What if I leave the start up air cracked open?

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act700h1

New Member
Dec 19, 2013
5
NE Wisconsin
When starting my stove on a new load I leave the door(s) open a little to control the fire, works better than just primary and start up air open, then close doors with both air dampers open when rolling flames 10m-300 degrees (single wall surface thermometer 15" above stove double check with IR) then close start up air to just a crack open 5m- 450 degrees and close primary air 1/2 way, wait 5m and close air to 1/4 open, 5 more minutes and close primary air. Stove top temp of 550ish, stack 350-380 and reburn light up awesome blue flames and lazy flame coming from logs.
It seems if I leave the startup air cracked open I can close the primary air all the away down and have a good reburn. If I close primary air down at end of process with start up air closed I have issues maintaning flame and lose reburn, but with the startup air cracked I get a good long lasting reburn. Seems I get more heat longer with startup air cracked and a better reburn with the start up air just cracked a hair. Just tried this today and I think I will get longer/hotter burns. Before had 6-7 hours good heat, stove warm with good coals to relight 10 hr. Been trying everything and couldn't get long reburn until I tried this and now I feel the stove is running like people on here talk about and how the stove should run, awesome!

2013 Quad Cumberland Gap, 6" single wall up 4', 90, 1' horizontal, into 5"x8" stainless liner in clay chimney from floor of unit to cap is 23'. From what I learned here and checked wood with multimeter it reads 3-4 meg ohms so the wood should be dry (mixed hardwood cut and split last summer mostly downed trees from storm in spring 2012), MM on order so cannot guarantee it, but no sizzling or moisture present in early burn process.

Is there an issue with what I am doing?
Is there something wrong that I have to do this?
Any others use doors for start up air and it works better than just primary and/or start up air?
Could my damper stops need to be adjusted?

Pic taken 1 1/2 hours after first flames. Sorry if quality isn't that good taken with my Ipad.
 

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What happens if you just leave the primary air open a crack instead of the start-up?
And, does the glass stay clean?
 
What happens if you just leave the primary air open a crack instead of the start-up?
And, does the glass stay clean?
Glass looks great, either way, no difference. With primary air just cracked I have issues losing reburn, I was always having issues "just turning it down and letting it coast" as a lot of people on here put it. Now it seems that with the start up air cracked the stove is easier to operate.
 
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