Got the Rockland hot last night... a little to hot though!

[OhioBurner©]

Went to load it up for the night yesterday evening, was down to coals, around 350°F. I probably didnt need to leave the door cracked (I do when its cooler) but out of habit I left it cracked just for 1, maybe 2 minutes until visible flame had half way engulfed the new load. Closed it up and went into the other room to load the other stove up. After loading the other stove I was going to sit down and read a magazine while waiting for the stoves to come up to temperature. Realizing I hadnt set my little timer I pressed the button before sitting down. I have had it set to 10 minutes but after fumbling with it in the dark a few days ago it got set to twelve minutes, I didnt really think much of it and went with 12. After reading a bit of Organic Gardening I heard a bit of a thwack from the Rockland and went out to look. After staring at it a second, it looks as though a couple pieces shifted and banged against the glass (nothing broke, just figuring thats what made the big thwack). It seemed awfully hot though, and a whole lot more flames then I am used to so I shut the air down 75% closed and grabbed the IR gun. First readings were showing in the 800's! Closer to the center I was finding some hot spots up to 940°. I shut the air as low as it goes. I looked inside and it appeared the baffle was just starting to glow towards the front edge in a few spots, but couldnt tell anything else was glowing. It was difficult to see, there was a whole lot of flames going on up there. I've heard just opening the door a way (not just cracked) helps cool things down with a lot of room temperature air, but thats hard to do when two pieces fully engulfed in flames are sitting against the glass. After a few minutes of watching the baffle glow I got out the poker and opened to door, I was going to hold the pieces back with a poker but they actually didnt seem to move after openeing but I held the poker on em anyhow. Wasnt sure if I should just leave it open, I ended up opening and closing a few times on a couple minute interval. Once the baffle was no longer glowing I felt much better, I dont know if there has ever officially been an overfire temp established for the stove but I recall reading a few times as long as nothing is glowing your ok. So once nothing was glowing I let it be, was still showing stovetop temps peaking in the low to mid 800's and mid 700's further to the sides.


There was about a minute left on the timer when the bang happened so it went from 300's to 900's in 11 minutes plus the time I loaded the other stove, probably 12-13 minutes. This is my first season with this stove but never seen that fast of temperature rise before!

The highest stove top temps I've recorded before were mid to upper 700's. I had not ever seen even 800° before and I just blew right through that mark. I've not been involved with overfiring before, hopefully nothing was damaged. Too bad it happened just after installed my insulated block off plate, before the block off plate I am sure it would have cooled down a little easier!

Also, I now see why some have said having an uncontrollable secondary air that always runs wide open can be a bad thing. I've heard of folks stuffing rags and what not into the secondary air intakes, but I can not find anything on this stove for secondary air. Does anyone know?

 

[Rudyjr]

I know on the C450 the air comes in through a round hole in the back of the insert. I looked and did not see anything in the 550 manual. The 450 manual shows how the air is routed in the stove. How was the heat output with the block off plate after everything settled down?

 

[Danno77]

Dang. I bet it was hot near that stove for a bit!

 

[wkpoor]

Can't answer about your Rockland but you remeinder me about the other Nashua I sold a buddy. He routinely burns it with the inside heat shield glowing red visible from the outside looking through the baffle. No temp indicator on the top and I doubt he cares. So far no damage that I can tell.

 

[OhioBurner©]

I know on the C450 the air comes in through a round hole in the back of the insert. I looked and did not see anything in the 550 manual. The 450 manual shows how the air is routed in the stove. How was the heat output with the block off plate after everything settled down?

I don't recall the manual stating either but I'll give it another once over. The 2 times the stove has been out I didn't notice any air intake on the back but neither time was I looking for one so I might have missed it.

I'll update my block off plate thread after a few more 'normal' days with it. I will say the surround temp has gone up significantly, and when I got up in the morning at ~8 (reload was about 10pm night before) even though the fire was out, no visible coals, the surround was still warmer than it ever had been before even on a 600° burn.

Dang. I bet it was hot near that stove for a bit!

Not too bad... Well I almost burnt my hand trying to get temp readings (pointing the temp gun into the hot air blower slot)! As far as room temps we have the insert in a great room and it struggles to warm up that side of the house. Since its tall and open the upstairs is generally warmer than the stove room. We were running both stoves yesterday and the great room had been 70-72 most of the day, with supplemental heat coming from the old side of the house and big old stove. After the incident, the great room was about 74 and it was about 76 upstairs. The big old stove is in the old side of the house, smaller rooms, low ceiling, and with 400° burns the stove room is usually pushing 80°, but the insert is heating a lot larger open volume.