What exactly is

[skinnykid]

Slow over night burn? I mean I know it will take some tinkering to achieve the proper heat output for my house and climate.
But what is slow over night? I mean to little air and I loose flame and get smoke, To much air and now smoke but flames that burn the wood way to fast.

I am sure there are variables like wood moisture and density and stuff, but what are we trying to achieve as far as type of burn?
thanks

 

[SolarAndWood]

I am sure there are variables like wood moisture and density

Those are the critical ones. Get a nice bed of coals developed during the evening hours and then drop in the dryest, densest and larger splits for the overnight. You will wake up warm and should have a nice bed of coals to drop some small quick burning splits on while drinking some coffee.

 

[northwinds]

Firebox size is an important variable also. If you have a small firebox, it is very difficult to make the fuel
last throughout the night while maintaining a clean burn.

 

[Highbeam]

What is it? Well it is the lowest possible burn rate that doesn't snuff the fire. The goal being a full night's sleep without having to light a new fire from scratch.

There are ways to extend the burn time at that low rate which include high density wood, dry wood, large wood, etc.

As far as type of burn during this overnighter well some folks are okay with some smoke and others insist on 100% clear flue exhaust. I am most concerned with an overnight burn and will compromise by allowing some smoke production within reason. I am not obsessed with a constant flame since there will be a time in the burn cycle that the flame goes out. At the end of the day (literally) I just shut the stove's air control completely and let it go, if I leave the air control open then there is a risk of overfire. These EPA stoves will burn clean enough at the lowest possible setting to prevent creosote buildup on the glass and the chimney.

The days of a smoldering overnight burn have nearly gone away with the EPA's regs.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yep. To maintain a clean burn, well, the stuff has to burn. For a long clean burn there has to be enough room in the stove to put enough wood to burn long and clean. The 1900 does not have the room for enough wood to do that all night. Just like anything that burns fuel, the tank size says how long it can burn it.

 

[skinnykid]

Right but I have a F500 on its way this week. Bigger fire box and hopefully all around better stove. Than the 1900 can't be hard to do.

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Right but I have a F500 on its way this week. Bigger fire box and hopefully all around better stove. Than the 1900 can't be hard to do.

Most of the time my Oslo's front damper control is 75% or more closed. For the coldest nights, I save my large splits of Hickory and Oak. I cut my wood to 20" and
often try and pack the largest piece in back or save an xtra large half round/slab on top. Wood species is key..... a well packed firebox with Hickory at 10 pm
scores a chunky hot bed of coals at 7am. I am also very picky about seasoning my wood and knowing my species. 1/2 my supply is already 12-24 months old, I can't express the fact more that "a mix of med/large well seasoned dry splits of wood"
are the key to getting your Oslo up to 600-650 quickly before knocking the draft control down for a 500-550 overnight fire. (I'm talking peak here after your secondaries even out not a full blown 8hr 500 degree fire)

20 minutes into secondary burn
Wood:Shagbark Hickory
Stovetop temp:600
Draft control 75% closed



WoodButcher

 

[North of 60]

Slow over night burn? I mean I know it will take some tinkering to achieve the proper heat output for my house and climate.
But what is slow over night? I mean to little air and I loose flame and get smoke, To much air and now smoke but flames that burn the wood way to fast.

I am sure there are variables like wood moisture and density and stuff, but what are we trying to achieve as far as type of burn?
thanks

80% of the time I let my stove smolder, yes with pine no less. Burns clean. You need a cat stove to achieve this. Thats why I call my old stove a wood and heat waster. It was either on with secondaries or off due to smoke when the house got to hot and had to shut it down. I dont think I relight my new (4yrs) stove more than once a year once fall is officially here. Here is a pick of the smouldering BK as I have posted before. Just my 2cents. Cheers
N of 60

 

[skinnykid]

Thanks, that was cozy, almost put me to sleep. I also got the screen. That should be cool on not so cold fall nights to hear the fire.

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Nice !

 

[North of 60]

What is it? Well it is the lowest possible burn rate that doesn't snuff the fire. The goal being a full night's sleep without having to light a new fire from scratch.
The days of a smoldering overnight burn have nearly gone away with the EPA's regs.

Nearly, but not gone with the correct stove.

 

[myzamboni]

Thanks, that was cozy, almost put me to sleep. I also got the screen. That should be cool on not so cold fall nights to hear the fire.

I bought the screen for my F3CB and have yet to use it in 2 years of burning.

 

[grommal]

Thanks, that was cozy, almost put me to sleep. I also got the screen. That should be cool on not so cold fall nights to hear the fire.

I bought the screen for my F3CB and have yet to use it in 2 years of burning.

Bought the screen for my old VC. Used it once in 23 years. I should say "used it once on the stove" - it IS still handy for screening soil for potting plants! Didn't even think about a screen for the new Jotul.

 

[BrotherBart]

Ditto. I have the screen for the F3. Have used it twice in three or four years.

 

[mikepinto65]

Nice !

Nice clip and good advice.
Do you ever have a problem with runaway temps loading it full like that with the air closed to 75%? I had a feeling 75% would end up being my sweet spot but I still have little experience with an epa burner. If I ever did that with my old Vigilant I surly would have had a runaway fire. I use to have to bring it up to heat (600-650), pretty much shut the air down so it would drop to 500, than readjust the thermostat flap to maintain it wouldnt open all the way while i was sleeping.......not that much fun....

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Nice !

Nice clip and good advice.
Do you ever have a problem with runaway temps loading it full like that with the air closed to 75%? I had a feeling 75% would end up being my sweet spot but I still have little experience with an epa burner. If I ever did that with my old Vigilant I surly would have had a runaway fire. I use to have to bring it up to heat (600-650), pretty much shut the air down so it would drop to 500, than readjust the thermostat flap to maintain it wouldnt open all the way while i was sleeping.......not that much fun....

