Enviro Wood Stoves

[illini81]

How Do I Get Maximum Heat out of My Stove?

How do I configure the primary air and blower to get maximum heat? My guess is that this depends on the time over which the heat is desired. So here are two scenarios:

1. It’s zero degrees outside, and so I decide I want to get everything I can out of my stove. I plan on blasting it as hot as it will go for four or five hours, and then reloading. How do I do this?

2. It’s 15 degrees outside (aka last night). I know (from last night’s experience) that just filling up the stove, turning the air down in stages until it’s all the way down, setting the blower on low will give me a stove top temp of 250+ after 9 hours. However, the stove room will be 66 and upstairs bedrooms 63 in the AM. So I want to get some more heat out of the stove. Do I just turn up the blower to high before going to bed? Do I keep the air at 25% open all night? 50% open?

Another question that applies to both of the above questions – after loading the stove and turning the air down in stages, it seems like if I were to leave the air at 50% open, for example, the stove top temp would get way too high. If I desired for the stove to run at 50% open, would the correct procedure be to turn it down in stages, then wait 1 or two hours until it passes its peak temperature, and then turn the air back up to 50%?

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

How Do I Get Maximum Heat out of My Stove?

How do I configure the primary air and blower to get maximum heat? My guess is that this depends on the time over which the heat is desired. So here are two scenarios:

1. It’s zero degrees outside, and so I decide I want to get everything I can out of my stove. I plan on blasting it as hot as it will go for four or five hours, and then reloading. How do I do this?

2. It’s 15 degrees outside (aka last night). I know (from last night’s experience) that just filling up the stove, turning the air down in stages until it’s all the way down, setting the blower on low will give me a stove top temp of 250+ after 9 hours. However, the stove room will be 66 and upstairs bedrooms 63 in the AM. So I want to get some more heat out of the stove. Do I just turn up the blower to high before going to bed? Do I keep the air at 25% open all night? 50% open?

Another question that applies to both of the above questions – after loading the stove and turning the air down in stages, it seems like if I were to leave the air at 50% open, for example, the stove top temp would get way too high. If I desired for the stove to run at 50% open, would the correct procedure be to turn it down in stages, then wait 1 or two hours until it passes its peak temperature, and then turn the air back up to 50%?

1. Smaller loads with smaller splits that burn fast and don’t leave too many coals so your reload time is faster.

2. Get a blanket. I️ don’t think the blower has a huge positive impact post peak. The biggest gain you get is the difference between off and on. After that it doesn’t make much difference. I️ think opening the air to increase heat would backfire too. It will be hotter but also shorter so you may have a colder house in the morning. You’re asking for a lot to pump lots of heat after 9 hours. Blasting the fan too much on the late stages could cool it off too much to the point where you have a lot of unburnt coals in the morning.

My air control is simply the get an efficient burn - I️ don’t use it as a heat regulator. For that I️ choose the type of load I️ want and, in the early stages, the fan setting.

 

[illini81]

1. Smaller loads with smaller splits that burn fast and don’t leave too many coals so your reload time is faster.

2. Get a blanket. I️ don’t think the blower has a huge positive impact post peak. The biggest gain you get is the difference between off and on. After that it doesn’t make much difference. I️ think opening the air to increase heat would backfire too. It will be hotter but also shorter so you may have a colder house in the morning. You’re asking for a lot to pump lots of heat after 9 hours. Blasting the fan too much on the late stages could cool it off too much to the point where you have a lot of unburnt coals in the morning.

My air control is simply the get an efficient burn - I️ don’t use it as a heat regulator. For that I️ choose the type of load I️ want and, in the early stages, the fan setting.

Got it, thanks. Before getting the stove, I was frustrated by all of the small splits, slivers, and bits of wood that I created by not hitting the wood where I wanted to while splitting wood. I'm beginning to realize that those bits are valuable.

So for overnight burns, do you always have the air all the way turned down?

Part of my problem the other night was that I started the fire 2 hours before going to bed, instead of stuffing the stove right before bed. I could have timed it better.

