I have been using pine kindling to get the fire going from cold starts. Been getting the temp up to around 600 within about 10-12 minutes. Is this too fast for a cast iron stove?
Can a start up be too fast?
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I never want a roaring fire in any of my stoves. I figure it's gonna be more stress on it, and 'm not in that big a hurry usually.
It probably wont hurt the stove, but I would be concerned with the whiplash effect. At that rate of climb it wouldn't take but a couple of minutes extra to over fire the stove or get an exhaust temp that exceeds recommended. I would probably slow it down a little, just cuz I don't like roaring box fulls of flames.
Cast iron is tuff stuff. Think of all the exhaust manifolds on cars (old skool) or brake rotors.
Cast iron is tuff stuff. Think of all the exhaust manifolds on cars (old skool) or brake rotors.
The whiplash effect you mentioned- is that what you went on to describe, the how stove could easily get overfired if left for a bit longer if climbing lik that. Just making sure I have my terms straight, lol!
Yes, cast iron is tough. And yeah, I forgot to mention the chimney....don't wanna be glowing the pipe. But by ramping up stove temp more gently, I also hope to avoid extreme expansion and contraction at the joints and seams, which may be cemented. Keeping that cement (or gasketing) intact longer should make for a longer time before the stove needs a rebuild, I'd think.
The Rockland is a steel stove with a cast iron surround. Not an issue, but like Jags says, stay on top of it and be ready to turn down the air quickly so that you don't overshoot temperatures.
Funny you say that you mention the gasket thing. I just in last couple days saw a few wispy bits of gasket material coming from where the stove top and front plate come together. It is a really small amount...and the area is hard to see in general..with their being a small ridge formation that blocks clear view of that seam. Stove working normally. In thinking more about the cold start temps, its likely closer to the 15 to 20 minute timeframe to get up to 500 plus degrees. Curious what you guys think of the gasket thing I mentioned
Yep - that is my concern. Overfire. But valid points are made above about the cemented parts of a cast stove. Yours has guts of plate steel, not cast. The outer hull is the cast parts on yours.
I'd still be concerned about the stove pipe temps. It's got to be like a forge in the top of the fire box and stove pipe. Hope the pipe is clean.
Doesn't sound like anything to worry about, from what begreen said. The seams of the steel firebox are welded, not cemented or gasketed, so no worries of air leaks there. This gasket you see is probably in the cast iron convective jacket, and not critical to stove operation. A pic would tell us more of course...
Sprinter
Minister of Fire
Are we talking about flue temperatures or stove top? If the stove top gets that hot that fast, I'd be much more concerned about flue temps.
I hear you. Now that I think about, from a cold start it's probably closer to 20 minutes. Even at that, I will be aiming for a more gradual start ups
Sprinter
Minister of Fire
It's the kind of thing that depends on your current situation. I've started small fires that get hot fast for a quick warmup. But I'm careful not to overdo the load. Any fire needs to be tended until stable.
This has come up before with Jotul inserts and the Hampton and Enviro Boston too. Take a look at the parts diagrams to see how it's built.
![[Hearth.com] Can a start up be too fast?](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/190/190982-096c3dd219633c32d2c9f09d5684ee61.jpg?hash=at8K_76Xis "[Hearth.com] Can a start up be too fast?")
I took a look at the lower couple feet of outside of liner to look for signs of issues, given my quick start ups this season. I believe it looks fine and similar to other times I have checked. With a dull flashlight it looked golden color with a minor hint of purple color. When I used a light bulb, it just looked golden. I know pics are helpful, but it would have just come out as a pic of a golden hued liner with the better lighting, as I saw. What do you all think??
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