Coals???

[Bone1099]

How long can y'all keep hot coals in your stoves? Consider best conditions warm weather setting in shut down stove for a few days.
I have a Fisher insert and can keep enough coals to start a fire with for two days at the most. My dad has a Vestal (spelling?) freestanding step stove. he can keep enough to start a fire almost five days. And I'm like what the -H- I can't do that!! He just grins.
So my question is how long can everyone keep their coals glowing? And yes I understand that thermostatically controlled stoves go to WOT when they get cool and this will reduce coal life. Do all newer t-stat controlled stoved do this?

Please chime in.

 

[rickw]

Keeping some ash in the stove helps a lot; its a great insulator.

 

[begreen]

5 days eh? Maybe dad was having a little fun yanking your chain.

 

[Jags]

I don't think if I went out to a 1 cord pile and through a match on it, that there would be coals left in 5 days. %-P

In the stove, 2 days max.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

The key to keeping coals live is to have lots of ashes in the stove. The coals will be on the top; you need to change that. Simply cover the coals with lots of ashes and they will keep a long time. 5 days? Not too sure about that.

 

[karri0n]

Not gonna happen in an EPA stove, that's for sure. 5 days of coals better have that firebox FULL of coals. Even then, I can't see keeping them "live" for that long. They need a bit of air to keep glowing, otherwise you will just have black, cool coals. I'm both surprised and envious that Jags can have coals after 2 days in his Isle Royale. I can probably go 13 hours and still have a small amount of live coals.

 

[Jags]

Not gonna happen in an EPA stove, that's for sure. 5 days of coals better have that firebox FULL of coals. Even then, I can't see keeping them "live" for that long. They need a bit of air to keep glowing, otherwise you will just have black, cool coals. I'm both surprised and envious that Jags can have coals after 2 days in his Isle Royale. I can probably go 13 hours and still have a small amount of live coals.

No sea story here, but I have have enough coals to relight long after 24 hours. Not much mind you, just enough.

 

[burntime]

My stove usually does not get shut down that long except on the shoulder seasons and then I am not building a big coal bed anyway. If I had to guess I would say 1-2 days max. I think my firebox is 2.5cu ft.

 

[gpcollen1]

I managed one at about 26-30 hours this winter. A moderate amount of ash in my olympic on a full load. Have no choice sometimes when you go on an overnighter. I figured I might need some kindling but once I stirred her around, I realized that I had enough coals and heat in there to just stack a bit of wood behind them and get some air moving with the door ajar. Back up to temp within an hour.