIDS TO START
OR “FRESHEN UP†A FIRE IN THIS HEATER. KEEP
ALL SUCH LIQUIDS FAR AWAY FROM THIS
HEATER WHILE IN USE.
(D) For a stove equipped with a catalytic combustor, the
damper must be fully closed after the fire is burning well.
(E) Regulate the heat output of the stove by adjusting
the draft controls to allow a larger fire and vice versa. A
short period of experimentation with the control
settings will allow you to regulate the heat output to
keep your home comfortable.

 

[AppalachianStan]

Without the cat, all bets are off. Once the cat is in I would run it as instructed in the newer manual.

(C) As the kindling begins to burn, add several larger
pieces of wood until the fire is burning well. At this
point, regular size logs may be added.
NOTE: Until the fire is burning well, leave the draft
controls in the door fully open.

Now here is one of the problems my door does not have air controls. I have one air controls and it is in the pic above. But it cold and I have to run the stove until I get the cat. This is the first time today the temperature is at 70* in my house.

 

[AppalachianStan]

Ok last post for this tonight. Pro's what would you do? I am so tired of this wood stove! I DO NOT what another chimney fire! I really don't what to put money in to it and it still gave me problems! If I put money in to it that is less to put in a new one. The newer wood stoves runs better then this one.
1) Buy a cat for $100 and see if that help?
2) Try to sale the wood stove for what I paid for or recover some of the lost? ($500)
3) Take to the scrap metal place and settle for what they will give for it?

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

I'm not a pro. Based on what I've read in your posts and if the stove is solid (solid metal, etc.), I would lean toward investing $100 in a new cat. You've already got $500 invested. Keep in mind, I'm not a fan of cat stoves at all. i would never buy a cat for my home. But a cat stove is designed to be burned with a cat in it. You're expecting too much to have good heat without the cat installed. My 2 cents.

 

[HotCoals]

I would not own anything but a cat stove now...just saying.

 

[begreen]

Having never run or even seen this stove before I would be conjecturing what is the best course of action. My feeling is that it is designed as a cat stove and therefore should have a good quality cat in it to give it the best shot. But I don't know if this stove was ever a good design.

 

[AppalachianStan]

So hard to say what to do with the stove. will temps out side was around 26* this morning and 60* inside (MAN THATS COLD And COLD HARTS) Built a starter fire as the kindling burn down put on a 4" split got the stove up to 500* and sit the smoke detector off. That is the hottest fire I have had in the stove since I out in the new stove pipe at the first of the year.
Now as for the cat the have two models from FireCat Catalytic Combustors. http://www.firecatcombustors.com/category-s/1408.htm

1)Be for 1989
Combustor ACI-1
Our Price: $92.91
Sale Price: $83.62
FireCat Catalytic Combustor ACI-1
25 Cell Un-canned Combustor
Shape: Square/Rectangular
Dimensions: 1.875" x 6.875" x 2"
Shipping Weight: 0.60 lbs.

2) Be for 1988
Combustor ACI-17
Our Price: $58.19
Sale Price: $52.37
FireCat Catalytic Combustor ACI-17
25 cell Un-canned Combustor
Shape: Square/Rectangular
Dimensions: 1.875" x 6.875" x 1"
Shipping Weight: 0.30 lbs.

3) after 1989
Combustor ACI-19N
Our Price: $118.91
Sale Price: $107.03
FireCat Catalytic Combustor ACI-19N
25 cell Un-canned Combustor with Notch
Shape: Square/Rectangular
Dimensions: 2.5" x 6.875" x 3"
Shipping Weight: 0.90 lbs.

 

[AppalachianStan]

Having never run or even seen this stove before I would be conjecturing what is the best course of action. My feeling is that it is designed as a cat stove and therefore should have a good quality cat in it to give it the best shot. But I don't know if this stove was ever a good design.

It looks like no one has every see my wood stove

 

[AppalachianStan]

Hi pro's, just find this site. does this mean I have to have 4 cat?

The following unit requires 4 catalysts (2 each of the following)
52 WXL Model
1.875" x 6.875" x 1"
1.875" x 6.875" x 2"

www.northlineexpress.com/Images/Pdf/09catalyst.pdf