Door cracked open or closed on start up?
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Mine starts up fine with the door closed. If I wait till the coal bed is very small and I'm loading a lot of hardwood splits I may leave it cracked for a couple of minutes until it flares, but then I close it, set my alarm for 15 minutes and it's good to go.
Two splits N/S side by side in the middle, one on top between them with a piece of Super Cedar between the ones on bottom two thirds of the way to the front and close the door and rock and roll.
Leave cracked for ~ 2 minutes but DO NOT leave room. I have left before and not a good idea - the roar and metal clanging will bring you back quickly.
It depends.
At home we have the Summit, it lets a huge amount of air so the fire gets going easily.
At the cabin, we have a Drolet Adirondack wood stove, and that one we have to leave the door open for ~ 5 minutes when starting a fire.
At home we have the Summit, it lets a huge amount of air so the fire gets going easily.
At the cabin, we have a Drolet Adirondack wood stove, and that one we have to leave the door open for ~ 5 minutes when starting a fire.
door open. no time limit, just untill the pipe thermostat is between 2 - 300. 200 for small load 300 for full load.
Sometimes yes , sometimes no.
Stove cold, hot, warm. How is it drafting?
Lots of coals. I crack the door before reloading to get the coal cooking hot & a good draft going. Load & close the door right away.
In a hurry to get a raging fire. Door open, sometimes allot, sometimes cracked.
Want to get the chimney hot quick.
Most of the time, door is closed right away, on high, bypass open, but it depends on how well it's taking off.
Stove cold, hot, warm. How is it drafting?
Lots of coals. I crack the door before reloading to get the coal cooking hot & a good draft going. Load & close the door right away.
In a hurry to get a raging fire. Door open, sometimes allot, sometimes cracked.
Want to get the chimney hot quick.
Most of the time, door is closed right away, on high, bypass open, but it depends on how well it's taking off.
Closed! I get much better ignition with the door closed. With the door closed, there's a good stream of air blowing directly on the starter from the primary air inlet and it all takes off much faster.
I voted "closed" because, with dry wood and a good top-down build, my current stove starts up just fine without the extra air. If I had a stove that didn't, or not-so-dry wood to deal with, then I'd do what I needed to do (short of leaving the ash pan door open!) to get the fire started.
Dry wood, I close it immediately. Less than ideal chunks, it stays cracked until they are fully engulfed.
Door cracked an inch per the instructions that came with the stove. Tried it closed, and it was much harder to get it going well.
On a start-up, primary air only. On a reload, with my not-quite-dry wood, door cracked 1/32-1/16" to add N/S air to the E/W primary air. This gets the load going more quickly, but I need to keep a pretty close eye on it when I do this.
With my different re-burn technology, I generally roll first, then commence to rockin'. ;-)BrotherBart said:
2 splits n/s with a Meeco fire starter block in the middle, light the starter put another split n/s on top, open air, close door, come back in a half hour pack the box full wait 10 minutes and shut the air down.
I have GREAT draft and still choose to keep the door cracked about a quarter of an inch. I had one instance when I closed the door that the fire didn't take off and it's scarred me for life. 
Just leave it cracked to be sure. If I don't close it within a few minutes, the stove gets around 150f and the flue 18" up single wall outer temp hits around 300. Close the door and control the draft and they flip flop.
Just leave it cracked to be sure. If I don't close it within a few minutes, the stove gets around 150f and the flue 18" up single wall outer temp hits around 300. Close the door and control the draft and they flip flop. 
The Isle Royale has a startup air feature (push/pull rod). Because of this, there is no need to ever crack the door. Now remembering to shut off that air supply is another thing. :lol: , but for the last few years the feature also includes an auto timer that shuts it for you.
No cracking of the door here. I have got to think that the IR is one of the easiest starting stoves on the market, because of the startup air feature.
No cracking of the door here. I have got to think that the IR is one of the easiest starting stoves on the market, because of the startup air feature.
Cracked . . . but I never leave the room . . . and stare intently at the stove . . . thinking that at any minute an errant spark will pop out and burn down my house or that I will see the Face of Bo in the flames . . .
Lopi says open on their web site. I learned this after having the Endeavor for 6yrs. As mentioned, best not to leave the room. See their videos for info useful on most any stove.
Tom
Tom
Door open, with the shovel leaning to keep the door latch pushed against the stove. Open any more hurts startup. With it open the minimum possible, the air coming in is a nice jet where needed.
This is an HI300 insert
This is an HI300 insert
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