Over fired the insert tonight

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My stove is really seems to control things when the door is closed and the air control is shut. I can't see opening the door, myself.

I can't see jumping out of a plane either, but if it's going to crash.......
 
My stove is really seems to control things when the door is closed and the air control is shut. I can't see opening the door, myself.

It does seem kinda counter-intuitive - I do know, with my stove, on startup when I just barely open the door (holding it at the point where the latch is just touching), the fire takes off and goes like a freight train. That's the sweet spot for starting it up. But open it even an inch further, or even wide open, it seems to stop sucking as much air and calms right down and starts to smoke a bit. Push the door back again (not latched) and it goes wild again. I don't really know why, to be honest. Maybe the way the air streams in faster thru the narrower opening? Dunno. But it's repeatable, 100% of the time. Very interesting the way these things behave....
 
First, change your underwear. Then have a stiff shot slowly consumed while watching the fire.

Next time, let the coal bed die down further before reload. Don't leave the door open on a reload and shut down the air quicker. Don't be afraid to close the air all the way if that gives you more control and it doesn't completely snuff out the fire.

+1 My best overnight burn to date was with the air closed right off. First time I was ever able to do this (to be honest it was the first time I really tried it). Admittedly in a calmer situation, but fwiw it worked well.
 
My stove is really seems to control things when the door is closed and the air control is shut. I can't see opening the door, myself.

I'd say that each stove is going to act differently, and also the chimney. On my Jotul Rockland, the thing burn like crazy with good seasoned wood with the air shut all the way. When you get 900 or so the secondary air holes are blowing like blowtorches, so you dont want to force the secondary air to be the main air, opening the door kills the 'blowtorches' and the incomming air is now room temp and not 'preheated' like the secondary air is. Though a runaway stove with a door wide open is a danger in and of itself! !!! Especially with a big pile E/W ready to roll back out at ya.

My other stove... the chimney draws a lot less (shorter, and single wall uninsulated liner) and to run the stove 'normal' the air is atleast 1/3 open, sometimes towards 1/2 open. If I close the primary air all the way I can usually smolder the fire. Completely different responses. Of course if need be on the freestanding stove I can plug the secondary air intake. Wish I could do that on the Rockland as its the one that takes off really easy, but no luck, no way to block the secondary air that I know of.
 
Well I got home and took off the surround, i put a level on the area of the stove top that was glowing and the flat edge of the level looked good and it was level. I opened the door to the firebox and the tubes were not sagging I put a flat edge up to them and they were fine. The welds in the fire box all looked ok. I did not drop the baffle and tubes. I shook the ss liner where it connects to the insert and it was good and tight and looks normal. I popped the chimney cap off and all looked well, I reached my hand down the liner to about my elbow and just some black dust. So I grabbed some kindling and with new respect for the stove I lit the kindling with the surround off just to monitor the ss liner connection to the appliance and look for anything unusual and all was good. The stove is now cruising at a very nice 475 degree stove top with secondaries kicking with two splits of ash, no smoke coming from the chimney. I usually do not burn only two splits and wont the two ash splits were layed on top of the kindling when it was going good. Whewww Im glad everything is going well again and I think this burner is ready for a cold one. For whats its worth and thankfully nothing real bad happened use my mis-hap as a reminder and burn with common sense this winter, Be Safe and Thank You all.
 
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Well I got home and took off the surround, i put a level on the area of the stove top that was glowing and the flat edge of the level looked good and it was level. I opened the door to the firebox and the tubes were not sagging I put a flat edge up to them and they were fine. The welds in the fire box all looked ok. I did not drop the baffle and tubes. I shook the ss liner where it connects to the insert and it was good and tight and looks normal. I popped the chimney cap off and all looked well, I reached my hand down the liner to about my elbow and just some black dust. So I grabbed some kindling and with new respect for the stove I lit the kindling with the surround off just to monitor the ss liner connection to the appliance and look for anything unusual and all was good. The stove is now cruising at a very nice 475 degree stove top with secondaries kicking with two splits of ash, no smoke coming from the chimney. I usually do not burn only two splits and wont the two ash splits were layed on top of the kindling when it was going good. Whewww Im glad everything is going well again and I think this burner is ready for a cold one. For whats its worth and thankfully nothing real bad happened use my mis-hap as a reminder and burn with common sense this winter, Be Safe and Thank You all.

Thanks Ed for an honest account of the events. And for not blowing up an Osburn ;).
 
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How do you block off the secondary air inlet on an Osburn 2000 should things get out of hand again?
 
Wow Ed. I'll bet that got your heart jump started for sure. Glad it turned out okay in the end. Lesson learned.
 
Wow Ed. I'll bet that got your heart jump started for sure. Glad it turned out okay in the end. Lesson learned.

I had an extra beat in my step today at work for sure, and Thank you BWS. Im burning right now at a nice 500 Degree stove top, house is 74 and its 39 outside right now. I raked the coals forward and it looks like its doing fine, wish I could check the chimney for smoke but its dark, with the secondaries and live flames Im thinking im ok.
 
fwiw Ed, I think folks worry too much about smoke from the chimney. Shoot, I rarely even look at ours.
 
fwiw Ed, I think folks worry too much about smoke from the chimney. Shoot, I rarely even look at ours.

x2, if you're burning good wood I see no reason to pay attention if the stove is acting right.
 
I guess its just me being a newb and trying to do the right thing. I am burning cooler than ever tonight and I can see one thing for sure and thats a good consistant fire between 500 and 600 is better than a quick fire in the 600 to 800 range. Oh and less wood to do it.
 
I guess its just me being a newb and trying to do the right thing. I am burning cooler than ever tonight and I can see one thing for sure and thats a good consistant fire between 500 and 600 is better than a quick fire in the 600 to 800 range. Oh and less wood to do it.

