Fireview stove temps

[fireview2788]

For the bulk of this year I've been burning hickory but when we've had a few nights in the teens I broke into my oak stash. What I've found is that it doesn't matter which wood I'm using the stove gets to around 350 (plus or minus 25) and stays there.

I'm wondering if I'm choking it down too far. Any thoughts?

FV

 

[robbydanilow]

350 is a little cool for my fv. It likes to cruise 500 to 550 during the hottest part of the burn cycle. It's this year one for you? How dry is the wood? Year 2 for me with dry cherry I can light of the cat at 200 and tamp it down to 0.5 over 45 min. Last year with marginal wood I stalled it a few times and it seemed to hang at 300 350. I'd open up the bypass let it burn at 1 depending on the flames then engage after 5 or 10 min. Usually after disengaging and engaging the catalytic at that part of a burn cycle it'll light off really well and start glowing. When I get a solid light off it cruises higher than 450 every time. Did have draft issues last year seemed to stall allot then. The liner fell down into the chimney... bad install.

 

[Tenn Dave]

I don't have a Fireview, but I do have a Woodstock Progress Hybrid, and my first year of burning was very similar. I only burn hickory and oak, and last year I was having trouble getting my stove temp over 375. My wood was between 20% and 25% moisture content after 2 years of seasoning. This year the wood is 3 years old and the MC is below 20%. No problem getting stove top temps of 500 to 550.

 

[Woody Stover]

Mine would cruise out like robby's, 500+. I found that even cutting dead Red Oaks, it wouldn't get dry enough at 2 yrs. unless it was split medium-small. Have you got a moisture meter? Does the cat glow orange after burning in the load for 15 or 20 minutes and closing the bypass? You may have to burn in the load a little longer if your wood isn't totally dry. I got the cat probe (doesn't give true cat temp, as evidenced by no rise after closing the bypass and glowing the cat.) But I used the probe to establish the load. I'd run the probe up around 1000, cut the air to hold it there for about 15 min, then close the bypass and she'd light right off even if the stove top wasn't to 250 as recommended in the manual. Stacking wood by the stove and cooking it for several days before burning seemed to help a bit. Everyone's setup is different but on my 16' stack I would run about .5. If I opened it up to 1 or a little over, I got some flame and she would really start crankin'. Too much air/flame, though, and the cat couldn't catch all the smoke.

 

[fireview2788]

Wood is dry for sure. Hickory is c/s/s for 2.5 years and the oak is over 3 years.

d r

 

[Tenn Dave]

Wood is dry for sure. Hickory is c/s/s for 2.5 years and the oak is over 3 years.

d r

Perhaps your right, but to be sure you should take a moisture reading from the face of a fresh split. It should be 20% or less to get a good hot stove.

 

[fireview2788]

I pulled a piece, split, and tested. It was at 18%.


fv

 

[Woody Stover]

I pulled a piece, split, and tested. It was at 18%.

If they are all there, you're golden. Even with the 3 yrs. Hickory and Oak I'm into now, it seems some of the bigger ones may still be a little damp. Not too bad though, they're burning....
fireview, what air settings do you generally cruise at? What is your chimney setup, stack height etc? Are you seeing the cat glow after closing the bypass early in the burn?

 

[jmccabe]

I pulled a piece, split, and tested. It was at 18%.


fv

Much to my shame I rarely post anything on the forum, but I'll bet I've read nearly every Fireview related post that's on the site. And I've had my own for a couple of years. (I think the FV is great, but if I could afford it I'd be perfectly happy to have a different stove every year just to try new things.) The most straightforward answer is, I think, to call Woodstock and let them walk you through some troubleshooting. Even with less than perfect wood, I've found it unbelievably easy to run the stove in the 500-600 range. You shouldn't be having those sorts of problems. That said, my experience has very occasionally been that if I shut down the air too quickly on a very big load of wood or one that has very large splits, I can get it stuck at 350 or so. In general, once I've switched over to the combustor, my typical running air is .75 and that takes me over 500; but if I want to be sure it gets hot (600 range) I leave it at 1.25 or so until it's close to the temperature I want, and then I reduce the air. I feel confident you'll get it working.