It depends on a few things:

draft.......weather temp outside/wind
1/2, 3/4 or stuffed firebox (casual day fire vs a blistering cold Jan night)
wood species......birch takes off like a son of gun.
Split size and length of the splits (using the most of your firebox)
Stack height internal/external. Almost all of my stack is inside the room, double wall to my vaulted ceiling class A from there ......Always a good draft
Coal bed
I never run my Oslo with the front draft control open anymore than 25% unless it's a casual fire with a log or two.
Sometimes I'll have to run the draft control between 80-90% closed depending on the above.


Woodbutcher

 

[Highbeam]

Slow over night burn? I mean I know it will take some tinkering to achieve the proper heat output for my house and climate.
But what is slow over night? I mean to little air and I loose flame and get smoke, To much air and now smoke but flames that burn the wood way to fast.

I am sure there are variables like wood moisture and density and stuff, but what are we trying to achieve as far as type of burn?
thanks

80% of the time I let my stove smolder, yes with pine no less. Burns clean. You need a cat stove to achieve this. Thats why I call my old stove a wood and heat waster. It was either on with secondaries or off due to smoke when the house got to hot and had to shut it down. I dont think I relight my new (4yrs) stove more than once a year once fall is officially here. Here is a pick of the smouldering BK as I have posted before. Just my 2cents. Cheers
N of 60

I am so impressed with the BK line. I am considering moving the heritage to backup duty to make way for a princess as the primary.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Their literature says the King burns up to 40 hrs? Even with over a 4 cu ft box, how is that possible? Any downside to BKs?

 

[gpcollen1]

What exactly is....up with not putting a subject in the SUBJECT line....

And too answer the question - you are not always going to have a flame in your stove unless you sit infront of it 24/7. As long as your stove is not a smoldering wet mess due to crappy wood, I would not worry about a bit of smoke...

 

[CrappieKeith]

Yep. To maintain a clean burn, well, the stuff has to burn. For a long clean burn there has to be enough room in the stove to put enough wood to burn long and clean. The 1900 does not have the room for enough wood to do that all night. Just like anything that burns fuel, the tank size says how long it can burn it.

there it is.....you can only get what the unit is capable of.
Cutting corners is dangerous!

 

[Wet1]

Their literature says the King burns up to 40 hrs? Even with over a 4 cu ft box, how is that possible? Any downside to BKs?

Big box + cat + thermostatic control = long burns. Downside? Just their appearance, but I guess that's completely subjective.

 

[Highbeam]

Their literature says the King burns up to 40 hrs? Even with over a 4 cu ft box, how is that possible? Any downside to BKs?

The downside to the king model, which gets the 40 hours (ideally) is that it requires an 8" flue and is a little unique in appearance. All of the cat stoves look goofy and abnormal since the normal box stove guys have gone to the non-cat systems. To burn for 40 hours, the 4 CF box must burn slowly and cool which means it will only put out a smallish amount of heat. This is not possible with a non-cat since to burn cleanly they have to be hot which means they consume their charge of wood in a short amount of time. The gigantic firebox on that king model is only rated to heat 2000 SF.

There is very little competition for the time tested design of the BK cat stoves.

 

[SolarAndWood]

To burn for 40 hours, the 4 CF box must burn slowly and cool which means it will only put out a smallish amount of heat. This is not possible with a non-cat since to burn cleanly they have to be hot which means they consume their charge of wood in a short amount of time. The gigantic firebox on that king model is only rated to heat 2000 SF.

There is very little competition for the time tested design of the BK cat stoves.

It sounds like from a functional standpoint the Equinox and the King aren't all that different unless you want to meter out a little heat for a ridiculously long time? The 90K BK claims if you stand there and feed it is probably not that different than the stuffing an Equinox would require to maintain anything close to the 120K Hearthstone claims?

 

[Wet1]

To burn for 40 hours, the 4 CF box must burn slowly and cool which means it will only put out a smallish amount of heat. This is not possible with a non-cat since to burn cleanly they have to be hot which means they consume their charge of wood in a short amount of time. The gigantic firebox on that king model is only rated to heat 2000 SF.

There is very little competition for the time tested design of the BK cat stoves.

It sounds like from a functional standpoint the Equinox and the King aren't all that different unless you want to meter out a little heat for a ridiculously long time? The 90K BK claims if you stand there and feed it is probably not that different than the stuffing an Equinox would require to maintain anything close to the 120K Hearthstone claims?

I have to agree, these numbers don't mean much IMO. I fail to see how the stone EQ could output significantly more than the steel BKK at a max burn. The BK has the ability to burn long and low, but it can also burn wicked hot as well... and the EQ has max temp limitations due to the slightly fragile soapstone. Either way, both can and will throw massive amounts of heat when required to do so. The sq ft & btu ratings on the BK are just much more conservative that the optimistic ratings on the HS. If performance is the only factor, I'd say the tried and true BKK is tough to beat... But it's certainly not the beauty the EQ is.

With that said, the BKK in the parlor model is more attractive than most give it credit for, but soapstone is just so much more attractive (IMO). I guess at the end of the day, it all boils down to what your priorities are. Mine being installed in a finished basement made the BK the clear choice. If I had to place one of the two in my living room, I would've had to think about that decision a lot harder.

Price is another factor. On the east coast the BK is more costly than elsewhere in the US due to the distributor those dealers are required to use... OTOH, the BKK can be bought for around $2k if you know where to look, making it one hell of a bargain when you compare it to the MUCH more costly EQ.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Mine being installed in a finished basement made the BK the clear choice.

Have you seen the fan kit in action? Did you opt for it?