 

[stovelark]

Hey everyone- Been burning Enviro in my house since 2009, been selling them since 2009. One of the best bargains out there in wood stoves and pellet stoves. I do think their pellet stove is better known here in New England, although their wood stoves are seemingly bullet proof as well. I have burned the 1700 Kodiak during this time, 2-3 cords per season with supplemental help from my pellet stoves. They are easy to burn, are not too particular in regard to chimneys, they draft easily and the glass stays near perfectly clean. They were born in the same area and time as PE, Quadrafire, LOPI, to mention a few. I've installed them, cleaned them and in almost all cases, when given a chance customers love them. They aren't as popular here in New England as Jotul, Vermont castings, Quadrafire and the bigger names, but they do seem to have a happy following. The 1700 burn engine is well designed and very durable, I consistently get around 8-10 hours of easy burn time, with stove temps around 400-600 degrees typically, then down to about 200-250 when I reload. I like that it starts easy, gets up to temp and just does its thing. The one concern I have had is the recent "lawyer like" comments in the owners' manuals about maintaining low stove top temps and operating with metal cracks are ok to do- reading that stuff was baffling to me. Most steel stoves love to run anywhere from 400-700, even 800 degrees. Its absolutely amazing to me that I've owned a Quadrafire, Jotul, Hearthstone and this Enviro, and it being the least expensive of all of them, I like it the best. I keep thinking one day a Boston will be in my home, gotta be Majolica brown (wife's requirement). Thanks for starting this thread, Lets go Enviro.... .

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

Got it, thanks. Before getting the stove, I was frustrated by all of the small splits, slivers, and bits of wood that I created by not hitting the wood where I wanted to while splitting wood. I'm beginning to realize that those bits are valuable.

So for overnight burns, do you always have the air all the way turned down?

Part of my problem the other night was that I started the fire 2 hours before going to bed, instead of stuffing the stove right before bed. I could have timed it better.

I️ don’t like to stuff the stove and walk away. I’ve had enough fires getting really hot for seemingly no good reason that I️ don’t really trust it until I️ see how it’s going for at least an hour or two before walking away.

I️ usually do a load after work around 5:00 and that will get a good way through the night and I’ll usually have coals in the morning (I️ wake up early). I️ have a sweet spot that’s about 90% closed that gives enough to keep the fire going good without getting out of control. Sometimes I️ can get it down all the way, but that’s with me watching the fire.

 

[stovelark]

Someone mentioned air control settings, I've always told our customers (no matter what stove co) don't change the air control necessarily if going to bed, if stove top temp is stable at 1/4, 1/3 open then leave it. Sometimes too, putting the air control at minimum will not change the temp much, sometimes it will. Trial and error, if you burn somewhere between 350-700 stove top temp, and are comfortable in your house, then you have the right air setting. For my stove and chimney, about 1/4 open is where I usually am at. Maybe less if I got some really good seasoned wood and its very cold out (colder temps usually mean better chimney draft). Stay warm.

 

[illini81]

I️ don’t like to stuff the stove and walk away. I’ve had enough fires getting really hot for seemingly no good reason that I️ don’t really trust it until I️ see how it’s going for at least an hour or two before walking away.

I️ usually do a load after work around 5:00 and that will get a good way through the night and I’ll usually have coals in the morning (I️ wake up early). I️ have a sweet spot that’s about 90% closed that gives enough to keep the fire going good without getting out of control. Sometimes I️ can get it down all the way, but that’s with me watching the fire.

Very helpful to hear where other Boston/Kodiak users typically keep their air control.

By "stuff the stove before bed", I really meant fill the stove and get it stable before bed. It usually takes me about 45min - 1 hr to be convinced that the stove temp is stable. I also have found that about 90% closed seems to be a sweet spot. I also close it fully sometimes though. I've found that often I can fully close it, and the stove seems to respond well to that, but then a few times it has seemed to have a "snuffing out" effect, and it seems like I'm choking the fire.

 

[illini81]

Someone mentioned air control settings, I've always told our customers (no matter what stove co) don't change the air control necessarily if going to bed, if stove top temp is stable at 1/4, 1/3 open then leave it. Sometimes too, putting the air control at minimum will not change the temp much, sometimes it will. Trial and error, if you burn somewhere between 350-700 stove top temp, and are comfortable in your house, then you have the right air setting. For my stove and chimney, about 1/4 open is where I usually am at. Maybe less if I got some really good seasoned wood and its very cold out (colder temps usually mean better chimney draft). Stay warm.

You mention a typical temperature range here, and in your prior post you mentioned the lawyer like comments in the Enviro manual. I was just re-reading my manual, and noticed the statement about overfiring "If the stovetop temperatures exceed 550 F, you are overfiring." I think it would be almost impossible to fully load my stove and keep the peak stove top temp below 550. So it sounds like I can essentially ignore this statement?

