Threw a few logs on the stove at 9 p.m, and shut it down completely. We had 29 degree temps last night. Shop was 60 degrees at 6:30 this morning. I see I can't damp the stove down all the way. There were still a lot of coals, and simmering logs. No flame, and it made quite a bit of creosote. I'll try letting more air in tonight, but I'm amazed that 3 or 4 logs simmered for over 9 hours!
Englander 28-3500 furnace install / mods
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mustangwagz
Feeling the Heat
i figured you'd have this problem letting them simmer. Try opening the bottom spin by about the "thickness of a nickel" and slide top draft shut, that should help a little.
The instruction booklet gives no instructions, I wonder if sliding the top baffle forward a little when I bank it down would help with the creosote?
mustangwagz
Feeling the Heat
it may, it'd allow flames to rise up the pipe rather than through the firebox, however you'd loose heat. I slide mine forward when starting it to get pipes good and hot fast so the draft starts drawing the smoke and flames up.
Did you get a stove pipe thermometer yet? im tellin ya man, get one and put it 18-20" above the collar of the furnace, it'll make your life alot easier.
Did you get a stove pipe thermometer yet? im tellin ya man, get one and put it 18-20" above the collar of the furnace, it'll make your life alot easier.
psebowhunter
Member
For what its worth and your mileage may vary but I've never moved the baffle on mine other than for cleaning. On start up i run both both dampers all the way open for about 5-10 minutes until there is a good for going. Then i close the bottom/ spin damper all the way down. I run the slide/top damper around a quarter to half open. This leaves me with a good long efficient burn, not much creosote at all with dry wood and a nice coal bed for a reload. I found when i ran with the bottom damper open it shortened the burn times and seemed to kill the coal bed.
I might grab the thermometer, and see how different approaches work. I get great draft on my 15' metal stack. I open the bottom door during startup, and the fire starts immediately. I'll try the closed bottom, open top next time I test. Temps went up to 50 yesterday. I started a small fire at 10:30 a.m, and didn't feed it. Stove was pumping heat for 6 hours. Again...I'm lucky because I'm not using existing ductwork. I'm just blowing heat through a 4 ft. flex pipe. Even after the blower shuts down at the 70 degree mark, I can turn it back on manually and get heat for another hour.
Thus far, it seem either very little from the bottom intake, and very little from the top, or nothing on the bottom, and a little more on the top seems to be the two methods to try. I'm guessing that moisture content in the wood will have varied affects too.
Thus far, it seem either very little from the bottom intake, and very little from the top, or nothing on the bottom, and a little more on the top seems to be the two methods to try. I'm guessing that moisture content in the wood will have varied affects too.
mustangwagz
Feeling the Heat
for me...i prefer to have bottom open. When i was running just the top id come back to logs not burnt fully etc etc, then i did some research and brain storming with guys on other forums and found that opening the bottom gave me a good full burn.
As for moisture, yes it has a TON to do with how it'll burn im sure you know that already though. if you wood is wet, i highly suggest using the bottom draft.
The decision is yours! lol you'll figure it out, just kepe your pipes clean! another tip, If you glass gets dirty, your not burning hot enough Or your wood has alot of moisture in it. thats how i tell how my fire's burning nice dry wood..along with chimney temps.
As for moisture, yes it has a TON to do with how it'll burn im sure you know that already though. if you wood is wet, i highly suggest using the bottom draft.
The decision is yours! lol you'll figure it out, just kepe your pipes clean! another tip, If you glass gets dirty, your not burning hot enough Or your wood has alot of moisture in it. thats how i tell how my fire's burning nice dry wood..along with chimney temps.
OK....I've developed a real love for this stove! But...we had 13 degree temps the other night. Given that my furnace is in an insulated shed attached to the outside of my shop, it's probably going to perform differently than if I had it in a basement.
I've been having excellent results thus far, but I noticed that the really frigid temps seem to keep it from blowing heat as well as when it's in the 20s outside.
I decided to remove all the extra firebrick that I had added, as I feel that I'm insulating the firebox from the airspace that creates the heat chamber. I did get a better result almost immediately. My sheet metal door to the shed isn't insulated, as my old stove used to really heat the entire shed.
I think I'll insulate it, and cover the back of it with sheet metal too.
I've been having excellent results thus far, but I noticed that the really frigid temps seem to keep it from blowing heat as well as when it's in the 20s outside.
I decided to remove all the extra firebrick that I had added, as I feel that I'm insulating the firebox from the airspace that creates the heat chamber. I did get a better result almost immediately. My sheet metal door to the shed isn't insulated, as my old stove used to really heat the entire shed.
I think I'll insulate it, and cover the back of it with sheet metal too.
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