Yup, I coughed up $15 for a good stove top thermometer, a nice one that has color coded ranges....black for creosote, white for clean burn, and red for over-fire. I set it on top back near the connector but still on the center stone. Pretty cool, I showed to wifey and said try to keep stove burning in the white range (goes from 300 up to 550). The stove just runs at 300 when set to low, mighty reasonable of it, almost like someone planned it that way. I let it run up to 450 this morning, no drama, just lots of heat and no reason to let it go any further. What a pleasure this is compared to the old Duchwest. Tonight will be our first dip into the teens so testing continues.
For anyone out there burning locust, it doesn't really work well to just fill up the stove with a full or even half load of this stuff. I've learned first hand and from reading here that you need to mix it up. I built a covered wood shed along my deck 16' long and 2 rows deep that is now near full of just locust with a bunch more of the stuff stacked near my garage. I have a few 12' rows of mixed hardwood down by the road where I split. I'll be refilling the deck shed with the mixed stuff as time goes on. Today, and last night, 3 big splits of locust with one piece of something/anything else does the trick. When burning all locust I just can't get the fire going to the point where it takes care of itself and just burns. I end up having to poke it and move pieces around. And yes it does coal up the stove, I'm hoping the big box on this stove will keep me out of trouble with this issue.
Anyway, you guys wanted to know what these Eq's were like, just keeping you posted.
For anyone out there burning locust, it doesn't really work well to just fill up the stove with a full or even half load of this stuff. I've learned first hand and from reading here that you need to mix it up. I built a covered wood shed along my deck 16' long and 2 rows deep that is now near full of just locust with a bunch more of the stuff stacked near my garage. I have a few 12' rows of mixed hardwood down by the road where I split. I'll be refilling the deck shed with the mixed stuff as time goes on. Today, and last night, 3 big splits of locust with one piece of something/anything else does the trick. When burning all locust I just can't get the fire going to the point where it takes care of itself and just burns. I end up having to poke it and move pieces around. And yes it does coal up the stove, I'm hoping the big box on this stove will keep me out of trouble with this issue.
Anyway, you guys wanted to know what these Eq's were like, just keeping you posted.
