Some I'm on my first full day of burning the newly installed Englander and my first day of wood stove experience period. Everythings going really well. I seem to have great draft, my wood is very well seasoned although slightly smaller cut then I would like for a wood burner, and it is totally heating the place up. I do have a question though. The fire seems to be burning very vigorously even when I have the air control completely shut off (pushed all the way in). I don't really notice any difference in the fire from when I have the air wide open or closed. I feel like I am going through wood rather quick. All this I've noticed but I have nothing to compare it to as far as experience. The ash tray cover just strikes me as an area that air could be sucked through and cause the fire to burn more then I want but the owners manual mentions nothing about it being a precaution. Am I just seeing things??? When I have the air all the way down I am expecting that fire in slow motion look and it just seems like the coals are still flickering red hot like they are being blown on. Ease my mind.
Englander Question
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Although a little corny that was actually a pretty informative video. Thanks for share. I am still not totally comfortable but her fire seemed to appear to be rolling. I guess my expectations were for a much slower looking flame without any blowing appearance like I have right now. Almost looks like someone is blowing on the coals in the center front right by the glass and any wood that is there burns right up quickly.
I don't know about the englander but most of the Quad units the center front there is a little doghouse where most of the startup air comes in, if you leave the startup air open it will do what you described.
thats the "zipper" if you look right in the bottom of the door opening you will se a little bump sticking up. this is the 3rd stage air inlet (or zipper as i call it) it squirts a stream of air at the bottom of the fire. its one of the reasons this unit can run as hot as it can and still burn clean. as your draft control is closed this picks up a bit , but its just a tiny hole. ive seen it with a really active chimney literally blow a hole in the front east west split within a few hours. but that was a flue hittting about .13 wc which is a lot. if you are ripping through wood in general though, check the folowing areas to ensure tight fit
1. the ash dump plug (this can put in more underneath air and cause faster less controlled burns
2. door seal (dollar bill test)
also , if these are both ok, give us a description of the flue , ie. height diameter , interior or exterior, metal or masonary etc.
1. the ash dump plug (this can put in more underneath air and cause faster less controlled burns
2. door seal (dollar bill test)
also , if these are both ok, give us a description of the flue , ie. height diameter , interior or exterior, metal or masonary etc.
I will have to check it in the AM when the fire is down and out as I highly doubt I will get even close to an all night burn at this rate (don't get me wrong...I am very happy with the unit). I have a dynomite draw from the second I strike a match. Ironcially though it is an exterior chimney but it is a very heavy chimney with ext. brick, 8" CMU and then clay liner. 22ft high. I used T316 flex liner with no insulation. I'm thinking there could be a decent chance that I did not solidly close the ash tray cover. I'll report back in the morning. The small hole you are talkign about is right were the action is but it seems like too much air for what you describe unless my draft is that off the chart which I doubt. I'll get to the bottom of it tomorrow.
All that said, my upstairs is 78 degrees tonight and we are LOVING it!
All that said, my upstairs is 78 degrees tonight and we are LOVING it!
a secondary burn stove is not like the older airtight stoves in that (for just one of several differances) when the primary air of a secondary burn stove is shut down all the way ,it is not in reality shut all the way off, but instead ,shut down only to a predetermined point that still allows
enough primary air so that the stove can not smolder & produce smoke.
The stove is designed this way to stop smoke polution. There may also be some secondary air still entering the stove when the control is shut down also . Because of this, one can not expect a secondary burn stove to shut down as completely as an old time airtight stove did.
This little bit of aggrevation is way more offset by the large savings in fuel (2/3 more heat for the same amt of wood) that a secondary stove gives over an old time pre epa stove.
I own an summersheat equivalant of englander 50-30 cnp, 2000 sq-ft that is sitting on a pallet
in my basement waiting for a summer install, so there may be a chance that I might note the effect that you are speaking of.
But pay attention to stoveguy2esw, he is mike holton from englander stove works & knows your stove & mine too, like the back of his hand.
enough primary air so that the stove can not smolder & produce smoke.
The stove is designed this way to stop smoke polution. There may also be some secondary air still entering the stove when the control is shut down also . Because of this, one can not expect a secondary burn stove to shut down as completely as an old time airtight stove did.
This little bit of aggrevation is way more offset by the large savings in fuel (2/3 more heat for the same amt of wood) that a secondary stove gives over an old time pre epa stove.
I own an summersheat equivalant of englander 50-30 cnp, 2000 sq-ft that is sitting on a pallet
in my basement waiting for a summer install, so there may be a chance that I might note the effect that you are speaking of.
But pay attention to stoveguy2esw, he is mike holton from englander stove works & knows your stove & mine too, like the back of his hand.
Pook that video link was a lot of help I think every new stove owner should watch it! It put my mind at rest about over firing.
Thanks to everyone in the forums for all the great advice and info
!Thought I would respond to this as I run the gamut of weather conditions, wood types, etc.
When it is like 10 degrees or colder outside, given the nature of this house and my stove type (see sig below), I will load splits in north-south so my air flow from my front loading stove goes with the splits. Faster burn times of course. I can get approx 6-7 hours on a full load this way.
Above 10 degrees, I will load east-west.