 

[valuman]

Much to my shame I rarely post anything on the forum, but I'll bet I've read nearly every Fireview related post that's on the site. And I've had my own for a couple of years. (I think the FV is great, but if I could afford it I'd be perfectly happy to have a different stove every year just to try new things.) The most straightforward answer is, I think, to call Woodstock and let them walk you through some troubleshooting. Even with less than perfect wood, I've found it unbelievably easy to run the stove in the 500-600 range. You shouldn't be having those sorts of problems. That said, my experience has very occasionally been that if I shut down the air too quickly on a very big load of wood or one that has very large splits, I can get it stuck at 350 or so. In general, once I've switched over to the combustor, my typical running air is .75 and that takes me over 500; but if I want to be sure it gets hot (600 range) I leave it at 1.25 or so until it's close to the temperature I want, and then I reduce the air. I feel confident you'll get it working.

This is pretty much my experience so far, but I'm only two weeks into burning my new Fireview and tonight was the first time I've gotten it "stuck" at 350 degrees on the stove top. Normally I'm able to load five to six splits in the stove on top of coals, let it run in bypass for ten minutes or so, engage the cat and turn the damper down to 1 or 1.25 for another five or ten minutes then shut it down to between .75 and 1 and watch the temp climb to 500 degrees, plus.

Tonight when I loaded the stove the splits fit together tightly and that stopped the intake air from getting under the load. I saw what was going on and left the door cracked for what I thought was enough time to heat the wood sufficiently, closed the door and went to bypass with the damper at about 2. The stove top came up to 350 and I shut it down to 1, which usually sends it right up to 500 or a bit more, but that didn't happen. Then I took my poker to the stack to rearrange it enough to create some air passages between the splits and most importantly (I think) between the split at the bottom on the front side to get air between it and inside of the stove. Now she's running at 520 on top with the damper at about .75 and everyone's happy in the house. Maybe something similar is occurring with the OP's stove?

 

[fireview2788]

I'm thinking I'm shutting it down to quickly. Thanks!

 

[Woody Stover]

Get that probe, guaranteed light every time!

 

[fireview2788]

It still amazes me, I think I've got the stove figured out but then I realize I don't. I've been choking it down too quickly, thanks for the input! Slowed it down last night and this morning and she's humming right along now.


fv

 

[tom dee]

ive same issues two years progress hybrid to get over this 375 id have to light the room on fire centered stove 1600 sq ft 13 ft middle house 8 in od 6 in id stainless pipe banded good draft pretty much .. no lighting issues it just wont see the 550 like my old fishers etc .. pretty stove tho .. but the garage is warmer almost same size (sq ft) oooold jotul in garage but this issue makes my wife stay at work longer he he yeesh

 

[tom dee]

in my new building me thinks the blaze king will wander into my life .. seemingly a lot less work ..

 

[MJFlores]

When mine started doing that I replaced the cat...fixed me right up. They dont last forever. This is my first year with the stainless cat and so far so good.

 

[fireview2788]

I'll likely replace the cat next winter, that will be five years.


fv

 

[tom dee]

ive a progress hybrid cat is a 13 months old ribbon type and ive a spare one out clean one in getting dirty can change on a load if I like yep im that fast I keep stone off cook grid now gloves on damper closed or bypassed lift grate slide out cat drop in other few secs .. load stv on hot coals wait to catch engage cat im still at the 500 ness for this ? in one year my door really seems a lot of play in. the bypass gasket destroyed at 4 months .. it layin on floor . wen bypass gasket fell out no change in burn .. at all .. this stove is extremely sensitive to moisture the opposite of a blaze king as I understand it . it looks like blaze king folk get to enjoy life not slaving over wood issues all year long with this model looks like one is a slave year round my observations only folk no need to get snippy