I am having a problem with excessive coals when burning hickory. I have a Pacific Energy Vista insert that heats my house just fine when burning oak, maple, cherry and ash. I burn cut slab wood, few pieces over 3 inches thick, most 2 or less. The hickory was stacked in my sunny side yard last April and just covered on the top all summer. This has worked very well for the other species for the last 7 years. The hickory seems very dry and does not spit or sizzle when I put it in the stove. There is no soot buildup on the glass and it appears to burn very clean but the coals that remain are twice what I got with the other woods. The Vista is a small stove and I usually burn with the air fully open and maintain a temp on the side-mounted thermometer of 450 to 550. Do I need to do something different with hickory?
Burning hickory
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Prof
Minister of Fire
I have the same issue with burning hickory--it just produces a ton of coals. I open the air up, rake the coals to the front, and put a couple of small pieces on top of the coal bed. This will help burn it down. For this reason, I only use hickory for over-night burns.
I agree that Hickory does produce some coaling, but for me it is usually no more than Oak or maybe lightly more.
I did notice it takes damn long to dry.
Stacked since last April indicates it is no where near dry enough, and is prolly the reason for the excess coals.
I did notice it takes damn long to dry.
Stacked since last April indicates it is no where near dry enough, and is prolly the reason for the excess coals.
Hmm - well, I'm not convinced that your wood (hickory and others) are really dry. 6-9 months split ready to burn? Your running with the air fully open is the second clue - you should be able to get the fire established and then dial the air down and let the secondaries (and heat) flow.
I always have the same issue with hickory (and cherry, for some reason) even when dried under cover for 3 years. It just seems to gassify less and coal more than just about everything else I burn. It really only a problem for me because the coals don't always burn hot enough to burn down with the air closed, so in the am I'll have a lot of black coals to revive. In comparison, locust is another dense wood that coals a lot but the coals burn hot even with the air closed.
I do agree that having to have your air wide open in a modern stove is a possible sign of wood that isn't seasoned enough, which will also lead to more coals.
I do agree that having to have your air wide open in a modern stove is a possible sign of wood that isn't seasoned enough, which will also lead to more coals.
I have the same issue aborning hickory, and mine has been cut, split and staked for two years with good readings on the moisture meter. Mind you, it's being burned in a useless quadrafire 4300, but I still get way more coals and less flame with hickory than with, say, red oak. for overnight burns it does a nice job, but I'll take seasoned red or white oak a over seasoned hickory asked. this could very well be a function of the quad 4300, Which is useless. You'd be better off lighting a few candles and trying to heat your house with a useless quad 4300. And then I'm going to tell you how I really feel about the useless quad 4300. I'm RichG, and I approved this message.
Prof
Minister of Fire
shoot-straight
Minister of Fire
Posted a thread on the same subject last year. Everyone said- you're wood isn't seasoned enough. So it put it away for another year. Tried it lately, same result.
No more hick for me. Hard to split and don't care for the way it burns.
No more hick for me. Hard to split and don't care for the way it burns.
Paulywalnut
Minister of Fire
I don't let heavy coaling get me down. large coals really put out some heat. I will pull the coals forward
and then put new pieces behind creating a lot of heat.
and then put new pieces behind creating a lot of heat.
Phoenix Hatchling
Minister of Fire
I see you also have a Quad! Wonderful aren't they? Hot hot hot especially with seasoned hickory don't you think? Enjoy yours for a good long useful life !
I have great luck with hickory. Sure, it coals, but it produces unreal heat in the first two hours of the burn, and the coals pour heat out for a long time afterwards. Perhaps you are trying to advance the burn cycle for your stove too much? Or it could be that you need another year of seasoning....
Hickory is primo firewood. If you don't have the patience to let it season properly, give it to someone who knows enough to respect good wood. Hickory needs at least as much time as oak to properly season, and that means three years in lots of sun and especially wind. Have you put a moisture meter to yours? I have serious doubts that you are anywhere close to a good burning point -less than 20%- if it's only been drying for six or seven months.
You're doing one thing right though. Hickory is perfect for overnight burns. When I have some, that's ALL I will use it for- overnights.
Since you're convinced you don't want to burn it, just set it aside for two or three more years and try it again. Let us know what you think then.
You're doing one thing right though. Hickory is perfect for overnight burns. When I have some, that's ALL I will use it for- overnights.
Since you're convinced you don't want to burn it, just set it aside for two or three more years and try it again. Let us know what you think then.
Prof
Minister of Fire
I don't hate mine as much as you, it heats OK, but with all things considered, it was a definite mistake. Won't be looking at another quad!
I have a lot of Shagbark Hickory stacked and the stuff that is 2 yrs+ burns incredibly well. But even running it through a splitter, it takes more effort due to its stringy, sweet, tasty structure. Love that stuff in the stove. Cool bark and I always point them out when I pass one on the road. Ate a lot of hickory nuts this fall, good flavor. I burn a few extra pieces on the mornings I walk up to the bus stop with the kids just so I can catch a whiff of that unique hickory goodness...I have a problem.
I love hickory too and I let it season 3 years with my oak. If I get a lot of coals I rake them into a pile and put an eco brick or two on top to burn them down and get some good heat while its doing its thing.
BIGDADDY
Feeling the Heat
- May 17, 2012
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What's the problem with your stove? I looked at quadrifire stoves a few years back before buying my vc. They looked good. Just curious.
Phoenix Hatchling
Minister of Fire
Prof
Minister of Fire
You knew what I meant! Unless you have a fragile baffle, bricks that crack easily, and a useless ash system, I got nothing against you.I'm confused. You hate me? Don't hate the player, hate the game.
Phoenix Hatchling
Minister of Fire
So far none of those. But I am approaching mid life and those issues tend to crop up more frequently. Actually am fairly happy with the stove, except for the fact that I wish it had a larger firebox and longer burn times.
The non cat EPA stoves make a lot of coals, they are known for that, so a wood that coals well will make the problem worse.
Your wood may be too wet which could make it even more of a problem.
Your wood may be too wet which could make it even more of a problem.
Ram 1500 with an axe...
Minister of Fire
You should measure your MC and let us know what percentage it is at, as for the coaling you may need to rake every time you add more wood, burn hotter and maybe split the split before you put it in and burn it, burn thinner splits and see if this helps....
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