Country Hearth 2000 - New install - possible burning issues.

[Auzzie Gumtree]

Well i managed to fit the new stove into the downstairs living area over the weekend. It was a tight fit as it is slightly taller than the old stove and it has a flue collar attached. The pipe comes through the wall at 45 degrees with not much flex but i got it all installed on Friday night.

The stove came in a plywood crate which i thought would be ideal for the first fire. I lit the fire with a few pieces of the plywood and off it went. The stove top zoomed up to 800 degrees within 1/2 hour with only a very small fire. the paint started to smoke and smell pretty bad but i managed to get it back under control.

The second fire started of OK with the pine kindling it easily gets up to 700-800 degrees then i have to close it down, then i load the hard wood but the fire has lost its momentum and nearly goes out.

The 3rd fire - started with pine got it very hot and then i place on the hard wood - once again the fire is smothered and i end up opening the door. When i open the door the fire really gets going quite quickly - does this mean that there isn't enough air entering the firebox?

The 4th fire - same as 3rd but i think the air enters the firebox through the the top of the glass therefore if i place wood at the bottom of the glass this will restrict the air flow. i ended up bringing the coals to the front and placed the wood to the back - this seemed to work better. I will have another go tonight when i get home.

The wood is not the best its been seasoning for over a year but another year and it will be good to go.

The stove id fitted with an outside air intake. with the fire located in the corner of the room there isn't enough air being drawn into the firebox? i thought about putting a fan nearby to see if this helps? is there a better way to load the fire once the kindling is going - without putting the fire out?

My main stove has no problem using the same wood - it burns 24/7 and has been for the last 3 months.

any suggestions?

 

[Woody Stover]

You might try a top-down start. My stove loads E-W, so I put the bigger splits in the bottom/back, medium/small in front, and kindling in the top/front. If you're loading N-S (but it looks like it loads E-W,) just put the smaller stuff on top and put a little newspaper under the smallest kindling on the very top of the load. That will get plenty of air wash air and will get a hot fire going pretty quickly. The bigger splits that might have more moisture will have a chance to dry out a bit before the fire gets down to them.

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

Thanks for that - does this mean that the majority of the primary air comes from the air wash?

 

[ridemgis]

Sounds like you're almost there. Pulling the coal bed forward is the way to go. Put larger splits toward the back and some smaller stuff on the coal bed. Open the air up, let her rip until the wood is burning well and then start to dial down for an extended burn. Jotul has a pretty good video about this:

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[Auzzie Gumtree]

i forgot to mention overll so far i am very impressed with the unit - i have never had a stove go to the temp this does in such a quick time. Its just a learning curve to get the burning right....

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

Jotul has a pretty good video about this:

i will give it a go tonight - i need a coal / ash scraper thingy...... i will have to pop to the local hard ware store.

 

[BrotherBart]

It's the wood. Several times each season we go through days of posts with folks and their first EPA stove thinking the air inlets are clogged or something. The pine tells the tale burning well. Too much moisture in the hardwood. Give it some more air and get over trying to "shut it down".

Pre-EPA stoves both had the air inlets shooting directly into the front of the load and not having to drag the air from the back through channels to the front. So they would burn a brick.

So really dry wood and not closing it down too soon are important.

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

It's the wood. Several times each season we go through days of posts with folks and their first EPA stove thinking the air inlets are clogged or something. The pine tells the tale burning well. Too much moisture in the hardwood. Give it some more air and get over trying to "shut it down".

unfortunately i have to work with what i have wood wise. i know its not ideal - hopefully next year all will be good burning wise.

If the majority of air comes from the front though - that could be my issue as i have literally blocked it off by putting wood at he bottom of the door, which in my other EPA stove is not a problem as the air comes from the top.

The pine is not in log form but from a roof truss manufacturer - its moisture is super low i can run them together to achieve my objective. how hot is too hot to run your stove? once it gets above 700 (stove top) i start panicking.......

 

[Sprinter]

unfortunately i have to work with what i have wood wise. i know its not ideal - hopefully next year all will be good burning wise.

If the majority of air comes from the front though - that could be my issue as i have literally blocked it off by putting wood at he bottom of the door, which in my other EPA stove is not a problem as the air comes from the top.

The pine is not in log form but from a roof truss manufacturer - its moisture is super low i can run them together to achieve my objective. how hot is too hot to run your stove? once it gets above 700 (stove top) i start panicking.......

How is this going now? It also sounds to me like the pine was too dry and flashy but the hardwood was too moist. As you suggested, maybe a combination in each load will balance things out if you have enough.

how hot is too hot to run your stove? once it gets above 700 (stove top) i start panicking.......

Me too. In most stoves, I think 700 is about as high as you want to go even by accident. That's getting close to the "overfire" situation. Most manufactures are reluctant to specify what "overfire" temperature is. They just tell you to avoid it. I'm conservative.

Around 600, maybe 650 is a good max for continual use.

 

[BrotherBart]

Keep'em under seven hundred out there folks. If 500 won't heat the house the stove ain't the answer.

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

How is this going now? It also sounds to me like the pine was too dry and flashy but the hardwood was too moist. As you suggested, maybe a combination in each load will balance things out if you have enough.

I seem to have worked out a happy medium - i mix some of the super dry pine with the hardwood. The hardwood is better than i thought i have now covered the top of my working stack for the last few weeks and it has made a huge difference. We have had a lot of rain lately and the bark on the splits seem to absorb a lot of moisture. I think it was this moisture that was struggling to burn.....

