Had to stay up later than planned last nite.

[RedRanger]

This experimenting is ruining my sleep :bug:

Last nite I loaded it up east/west with 3 large splits of douglas fir. Let it char really good, then slowly dampened it down,3/4-1/2 and finally 1/4. This was at eleven o`clock. Damn, at 11:45 just coals on the bottom, no secondary. Re-did the process two more times, and finally at about 12:15, with the primary shut to 1/4 all was well with just a constant lazy flame over the top, and the insert reading 300. I watched that lazy top flame for another half-hour till 12:45 and finally went to bed.

Good thing is that when the wife got up at 6 this morning she said the blower was still running. And when I got up at 8:30 the house was still a toasty 65F.

Oh, in case you are wondering? No, she didn`t bother to reload it :down:

 

[wellbuilt home]

Its no big deal All you have to do is get a alarm clock that buzzes every 3 hours so your wife knows when to leap out of bead to fill it .

 

[Hogwildz]

300? That seams a tad low to me.

 

[RedRanger]

300? That seams a tad low to me.

Ya, I may have to splurge and get one of those infrared therms. My Kal Kem magnetic that I stick on the top of the insert seems to need a good smack from time to time. Even when I am picking up a reading of only 250 stove top-I go outside and look and no smoke. I`m thinking that "no smoke" means hot and clean enough:?

I know that on my old insert I could only place the thing on the front door. and so used to add a hundred degrees to guesstimate the top temp.

Just wondering? Would the fact that the top of my new one has 5/16 steel make for a cooler reading than what it really is? Hey, been burning for more than 30 years, but this is a whole new ball game for me. :wow:

 

[Hogwildz]

I wouldn't think so, that steel once the stove is up to temp, should be fairly accurate.
Are we talking C or F?

 

[adrpga498]

Your Douglas fir may be the issue of shorter burn time.

 

[RedRanger]

I wouldn't think so, that steel once the stove is up to temp, should be fairly accurate.
Are we talking C or F?

F--and I think my Imperial (kel kem) is not so good. did the oven test and it was under by 150. smacked and slapped it and tried again and it was bang on. But, I mean I`m not gonna do the oven test every frigging time!!

So, what say you Hogwildz? No smoke, must be burning hot enough for no creosote?

And what about that lazy top -down flame I wrote about, it went on for at least 45 until I finally went to bed. And I am assuming much longer than that? any suggestions, other than buying an infrared therm? And if I do that, where do I am the damn thing?

Oh, as this is an insert, there is no way to test the SS liner for temp. No way at all to get a stack temp.

 

[velvetfoot]

I aim it through the glass. I think it give you a pretty good temp of what's going on in there.
This is what I got: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96451
It's fun to use it on other stuff too.
For laughs I went out today and looked at my chimney and it too looked like zero opacity to me too.
It's a beautiful thing.

 

[RedRanger]

I aim it through the glass. I think it give you a pretty good temp of what's going on in there.
This is what I got: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96451
It's fun to use it on other stuff too.
For laughs I went out today and looked at my chimney and it too looked like zero opacity to me too.
It's a beautiful thing.

Thanks velvet: gonna put this on my xmas wish list and hope the wife doesn`t ignore it :cheese:

 

[chad3]

No dig, but run hard wood? I'm placing 2 white oak splits on the stove before I go to bed, when I get up I have enough coals to remake with kindling a fire for the next days burn. This is with a Jotul Oslo. Good dried wood.
Maybe just the wood?
Chad

 

[countrybois]

2 splits gets you through the night??? Either you are using some mighty big splits or you don't sleep very long OR I am doing something terrible wrong. I cram my firebox full and hope to have enough coals in the morning to get it going again.


1.75 cu/ft box
non cat
all hardwood(mostly oak) cut and split and been seasoning since last winter

 

[woodconvert]

author="sonnyinbc" date="1224557209"]This experimenting is ruining my sleep :bug:

the insert reading 300.

300F seems a bit cool but i've never burnt fir (except for the fur on my hands/arms >:-( )

Good thing is that when the wife got up at 6 this morning she said the blower was still running. And when I got up at 8:30 the house was still a toasty 65F.

First, "toasty" and "65F" don't belong in the same sentence (given that you are in BC you are allowed some slack ). Clearly, your wife needs to get up in a more frequent manner, situation solved.

Oh, in case you are wondering? No, she didn`t bother to reload it :down:

Sounds like some Team Player Training (TPT) is in order ;-P

 

[bokehman]

I aim it through the glass. I think it give you a pretty good temp of what's going on in there.

I thought that but it's not true. You are measuring the temp of the glass. This is for sure because if you open the door and read from the back of the glass the IR thermometer reads the same. Or with the door fully open read the glass again so the thermometer is only looking through the glass and not into the stove. Also, with the door open have a scan around inside. The inside of my stove is cast iron and often reads 1350F (while the glass only ever reads up to 750F, or 600F with hardwood).

 

[velvetfoot]

I kind of remember that from last year when I was checking it out but didn't think it was that much of a difference.
Of course I also remember that it was pretty darn warm with the door open at high temps and me aiming the gun into the fire.
Do you have a probe in there or are you also opening the door and taking a reading?

 

[savageactor7]

I was thinking about occasionally burning EW when I saw that Canadian produced film on longer lasting fires...my question is that I like to stay at 400-450 stove top temp threw the majority of the burn.

So can you burn longer EW and still maintain 400-450* anybody?

Thanks for the report Sonny....your sacrifice is noted.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Guys- he's in BC- I don't know that they have hardwood there.

 

[bokehman]

Do you have a probe in there or are you also opening the door and taking a reading?

Just taking a reading. My thermometer goes to 1400F. It's set to 0.95 emissivity and reads pretty accurate for most things I know the temperature of. I use it in the kitchen quite a bit too. It's great for checking the oil is up to temp before putting the chips in.

 

[velvetfoot]

I tried it earlier in the week and got a big delta too, more like 300-400 F in my case for steel insert.