Cant get my new stove to get hot enough please help.

[usmc1775]

Hello everyone
recently bought a hearthstone shelbourne got it installed a week ago...... been trying to get it started but im just having a hard time getting it hot enough to put off real heat.

I get the intial fire with newspaper kindling and a few pieces of fat wood going just fine and then I add some small pieces of wood fire takes off nicely .

Problem begins when i start adding logs .
The wood is seasoned on average 16-17%
I have the air intake open and notice i also have to keep the door open otherwise it dies out or just dosent get hot enough...... the hotest its got is 450 degrees.
The wood just smolders in some cases.

If i add too many pieces it smothers the fire

Even when the fire gets going its not hot enough

 

[bholler]

Hello everyone
recently bought a hearthstone shelbourne got it installed a week ago...... been trying to get it started but im just having a hard time getting it hot enough to put off real heat.

I get the intial fire with newspaper kindling and a few pieces of fat wood going just fine and then I add some small pieces of wood fire takes off nicely .

Problem begins when i start adding logs .
The wood is seasoned on average 16-17%
I have the air intake open and notice i also have to keep the door open otherwise it dies out or just dosent get hot enough...... the hotest its got is 450 degrees.
The wood just smolders in some cases.

If i add too many pieces it smothers the fire

Even when the fire gets going its not hot enough

How are you measuing moisture content?

 

[yooper08]

Try starting with the top down method
https://woodheat.org/top-down-steps.html

This way it gets everything going and won't smother the fire.

 

[bholler]

Also how is it installed? How tall is the chimney?

 

[usmc1775]

How are you measuing moisture content?

with a meter i bought at lowes

 

[usmc1775]

Also how is it installed? How tall is the chimney?

2 feet to 90 elbow out the wall chimney outside is probably 24 feet

 

[usmc1775]

Try starting with the top down method
https://woodheat.org/top-down-steps.html

This way it gets everything going and won't smother the fire.

thank you i will try that

 

[kborndale]

with a meter i bought at lowes

Are you splitting the wood right before you test it? To get the proper reading you have to test the middle of the wood, not the outside.

 

[usmc1775]

Are you splitting the wood right before you test it? To get the proper reading you have to test the middle of the wood, not the outside.

well I received a shipment of two cords that was already split and when I tested I tested on the ends and the majority of them gives me a reading of 15 to 17%

 

[maple1]

well I received a shipment of two cords that was already split and when I tested I tested on the ends and the majority of them gives me a reading of 15 to 17%

You need to re-split & test on freshly split surface, for an accurate number.

 

[Trey1979]

well I received a shipment of two cords that was already split and when I tested I tested on the ends and the majority of them gives me a reading of 15 to 17%

I would split it into and check the interior

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[weatherguy]

well I received a shipment of two cords that was already split and when I tested I tested on the ends and the majority of them gives me a reading of 15 to 17%

Also test at room temp, testing the ends will not give an accurate temp. If its 15-17% on ends the middle going to be higher.

 

[kborndale]

well I received a shipment of two cords that was already split and when I tested I tested on the ends and the majority of them gives me a reading of 15 to 17%

Your wood is not ready to burn, unfortunately it is very rare to buy wood that is ready to burn, while every dealer tells you that the wood is seasoned, chances are it is not. Looking on the bright side, you now have 2 cords of wood for next winter as this wood should be ready to burn by then.

 

[bholler]

with a meter i bought at lowes

Yes but where on the wood? Was it on a fresh split face at room temp?

 

[usmc1775]

Yes but where on the wood? Was it on a fresh split face at room temp?

no it was already split then i tested and have continued to test it .... but ill split some pieces and test on a fresh split.

 

[usmc1775]

thank you all for your help im gonna test out some "kiln dried wood" from lowes tonight and see if it works properly with the door shut and burns hot enough

 

[Rickb]

15-17% on the outside could be 30-40% o n the inside.

 

[Rickb]

And rather then buy kiln dried I would get a small pieces of 2x4 cut into 12 inch sections and try with 3-4 of them and see how it works.

Kiln dried are not always great either.

 

[prezes13]

You can always try to burn some wood pallets as long as they are not painted and were not treated with any chemicals. Also if your stove has a cat make sure there is no nailes. Another alternative would be using fuel bricks. From what you said sounds like your wood is not ready to be burned.

 

[kennyp2339]

I believe lowes sells compressed wood bricks now, there a little pricy, but that will surely take away any doubt. If you buy compressed wood bricks / blocks / logs make sure there not compressed with any wax binders, I think if my memory serves me correctly the brand is presto logs at lowes, tractor supply also sells them (better product) under red stones, and the best around here is bio brick, or envi blocks

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Hello everyone
recently bought a hearthstone shelbourne got it installed a week ago...... been trying to get it started but im just having a hard time getting it hot enough to put off real heat.

I get the intial fire with newspaper kindling and a few pieces of fat wood going just fine and then I add some small pieces of wood fire takes off nicely .

Problem begins when i start adding logs .
The wood is seasoned on average 16-17%
I have the air intake open and notice i also have to keep the door open otherwise it dies out or just dosent get hot enough...... the hotest its got is 450 degrees.
The wood just smolders in some cases.

If i add too many pieces it smothers the fire

Even when the fire gets going its not hot enough

Hey USMC1775, nice looking setup.

As you strike me as the type of guy who appreciates straight shooting, your wood has too much moisture in it and you've been reading the meter wrong.

There are hundreds if not thousands of similar posts on this exact situation on this site, so just do some reading, and you'll see countless variations of the responses you've received, many from the same folks who have responded to your query. You'll figure it out, just do some homework reading through other folks past posts on the topic. Not ideal for this year, but you'll get lots of suggestions on how to improvise as you read.

 

[jrems]

I have the same stove. The stovetop doesn’t run too hot, it has a sheet metal guard under the top. I think it’s to prevent direct flame contact with the cast iron top. It seems to make the top run a bit cooler. You will hear a strange noise at some point, usually after a really quick start. It’s the sheild expanding quicker than the cast iron and makes a noise. The first time you hear it it sounds strange. It only does it on a quick on heat up from cold.
Mine usually cruises at 450-500. When it’s really cranking it may be up to 600. Don’t block the doghouse air. It’s one small hole in the center front of the stove just below the door lip.
Put kindling in front right near this air hole. Cast iron takes awhile to heat up. Leave door just slightly cracked until top reaches at least 200-250. Close door and leave lever pulled forward until top reaches 400. Then cut it back about 1/4 to half and see how it goes from there. On a hot reload you can cut it back quicker. Is your outside chimney 6” ?

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Sounds like wet wood.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

So, as mentioned earlier, dry wood is hard to find from a seller. But there are some things you can do to run the stove.

-Compressed bricks... expensive, but they will work.
-Find somebody near you that has a big reserve and maybe they will trade with you.
-find somebody moving that wants to get rid of their wood.
-Split your existing wood down. This will make it dry faster due to the larger surface area
-pallets. This got me through my first winter. They are dry, and free. Mix them in with your not so seasoned wood. You can do this with construction scrap too.
-find a wood seller who sets their wood out to dry. There's a guy near me that does this. I'd wager his wood isn't that bad. If you're near me I'll point you in his direction.

 

[weatherguy]

We have a few dealers in my area now that caught on to the whole seasoned wood for the newer stoves thing and cut and split their wood a year ahead. It's a little more expensive and they run out by November of the drier stuff. I say drier because I wouldn't think they get all the wood below 20% in all cases depending on the wood. A couple years ago I bought two cords of ash that was ready to burn that year. I would ask where they're located and show up with my moisture meter if I need any in the future.