EPA stove burn times

[msherer]

What is considered a full burn cycle for an EPA stove? Do you go by temperature, what state the wood in the stove is (coals etc)? I'm not really sure what I should go by to get an average of burn times (I also realize the wood type etc has something to do with it as well). Thanks!

Matt

 

[Chimney Smoke]

I consider burn time from a full reload to when there' enough coals for an easy reload with the stove still sending out noticeable heat.

 

[pdxdave]

To me burn time is when there is still easy reload of splits without needing to re-kindle the fire from start. Basing it on heating capacity seems too subjective to me.

 

[Huntindog1]

Hows that Vogelzang Ponderosa doing for you? My previous stove was a Vogelzang Performer and liked it.

You should get a 12 hour burn from that stove.

As having enough coals for a relight of a new load of wood on hot coals.

Good dry wood will get you longer burn times as it will start up quicker allowing you to get the input air shut back down quicker to a low slow burn level. And drier wood lets you set your stove at a really low input air level that your wouldnt be able to with wetter wood. A lower input iar setting but still maintain some secondary flames inn the top of stove.

Get a moisture meter at Lowes ($30) and fresh split a piece of wood and measure the inside surface.

20% or less moisture is what they say but I like 18% or less.

 

[msherer]

Hows that Vogelzang Ponderosa doing for you? My previous stove was a Vogelzang Performer and liked it.

You should get a 12 hour burn from that stove.

As having enough coals for a relight of a new load of wood on hot coals.

Good dry wood will get you longer burn times as it will start up quicker allowing you to get the input air shut back down quicker to a low slow burn level. And drier wood lets you set your stove at a really low input air level that your wouldnt be able to with wetter wood. A lower input iar setting but still maintain some secondary flames inn the top of stove.

Get a moisture meter at Lowes ($30) and fresh split a piece of wood and measure the inside surface.

20% or less moisture is what they say but I like 18% or less.

The Ponderosa is doing fine. I'm probably going to get another unit next year. The top warped a little and it has started to rust on the top in spots already. I'm probably getting around 5.5 hours of burn time. I was interested in what a full burn cycle is considered.

 

[Highbeam]

It's when you can reload and restart without a match. Some folks use PMH or Period or Meaningful Heat because they need the stove hot all the time and so need to reload before the coals have burnt down. Those folks have a different idea of burn time.

So long as you're comparing apples to apples then it shouldn't matter.

 

[Huntindog1]

Thats a pretty big stove to get only 5.5 hour burn time. No stove will have flames for more than 5 or 6 hours as 50 percent of your heat is in the coal stage of the stove.

After a while the paint needs touched up on the stoves as the heat will eventually takes it toll and a new coat of paint is needed to keep a steel stove from rusting. Plus if you put a water on the stove for humidity and some water gets on the paint the steel can rust on ya.

 

[Huntindog1]

That stove has a high burn control , which is an additional control to let more air in at high burn rates to keep the burn clean.
Make sure that control is closed or you wont get a long burn as the extra air will cause the wood to burn down faster than normal.

 

[msherer]

It's when you can reload and restart without a match. Some folks use PMH or Period or Meaningful Heat because they need the stove hot all the time and so need to reload before the coals have burnt down. Those folks have a different idea of burn time.

So long as you're comparing apples to apples then it shouldn't matter.

This makes sense. My 5.5 hours would be based off of PMH. I've loaded the stove at 11pm and still had plenty of coals to rekindle easily at noon the next day. Thanks!

 

[msherer]

That stove has a high burn control , which is an additional control to let more air in at high burn rates to keep the burn clean.
Make sure that control is closed or you wont get a long burn as the extra air will cause the wood to burn down faster than normal.

Thats a pretty big stove to get only 5.5 hour burn time. No stove will have flames for more than 5 or 6 hours as 50 percent of your heat is in the coal stage of the stove.

After a while the paint needs touched up on the stoves as the heat will eventually takes it toll and a new coat of paint is needed to keep a steel stove from rusting. Plus if you put a water on the stove for humidity and some water gets on the paint the steel can rust on ya.

I do have a steaming chicken on top.

I don't think I've ever used the high burn control. I wait till the secondary's kick in (usually around 500deg) and close the main flow control all the way. I'll start to adjust that main flow lever when the heat drops below 500deg.

This is all helpful info, appreciate everyone's input.

 

[Highbeam]

My NC30 is something over 3 CF, big non-cat. I too have to reload every 4-5 hours to keep it putting out lots of heat. Coal buildup can be an issue during this type of burning but the overnight stretch usually allows enough time (at reduced output) to allow the coals to dwindle.

 

[David.Ervin]

In my experience, "Burn time" as advertised is basically the absolute maximum limit you can go between full reloads without having to completely start over with kindling. In practical terms, "burn time" might vary with the season. This past weekend when it got down to 30 at night, I had two not-quite-full-of-wood burns each day to keep the house comfortable and keep ahead of the stove going completely out. So in that case, I was at about 12 hours, and the stove was just warm to the touch. In the dead of winter with the wind howling, "burn time" will be closer to 8 hours to keep the stove hot so the house stays warm. YMMV, I guess.

 

[branchburner]

What is considered a full burn cycle for an EPA stove? Do you go by temperature, what state the wood in the stove is (coals etc)?
Matt

Since "burn time" seems to be a subjective term, I prefer to use it mostly in comparative terms... this stove, or combustion technology, or air setting, or wood type, gives me longer (or shorter) burns than another.

One could get a very long burn from a smoldering pre-EPA stove, or a very short burn from an EPA stove that is over-drafting or has excessive air inflow. But as a rule, for the same size firebox and flue setup, I expect cat stoves can burn longer than burn-tube stoves, and those can burn longer than downdraft stoves.

 

[Huntindog1]

If your having trouble with getting long burn times try to load larger diameter splits.
If your loading on very hot coals or deep hot coal bed it will fire up quick so get the input air
turned down earlier and in quicker increments.

Let your coal bed burn down further before reload.

That stove has alot of secondary tubes in the top , means more secondary air flow so its easy to get it a little too hot which leads shorter wood cycle times. So get it shut down a little quicker and dont allow the stove top temp to get as hot.