Rookie

[NWfuel]

We burn the softer woods in the shoulder season if we have any. Mostly oak, ash, red elm, locust, and maple on hand right now.
We are able to cut and split oak, let it sit for 1-3 months and it is pretty dry. How dry?....Dry enough I can light a fire in the stove without any tinder or kindling.
I stack the wood in a way that seems right and light a match. The fire goes and we are warm. No creosote problems. The inside of the stove and firebrick will glow and the stack temp is ~350°F. I like to keep some wet oak for night burns and then burn a hot fire in the morning. We are burning some oak right now that was split about a month ago. It was cut green and very wet. The wood was piled next to the splitter and was brought in the house two days ago. We keep roughly 1/2 cord in the house by the stove. If it is wet when it comes in, it is dry in 3-4 days.

Isaac, Your wood burning methods remind me of my own from many many years ago(30 plus) I recall as I gaze at your picture. I too use to burn green wood, in fact I use to soak dry wood in a 5 gallon bucket of water. I want to thank you for taking me back. Now, you need to hang around here and pay attention to these folks who know what's best when it comes to woodburning. I can tell you are set in your way's but do it for the lad sitting in the rocker. Your stove glass seems to be way too clean for green wood by the way. Welcome to the forum and safe burning.
Thomas

 

[Sprinter]

Isaac, Your wood burning methods remind me of my own from many many years ago(30 plus) I recall as I gaze at your picture. I too use to burn green wood, in fact I use to soak dry wood in a 5 gallon bucket of water. I want to thank you for taking me back. Now, you need to hang around here and pay attention to these folks who know what's best when it comes to woodburning. I can tell you are set in your way's but do it for the lad sitting in the rocker. Your stove glass seems to be way too clean for green wood by the way. Welcome to the forum and safe burning.
Thomas

Thomas, I have to ask, why did you soak dry wood, even back then?

 

[corey21]

Thomas, I have to ask, why did you soak dry wood, even back then?

I am wondering the same thing?

 

[Sprinter]

I am wondering the same thing?

I'm going to guess that it was to get a longer burn time at night with wood that was otherwise too dry. Let's see...

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Thank you very much for the kind words and concern. It is taken to heart.

I do not like to burn green wood. I do use some green oak for overnight burns if it is really cold out because it lasts all night, but I mix in some dry wood.
I split this wood a month ago, but it is dry now. Nothing I can do about it, or would if I could. Our son knows to burn dry wood. He is very good at finding the dry pieces in a pile of mixed wood. We are very safety oriented and give the stove a thorough tear down and cleaning every month or so. The chimney is kept in good condition and clean. We burn the driest wood we have, and this stuff will light with a match. I know there are some who will tell me there is no way it was split a month ago and if it was it is wet, but you (obviously) saw the glass. Pretty observant to notice the "lad in the rocker".

 

[BobUrban]

My only other suggestion to you or anyone else is to keep at least one more of those little red tanks somewhere else besides right next to the stove. Good to have one that close when you are filling the stove I guess but probably not necessary or very useful. In the event of a fire that starts at the stove you would never be able to get to it and then it just becomes a bomb.

I keep one in my bedroom and the other side of the living area where my stove is so that it is actually accessable.

Welcome to the Hearth

 

[NWfuel]

I am wondering the same thing?

Yes, it was to keep the fire going till morning. I did not have Super Cedars back then. In fact the Super Cedars were developed for a resturant that burns green Alder for their salmon smoking. That was in 1978
Thomas

 

[NWfuel]

Thank you very much for the kind words and concern. It is taken to heart.

I do not like to burn green wood. I do use some green oak for overnight burns if it is really cold out because it lasts all night, but I mix in some dry wood.
I split this wood a month ago, but it is dry now. Nothing I can do about it, or would if I could. Our son knows to burn dry wood. He is very good at finding the dry pieces in a pile of mixed wood. We are very safety oriented and give the stove a thorough tear down and cleaning every month or so. The chimney is kept in good condition and clean. We burn the driest wood we have, and this stuff will light with a match. I know there are some who will tell me there is no way it was split a month ago and if it was it is wet, but you (obviously) saw the glass. Pretty observant to notice the "lad in the rocker".