The stove runs very well - although it takes some tweeking / fine tuning. My old stove i used to be able to leave for 15 mins when i started it up - this one seems to get up to temp so much quicker - literally 5 mins from lighting the super dry pine to 700. Load on the hard wood and this slows it down but then once that gets going you have to turn it down PDQ - otherwise it gets up to 800/900. i am still trying to find the sweet spot too low and it its not hot enough too high and the walls start melting.

We only have a few more weeks of burning - next year will be a different ball game with 2 year seasoned wood to play with. Bring it on.

 

[Sprinter]

Good to hear that you're getting a handle on it, but it sounds like you walk a tightrope. Watch the temps carefully. Every stove has a learning curve.

 

[BrotherBart]

Been burning in the 30-NC for six seasons now and the settle in for the night load is still an adventure most times. Part of the game.

 

[HDRock]

this one seems to get up to temp so much quicker - literally 5 mins from lighting the super dry pine to 700

Maybe just put in a little "less" of the super dry pine

 

[Sprinter]

Been burning in the 30-NC for six seasons now and the settle in for the night load is still an adventure most times. Part of the game.

BB, could you elaborate a little on the night load issue? Just curious.

 

[BrotherBart]

Just settling the sucker down to 500-600 and figuring it isn't gonna take off after going to bed. Large loads N/S can get a mind of their own when the moisture in the back of the splits cooks off after and hour or so. Or if that one split in there isn't as dry as the rest. And gets dry and decides to join the crowd.

 

[Sprinter]

Just settling the sucker down to 500-600 and figuring it isn't gonna take off after going to bed. Large loads N/S can get a mind of their own when the moisture in the back of the splits cooks off after and hour or so. Or if that one split in there isn't as dry as the rest. And gets dry and decides to join the crowd.

I wonder if an E-W load would be more stable for the night?

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

Maybe just put in a little "less" of the super dry pine

i only put 4 pieces in - its from a roof truss factory round the corner from work. I can get as much as i want and its really come in handy with the new stove. I could split it smaller but that defeats the object of getting easy stuff.

 

[BrotherBart]

I wonder if an E-W load would be more stable for the night?

Yeah. But I prefer the N/S burn.

 

[HDRock]

i only put 4 pieces in - its from a roof truss factory round the corner from work. I can get as much as i want and its really come in handy with the new stove. I could split it smaller but that defeats the object of getting easy stuff.

View attachment 109758

I am watching your thread hoping to learn, cuz I just installed my first EPA stove and only fired it once , I did good but it wasn't loaded up
My stove is similar size to yours

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Can someone tell me if they ever get overnight burns with this stove? I use my 2000 at an apartment that i work on occasionally and i dont load it for overnight,but im wondering what the MAX burn time is with this stove. I realize its only 2.0 CU ft so probably 6-8 hours. ITs very easy to light and get up to temp so its not a problem just wondering.

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

I am watching your thread hoping to learn

I am coming to the end of my burning season but the one thing i will tell you (as just about everyone has mentioned numerous times) its all about the wood, or more importantly how dry your wood is. its very hard the first few years, not only do you have to collect 4 times more wood the first year year you also have to deal with less than favourable wood. The difference between seasoned and unseasoned wood is unbelievable - the amount of wood used and the amount of available heat is chalk and cheese. i have been to some of my friends who heat with wood and they collect the wood a couple of months before the heating season starts and then fill up their stove and put the air on full. You cant see the flames as the glass is so dirty, you cant feel the heat as the stove is just about going, using all its energy to convert water into steam. You can literally touch the stove, do you tell them? well i have tried but it falls on deaf ears. the trouble is they want to collect the firewood and dry it out but once the cold has gone everyone forgets. This is definitely a full year operation.

if I hadn't stumbled upon this site i think i would have given up (as a lot of people have.) i am 4 years in front with wood - but it wont be until next year when i will be getting the full benefit. I tried my stove with just the pine and some plywood blocks, OMG the stove was on the lowest setting and it was beautiful the secondariness were on full display the stove top was cruising at 600 the heat from the front of the stove was very impressive. I would assume that if you had a hardwood as dry as the pine, that you could run on low and fill her up, you should easily be able to get an overnight burn? i will try it next year......

I assume every stove is different, this one is like none of the others I have had. My big stove (3 cubic ft) is so easy full it up let it get hot turn it down - 8 hours later repeat. This one you definitely have to keep an eye on it. i am so glad i bought the thermometers as well - there is no way i could look at the new stove and guess it was anywhere near over firing it looks so 'peaceful' but then you notice its creeping up and you quickly turn it down.

once again though very impressed with the unit

 

[Woody Stover]

Just settling the sucker down to 500-600 and figuring it isn't gonna take off after going to bed. Large loads N/S can get a mind of their own when the moisture in the back of the splits cooks off after and hour or so. Or if that one split in there isn't as dry as the rest. And gets dry and decides to join the crowd.

With the Ks cat, I know that if I cut the air to a certain point, the load can only burn at a certain rate no matter what happens in there, but if it slows down on a wet split it will still be burning clean. But as the general public knows, cats are more complicated and difficult to operate. I will say, however, that the Buck 91 is a little more touchy. A little too much air, and the cat temp can go high. I wish I could observe the complete burn cycle more closely and often, but it's usually load and leave with that stove.

I wonder if an E-W load would be more stable for the night?

Yeah. But I prefer the N/S burn.

Why wouldn't predictability at night be preferable?

if I hadn't stumbled upon this site i think i would have given up (as a lot of people have.)

That's what we count on to find the great used-stove deals.