 

[Haven]

I've heard people with other inserts talk about blower noise, so that's something I was concerned about. When our blower is on low or medium, I can't hear it unless I'm within a few feet of the stove. For the first few days I kept thinking it had shut off b/c I couldn't hear it. I would walk over and have to stick my head next to the blower to tell that it was still humming. So I think a lot of the concerns people have with insert blowers are... overblown?

Ours has gotten loud a few times. That's when we take it apart and use a compressor to blow out all the dog hair that seems to accumulate in it.

 

[Haven]

This will be our 5th winter with the Enviro Boston 1700. We love it!
Our house is about 3000 sq ft. But, it really only heats about 1/2 of it. Do to the way our house is configured, it just can't reach certain areas. We use a fan to blow into the room with the wood insert to create positive pressure and heat as much as we can.
Only part we've had to replace was the seal around the door last year.

 

[saewoody]

Ours has gotten loud a few times. That's when we take it apart and use a compressor to blow out all the dog hair that seems to accumulate in it.

I have the Kodiak. I have vacuumed my blower out from the exterior of the stove, But I would love to know exactly how to get to the blower, it doesn’t seem all that easy. And I consider myself to be very mechanically inclined. Thanks


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[saewoody]

I generally run my stove the same way I drive. I get it up to temp as fast as I can and then close down the damper all the way and just let the stove cruise. Once the temp starts to get on the low side, I open the damper all the way to burn up the coals as best as I can.


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[Haven]

I have the Kodiak. I have vacuumed my blower out from the exterior of the stove, But I would love to know exactly how to get to the blower, it doesn’t seem all that easy. And I consider myself to be very mechanically inclined. Thanks


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Oh Ya, It's a pain to get to it!
To get to the blower the the side panel needs to come off. But, to do that you need to take the door off. To take the door off, the mantle needs to come off.
Not sure if the Kodiak is set up the same as the Boston though.

 

[stovelark]

Hey everyone- the blowers are set up diff between the Boston and the Kodiak. For the Kodiak, take the surround off, pull out the left side a bit, find the two t20 screws that hold the blower pod on, just loosen (they have holes for accessing them) and remove the pod. I've found the blowers to be quite good to stay clean being mounted vertically. The boston needs the top plate (3/8 inch wrench needed to loosen the bolts), take that plate off, then the door and then the side panels are accessible. I only tighten down the front bolts on the sides and one bolt on the top plate. Boston owners will see what I mean. Its not easy, but it hides everything. The Venice and Kodiak also have one top bolt on the pod to remove to take their blowers off. Hope this helps.

 

[stovelark]

Hi Illi- yeah, I know what you mean about temp- mine is hardly ever below 450-500 so I guess I overfire, ha. My manual doesn't have that lawyerese stuff in it. I've asked the sales rep about it, he just shrugged at me. I don't think up to 700 is going to hurt anything, but I'm more comfortable running it 400-600 when I can.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

Hey everyone- the blowers are set up diff between the Boston and the Kodiak. For the Kodiak, take the surround off, pull out the left side a bit, find the two t20 screws that hold the blower pod on, just loosen (they have holes for accessing them) and remove the pod. I've found the blowers to be quite good to stay clean being mounted vertically. The boston needs the top plate (3/8 inch wrench needed to loosen the bolts), take that plate off, then the door and then the side panels are accessible. I only tighten down the front bolts on the sides and one bolt on the top plate. Boston owners will see what I mean. Its not easy, but it hides everything. The Venice and Kodiak also have one top bolt on the pod to remove to take their blowers off. Hope this helps.

+1 on recommending not to over tighten anything on the Boston. It’s a real pain.

I’ve never taken my fan completely out but to access it for superficial cleaning I️ just lift off the mantel plate from the top then lift the side plate up. Everything is held in place by gravity. Bolts are screwed in 3/4, just enough to fit into their hangers without tightening. No tools required, and I’ve never taken off my door.

My fan has been getting a little noises lately so I️ may have to really pull it out soon to clean the bottom. I️ assume that’s a different set of screws that you’d want to be tight so my process may not work for that. We’ll see.

 

[PNW Texan]

As a newb and only having this insert for less than a month, I am still struggling to find that sweet spot of getting the stove to burn instead of smolder. I will normally load as much as I can using larger splits and sometimes half rounds when overnight, however when I check my stove temp I can only ever read around 375 degrees even with a rip roaring fire. Where are people taking this reading at? I am at a loss and have taken a reading from anywhere I can think using my infrared temp gage. Please help.