Isaac,

Is that stove a Sweet Home brand?
Thomas

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Isaac,

Is that stove a Sweet Home brand?
Thomas

It is a LOPI Answer. It is a good stove, but I have a few modifications in mind for it. The air intake is weird and gets clogged with ash and does not really preheat the air. I am thinking of putting in some good pipe for the air inlet and run it up the side and then back down to the bottom (all inside the stove) just to preheat the intake air. It would be nice to have a bigger firebox. I also want to put another secondary tube in it. and find a way to preheat the secondary air more. I also plan on putting a smoke door in the fire brick so the smoke will not come out when adding wood. There is maybe an inch of space for the smoke to go up right inside the door and it likes to roll past it when the door is open.

 

[DTrain]

Confused as usual. Going to butt back inand ask a rookie question. It is shoulder season, and I don't need to burn all day or real hot, but the cold is coming and I'm trying to figure out how to get it really rocking now, instead of while my wife is behind me tapping her foot sometime in January. I have a jotul Oslo. I've read a few things about burning efficient and burning long.

I'm stuck at 400-450 stove top. Can anyone give me a run down on what they do to get the stove really pumping out the heat.

1. Light it cold. Small pieces and a few largers one. Leave side door open a bit
2.let it go to about 400, and shut the door
3.Fire slows a bit at full air
4.then I'm lost dont know when to throttle back, I think I'm usually to soon. Secondaries? How when why.

 

[corey21]

Confused as usual. Going to butt back inand ask a rookie question. It is shoulder season, and I don't need to burn all day or real hot, but the cold is coming and I'm trying to figure out how to get it really rocking now, instead of while my wife is behind me tapping her foot sometime in January. I have a jotul Oslo. I've read a few things about burning efficient and burning long.

I'm stuck at 400-450 stove top. Can anyone give me a run down on what they do to get the stove really pumping out the heat.

1. Light it cold. Small pieces and a few largers one. Leave side door open a bit
2.let it go to about 400, and shut the door
3.Fire slows a bit at full air
4.then I'm lost dont know when to throttle back, I think I'm usually to soon. Secondaries? How when why.

If you wait till 400 stove top before closing the door then that is half the problem.

 

[Sprinter]

Confused as usual. Going to butt back inand ask a rookie question. It is shoulder season, and I don't need to burn all day or real hot, but the cold is coming and I'm trying to figure out how to get it really rocking now, instead of while my wife is behind me tapping her foot sometime in January. I have a jotul Oslo. I've read a few things about burning efficient and burning long.

I'm stuck at 400-450 stove top. Can anyone give me a run down on what they do to get the stove really pumping out the heat.

1. Light it cold. Small pieces and a few largers one. Leave side door open a bit
2.let it go to about 400, and shut the door
3.Fire slows a bit at full air
4.then I'm lost dont know when to throttle back, I think I'm usually to soon. Secondaries? How when why.

This is my first season with an EPA stove also (also a non-cat) and maybe I can share my learning experience.

First, you shouldn't have to keep the door open for more than a few minutes if you have good wood and good draft. Only long enough for the fire to get a good start and continue to build with the stove's air system. I don't usually have to keep it open at all if I start it well. The fire will actually burn better with the stove's air circulation anyway. With the door open even just a bit, the stove is acting more like an open fireplace. All the heat just flushes up the chimney instead of heating the stove and secondaries.

When you close the door, keep the throttle full open until the stovetop reaches a temperature that indicates the secondaries are hot enough to work and the flue is hot enough to prevent creosote condensation.

For me, 300 is about right to start to throttle back a little. Others may wait a little longer. Then start to throttle back a bit a time. Go down a notch then wait til the fire recovers a bit, then again until you reach where you want it to cruise. When you throttle back, you should see the secondary burning at the top. Go for a stovetop temp around 500-600 or so depending. Then don't reload until its all fairly small coals and temp has fallen to maybe 300 or so. Again, depending. Coals burn cleanly. Read some more threads here about reloading, also.

It's a bit of an art because stoves and circumstances are different, so you will see many different methods, but if you understand that the goal (a goal) is to keep the secondaries hot, that will go a long way.

And remember the key. Dry wood.

 

[Sprinter]

Also, I would encourage you to read the threads in this collection. It's a sticky containing a whole lot of particularly good threads that will help you to get a handle on this stuff.https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...lem-stoves-air-is-restricted-faq-about.59225/

 

[DTrain]

Also, I would encourage you to read the threads in this collection. It's a sticky containing a whole lot of particularly good threads that will help you to get a handle on this stuff.https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...lem-stoves-air-is-restricted-faq-about.59225/

Thanks. That gives me something to go on.

