Creosote drips

[Burnin Since 1989]

To be sure of the MC, split a piece of each species of wood and bring them up to temp in the house and then check the MC. I have a small rack next to my stove that I keep a couple of days worth of wood and being 18 inches from the stove, the wood dries a bit more while it's waiting it's turn. I just checked an oak split that measured 16% about 10 days ago was at 11% now.

Wet wood causes creosote. The threshold is 20%. Under 20 and the wood should be ok, I like around 15% myself.

I wrote around 50% but didn't catch it till my option to edit had elapsed. I meant 15%

 

[begreen]

I wrote around 50% but didn't catch it till my option to edit had elapsed. I meant 15%

Fixed it for you.

 

[Wakajawaka]

Gotcha..i figured you didnt mean 50% My meter might be slightly off but im measuring between 5 and 13% on average so far. Against some freshly cut beech it measures 35% and up. Ive just read that hardwood thats too dry can burn too hot, and damage woodstove. Im assuming even it thats true, as long as i pay attention to the guage on my stove pipe and dont over fire, it should be ok.

 

[Burnin Since 1989]

Fixed it for you.

thanks Mr. Mooderator

 

[Burnin Since 1989]

Gotcha..i figured you didnt mean 50% My meter might be slightly off but im measuring between 5 and 13% on average so far. Against some freshly cut beech it measures 35% and up. Ive just read that hardwood thats too dry can burn too hot, and damage woodstove. Im assuming even it thats true, as long as i pay attention to the guage on my stove pipe and dont over fire, it should be ok.

That beech has got some time to wait! Anything under 20% really is fine. Just keep an eye on your thermometer and you should be ok. Maybe keep the first week or so fires on the smaller size and increase as you go along. How many fires have you had now?

 

[Woody Stover]

You should be! That's a really good price for new/old. First it's a great looking stove. It's a non-cat, so less to worry about. I came really close to buying a T5 in brown. Ultimately I went with a different stove, but I really like the Alderlea models.

Does that T4 have the swing out top shelves?

Yep, helluva deal! 😲 I got my SIL a T5, pre-2020 EPA. Great stove!
Swing open one of the top trivets and put a stove top thermometer close to the flue exit, at about 4:30 or 7:30 position, where visibility isn't blocked by the top center rails when the trivets are closed. That way, you can look through the slats in the top and see your stove meter. If light is dim in the stove area, you may need a little flashlight to read the meter.
I installed the blower on my SIL's stove, one reason being that she can use it to cool down the stove if stove top temp were to push up toward 800*. That stove draws like crazy on 6" chimney at only 16' with the air closed all the way. I have two flue dampers installed to tame the draft down further if needed, to get those slow, lazy flames off the wood.

I live alone and like to be able to let it roll all night.

Well, the "Hot Rats" would probably wake you up if it got too hot. 😉 😆

I love that the baffle plate is how my old one was. Ive seen new ones and they are light as a feather. Maybe it makes no difference but this one is a tank. Id never over fire on purpose. 700 is probably the highest ive had the Vista and only by accident..and for Maybe 5 minutes. I used to load the Vista before bed, close the air down, and it would hang right at 500 degrees... then slowly climb down. Cant wait to see how this performs.

This vintage PEs are built like tanks, but it's no picnic lifting that heavy baffle up to remove it when I sweep her chimney. 😖
From those pipe temps, it doesn't sound like your stove top has gotten excessively hot but a stove top meter will remove all doubt. Like I said, I don't like to see above 800 there.

My meter might be slightly off but im measuring between 5 and 13% on average so far. Against some freshly cut beech it measures 35% and up.

Most locations in the US don't have climate with low enough EMC (equilibrium moisture content) to get air-dried wood below 15%. Your wood doesn't look super-dry...I don't see any checking on the ends of the splits, but maybe that doesn't happen with a roof totally protecting the wood from sun and rain. My stack aren't under a shed roof, just stacked outside, but top-covered.
Take several of your larger splits, get them to room temp for a couple days, then re-split them and test by pushing the pins deeply into the center of the freshly-exposed face. I'd wager you get above 15%.