How quickly to lower temp for secondaries..

[Jotel me this]

Hi all. I havent posted in a year but now that its winter again, its time to start up the ole' stove. Its a Jøtul F 55 Carrabassett .

Once I get it up to temp, which I believe should be around 650 (please correct if im wrong), I have to lower the air intake incrementally until I get secondaries.
But I guess I forgot.. how quickly / how often do I turn down the air valve handle? A 1/4" to the left every 10 minutes? Quicker? Slower?I know if I turn down the heat too quickly, it wont burn secondaries. I do have and use a temp gauge.

Thanks again and hope everyone has a nice and SAFE season of burning!!

 

[firefighterjake]

I go by the look of the fire when I start to cut back the air . . . if the fire is still burning strong or has good secondaries after a few minutes I will lower it again . . . wait 5 - 10 minutes and then lower it again . . . sometimes though, with good wood and a nice hot stove I will move it from fully open to fully shut in one fell swoop . . . but I always watch the fire to make sure it doesn't "suffocate."

 

[Jotel me this]

I go by the look of the fire when I start to cut back the air . . . if the fire is still burning strong or has good secondaries after a few minutes I will lower it again . . . wait 5 - 10 minutes and then lower it again . . . sometimes though, with good wood and a nice hot stove I will move it from fully open to fully shut in one fell swoop . . . but I always watch the fire to make sure it doesn't "suffocate."

Thats what I thought. Wood burning seems to be more of a 'feeling' than anything else. Thanks!

 

[firefighterjake]

Thats what I thought. Wood burning seems to be more of a 'feeling' than anything else. Thanks!

Don't get me wrong . . . I also rely on my flue thermometer to know when I can start cutting back the air . . . and my stove top thermometer to make sure that intensely burning fire is burning within the safe limits for my woodstove or is in fact ready to go thermo-nuclear on me.

 

[Jotel me this]

Don't get me wrong . . . I also rely on my flue thermometer to know when I can start cutting back the air . . . and my stove top thermometer to make sure that intensely burning fire is burning within the safe limits for my woodstove or is in fact ready to go thermo-nuclear on me.

Right.

 

[Hogwildz]

650 is far too high to start cutting the air back. It only climbs as you cut back, and 650 is where you want it to settle down and cruise at. IMO you're a couple hundred degrees past your initial cut back temp.

 

[begreen]

Agreed. Stovetop temp is not good guidance for a cold start in a secondary combustion stove. If the wood is dry and the fire starts quickly I am often cutting back the air on a cold start when the stovetop is under 250º. The look of fire and the flue temp are much more meaningful guides.

 

[Mike.O]

If I left my air open till the stove was 650 my chimney pipe would be glowing RED. I cut back as soon as possible. Flue thermometer wold be a better gauge.

 

[Sawset]

This is what I started with just a few minutes ago.
Fire starter, some kindling all at the top. Pictures at 5 minutes.
Fire is right up under the secondaries so they light off right away. Heat is all at the top, so stove warms quickly. Close the side door and latched. Damper half way 5min later. Lots of thermal creaking as it's ramping up to temp.

 

[begreen]

This is what I started with just a few minutes ago.
Fire starter, some kindling all at the top. Pictures at 5 minutes.
Fire is right up under the secondaries so they light off right away. Heat is all at the top, so stove warms quickly. Close the side door and latched. Damper half way 5min later. Lots of thermal creaking as it's ramping up to temp.

Our Castine was similar. When I first got it I went only by stovetop temps. There were some 750 and even 800º stovetops as I was learning the stove. Then I got a probe flue thermometer and that changed my habits. I was surprised at how quickly I could start turning down the air on a cold startup with low stove temps. That made a huge difference in running the stove. I started getting longer burns and more reasonable stove top temps in the 650-700º range.