 

[firefighterjake]

Confused as usual. Going to butt back inand ask a rookie question. It is shoulder season, and I don't need to burn all day or real hot, but the cold is coming and I'm trying to figure out how to get it really rocking now, instead of while my wife is behind me tapping her foot sometime in January. I have a jotul Oslo. I've read a few things about burning efficient and burning long.

I'm stuck at 400-450 stove top. Can anyone give me a run down on what they do to get the stove really pumping out the heat.

1. Light it cold. Small pieces and a few largers one. Leave side door open a bit
2.let it go to about 400, and shut the door
3.Fire slows a bit at full air
4.then I'm lost dont know when to throttle back, I think I'm usually to soon. Secondaries? How when why.

Well, this is what I do from a cold start.

1. I load it up with the bigger splits or rounds on bottom, medium splits in the middle and kindling on top . . . topped with some crumpled newspaper, pine cones or Super Cedar chunk. Light and keep side door ajar.

2. Wait . . . I typically wait until my probe style thermo gets into the "safe" zone before shutting the side door . . . usually 10 minutes or so . . . sometimes a bit longer.

3. Wait . . . as long as the fire is burning along merrily . . . I will then start to reduce the air . . . dropping it down a quarter mark at a time. Oftentimes the fire will get a little subdued and then will start burning strong again . . . after 10 minutes or so I'll cut back the air to the half way mark and wait . . . and keep doing this until the secondaries are burning strongly, the fire near the wood is "lazy" and the temp in the probe has stabilized while the temp on the stove has continued to go up.

You'll often know you're doing well when you can hear the "sound of heat" . . . the pinging of the metal warming up . . . or you can simply sit in front of the Oslo and feel that sweet heat radiating at you like staring at Ol' Sol.

In any case, I like thermos . . . both on the stove and on (or in . . . in the case of double wall stove pipe) the pipe . . . and truthfully I tend to use the thermo in the stove pipe more than the one on the stove. It's what works for me.

 

[DTrain]

Well, this is what I do from a cold start.

1. I load it up with the bigger splits or rounds on bottom, medium splits in the middle and kindling on top . . . topped with some crumpled newspaper, pine cones or Super Cedar chunk. Light and keep side door ajar.

2. Wait . . . I typically wait until my probe style thermo gets into the "safe" zone before shutting the side door . . . usually 10 minutes or so . . . sometimes a bit longer.

3. Wait . . . as long as the fire is burning along merrily . . . I will then start to reduce the air . . . dropping it down a quarter mark at a time. Oftentimes the fire will get a little subdued and then will start burning strong again . . . after 10 minutes or so I'll cut back the air to the half way mark and wait . . . and keep doing this until the secondaries are burning strongly, the fire near the wood is "lazy" and the temp in the probe has stabilized while the temp on the stove has continued to go up.

You'll often know you're doing well when you can hear the "sound of heat" . . . the pinging of the metal warming up . . . or you can simply sit in front of the Oslo and feel that sweet heat radiating at you like staring at Ol' Sol.

In any case, I like thermos . . . both on the stove and on (or in . . . in the case of double wall stove pipe) the pipe . . . and truthfully I tend to use the thermo in the stove pipe more than the one on the stove. It's what works for me.

Good advice. Need to be more patient. So far I'm getting better results. The stove gets going on its own. We still only tickle 500 for awhile and cruise at 400. It's been mild in MA the last couple days. Might be high 30s at night. Could draft be preventing me running longer at high temps.

 

[firewoodjunky]

Good advice. Need to be more patient. So far I'm getting better results. The stove gets going on its own. We still only tickle 500 for awhile and cruise at 400. It's been mild in MA the last couple days. Might be high 30s at night. Could draft be preventing me running longer at high temps.

I just cruised back through this thread, so maybe I missed it, but I don't believe you gave a chimney height. I'm burning in the same area (albeit with a cat vs a secondary stove) with a chimney height of about 25 feet and I am not having any drafting issues at all during the weather that we have been having. I would lean towards your wood not being quite seasoned enough. It's not the end of the world, just don't judge your stove's performance based on this year and keep a keen eye on that chimney for creosote build up. Your situation doesn't sound awful, so need to panic, I'm am just a big fan of an ounce of prevention, especially when it comes to having a fire in my house

If you have a reasonable pitch on your roof and don't mind going up there, I would just run a brush through it this week, or next, and see what kind of build up your getting.

