30 NC concerns

[ruffrider]

So I purchased and am using it right now. I have a concern about it though. I need to keep the damper open about half way. If I close the damper (push the rod in all the way) the fire seems to look like it dies out. The flame slowly dies out but idk if it is still going or not. The house is only 1300 sq ft. I really hope I made a good decision??????

Please let me know what is going on.

 

[begreen]

Two possible issues are poorly seasoned wood or weak draft. When was the wood split and stacked? How tall is the flue system from stove top to chimney cap?

 

[ruffrider]

Well the wood was bought in March 2015 cut in March. Split in August and stacked in mid October. The chimney is about 20 feet.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like the wood is not seasoned. It doesn't start drying until it's been split and stacked. Get yourself a couple bundles of store bought wood and try them out. I think you will see a nice change.

 

[ruffrider]

Hope so. Why did you ask about how tall the flu system is?

 

[begreen]

The 30NC needs at least 15ft of 6" chimney to draft well. Is the chimney straight up, or up then out the side wall, then up the chimney?

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah the wood isn't seasoned enough. Also what makes you think you need to close the air control all the way? Adjust the air control to the burn you want. That is what it is there for.

 

[brenndatomu]

Also, what is the temp there right now? May be too warm to have good draft. But I'm bettin the main issue is wood is wet...

 

[ruffrider]

Temp is 50 out now I might have another prob. I went and found some dry wood split and stacked last Oct. And now it looks like the front plate where the door is bowed up. Right in the middle. Stove temp is 600 pipe temp 400. The pipe comes out stove then 90 then pipe to cement wall then chimney

 

[Highbeam]

Temp is 50 out now I might have another prob. I went and found some dry wood split and stacked last Oct. And now it looks like the front plate where the door is bowed up. Right in the middle. Stove temp is 600 pipe temp 400. The pipe comes out stove then 90 then pipe to cement wall then chimney

I have that stove and 19' of all vertical chimney. With popcorn fart dry softwood I can still never close the damper. My low setting is tip of spring even with edge of ash lip.

The front plate is bowed up? I did melt the thin airwash plate at the top of the door but it sagged down.

 

[ruffrider]

Now pipe is 400 and stove 700 y????????

 

[begreen]

Did you leave the air open somewhat? It's a willing heater given dry fuel.

 

[Highbeam]

Now pipe is 400 and stove 700 y????????

Pretty normal. You can now engage the blowers.

 

[ruffrider]

Really this stove can handle 700 as a stove temp??? Wow that's awesome. How can I post an image on here? It is saying the image is too large.

 

[Huntindog1]

A good source of kindling to help restarts on reloads if your wood is subpar.

 

[BCC_Burner]

With a full load of good, dry firewood, the 30 will happily sit between 700-775 for 2-3 hours after a reload, then coast down from there. Just keep the stove top temp under 800 and you'll be fine, it's a stoutly built plate steel stove, but it is picky when it comes to dry wood.

I have my 30 hooked up to a 14 foot chimney with 2 45's and a T, and while my draft isn't stellar, I get strong secondary combustion with the air control mostly closed. I never close it all the way, but usually run it with the spring handle in line with the edge of the ash lip, similar to Highbeam. I think I may closed it all the way once when it was about -10F and windy out.

I struggled my first winter with wet wood and the short stack, but now that I'm in 2 year CSS pine, fir and soft maple, the stove and I are both very happy.

 

[Highbeam]

Really this stove can handle 700 as a stove temp??? Wow that's awesome. How can I post an image on here? It is saying the image is too large.

Plate steel stoves are typically limited to 800 degrees stove top temp measured on the hottest spot which is right in the middle of the sloped part of the little step on the NC30. The manuals usually also say something like "no part of the stove shall glow red". I actually have a hard time keeping the stove clean burning AND below 600. It seems to need to be hot to be clean at least until we are down to coals.

If your images are too large then you need to shrink them. I easily post images using the little "upload a file" button.

 

[ruffrider]

How do I resize image that I have.

 

[ruffrider]

Can someone show me the plate right in the front where door opens right in the middle exactly in line with ash clean out??? It's a plate that runs the width of the stove. And it's really close to the door. Mine looks like it has bowed up.

 

[begreen]

How can I post an image on here? It is saying the image is too large.

How do I resize image that I have.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/putting-images-into-your-forums-posts.87212/

 

[Highbeam]

Can someone show me the plate right in the front where door opens right in the middle exactly in line with ash clean out??? It's a plate that runs the width of the stove. And it's really close to the door. Mine looks like it has bowed up.

At the bottom of the door opening or the top? The plate on the bottom is known to bow up but will lay down when the stove cools.

 

[ruffrider]

Ohhhhhh OK because that is what it exactly did. It rose up when it got really hot when I left this morning it looked like it went down.

 

[Highbeam]

Ohhhhhh OK because that is what it exactly did. It rose up when it got really hot when I left this morning it looked like it went down.

As long as the welds hold and no cracks form you should be fine. I don't like metal moving like that but I suppose that's the design. You'll also notice that if you shut the door on a hot stove or just verify that it's shut good, when you open that door the next day after the stove has cooled that the door has gotten really tight on the latch. The expansion of the steel stove actually loosens the door latch.

Both the droopy airwash plate and the bowing bottom plate by the doghouse have gotten less apparent as the stove ages. Maybe it sort of settles in.

I do not leave the stove at full throttle for very long. It can be reduced pretty quickly without a change to the fire.

 

[ruffrider]

That is the plate I'm talking about does everybody see the rise in it

 

[ruffrider]

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