Burning down coals

[Bagelboy]

Loving my Osburn 2400 insert. It took me a while to get used to an EPA stove, having burned the last 30 years in an older Jotul cat stove. The thing I find trying to burn down coals is I have to pull the coals forward, crack the door a bit, and pull the air out half way. It will maintain temp for the hour I do this and it really burns down the coals. The question I have is the air control. If I open it all the way, will the stove allow all the heat to go up the chimney? I have tried to just rake the coals forward, door closed, and open the air all the way, but it does not really burn them down as well! Suggestions?

 

[northwinds]

What works for me is to place a piece of softwood on top of the coal pile, close the door and open the air. The coals burn down
quickly and the stovetop temp will increase quite a bit.

 

[JBinKC]

To facilitate burning down a large coal pile use a poor coaling wood in your next burn cycle if you have it. The other option is to remove the coals and use them outdoors for a camp style dutch oven.

Otherwise you are doing the third best option rake the coals forward and use full air and periodically remove the ash build up.

 

[etiger2007]

Try opening your air all the way when you have a lot of coals and the stove is hot, this will keep stove temps steady as you burn down the coals.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

If I am coaling, when the stove top drops to 275f or so, I pull forward or mound in front of the dog house and open air fully.. am I sending a bit more heat up the flue? Probably, but my stove top will climb back to +300f and go back to cruising.. and in our house, a 300f top will hold the temperature of the house at least steady all day. If I need to try to get the pile down quicker, throwing a small chunk of really dry wood on top will help a lot...

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Loving my Osburn 2400 insert. It took me a while to get used to an EPA stove, having burned the last 30 years in an older Jotul cat stove. The thing I find trying to burn down coals is I have to pull the coals forward, crack the door a bit, and pull the air out half way. It will maintain temp for the hour I do this and it really burns down the coals. The question I have is the air control. If I open it all the way, will the stove allow all the heat to go up the chimney? I have tried to just rake the coals forward, door closed, and open the air all the way, but it does not really burn them down as well! Suggestions?

If you open it all the way, the stove will usually hold its temperature while burning down the coals and that is what you want at this point. It might send more heat up the chimney but our thermometer does not bear this out. We will, once the fire has reached the all coaling point or just a tad before that, open the draft wide open. This does hold the stove temperature for quite some time (but have never timed it) while burning down the coals.

 

[etiger2007]

If you open it all the way, the stove will usually hold its temperature while burning down the coals and that is what you want at this point. It might send more heat up the chimney but our thermometer does not bear this out. We will, once the fire has reached the all coaling point or just a tad before that, open the draft wide open. This does hold the stove temperature for quite some time (but have never timed it) while burning down the coals.

Ive been doing this for awhile now and it works great, thanks Dennis. Its ok to keep the stack warm especially in sub zero temps.

 

[Sully]

I have same stove, i find best way to burn coals is let the cycles do what they do. The other day I tried to load to often and by night time I was loaded with coals. I have just been loading and burning the same way I would any other day and the coals are fine. At the end if a full load I will put in two logs,which usually will bring up temp around 600, I will let that go for awhile before next big load. Really helps with coals. I know on these cold days when you see temp gauge starting to drop fast it's hard to not want to add wood but with my stove I've noticed that as it drops from 600 to 250 the house usually warms up. Seems like the cool down releases a lot if warm air Into home. Also with my 2400 if I load before 250 or 200 it gets to 800 plus quick. This stove holds some heat and likes to burn hot. I'm still experimenting with different ways of loading. Also a tip. I've noticed that the auto fan will shut off sooner when ash is piled up on right side. I have been keeping that clear on load ups. Actually the other day it had switched off and while I was removing some ash that was packed tight on that side it fired back up once clear.