 

[DTrain]

I just cruised back through this thread, so maybe I missed it, but I don't believe you gave a chimney height. I'm burning in the same area (albeit with a cat vs a secondary stove) with a chimney height of about 25 feet and I am not having any drafting issues at all during the weather that we have been having. I would lean towards your wood not being quite seasoned enough. It's not the end of the world, just don't judge your stove's performance based on this year and keep a keen eye on that chimney for creosote build up. Your situation doesn't sound awful, so need to panic, I'm am just a big fan of an ounce of prevention, especially when it comes to having a fire in my house

If you have a reasonable pitch on your roof and don't mind going up there, I would just run a brush through it this week, or next, and see what kind of build up your getting.

It's about 20'. It's a masonry chimney with ss pipe to beginning of flue. 8x10 flue? I think that's what the installer said. But that was a while back. When I watch the chimney after starting the fire it goes from dark grey smoke to white to clear vapors. I hope the draft is ok. My last cord of wood is "seasoned" says the fella that dropped it off. And it is certainly seasoned more than my 10 month stuff I processed after moving in last fall.

I haven't had the, hmmm, fortitude to get off the ladder onto the roof. It's a cape with a full dormer in back. What kind of brush would I used, how far down should I need to get to know how it looks.

 

[firewoodjunky]

If you are not comfortable going on the roof - don't do it. The "sooteater" gets a ton of good reviews on this site. You can use that from the bottom up. Or just hire a sweep. So just to be sure, you have stainless going from the stove into a masonry chimey?

I am pretty sure that the Oslo is set up for a six inch flue, I am sure an Oslo owner will chime in to confirm or deny that. If that is the case, you could be having some draft issues. Let's see if an Oslo owner will add to this by tomorrow, if not I will do some research on your stove and we'll see if we can figure it out.

Clear vapors is good - your secondaries are firing off and cleaning up the smoke. So that's a positive. For your first year I think that your doing pretty darn good, so don't sweat things too much.

While I don't want to disparage your wood seller, most of the wood that is sold as seasoned would fit the definition of "green" to people on this site. I am not saying that they lied or anything but most wood sellers aren't going to single stack for one to three years. People wouldn't pay what it is worth for that kind of time/effort requirement. Retail wood sale is a tough business as it is without single stacking, seasoning for a time period like that.

Have you tried a packet of kiln dried wood in your stove? That is the cheapest/easiest way to determine if it is a wood vs draft issue.

 

[rijim]

I wouldn't worry just yet; your draft is going to be tough with the 8 x 10 flue. When it gets a little colder out you may see a difference; is the chimney internal to the house or on the outside and do you plan to burn 24/7. You may find it necessary to sleeve a SS liner inside the existing chimney to get better draft as the newer stoves are finicky. If you chimney runs through the center of the house and/ or you burn 24/7 you may be able to keep the flue warm enough to induce good draft; time will tell. I have the little brother to the Oslo and can tell you it has to have dry wood and my chimney is at the bare minimum so until temps get below 40 my draft isn't ideal. With dry wood and outside temps down say 35 and lower my stove top temp will be at 500-600 at peak burn ( air control at 1/4 or closed completely) and 400-450 during most of the coal stage. When temps are around 40 or above I have to keep door open for a while to get it going (the air adjust never goes below 1/2); get to maybe 450 with secondary burn but not the raging secondaries I get when colder.

 

[DTrain]

If you are not comfortable going on the roof - don't do it. The "sooteater" gets a ton of good reviews on this site. You can use that from the bottom up. Or just hire a sweep. So just to be sure, you have stainless going from the stove into a masonry chimey?

I am pretty sure that the Oslo is set up for a six inch flue, I am sure an Oslo owner will chime in to confirm or deny that. If that is the case, you could be having some draft issues. Let's see if an Oslo owner will add to this by tomorrow, if not I will do some research on your stove and we'll see if we can figure it out.

Yep I've got stove pipe to a tee and ss up to the flue. The chimney is at the end of the house and is ony exposed at the second story. A sunroom protects the lower portion. I have built smaller fires and have achieved hotter fires in this weather but reload often. I hit 600 today. More air in the box? Perhaps that is why.

