Hearthstone Mansfield - Multiple issues/concerns

[polkadottie]

I feel for you. I have a Heritage, I heat 1000 sq ft, 18 ft cathedral ceilings. My outside temps don't get down below 35 F, so I can't speak to your wood consumption at all. But I had a hard time learning the stove. I always (for 25 years) used top down burn, but it just won't work for this stove. I open the side door to start the load, load two larger logs in the bottom, with one small piece in between, making sure there is an air gap. Then three pieces of newsprint with many tiny (finger size) cedar pieces on top. Then small criss-cross pieces of kindling, making sure to have air gaps everywhere. Then a few 2-3 inch pieces on top. Because your stove is bigger, you should have plenty of room to do this "boy scout" type start. I leave the door open until there is no smoke visible anywhere, and I can see the fire "rolling" at the top of the firebox. My two 90 degree turns don't seem to matter at all for draw.
My installer suggested leaving the air control lever open until the "catalyst active" sensor was in the middle. Yeah, they busted my chimney and the replacement cost me $5000. I do feel for you.
I don't have an ash pan, and only remove larger pieces of coals by hand, unless I need to remove ash once in a while with an old aluminum can.

 

[bholler]

Apparently when busting out the clay liner they got it all clogged up - I'm no professional chimney sweep, but wouldn't you be careful of this happening if you know it can happen? And if it did happen, would you charge your client to fix it? I run a high end cabinet shop - if anything ever happened as a result of my negligence, I either fixed it or would pay to get it fixed. It is never on the client.

That is just a fact of breakout and yes if i am working on a chimney that looks like it might happen I am going to make my quote higher to cover that. It not negligence at all its just what happens sometimes. I personally dont add to the cost unless its something major and unforseen. But there are many quotes which I add quite a bit to because I can see potential for complications.

 

[begreen]

Does it matter where the probe goes? 18-21 would put me into the elbow if it has to be in the vertical or can it go in the horizontal pipe?

It will be ok if situated right below the elbow.

 

[pittpens24]

As a test, does opening a nearby window 1/2" liven up the fire, helping it burn stronger?

Just gave it a try amd couldn't notice a difference. I did a recording of before amd after - did absolutely nothing at all

 

[begreen]

OK, cross that off the list of tests.

 

[pittpens24]

So......I have some new things to report.
Saturday am
-I installed the probe into the pipe - had to go 19" because of the connection into the flat of the elbow before it turns.
-Stove cleaned out for 100% fresh start - no coals or ash
-Had the stove running at about 565 degrees on the sides(600 is max for the soapstone)-Top of stove was 320
-Air intake was about 50% to keep stove at 550ish w/catalyst engaged
-Flue temp was barely in the Orange @ 400 w/catalyst engaged
-Outside air temps were mid 30's
-Glass was clean and clear
-Stove ran all day and ran just as hot as it did previously at 50% air control.

By the end of the evening it was roasting us out at about 75 degrees inside temps. Filled stove one last time and went to bed.

Sunday am
-Raked over the coals to make a good hot bed - 1" plus thick
-Did the shaker ash pan(which is pretty much worthless) but did not remove any ash manually from the previous day
-Outside temps were in the low 30's

Most of the day stove was running at 80% air control to maintain 550 and flue temp of 400 cat engaged
By evening we were back at 100% air control to keep stove in optimal range.

I have always maintained a good bed of coals in the stove I previously had and never had issues keeping temps up. Is this new style stove meant to be cleaned out everyday to run at optimal temps more efficiently?

 

[Pinesmoke]

I don't clean mine until there is a volume problem.

Honestly the flue temp is not something I follow closely on mine. I do watch the cat temps as a indicator of reload time. The cats will stay up hot while they have fuel to burn, when the temp starts to fall off I'll reload. The stove temp will start to fall soon after the cats do. Keep in mind i do not load heavily during the day but maybe 3 splits at a time. Fire size and wood species for heat output. I may run several loads of pine between a handful of oak. The oak will definitely run the stove temp up longer than the pine does.

Normal operation from morning. Rake coals around open air up to full. Make coffee. 3-4 pine splits still full air with cats engaged. I'll run it like that for a couple of loads until the stove is hot. If it's a cold day some hardwood and drop the air all the way in and barely crack it open. Let it cruise. The rock's at temp and the hardwood will keep it there now at low air. If it's cold and I'm running pine (i have lots) I'll run the air at 1/3-1/2 to keep things hot.

