Cool stratification/gasification

[lukeg199]

Video So the after reading some recommendations on operation here I decided to run my lopi evergreen on the low air intake setting for "low slow burn" and got a really neat result I didn't expect. In the video the secondaries are dominant and it has created a very defined line of soot about half way up the glass.

My method was to start the fire with smaller logs to get up to about 650 as measured on the top plate with wide open air intake. By the time that load burned down to mostly coals, I then packed the box with medium large splits, and every 5 or so minutes I would incrementally close the air intake a bit more. After 15 minutes of that I would say the intake was 30% open, and I got beautiful secondary flames. The the bottom of the glass started to soot up below the secondaries. I checked the chimney for smoke and it was crystal clear. Top plate was about 725 and holding stable. (manufacturer says anything over 800 is over firing.) I usually just run the stove with a wide open air setting to prioritize fast heat and clean burn. So this was a first for low/slow and I want to improve that technique.

Question, was hoping to get those temps a little lower and admittedly could have by closing the air intake all the way, but was also thinking that would make more soot. Any recommendations to get a lower slower clean burn. I know it's not a catalyst stove but thought I would ask the experts nevertheless.

Thanks!

 

[EbS-P]

What you described is how I run my stove. Think it’s probably how most people run theirs too. I don’t get black glass. I would get a flue probe and start measuring flue gas temperature.

Do you have a moisture meter and have you check the MC
at room temperature in a fresh split face? Any fire where I get mostly secondary combustion my glas stays clean unless I have wood nearly touching the glass.

 

[Caw]

Video So the after reading some recommendations on operation here I decided to run my lopi evergreen on the low air intake setting for "low slow burn" and got a really neat result I didn't expect. In the video the secondaries are dominant and it has created a very defined line of soot about half way up the glass.

My method was to start the fire with smaller logs to get up to about 650 as measured on the top plate with wide open air intake. By the time that load burned down to mostly coals, I then packed the box with medium large splits, and every 5 or so minutes I would incrementally close the air intake a bit more. After 15 minutes of that I would say the intake was 30% open, and I got beautiful secondary flames. The the bottom of the glass started to soot up below the secondaries. I checked the chimney for smoke and it was crystal clear. Top plate was about 725 and holding stable. (manufacturer says anything over 800 is over firing.) I usually just run the stove with a wide open air setting to prioritize fast heat and clean burn. So this was a first for low/slow and I want to improve that technique.

Question, was hoping to get those temps a little lower and admittedly could have by closing the air intake all the way, but was also thinking that would make more soot. Any recommendations to get a lower slower clean burn. I know it's not a catalyst stove but thought I would ask the experts nevertheless.

Thanks!

This is how you're supposed to use a tube stove. They are designed to heat up and be turned down to maximize secondary combustion which is what lowers the smoke pollution. They also tend to run best with the air mostly closed but still a tad open (this is all draft dependent but I'm talking about in a perfect world). If you're burning it wide open you're spending tons of BTUs and smoke (lots of BTUs in smoke) up the chimney.

The markings on the glass are likely from the way the logs were situated blocking the air wash a little bit. My door will usually get covered in fly ash after a few weeks (regular gray ash) which a quick wipe down fixes.

The best way to get an under control, long, and clean burn is to turn down the air early and often. If you wait too long the entire load will start off gassing and you won't be able to get it back under control. Just pay attention to it, turn down the air, and it will find it's steady state.

 

[lukeg199]

What you described is how I run my stove. Think it’s probably how most people run theirs too. I don’t get black glass. I would get a flue probe and start measuring flue gas temperature.

Do you have a moisture meter and have you check the MC
at room temperature in a fresh split face? Any fire where I get mostly secondary combustion my glas stays clean unless I have wood nearly touching the glass.

Thanks! Do you have a product recommendation for a flu probe? I just did a fresh split of a log and it read about 18%. Also, I'm burning a mix of black, cherry, ash and hard maple.

 

[EbS-P]

Thanks! Do you have a product recommendation for a flu probe? I just did a fresh split of a log and it read about 18%. Also, I'm burning a mix of black, cherry, ash and hard maple.

I have two Auber at200s. One is the wireless version. I like them a lot. But an analog one would work fine too. The alarm just is a nice backup I have 5 kids and chances are good I’ll light a load and have to take care of something.

 

[begreen]

This is how you're supposed to use a tube stove. They are designed to heat up and be turned down to maximize secondary combustion which is what lowers the smoke pollution.

Yup. Running it wide open is a waste of fuel and likely causing some extremely high temperatures in the liner. Try turning down the air as soon as possible, in increments.

Have you read this thread?

Starting a fire and running an EPA stove

Questions about starting a fire and avoiding a runaway stove come up so frequently I decided to document starting our stove. This is a Pacific Energy Alderlea T6 with about a 3 cu ft firebox. The stove is connected to a straight-up, 20' interior flue. The outside ambient temperature is 34ºF. The...

www.hearth.com

 

[lukeg199]

This is how you're supposed to use a tube stove. They are designed to heat up and be turned down to maximize secondary combustion which is what lowers the smoke pollution. They also tend to run best with the air mostly closed but still a tad open (this is all draft dependent but I'm talking about in a perfect world). If you're burning it wide open you're spending tons of BTUs and smoke (lots of BTUs in smoke) up the chimney.

The markings on the glass are likely from the way the logs were situated blocking the air wash a little bit. My door will usually get covered in fly ash after a few weeks (regular gray ash) which a quick wipe down fixes.

The best way to get an under control, long, and clean burn is to turn down the air early and often. If you wait too long the entire load will start off gassing and you won't be able to get it back under control. Just pay attention to it, turn down the air, and it will find it's steady state.

I think you were right about the logs blocking the air wash. I've run it a couple times since and had no issues with soot form like in the video. Thanks for the tip!

 

[lukeg199]

Yup. Running it wide open is a waste of fuel and likely causing some extremely high temperatures in the liner. Try turning down the air as soon as possible, in increments.

Have you read this thread?

Starting a fire and running an EPA stove

Questions about starting a fire and avoiding a runaway stove come up so frequently I decided to document starting our stove. This is a Pacific Energy Alderlea T6 with about a 3 cu ft firebox. The stove is connected to a straight-up, 20' interior flue. The outside ambient temperature is 34ºF. The...

www.hearth.com

I haven't but I will read it!

 

[DBoon]

My experience with two different Lopi stoves is that they breathe pretty easy. If you have a tall chimney (>15'), then you have to be pretty aggressive about closing down the air early (in increments) and not reloading when the stop is above 350 degrees F stovetop. Having said that, there were plenty of times my Lopi ran pretty hot (just under 800 degrees F stovetop) and they can take it as they are solid, well-built stoves. But you can still get a nice clean burn if you turn it down earlier.