Where's the heat, Myriad?

[A M]

Looks good. Look at it this way, they probably cost more this year.

Yes, Brother Bart,... I guess I can look at it that way. The house is warmer this evening. I have kept the stove going all day with little fires and putting in larger logs as the evening progresses. The discoloration on the glass (after I had cleaned it 2 days ago), is starting again. I think from the less-than-perfect wood. I still think that the EXTRA pipe is the reason I am feeling MORE radiant heat in this place. Of course I can be wrong, but I don't think so.

I never use to feel any heat on the other side of the large room where I had a front bedroom taken out and have made it my new kitchen. It seems like the heat is circulating more. Anyway, I am just sharing my observations ... I'll call it a day now.

 

[BrotherBart]

If you are burning N/S and the split ends are too close to the glass the gases coming out of the ends of the splits will overpower the airwash and gunk up the glass.

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

Howdy AM. So for the past 2 evenings I've loaded the stove in this manner. First I start off with about 6 really small splits that I get rip roaring in the bottom of the Austral with the help of generous amounts of kindling, and after they've burnt like that for about 15 or 20 minutes I load my regular load of 3 large splits and 3 medium splits all on top of the burning splits. The wood is all approx 16-18% moisture content, and it takes off like a bat outta hades. I have the air completely shut down, 100% shut down, within 5 minutes, and the blower on full speed to keep the stove top cool; ~720-740F right at the front where the flame and hot gas gets pulled up over the baffle, mid 600's back towards the flue exit. The whole firebox is 100% secondary fire on top, and no flames at all on the bottom of the load. The bottom half of the glass turns black within 15 minutes, but as the burn progress and the wood gets burned down, the glass is burned clean....

I should have mentioned, when I used the above method it was a cold start from a cold stove....

Just an observation of something I've been trying....

 

[A M]

Howdy AM. So for the past 2 evenings I've loaded the stove in this manner. First I start off with about 6 really small splits that I get rip roaring in the bottom of the Austral with the help of generous amounts of kindling, and after they've burnt like that for about 15 or 20 minutes I load my regular load of 3 large splits and 3 medium splits all on top of the burning splits. The wood is all approx 16-18% moisture content, and it takes off like a bat outta hades. I have the air completely shut down, 100% shut down, within 5 minutes, and the blower on full speed to keep the stove top cool; ~720-740F right at the front where the flame and hot gas gets pulled up over the baffle, mid 600's back towards the flue exit. The whole firebox is 100% secondary fire on top, and no flames at all on the bottom of the load. The bottom half of the glass turns black within 15 minutes, but as the burn progress and the wood gets burned down, the glass is burned clean....

Just an observation of something I've been trying....

View attachment 146726

Thanks, Chuck, for the photo of your wood stove. Very interesting how you are starting your fire. I take it you have a wood moisture meter? I like that "bat outta hades" phrase for how quicker the wood begins to burn. This coming week I'm expecting all of the stove "stuff" to arrive. My worker will attach the OAK and he's going to trim the 3 maple trees in the backyard. I'll be cutting them into smaller pieces; some for kindling and the rest will be put away for use probably next year. I may as well take good advantage of the wood since I have been wanting to have the 40 foot tall trees trimmed for awhile now. The leaves are gone and this is the best time to do it, weather permitting, naturally.

 

[A M]

If you are burning N/S and the split ends are too close to the glass the gases coming out of the ends of the splits will overpower the airwash and gunk up the glass.

BrotherBart, soooo either soft or hard wood WILL gunk up the glass if the end splits are too close and will overpower the airwash technology, huh? OK...didn't know that.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yup. As wood heats the gases are released out of the ends of the splits.

 

[A M]

Yup. As wood heats the gases are released out of the ends of the splits.

Today has not been a good day for building a fire. I've tried SEVERAL times since early this morning. It's the wood; there's no other explanation. It began with some red coals left from last night. Yes, eventually the wood caught on fire from these coals BUT nothing stayed on fire. Yes, the wood burned for a few minutes, but eventually the flames would go out. I was constantly baby-sitting the wood pieces in there. So, I had to turn on the space heater late today. No, it's not freezing outside, but it's 39 outside.

I'm just disappointed ... I've had some pretty good evening fires since the roof pipe extension ... but, this is just bad luck because of the wood, certainly not the new stove.

Please now, no sympathy requested. Just letting the readers know. This WILL happen to you if some pieces of wood are simply not dry enough. You will not be able to get that inner stove box hot or consistently building up to become hot. I finally just gave up for today and tonight and will start afresh tomorrow.

 

[begreen]

Get some rubbermaid tubs and bring some of the wood indoors to dry out. A week of drying inside can make a difference. Pick out your best splits by feeling their weight. Dry wood is noticeably lighter. Also, when you bang two wet splits together, they go thud. When they are dry you will get a musical note, like claves.

 

[realstihl]

Stack wood up along a wall or something and get a fan to blow into the wood. It will speed up the process a little.

 

[weatherguy]

Today has not been a good day for building a fire. I've tried SEVERAL times since early this morning. It's the wood; there's no other explanation. It began with some red coals left from last night. Yes, eventually the wood caught on fire from these coals BUT nothing stayed on fire. Yes, the wood burned for a few minutes, but eventually the flames would go out. I was constantly baby-sitting the wood pieces in there. So, I had to turn on the space heater late today. No, it's not freezing outside, but it's 39 outside.

I'm just disappointed ... I've had some pretty good evening fires since the roof pipe extension ... but, this is just bad luck because of the wood, certainly not the new stove.

Please now, no sympathy requested. Just letting the readers know. This WILL happen to you if some pieces of wood are simply not dry enough. You will not be able to get that inner stove box hot or consistently building up to become hot. I finally just gave up for today and tonight and will start afresh tomorrow.

