Did I overfire?

[TresK3]

The learning curve begins...

As I start to learn about our new house-guest in the living room, several questions have come up. The other day I had a nice fire going. Didn't think it was too hot (reading about 500 on the thermometer, which is placed in the center of the metal frame of the door), until I looked in at the tubes that run across the top of the firebox (I presume these have to do with secondary combustion). The tubes were glowing red but there were no flames coming out of them. I immediately closed down the air control and cranked the blower to help cool things off.

So did I overfire this puppy? If it was so hot, how come I didn't see evidence of secondary combustion?

Thanks,
Tres

 

[Hogwildz]

500 should not be a problem. The tubes are for secondary combustion, and they will glow. You won't see much action from them as far as flames until you cut the intake air back. Did you notice anything after you cut the air back? On my Summit, I get her hot, shut down the air and watch the flame show from the secondary.

 

[tbl01]

The learning curve begins...

As I start to learn about our new house-guest in the living room, several questions have come up. The other day I had a nice fire going. Didn't think it was too hot (reading about 500 on the thermometer, which is placed in the center of the metal frame of the door), until I looked in at the tubes that run across the top of the firebox (I presume these have to do with secondary combustion). The tubes were glowing red but there were no flames coming out of them. I immediately closed down the air control and cranked the blower to help cool things off.

So did I overfire this puppy? If it was so hot, how come I didn't see evidence of secondary combustion?

Thanks,
Tres

Tres,
I am going on my third day with the same stove you have. ( had it installed this past Friday) I have the tubes glowing orange at anything over 400F. I'm not sure if my firewood is greener then i think, or my draft is too good, but If I run it all the way open, I cant get the stove over 375-400F. Blower is on low-medium. Once i cut back the draft is when the stove gets hot and burns really nicely for a while. The secondary tubes really kicking in. I see temps around 400-500 for sustained periods. Blower on low. I need to get some really dry wood, and I think I will see a increase in
stove temps. If not I would think the draft is too good.

When I have the stove running wide open, the stove is really burning, but stove really doesn't jump up in temperature which leads me to believe I am over drafting.. just a guess. I attached a pic of tubes glowing ...kinda hard to see really good.

The manual states temps over 800f are considered over-firing. At 500F you should be fine.

 

[Cearbhaill]

The manual states temps over 800f are considered over-firing. At 500F you should be fine.

This is as measured by a thermometer placed on the front of the insert above the door?

 

[swestall]

The tubes do glow. 500 is not too hot: sounds like you had it working just as it was designed to. And, that is a nice thing.

 

[Hogwildz]

The learning curve begins...

As I start to learn about our new house-guest in the living room, several questions have come up. The other day I had a nice fire going. Didn't think it was too hot (reading about 500 on the thermometer, which is placed in the center of the metal frame of the door), until I looked in at the tubes that run across the top of the firebox (I presume these have to do with secondary combustion). The tubes were glowing red but there were no flames coming out of them. I immediately closed down the air control and cranked the blower to help cool things off.

So did I overfire this puppy? If it was so hot, how come I didn't see evidence of secondary combustion?

Thanks,
Tres

Tres,
I am going on my third day with the same stove you have. ( had it installed this past Friday) I have the tubes glowing orange at anything over 400F. I'm not sure if my firewood is greener then i think, or my draft is too good, but If I run it all the way open, I cant get the stove over 375-400F.
When air is left wide open is when a stove over fires, if your having problems getting it over 375-400 degrees, your wood must be wet, and or draft problem (lack of, not too much).
Blower is on low-medium. Once i cut back the draft is when the stove gets hot and burns really nicely for a while. The secondary tubes really kicking in. I see temps around 400-500 for sustained periods. Blower on low. I need to get some really dry wood, and I think I will see a increase in
stove temps. If not I would think the draft is too good.
When you get it good and hot for about 10-15 minutes wide open, then you cut the air intake back, it should get a bit hotter then level off. 500 is not a bad temp, on colder nights I run anywhere from 600-750 degrees, it usually levels itself to between 600-650 for me, not same stove, but same principles. Too god of draft makes a stove run hotter not cooler. Dryer wood is always better. Again, draft pulls more up and more air in the firebox, making for hotter burns, not cooler.

When I have the stove running wide open, the stove is really burning, but stove really doesn't jump up in temperature which leads me to believe I am over drafting.. just a guess. I attached a pic of tubes glowing ...kinda hard to see really good. Let it wide open, even try cracking door for a few minutes, leave air open until the stove reached about 450-500 degrees and see what it does as far as heat. Won't over fire, but your barely getting anywhweres near real heat output at 375-400 degrees.
TOO MUCH DRAFT DOES NOT CAUSE SLUGGISHNESS OR COOLER FIRES. Wet wood, or cutting air back too soon is the cause of low temps.

The manual states temps over 800f are considered over-firing. At 500F you should be fine.

 

[tbl01]

Okay,

So I go home after work.Need to find out where the problem lies... Wife has fire going around 275-300f. I procede to throw in some old split up cedar decking I useas kindling, also have a few lengths 12". took about an hour, to get the WET wood that was in the fire up to speed. Ran it up to just shy of 650 degress wide open. Wet wood seems to be the cuplrit. I had a bonfire going in the stove.

Its intresting to note that once I put the fan on high the temp dropped down below 600F quite quickly.

Stove is at about 550f without blower, and 1/4 of firebox filled with glowing embers. s still blazing.

looks like its certainly not a draft problem.

Now would wet wood with a strong draft cause low stove temps, not allowing the wood to properly get up to temp by pulling out too much heat??

Now I need to get some good seasoned wood this year.

Thanks for the advice!!

 

[Hogwildz]

Its the wet wood. If you had 20% moisture or less wood burning in there, a strong draft would take that baby up hot & fairly fast.
With almost 30' of liner, I have a very strong draft. 3 medium dry splits on a decent bed of coals, and its up to temp in no time.
Up to temp for me being 450-500, then cut air down, then levels off at 600-650. Your still in the learning curve for your stove.
You'll find the "sweet" spot, and what temps to load, cut air back, what peak is etc. Right now, it seems you need dryer wood.
If your wood is less than optimal dryness. Get a good hot fire going, say 600, then add a split or two of the wet wood while still hot. drys & burns better, and less cooling effect from the escaping moisture.