Any thoughts on leaving door open for "ambience fire"?

[TradEddie]

At the weekend, I forgot to close the door after reloading my Lopi Freedom, and was in utter confusion as I tried to turn down the air, yet failed to see any rise in temperatures beyond about 350F. I eventually realized what was happening, but was impressed by the pleasant appearance of the fire. We're having friends over for dinner for the holidays, but the insert is beside the dinner table and having it running normally would make things too cozy for eating a big meal, however I wondered if I would be doing any damage to anything by leaving the door open, getting nice flames, but not too much heat.

TE

 

[ColdNH]

my personal opinion is that its a waste of wood, but whatever floats your boat. you may want to get a screen kit to protect against flying embers

 

[Jags]

Some stoves do have an optional screen. I originally bought a screen for my Isle Royale, but returned it unused. Didn't like the concept. I don't know that I would assume that every stove can be safely run with the doors wide open. Your manual should specify if a screen option was available.

 

[dougand3]

Check your manual. I've read in Lopi Freedom Bay manual..."Open the door for refueling only, do not operate with the door open or removed."

 

[Ashful]

Yep. VC goes farther, to state you can burn the 2-in-1's open on an 8" flue, but not on a 6" flue. My Jotul, despite being a large stove, is rated for burning open with a 6" flue.

It's nice for ambiance, and does use more wood, but it also throws a lot of radiant heat! Sitting in front of the stove, you might find yourself just as warm with the doors open as with them closed, although other rooms in your house will surely get colder due to the increased draft.

 

[TradEddie]

Did someone suggest RTFM? Actually it does say keep doors closed, but obviously for sparks etc.
Not talking about fully open door, just leaving it cracked like you do when reloading. Absolutely a waste of wood, but looks very nice. No chance of over-firing, all that air flow is keeping the thing cool, but it might get interesting if I closed it suddenly.

My old slammer had a screen, you couldn't get it to draft worth a damn, good way to put the fire out.

TE

 

[begreen]

Beware of shooting embers, even through a 1" space. Some species of wood shoot sparks pretty regularly. You don't want this to turn into an "ambulance fire".

 

[corey21]

Beware of shooting embers, even through a 1" space. Some species of wood shoot sparks pretty regularly. You don't want this to turn into an "ambulance fire".

+1 watch out for embers.

 

[ScotO]

Did someone suggest RTFM? Actually it does say keep doors closed, but obviously for sparks etc.
Not talking about fully open door, just leaving it cracked like you do when reloading. Absolutely a waste of wood, but looks very nice. No chance of over-firing, all that air flow is keeping the thing cool, but it might get interesting if I closed it suddenly.

My old slammer had a screen, you couldn't get it to draft worth a damn, good way to put the fire out.

TE

just be careful when leaving the doors ajar, as this can 'turbocharge' the fire and cause an overfire situation.......or worse! You are better off with the doors the whole way open than leaving the doors cracked open, if I'm not mistaken. That is the main reason we bought the optional screen for my Napoleon NZ3000 fireplace. Looking forward to using it once the fireplace is finished!

 

[jharkin]

just be careful when leaving the doors ajar, as this can 'turbocharge' the fire and cause an overfire situation.......or worse! You are better off with the doors the whole way open than leaving the doors cracked open, if I'm not mistaken. That is the main reason we bought the optional screen for my Napoleon NZ3000 fireplace. Looking forward to using it once the fireplace is finished!

Yup, the venturi effect at work - the flue draws a certain volume of air, the smaller the opening it has to draw through the faster the velocity. If the cracked door flow blows right at the fire it can act like a forge bellows.

Its a neat trick for fast start up but you have to be careful.

 

[eclecticcottage]

Yup, the venturi effect at work - the flue draws a certain volume of air, the smaller the opening it has to draw through the faster the velocity. If the cracked door flow blows right at the fire it can act like a forge bellows.

Its a neat trick for fast start up but you have to be careful.

One of my fav restart methods with few coals and no kindling...you can hear it.


We have the screen from the Fisher that was here, somehow it fits the Lopi. Used it a few times but the stove doesn't prefer it and it doesn't burn well really.

 

[jharkin]

One of my fav restart methods with few coals and no kindling...you can hear it.

Works even better with the ashpan door on a VC... but that is dangerous.. Basically turns into a forge.


This morning I put in a half load around 7am.... and then let it burn out, got rather warm outside. Around 7pm the house was finally cooling and I decide to relight, griddle thermo says 150... open the damper and air - just black in the window. Cant be done eh? So I stir the ashes and find some black coals, pile them up in the middle on the grate, open the ash pan...

And in about 2 minutes the coal bed light up and started to roar. I tossed 3 splits on, closed the ash pan and left the door cracked to let it take off, and a half hour later had a full load in and cruising.

 

[Treacherous]

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[eclecticcottage]

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Just in case anyone is interested, the screen for the Endeavor does NOT fit the Republic (at least the stove version, don't know about the insert). I don't know why, but we actually tried it at the stove shop and it wouldn't fit. The salesman was baffled. It fit their Endeavor just fine though.

 

[TradEddie]

Of course the fire burns like a blast furnace, but all that heat is going up the flue. I've accidentally seen what happens, stovetop doesn't go over 350. Closing the door suddenly might be another matter.

BTW, venturi effect is the counter-intuitive effect that results in a reduction of pressure when the velocity increases. This allows pressure to create suction, as in a water jet pump, or carburetor.

TE

 

[DanCorcoran]

Of course the fire burns like a blast furnace, but all that heat is going up the flue. I've accidentally seen what happens, stovetop doesn't go over 350. Closing the door suddenly might be another matter.

BTW, venturi effect is the counter-intuitive effect that results in a reduction of pressure when the velocity increases. This allows pressure to create suction, as in a water jet pump, or carburetor.

TE

Or, as in the lower pressure on the top of an aircraft wing (due to higher velocity needed for the air to travel over the curved upper surface), which results in pressure from below the wing lifting the plane (we hope, as we look out the aircraft window).

 

[FanMan]

My stove (an old 1970s steel plate stove) has, or had, flexible chain curtains inside the doors, presumably to be slid closed when burning with the doors open. Opening the doors means a huge increase in the radiant heat into the room, but it also means the smoke alarms will be going off in a few minutes. I finally took the curtains out; they just got in the way.

 

[BrotherBart]

If you want an ambiance fire pick up a small fireplace screen at Lowe's that will cover the door opening and sit it on the ash lip. You ain't gonna over fire the thing with the door off. You won't even be able to get it very hot. You will run the risk of smoke coming out the top of the door opening because of the exhaust exit being at the front of the baffle.

Put three pieces of wood in it. Put the screen in place and enjoy dinner.