You can do what realstihl suggested and also stack the next load near the stove to dry it out some, this is where mixing eco bricks or north east Idaho energy logs would come in handy and get you through this winter.

 

[Huntindog1]

Howdy AM. So for the past 2 evenings I've loaded the stove in this manner. First I start off with about 6 really small splits that I get rip roaring in the bottom of the Austral with the help of generous amounts of kindling, and after they've burnt like that for about 15 or 20 minutes I load my regular load of 3 large splits and 3 medium splits all on top of the burning splits. The wood is all approx 16-18% moisture content, and it takes off like a bat outta hades. I have the air completely shut down, 100% shut down, within 5 minutes, and the blower on full speed to keep the stove top cool; ~720-740F right at the front where the flame and hot gas gets pulled up over the baffle, mid 600's back towards the flue exit. The whole firebox is 100% secondary fire on top, and no flames at all on the bottom of the load. The bottom half of the glass turns black within 15 minutes, but as the burn progress and the wood gets burned down, the glass is burned clean....

I should have mentioned, when I used the above method it was a cold start from a cold stove....

Just an observation of something I've been trying....

View attachment 146726

Yes this stove, with very little firebox insulation, likes a hot fire box to kick things in gear like you described above. The reason for the glass coating is you said you shut the input air all the way. That input air is your air wash and with no air wash your glass doesnt stay clean but like you say as the heat goes up it burns it off. The rating on these stoves is like 5.7 grams emisisons , still meets emissions which the epa requiremment is something like 7 or below. But the thing radiates heat like crazy with less of a insulated firebox. Plus the stove has alot of control so a person can load it up on a very hot coal bed and some already burning small pieces. As if the stove gets going to fast you can control it. My old stove did not have that ability.

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

Plus the stove has alot of control so a person can load it up on a very hot coal bed and some already burning small pieces. As if the stove gets going to fast you can control it. My old stove did not have that ability.

Ya, you got that right on the money Dog. The first stove I had just kept getting hotter and hotter when it was shut down... very tense bad old days. The Austral is like a wood burners dream stove as far as shutting it right down and letting it cruise. I can't say enough good things about this heater. Oh, and did I mention it keeps me house warm too!

Cheers

 

[A M]

Thanks for all of your suggestions; ... right now it is doing well. Just happy to get a fire started and that was about 5PM tonight. I don't understand how a "plastic" bucket or container can help to extract moisture out of wood, as plastic retains water, doesn't it? But, I'll give it a try if I can find an extra one in the garage. I did get my OAK from UPS late this afternoon and my friend will install it on Thursday or Friday. I notice on the directions for the magnetic thermometer that it mentions installing it on a Single Wall Pipe, but mine is Double Wall, so ... if anyone knows if its still OK to attach it to the stove with double pipe, would you please let me know?

Thanks again, everyone. You'll all very nice and quite a help!

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

AM, the magnetic thermometer is useless for double wall pipe. You need to get a probe type thermometer; you drill a hole into your pipe about 18" above the outlet collar of the stove and insert the probe into the pipe so it can read the temperature of the flue gases directly.... Read and follow the instructions and you'll be fine...

Cheers

 

[begreen]

Thanks for all of your suggestions; ... right now it is doing well. Just happy to get a fire started and that was about 5PM tonight. I don't understand how a "plastic" bucket or container can help to extract moisture out of wood, as plastic retains water, doesn't it? But, I'll give it a try if I can find an extra one in the garage. I did get my OAK from UPS late this afternoon and my friend will install it on Thursday or Friday. I notice on the directions for the magnetic thermometer that it mentions installing it on a Single Wall Pipe, but mine is Double Wall, so ... if anyone knows if its still OK to attach it to the stove with double pipe, would you please let me know?

Thanks again, everyone. You'll all very nice and quite a help!

The Rubbermaid containers are just to contain the mess. Having the wood indoors in a lower humidity warm environment is what is drying out the wood.

Put the thermometer on the stove top or return it. You need a probe thermometer for a double-wall connector's temp.

 

[A M]

Begreen and Chuck ... thanks for enlightening me about the "magnetic" thermometer. I'll have to double-check with the website homeclick.com. Could have sworn their advertisement stated it was for double-wall ... anyway. Not a tragedy ... instead of returning, may just put it on top of the stove. It was under ten dollars so perhaps not feasible to return, due to the shipping return cost. Regarding the Rubbermaid container, OK, I understand what you meant now.

Have just been reading about a man in Illinois (illinoisburner). Has a BKPrincess wood stove. It's a cat. Poor man. Great flames, little heat. Wood is fine; draft is good. Very interesting to read. I hope his Dealer gives him a replacement stove as it sounds like he has done everything he should have done to make it produce the heat that he needs. Speaking of heat, I put the therometer on top of the stove and it reads 450 degrees. I've nearly shut it down for the night as I'll be going to sleep soon. Thank you, both.

 

[Huntindog1]

 

[A M]

OK, HD1 ... I see it, but let me ask you this: why the two sets of #s? 600 through 1400 and underneath the 300 through 700 (all in the white colored area). Are the higher numbers for people with the Cat stoves and the lower numbers are for owners of a Non-Cat stove?

I have seen these type of thermometers but I thought they were dangerous as you had to actually put them inside the inner stovepipe. Now I understand how there is more pipe in the double-wall pipe to go through. Can you simply take out one of the screws that hold the pipe in place and force the spike end to go through there?

 

[begreen]

That is a catalytic stove probe, not a flue probe. There are two scales on it, Fahrenheit and Celsius.

This is the correct Condar product for double wall connector pipe:
http://www.condar.com/Probe_Thermometers.html