It's to be expected after the excitement you had last night. ;) Don't worry too much about it these stoves can take some pretty good abuse if you get to those temps on rare occasions.
 
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Yep, it's fine. By opening the door you are simply diluting the smoke so it looks better and air has a straight shot up the chimney. Modern EPA stoves have quite a restrictive path(s) for air to enter the stove, w/ the door closed, it may appear that smoke is lingering, but that's fine; it's just waiting to build up enough heat in the firebox for that smoke to be burned by the secondaries.

pen

Not trying to hijack thread.

So if i understand this on a reload close the door and once the smoke gets hot it will start to burn and heat the stove up faster?
 
Not trying to hijack thread.

So if i understand this on a reload close the door and once the smoke gets hot it will start to burn and heat the stove up faster?


Not necessarily saying it will heat the stove up faster(or slower for that matter), just trying to say that leaving the door cracked does nothing but get you closer to having an "oops" evening. Even with the door closed, so long as the stove isn't back drafting, that smoke will burn eventually once things in there get hot enough. It may not look pretty for a time while cracking the door seems to help (read dilution is the solution to pollution), and it may look like it's improving things, but if the fuel is right, and the chimney is appropriate, then the door cracked is not necessary as it will clear itself out in short order anyway.

Bottom line, with good fuel, leaving the door cracked shouldn't be necessary, and the practice of doing such has lead to a good many "holy poo" threads on this site.

Take that for what it's worth.

pen
 
Not necessarily saying it will heat the stove up faster(or slower for that matter), just trying to say that leaving the door cracked does nothing but get you closer to having an "oops" evening. Even with the door closed, so long as the stove isn't back drafting, that smoke will burn eventually once things in there get hot enough. It may not look pretty for a time while cracking the door seems to help(read dilution is the solution to pollution), and it may look like it's improving things, but if the fuel is right, and the chimney is appropriate, then the door cracked is not necessary as it will clear itself out in short order anyway.

Bottom line, with good fuel, leaving the door cracked shouldn't be necessary, and the practice of doing such has lead to a good many "holy poo" threads on this site.

Take that for what it's worth.

pen

Thank you pen just was wondering about that I better understand what you were saying now.
 
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Close call.

For safety, keep some zip lock plastic bags full of sand near your stove/insert. The next time a fire gets away from you, toss the bags in the fire. It will slow things down to a managable level. KD
 
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Not necessarily saying it will heat the stove up faster(or slower for that matter), just trying to say that leaving the door cracked does nothing but get you closer to having an "oops" evening. Even with the door closed, so long as the stove isn't back drafting, that smoke will burn eventually once things in there get hot enough. It may not look pretty for a time while cracking the door seems to help (read dilution is the solution to pollution), and it may look like it's improving things, but if the fuel is right, and the chimney is appropriate, then the door cracked is not necessary as it will clear itself out in short order anyway.

Bottom line, with good fuel, leaving the door cracked shouldn't be necessary, and the practice of doing such has lead to a good many "holy poo" threads on this site.

Take that for what it's worth.

pen

pen - I think you're talking about reloads only if I'm following here, and your post seems like 100% common sense to me. Some manufacturers (including mine) tell you to keep the door open for a short time to get the fire "established". Do you think some of us on the greener side might interpret these instructions to mean "crack the door a bit any time you throw in some fresh splits"? Or am I over-thinking this? Just thinking these manuals maybe could be a bit better in that regard...?
Close call.

For safety, keep some zip lock plastic bags full of sand near your stove/insert. The next time a fire gets away from you, toss the bags in the fire. It will slow things down to a managable level. KD

dk460 - sand - never even thought of that. I always have a pail of sand outside for traction on the ice, etc. but this is a great idea. On a similar note, has anyone ever had to use their fire extinguisher on the stove? I imagine it would have to get pretty bad to get to the point where you're shooting dry chemical onto the fire, but wondering if anyone has any stories to tell..? I keep 2 - 4lb units within close proximity, but thankfully the only action they've seen so far is the occasional inspection / recharge.
 
pen - I think you're talking about reloads if I'm following here

Nope, I'm talking about every time wood is put into the stove. Success with starting with the door closed will hinge on several factors; of them, the need for good, truly seasoned fuel and a good loading strategy or wood arrangement in the stove for the start up.

I say this after reading thread after thread over the years where the operator had the door innocently cracked, and the thread goes on to talk about stove damage, parts of the stove glowing red, starting a chimney fire, etc.

I used to do it as well, but then made changes to my routine and figured out what it took to get the stove to start-up without leaving the door cracked. Just too easy to have one accidental slip up then trouble.

pen
 
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Nope, I'm talking about every time wood is put into the stove. Success with starting with the door closed will hinge on several factors; of them, the need for good, truly seasoned fuel and a good loading strategy or wood arrangement in the stove for the start up.

I say this after reading thread after thread over the years where the operator had the door innocently cracked, and the thread goes on to talk about stove damage, parts of the stove glowing red, starting a chimney fire, etc.

I used to do it as well, but then made changes to my routine and figured out what it took to get the stove to start-up without leaving the door cracked.

pen

thanks very much for the clarification pen. I still crack the door a bit on the start up. But I also had the air completely off for the first time ever last weekend and got one of the best overnight burns to date - so I would say I am still (probably always will be) learning, tweaking, tuning. I think I'll kick this around a bit and see how it works out. Much appreciated...
 
Since my incident I have been reading post about people overfiring and what they did to stop it and one person said to " grab your ash pail and shovel the cold ashes onto your fire to smother it" I thought that was a great idea because we all have an ash recepticle of some kind.
 
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