Clear vapors is good - your secondaries are firing off and cleaning up the smoke. So that's a positive. For your first year I think that your doing pretty darn good, so don't sweat things too much.

While I don't want to disparage your wood seller, most of the wood that is sold as seasoned would fit the definition of "green" to people on this site. I am not saying that they lied or anything but most wood sellers aren't going to single stack for one to three years. People wouldn't pay what it is worth for that kind of time/effort requirement. Retail wood sale is a tough business as it is without single stacking, seasoning for a time period like that.

Have you tried a packet of kiln dried wood in your stove? That is the cheapest/easiest way to determine if it is a wood vs draft issue.

 

[DTrain]

I wouldn't worry just yet; your draft is going to be tough with the 8 x 10 flue. When it gets a little colder out you may see a difference; is the chimney internal to the house or on the outside and do you plan to burn 24/7. You may find it necessary to sleeve a SS liner inside the existing chimney to get better draft as the newer stoves are finicky. If you chimney runs through the center of the house and/ or you burn 24/7 you may be able to keep the flue warm enough to induce good draft; time will tell. I have the little brother to the Oslo and can tell you it has to have dry wood and my chimney is at the bare minimum so until temps get below 40 my draft isn't ideal. With dry wood and outside temps down say 35 and lower my stove top temp will be at 500-600 at peak burn ( air control at 1/4 or closed completely) and 400-450 during most of the coal stage. When temps are around 40 or above I have to keep door open for a while to get it going (the air adjust never goes below 1/2); get to maybe 450 with secondary burn but not the raging secondaries I get when colder.

Your descriptions make me feel a little better. Sounds similar to mine, you temps maybe a touch higher. Question. The air control. Folks say theirs is at 1/4 or closed, do you shut it down and see temps rise after that or do you close it off when that temp is reached.

 

[rijim]

Sometimes with high winds and/or very cold temps stove top temps will climb past 600 at 1/4 and I have to shut it down completely. I shut it down once it crosses 500 approaching 550; it will cruise up to 600 or so. On 2 occasions it continued to climb as high as 700 both times were my fault, the first was because I reloaded on too hot a bed of coals then gave it too much air (should have gone right to 1/4); the second I waited until 600 to shut it down and it was cold and windy out the draft was really strong. The pucker factor was high both times, I cranked the fan to max blowing on the stove the added a second pot of water, first time I found the air intake on the bottom back center and decided if it hit 750 I was stuffing foil in there; it held at 700 for about an hour then eased up some.
Hope you don't have to add a liner, just watch the top of your chimney once you get the stove above 400, you should not see any smoke. There are some here that have the same stove that can give you stove top numbers; try doing a search on the Oslo you man find that info. If you can't get the stove unto temp it is usually moisture content of wood, draft, or house too tight and needs make up air from outside; these are the three most common.
Good luck.

 

[Caruso293]

I think I'm in the same situation as you. Just got my stove Lopi Freedom Bay 2 weeks ago. Had partially seasoned oak (3-4 months) delivered in the winter last season. ( Seasoned for a total of roughy 15 months) Thought it was going to be ready for this season until I joined this group and read of the 2-3 year seasoning period for oak. Does anyone out use a Rutland stove top thermometer. I just got one and my gut is that it is reading higher than it should be. Anyways I have a moisture meter coming in early next week. I bought the same one from another post on this thread from amazon. I'm curious to see just how unseasoned my oak is. I will make a decision on whether or not to buy some properly seasoned wood after I find what my wood is at. I have several oaks I'm taking down this year which should give me 2-3 seasons of wood. Now I have to work on my stack as you are for the next couple of years. I thought all this splitting and stacking was going to be pain, but I am actually enjoying it. Good luck with your new stove.

 

[DTrain]

Congrats on the stove. This is my second stove. First was an old vc resolute. But only burned for fun in a three season room. This time I'm trying for all wood heat. I had 1 cord dropped off. I figured I better just leave the oak alone and wait for it. Can't wait to see how proper stuff will burn. I tore down all my stack with we're log cabin style stacks in a big square. Now it's all in single row. 3.5 cords worth. One cord had to be moved about 50 yards to the other side of my property. Man, that first beer after tasted real good! Processing wood is fun and a great work out. I have been hand bucking wih an old one man crosscut saw, and splitting with a maul and wedges. Good luck, we've got far more to learn!