What is a clean burn

[chris2879]

I keep reading and over analyzing everything! So i guess my question is, if my stove face is running around 500 degrees and its really damped down, will that create a lot of creosote. I know burning low will do so, but i am not sure if its low in conjunction with low stove temps will cause build up. If i sustain temps around 500, can i shut the air all the way down and still have a clean burn even though the flames are really low and lazy, however they are really blue!

 

[SlyFerret]

Go outside and look at your stack. No smoke = clean burn. Don't over think it too much.

Depending on outside temps, you may see some water vapor coming out if your chimney. It will look very light gray or white, and dissipate pretty quickly. Smoke will be darker and linger longer.

You will get some smoke on startup/reload, so dont go look 'till you are cruising.

-SF

 

[egclassic]

Go outside and look at your stack. No smoke = clean burn. Don't over think it too much.

Depending on outside temps, you may see some water vapor coming out if your chimney. It will look very light gray or white, and dissipate pretty quickly. Smoke will be darker and linger longer.

You will get some smoke on startup/reload, so dont go look 'till you are cruising.

-SF

+1 That about says it all!

 

[shawneyboy]

Go outside and look at your stack. No smoke = clean burn. Don't over think it too much.

Depending on outside temps, you may see some water vapor coming out if your chimney. It will look very light gray or white, and dissipate pretty quickly. Smoke will be darker and linger longer.

You will get some smoke on startup/reload, so dont go look 'till you are cruising.

-SF

Yup that nails it.

Oh and to the OP burning "low" won't always create creo, burning unseasoned wood will. Burning "low" with properly seasoned wood for me only creates a nice warm home, a happy wife, and some extra $$$ in my pocket that are not going to the heating oil company.

 

[firecracker_77]

if you've got lots of blue, that should create a clean burn unless you have other pieces smoldering. chimney should not have much visible smoke with lots of blue flame below.

i see smoke with yellow or orange flames...by the time it's blue, my secondaries have kicked in and the flames at the top burn off any unburned gas

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I keep reading and over analyzing everything! So i guess my question is, if my stove face is running around 500 degrees and its really damped down, will that create a lot of creosote. I know burning low will do so, but i am not sure if its low in conjunction with low stove temps will cause build up. If i sustain temps around 500, can i shut the air all the way down and still have a clean burn even though the flames are really low and lazy, however they are really blue!

Burn only dry wood and you won't get creosote. Burn less than ideal wood and you will have some problems. Burning wood before it is ready is perhaps 95%-99% of all wood burners problems. For sure on new wood burners, that is the number one cause of their problems but few will realize it.

 

[Iembalm4aLiving]

Don't over think it too much.

-SF

LOL.....that's sort of anti-Hearth.com, isn't it????

:lol:

 

[chris2879]

Thanks guys. So i think i m doing pretty good. Plus the glass has no black soot on it... just a tan scum that builds over a few days. I am not sure if all stoves air washes work well, but for what its worth, the PE Summit air wash works awesome!

 

[bogydave]

Go outside and look at your stack. No smoke = clean burn. Don't over think it too much.

Depending on outside temps, you may see some water vapor coming out if your chimney. It will look very light gray or white, and dissipate pretty quickly. Smoke will be darker and linger longer.

You will get some smoke on startup/reload, so dont go look 'till you are cruising.

-SF

+1 That about says it all!

+5

 

[agartner]

Sounds like you're doing allright. The "tan scum" could be your wood may not be 100% seasoned, but pretty darn close. Only reason I say this is that I got the same tan glazing on the glass in my Kent (roughly the same overall design as PE) with wood that I knew wasn't ready for prime time. Since I've switched over to the "dark side" (BioBricks), I haven't had a need to clean the glass at all.

 

[oldspark]

I guess the whole flue temp monitoring thing is history.

 

[Wood Duck]

I like to see some secondary flames in the firebox, unless the wood is all charcoaled. That lets me know I am burning the wood gases, which are invisible, and smoke. It is possible to have a clean burn without secondary flames, but I like to see the secondaries.

 

[Battenkiller]

I guess the whole flue temp monitoring thing is history.

:lol:

Like, give me a break, that is so last year. :roll:

 

[oldspark]

I guess the whole flue temp monitoring thing is history.

:lol:

Like, give me a break, that is so last year. :roll:

About 10 answers and not a one mentions keeping track of flue temps, where have we gone wrong? :blank:

 

[firefighterjake]

Go outside and look at your stack. No smoke = clean burn. Don't over think it too much.

Depending on outside temps, you may see some water vapor coming out if your chimney. It will look very light gray or white, and dissipate pretty quickly. Smoke will be darker and linger longer.

You will get some smoke on startup/reload, so dont go look 'till you are cruising.

-SF

+ Whatever we're up to now.

 

[oldspark]

You aint fooling me jake I know you watch your flue temps. :lol:

 

[BrowningBAR]

You aint fooling me jake I know you watch your flue temps. :lol:

I actually don't. I'll check surface temps of the pipe occasionally, but I can have low pipe temps on all three stoves and have one hell of a hot fire. I will check pipe surface temps only to support what I think is going on already.

 

[firefighterjake]

You aint fooling me jake I know you watch your flue temps. :lol:

I actually don't. I'll check surface temps of the pipe occasionally, but I can have low pipe temps on all three stoves and have one hell of a hot fire. I will check pipe surface temps only to support what I think is going on already.

You may not . . . but Old Spark knows that I do . . . truth be told I use both my thermos . . . . but often rely heavily on what my flue thermo is showing.