Depending on the wood, and the temperature conditions, I will vary how I load and what I load. For instance, if I am in that 10-30 dgrees outside range, I may load oak and/or pinon, east-west. This way the air flow is slowed and I get longer, even burns. I have to close everything for all intents, down, though there is still a minimal air flow occurring and things will work well. If I am burning pinon or cedar, or all oak, these can tend to produce wonderfully high heat even when things are dampered all the way down. If things are too fast, the draft is going too well, the wood is just too perfect, or if things are warmer than say 30 degrees, and I run the risk of overfiring, I have techniques where I will place different kinds of wood along different layers. I can maintain three "zones" of splits in my firebox, perhaps two, sometimes three splits high. What I might do is place a high heat split in front. In the middle I may put some moderate wood, like elm or mebbe some not quite perfectly seasoned oak pr pine, or I may place in a full round in my middle layer. Then I may place a high heat puppy on the bottom of my last layer near the back of the stove, with another one or two moderate type wood splits on top. I end up with being able to control the speed and flow, and for all intents, heat of a load over the course of 6-10 hours, but the types of wood at each layer. Sometimes I will place a high heat split along the bottom of all three zones, and then a full round on top of each one. Gets things coaled up on the bottom, which then move more slowly through the unsplit round on top. All this loading east-west, and I can get easily 10 hours or more on this stove which is a modest stove design, nothing fancy. But it works for this house and environment. If it were colder here, I would have opted for a more efficient CAT stove. But I've been able to use this layering technique to manage slow to fast burns. But in a pinch, I go north-south with say, pinon, and can get the joint warmed up fairly quickly. East-west, north-south, layering the types of wood depending on the conditions. Have been fairly successful in keeping the digs cozy even at during extended subzero times. And when things go into the 40s or 50s, I have these wonderful coals which will keep things comfy all day.
When it is like 10 degrees or colder outside, given the nature of this house and my stove type (see sig below), I will load splits in north-south so my air flow from my front loading stove goes with the splits. Faster burn times of course. I can get approx 6-7 hours on a full load this way.
Above 10 degrees, I will load east-west.
Depending on the wood, and the temperature conditions, I will vary how I load and what I load. For instance, if I am in that 10-30 dgrees outside range, I may load oak and/or pinon, east-west. This way the air flow is slowed and I get longer, even burns. I have to close everything for all intents, down, though there is still a minimal air flow occurring and things will work well. If I am burning pinon or cedar, or all oak, these can tend to produce wonderfully high heat even when things are dampered all the way down. If things are too fast, the draft is going too well, the wood is just too perfect, or if things are warmer than say 30 degrees, and I run the risk of overfiring, I have techniques where I will place different kinds of wood along different layers. I can maintain three "zones" of splits in my firebox, perhaps two, sometimes three splits high. What I might do is place a high heat split in front. In the middle I may put some moderate wood, like elm or mebbe some not quite perfectly seasoned oak pr pine, or I may place in a full round in my middle layer. Then I may place a high heat puppy on the bottom of my last layer near the back of the stove, with another one or two moderate type wood splits on top. I end up with being able to control the speed and flow, and for all intents, heat of a load over the course of 6-10 hours, but the types of wood at each layer. Sometimes I will place a high heat split along the bottom of all three zones, and then a full round on top of each one. Gets things coaled up on the bottom, which then move more slowly through the unsplit round on top. All this loading east-west, and I can get easily 10 hours or more on this stove which is a modest stove design, nothing fancy. But it works for this house and environment. If it were colder here, I would have opted for a more efficient CAT stove. But I've been able to use this layering technique to manage slow to fast burns. But in a pinch, I go north-south with say, pinon, and can get the joint warmed up fairly quickly. East-west, north-south, layering the types of wood depending on the conditions. Have been fairly successful in keeping the digs cozy even at during extended subzero times. And when things go into the 40s or 50s, I have these wonderful coals which will keep things comfy all day.
Appleby said:
So she was cooled down this AM and I cleaned the ashes and pulled the ash plug and reset it being careful to make sure it is totally in place. We'll see what happens today. I'm starting to think that it's just me and the stove is acting totally normal. CRAP! I forgot to do the dollar bill test! Well, it will have to wait for now.
Another question. The top gold trim piece seems to be experiencing a little discoloration. It was gold and now it is more of a bronish gold color. Definitely darkened slighting. Not glowing hot though as once the stoved cooled over night the color did not change back. It just changed colors when heated. Also, I have stainless steel T316 flex for the liner. It has also darkened with heat ever so slightly. I don't have a fear of overheating as the air control has been closed forever but was jsut wondering if this is all normal. Just being overly cautious as I embark on this new endeavor.
I'm new to burning an Englander 30 as well.
When the secondary combustion kicks in, it looks like the depths of hell in there, even with the air closed most of the way down.
I think your stove is doing exactly what it's supposed to do.
-SF
When the secondary combustion kicks in, it looks like the depths of hell in there, even with the air closed most of the way down.
I think your stove is doing exactly what it's supposed to do.
-SF
I was burning an Englander last week, for the first time up at a friends cabin in the woods, and I noticed the secondary burn on it looked alot different than what I am use to on my Regency. It had a thermometer on the pipe though, so i knew everything was burning ok. Maybe get a flue thermometer.
I should have my thermometer tomorrow for the stove.
I tend to agree with you Slyferret. I'm probably seeing a normal stove. Sure did heat the house up last night!
I tend to agree with you Slyferret. I'm probably seeing a normal stove. Sure did heat the house up last night!
Yup, that it does. I'm experimenting with load size, split size, and when exactly to reload (so that I have enough coals, but not too many), in order to learn how to operate this thing without making it 92 degrees in here.
-SF
-SF
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