Other than not getting longer burn times I am totally happy with this insert, I am currently heating 2100 sqft and can get the heating room to 80 and the bedrooms upstairs to mid to high 60's when using the ventilation fan in our house. We are burning mostly maple and some doug fir, all seasoned over 18 months.

 

[saewoody]

As a newb and only having this insert for less than a month, I am still struggling to find that sweet spot of getting the stove to burn instead of smolder. I will normally load as much as I can using larger splits and sometimes half rounds when overnight, however when I check my stove temp I can only ever read around 375 degrees even with a rip roaring fire. Where are people taking this reading at? I am at a loss and have taken a reading from anywhere I can think using my infrared temp gage. Please help.

Other than not getting longer burn times I am totally happy with this insert, I am currently heating 2100 sqft and can get the heating room to 80 and the bedrooms upstairs to mid to high 60's when using the ventilation fan in our house. We are burning mostly maple and some doug fir, all seasoned over 18 months.

I take my reading off the stove top.

I know you said the wood is seasoned 18 months, but it looks like you are in the Pacific Northwest. Is the wood actually below 20% moisture content? I know the weather out there is different than here on the east coast.


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[stovelark]

It is different getting the stove top temps from the Boston and Kodiak inserts. The Kodiak (steel stove) temp can be measured off the stove top where the Boston has an air gap between the stove body and top plate, making it harder to get. If one can put the thermometer in between the top plate and stove body, that would be good. It might be harder to read though. Cast cladded stoves do make it harder to get accurate stove top readings vice steel plated ones.....

 

[illini81]

As a newb and only having this insert for less than a month, I am still struggling to find that sweet spot of getting the stove to burn instead of smolder. I will normally load as much as I can using larger splits and sometimes half rounds when overnight, however when I check my stove temp I can only ever read around 375 degrees even with a rip roaring fire. Where are people taking this reading at? I am at a loss and have taken a reading from anywhere I can think using my infrared temp gage. Please help.

Other than not getting longer burn times I am totally happy with this insert, I am currently heating 2100 sqft and can get the heating room to 80 and the bedrooms upstairs to mid to high 60's when using the ventilation fan in our house. We are burning mostly maple and some doug fir, all seasoned over 18 months.

When you say the wood has been seasoned 18 months, did you 1. personally split it 18 months ago, 2. scrounge for it/buy it unsplit 18 months ago and split it more recently than that, or 3. buy it from someone who claimed it had been seasoned 18 months ago? If the answer is 2 or 3, it is possible that the wood is not seasoned. The only way to know for sure is to check with a moisture meter.

The Boston is a jacketed stove, which just means that it is a box within a box. When you check temps, you want to make sure you are checking the temperature of the interior box, which is the firebox. This is harder to do on a jacketed stove. The only surface of the firebox that you can easily access on the Boston is the top surface, underneath the outer jacket. I point my IR gun underneath the outer jacket onto the top surface of the firebox, and back near the flue collar. I attached a pic that might be helpful.

 

[saewoody]

Stovelark, you are a wealth of knowledge information about these Enviro stoves! Thanks for your contributions.


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[SculptureOfSound]

What is the width/height of the viewing glass in these?

 

[illini81]

Occasionally I’m running into an issue where I hit very high temperatures (700+) while the stove is heating up after a reload with the air control at either 90% or 100% closed. At this point I usually turn the air control all the way down (if it wasn’t already), and turn the fan to high. That always cools down the stove, but will also cause the flames to weaken to the point where I feel like I need to give it more air or it will smolder. The flames usually weaken fastener than the temp comes down, and so then I’m playing this game where I’m giving it a little air (and/or turning down the fan) to strengthen the fire, which causes the temp to increase… and so I reverse what I did, which causes the temp to come down, but the flames to weaken faster… and I’m back to giving it more air. I ride this cycle a few times until I'm comfortably past the peak and the stove temp is stable in the high 500's.

What am I doing to cause this? Am I not shutting the air down soon enough? I usually start at about 300 degrees. Is it my wood? It's only happened to me maybe 3 times.

 

[illini81]

What is the width/height of the viewing glass in these?

I'll measure when I get home.

 

[illini81]

What is the width/height of the viewing glass in these?

16" wide X 10" high