Getting my old Orley under control

[area_man]

I'm getting better with this thing. I get my fires started with dryer lint, cardboard, and sticks. Then splits, usually something like 4x4 or 4x8 size. Get it up and hot out of the gate and build up the coals. What I really want is the coals. Once I have a nice bed of hot coals going, I add maybe two or three splits at a time and choke it down to just a sliver on each of the vents. Then I have a circulator fan about three feet away blowing at the stove. I keep the doors to the bedrooms closed, which keeps the heat more in the living area.

I probably check on my stove more than necessary, but that's what I'm comfortable with.

Just for fun, I took one of the cameras for my home security system and have it watching the stove, and I can check it from my phone. Last year I bought some cast iron tea kettles but this year I'm not putting any water in them. They still sit up there, catching heat and radiating it off. I'd guess there's about ten pounds of cast iron there now.

This is my second full winter with it. I had an HVAC guy come out and explain my heat pump and electric furnace the other day, and now I know the sweet spot (outside temp less than 40, inside temp less than 65) that I can use to conserve my fairly small wood stack but still keep my electric bill from eating me alive. Even when it's in the 20s I can keep the house at about 70 without blowing out my stacks.

 

[mrpee]

I'm getting better with this thing. I get my fires started with dryer lint, cardboard, and sticks. Then splits, usually something like 4x4 or 4x8 size. Get it up and hot out of the gate and build up the coals. What I really want is the coals. Once I have a nice bed of hot coals going, I add maybe two or three splits at a time and choke it down to just a sliver on each of the vents. Then I have a circulator fan about three feet away blowing at the stove. I keep the doors to the bedrooms closed, which keeps the heat more in the living area.

I probably check on my stove more than necessary, but that's what I'm comfortable with.

Just for fun, I took one of the cameras for my home security system and have it watching the stove, and I can check it from my phone. Last year I bought some cast iron tea kettles but this year I'm not putting any water in them. They still sit up there, catching heat and radiating it off. I'd guess there's about ten pounds of cast iron there now.

This is my second full winter with it. I had an HVAC guy come out and explain my heat pump and electric furnace the other day, and now I know the sweet spot (outside temp less than 40, inside temp less than 65) that I can use to conserve my fairly small wood stack but still keep my electric bill from eating me alive. Even when it's in the 20s I can keep the house at about 70 without blowing out my stacks.

I to have an Orley, I have had it for 8 yrs. it's great in that it don't care what you throw in it.

 

[begreen]

FYI Purchasing and installing the stove in OR and WA is illegal.

 

[area_man]

This winter I've taken my stove-tending a little more carefully than last year. Rather than loading my stove up for a run, I go back to it about every 20 min to check it out, take the temperature in a couple spots, feed it a little wood, mound up the coals, adjust the air intake, turn the fan up or down, fill the teakettles with water, anything that has to be done. I have one of those fancy home security systems with cameras and junk, so now I have a camera pointed at it. When I'm on the computer I just keep a window open to keep an eye on things.

Tending to it frequently and adjusting to conditions seems to be sufficient, though.

I like that the Orley will pretty much take what you give it and make some heat.

 

[FishKiller]

that sounds like paranoia... and really hard starts to me. i have no issue with over tending a stove, but 90% of those checks should just be, "burning good, almost ready for reload, or ready for a reload". i check mine every 2-3 hours when i'm home... get comfortable with running it and keep up on loading it. you'll be much happier. i have gone to the top down start method and i start with 1x2" oak kindling. its only finicky for 5-6 minutes before it is good to go. i have nearly a full load of decent splits on the bottom and they always burn just fine.

 

[JayD]

I go back to it about every 20 min to check it out

I have one of those fancy home security systems with cameras and junk, so now I have a camera pointed at it.

Do you have a safe install with a class A chimney that meets code? What do you do if you have to leave for awhile??? That Would Drive Me Nuts. I load mine char the wood, Throttle it down and walk away confused