I always look at the fire from a standpoint of where will it be in 45 minutes to an hour. Making heat I don't want the stove temps to fall much, the reaction time is slow once it starts to fall.

 

[pittpens24]

I don't clean mine until there is a volume problem.

Honestly the flue temp is not something I follow closely on mine. I do watch the cat temps as a indicator of reload time. The cats will stay up hot while they have fuel to burn, when the temp starts to fall off I'll reload. The stove temp will start to fall soon after the cats do. Keep in mind i do not load heavily during the day but maybe 3 splits at a time. Fire size and wood species for heat output. I may run several loads of pine between a handful of oak. The oak will definitely run the stove temp up longer than the pine does.

Normal operation from morning. Rake coals around open air up to full. Make coffee. 3-4 pine splits still full air with cats engaged. I'll run it like that for a couple of loads until the stove is hot. If it's a cold day some hardwood and drop the air all the way in and barely crack it open. Let it cruise. The rock's at temp and the hardwood will keep it there now at low air. If it's cold and I'm running pine (i have lots) I'll run the air at 1/3-1/2 to keep things hot.

I always look at the fire from a standpoint of where will it be in 45 minutes to an hour. Making heat I don't want the stove temps to fall much, the reaction time is slow once it starts to fall.

I agree - takes every bit of an hour after morning reload to get hot enough to engage the cats. Crazy that the air control is so different for us. I run hardwood 24/7 - mostly oak and maple - some ash and birch mixed in. The only time I had the air at 1/3 all this season was when the outside temps hit mid 40's yesterday. All season it has been 3/4-full

 

[bholler]

I agree - takes every bit of an hour after morning reload to get hot enough to engage the cats. Crazy that the air control is so different for us. I run hardwood 24/7 - mostly oak and maple - some ash and birch mixed in. The only time I had the air at 1/3 all this season was when the outside temps hit mid 40's yesterday. All season it has been 3/4-full

How full are you loading the stove? What procedure are you using to test moisture content of the wood?

 

[moresnow]

So......I have some new things to report.
Saturday am
-I installed the probe into the pipe - had to go 19" because of the connection into the flat of the elbow before it turns.
-Stove cleaned out for 100% fresh start - no coals or ash
-Had the stove running at about 565 degrees on the sides(600 is max for the soapstone)-Top of stove was 320
-Air intake was about 50% to keep stove at 550ish w/catalyst engaged
-Flue temp was barely in the Orange @ 400 w/catalyst engaged
-Outside air temps were mid 30's
-Glass was clean and clear
-Stove ran all day and ran just as hot as it did previously at 50% air control.

By the end of the evening it was roasting us out at about 75 degrees inside temps. Filled stove one last time and went to bed.

Sunday am
-Raked over the coals to make a good hot bed - 1" plus thick
-Did the shaker ash pan(which is pretty much worthless) but did not remove any ash manually from the previous day
-Outside temps were in the low 30's

Most of the day stove was running at 80% air control to maintain 550 and flue temp of 400 cat engaged
By evening we were back at 100% air control to keep stove in optimal range.

I have always maintained a good bed of coals in the stove I previously had and never had issues keeping temps up. Is this new style stove meant to be cleaned out everyday to run at optimal temps more efficiently?

Believe I would be inclined to duplicate the procedure listed above as a "control" in your pursuit of the best method of operation.... Perhaps?

Maybe something can be implemented from this if you find that it performs as well again? Dunno. A thought. Best of luck.

 

[pittpens24]

How full are you loading the stove? What procedure are you using to test moisture content of the wood?

I run a cabinet shop so I have a Delmhorst 1-3/4" prong moisture meter. Moisture content is 14-17
Load stove full, run at 100% air for an hour till I can engage the cats, then I adjust the air accordingly.

Getting hard to test now here. Nighttime temps are in the teens and daytime is hitting 50's so of course I am throttling way back.

 

[kborndale]

I run a cabinet shop so I have a Delmhorst 1-3/4" prong moisture meter. Moisture content is 14-17
Load stove full, run at 100% air for an hour till I can engage the cats, then I adjust the air accordingly.

Getting hard to test now here. Nighttime temps are in the teens and daytime is hitting 50's so of course I am throttling way back.

Did you grab an ax and resplit the wood just before checking it? This should be on a piece that sat inside for a day first to get to room temperature.

 

[pittpens24]

yes about splitting it, no about letting it get to room temp - you set the species and temp on my moisture meter