Break-in report

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Oct 26, 2023
83
sw va
Over the last 6 burns I've been building the fire larger and larger each time.
Tonight I reach my hottest temps (thermo gun aimed at the metal frame just below the glass.
It read 560F. I know these thermo guns are just 'good' estimates.
The rear of the stove reached 160 degrees.
The top hit 350F
The flue hit 250F until I closed the damper (it has holes in it so it's never really completely closed) and shut the air supply
to minimum. 20 min's later the double wall stove pipe calmed down to 170F. On the floor above the chimney pipe hit 120F, the hardwood floor
two inches away hit 82F.
The sheet rock behind the stove (stove placed in a corner) at the corners hit 110F.
Compared to my other stove at the other house (an Avalon insert) the Osburn starts faster, incredibly better draft (so incredible I'm super thankful
to Begreen for suggesting the damper), I can start the Super Cedar+kindling+a log or two and immedietly close the door knowing it will run.
6 burns and glass is still clean too :)
I can open the door at any time during the burn, even just after startup and no smoke enters the room. Everytime with the Avelon I'd at least get a small puff of smoke even slooooooowly cracking the door.

In our install, since it is in a basement which wasn't always finished and the ceiling is insulated (but the basement walls are not), this stove is truly an area heater and we've learned in those 6 burns that a small amount of wood easy gets the whole living area of the basement to 75F; so very economical , at least in my mind. That 560F temp was obtained with just a handful of small kindling (thumb thickness/cedar), 6 pieces of wristsize kindling (hemlock) and 2 split logs (birch) and one little wood fuel block (Gren from Rural King). The firebox capacity was my guess 20% taken up by wood at the beginning.
Via radiation the stove will slowly heat the rest of the house I understand and there is a stairwell in the middle of the basement. Stand at the top of those stairs and feel the heat rising. In the basement proper we have two ceiling fans mixing the air well.

OK that's my report on the Osburn Matrix so far.
p.s. the wife coming down the stairs said outloud 'that is a good looking stove' :)