Woodstock - New Experiment

[leeave96]

I came home from the salt mine yesterday and my family had the stove humming along at 600 degrees stove top, no flames in the box, but the splits looked like orange neon sign tubes. It was 80 degrees in the living room and the dog was panting - but it was just warm enough for my Wife..

So about 9 pm everyone hit the sack for the night and I was tired too and didn't really want to refill the stove and take the time to let the stove catch-up, get up to temp, etc. So at this point the stove bottom is full of glowing coals - what to do? I didn't want to refill the stove and I didn't want to let the thing burn out for a cold restart in the morning and it was going to be in the low 30's or upper 20's overnight.

Since everything was in charcoal stage and on my Keystone there is a tad of unregulated air that makes it's way under the floor grate at all times, I shut the damper down completely - to zero. I've never done this, but I thought if I could preserve the coals, maybe I'd have something to start a fire with this morning - but I had my doubts.

Great news - I got up at 6 am and checked the stove and there was 1/3 of the stove floor with nice hot/glowing coals! The stove top was about 150, the room was about 65 degrees. Spread out the coals, opened the damper full, some small splits and the stove lit off great.

So if you say "burn time" is from start/rekindle of fire to refire - this burn time was from 5 pm to 6 am for a 13 hr burn. Not bad for a 1.5 cu ft stove. I also found the the fully closed damper setting does have some useful use with my Woodstock.

Happy burning,
Bill

 

[Todd]

Wish I had some coals this morning. I let 1 stove go out last night because it was getting too hot upstairs and loaded the other full and unlatched the door to give it a little boost air to get going. Guess what I forgot to do before going to bed? Like a dumbass I left the door unlatched, set the air to .5 and went to bed. I came downstairs to check the stove and it was cold stone. :red:

 

[pen]

Wish I had some coals this morning. I let 1 stove go out last night because it was getting too hot upstairs and loaded the other full and unlatched the door to give it a little boost air to get going. Guess what I forgot to do before going to bed? Like a dumbass I left the door unlatched, set the air to .5 and went to bed. I came downstairs to check the stove and it was cold stone. :red:

ugh. Good thing they are tough stoves.

pen

 

[KevinG]

Since everything was in charcoal stage and on my Keystone there is a tad of unregulated air that makes it's way under the floor grate at all times, I shut the damper down completely - to zero. I've never done this, but I thought if I could preserve the coals, maybe I'd have something to start a fire with this morning - but I had my doubts.

During shoulder season, we do this frequently on both stoves. But the Fireview keeps coals much longer than the 13NC. I suppose this is another benefit of soapstone over steel stoves.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Whoa Todd You lucked out even if you did get cold.


Bill, most times if the temperature will be in high 20's or around 30 if we put wood in the stove it will be only 2 or 3 pieces. No, there is not much left in the morning but the house is really nice and warm yet. We still have not filled our stove even one time this season. Just has not been cold enough yet. We're hoping Todd keeps it over on his side of the pond for a bit longer.

 

[GAMMA RAY]

Wish I had some coals this morning. I let 1 stove go out last night because it was getting too hot upstairs and loaded the other full and unlatched the door to give it a little boost air to get going. Guess what I forgot to do before going to bed? Like a dumbass I left the door unlatched, set the air to .5 and went to bed. I came downstairs to check the stove and it was cold stone. :red:

I am obsessed about that damn door....I check it about 5 times before I leave the house....now I am gonna check it at least 6 times now after reading this post....Todd, one of my fire "Idols" forgot to close it....WTF? There had to be adult beverages included in this situation.... :lol:

 

[Todd]

Wish I had some coals this morning. I let 1 stove go out last night because it was getting too hot upstairs and loaded the other full and unlatched the door to give it a little boost air to get going. Guess what I forgot to do before going to bed? Like a dumbass I left the door unlatched, set the air to .5 and went to bed. I came downstairs to check the stove and it was cold stone. :red:

I am obsessed about that damn door....I check it about 5 times before I leave the house....now I am gonna check it at least 6 times now after reading this post....Todd, one of my fire "Idols" forgot to close it....WTF? There had to be adult beverages included in this situation.... :lol:

Yeah, I got to admit I had a few adult beverages but I think it was more of me just being stupid.

 

[leeave96]

Wish I had some coals this morning. I let 1 stove go out last night because it was getting too hot upstairs and loaded the other full and unlatched the door to give it a little boost air to get going. Guess what I forgot to do before going to bed? Like a dumbass I left the door unlatched, set the air to .5 and went to bed. I came downstairs to check the stove and it was cold stone. :red:

So did the fire just not catch and go out or did it flame out quickly overnight?

I've cought my boys leaving the door cracked just to grab another stick of wood and it is a high offense around here. I'm always worried they or I will get distracted and forget to close the door. It's kind of like my 2 cycle gas can. The rule is - if there is gas in it, there's oil in it too. They're ain't no putting oil in later - else we might forget and I'm looking at a replacement chainsaw. With our luck, if we left the stove door open, we'd probably be looking for a new house.

Bill

 

[pen]

I've cought my boys leaving the door cracked just to grab another stick of wood and it is a high offense around here. I'm always worried they or I will get distracted and forget to close the door. It's kind of like my 2 cycle gas can. The rule is - if there is gas in it, there's oil in it too. They're ain't no putting oil in later - else we might forget and I'm looking at a replacement chainsaw. With our luck, if we left the stove door open, we'd probably be looking for a new house.

Bill

Good rules.

pen

 

[Todd]

It must of flamed out quicker towards the end of the burn. I watched the fire for over an hour and nothing looked to be out of the ordinary. It was a no flame cat burn when I went to bed but when I checked the stove 10 hours later there were no coals at all just fine ash. Just one of those brain farts I have on occasion.