Is this too hot?

[Chuck the Canuck]

Hi. So this is my new stove, a Timberwolf 2200 (1.9 cf), that was installed in the basement of my house about 2 months ago. Although I have a wood furnace up in the shop (Newmac WB100), I have to admit that I only started burning wood up there a few years ago, and I've never used a proper wood stove until now, and I really don't know much at all about burning wood. In fact, everything I do know, or think I know, has been gleaned from Hearth.com (the forums are a critical part of my daily reading ritual, both at work and at home)....

Anyway, this was how the stove looked last night before bed, with the secondaries blazing nicely and the stove throwing a good amount of heat. The magnetic thermometer on the single wall stove pipe (about 16-18") above the collar, was reading about 400 F, and the stove top was running around between 650 F - 700 F (based on my IR gun) with the air turned down about 75% of the way. I'm just curious if this is running this little stove too hot? Should I be closing the air down even more? The manual says to run it with the air on "medium-low" whatever that means.....

Thanks.

By the way, I tried to post a video of the stove running (same time as I took the pics) but I got a message saying the file was invalid???? Any ideas on that?

 

[HotCoals]

Looks like she is putting out some great heat..all looks good to me!
How long to burn through a load burning like that?
I would think 700 would be getting close to the upper limit though.

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

Yeah it was nice and warm... How long a burn? I think realistically it's probably 4 - 5 hours....?????

 

[HotCoals]

Yeah it was nice and warm... How long a burn? I think realistically it's probably 4 - 5 hours....?????

Sounds good and I'm sure you have some heat for a few hours yet when you get to the coal stage. When you get to just coals have you tried just turning the air way up for some more heat?

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

Yes, I have been turning the air up full at the end of the burn if I'm able to (when I'm at home). In fact I just went downstairs to crank open the air, stir up the coals and throw a couple of handfuls of pellets onto them to burn them down some before my loading 'er up for the night (all stuff I learned on Hearth.com, I might add)...

I must say that after running this stove for a little over a month or so, and while this little Timberwolf certainly helps warm up the house, I do wish I'd gotten a much bigger stove... I guess that's why I'm interested in pushing it to see what kind of heat I can get out of it... I expect that I'll have to swap it out for new one before next winter, and boyz oh boyz you can bet that it's going to be painful explaining that one the wife

 

[HotCoals]

Yes, I have been turning the air up full at the end of the burn if I'm able to (when I'm at home). In fact I just went downstairs to crank open the air, stir up the coals and throw a couple of handfuls of pellets onto them to burn them down some before my loading 'er up for the night (all stuff I learned on Hearth.com, I might add)...

I must say that after running this stove for a little over a month or so, and while this little Timberwolf certainly helps warm up the house, I do wish I'd gotten a much bigger stove... I guess that's why I'm interested in pushing it to see what kind of heat I can get out of it... I expect that I'll have to swap it out for new one before next winter, and boyz oh boyz you can bet that it's going to be painful explaining that one the wife

LOL!

Yeah awhile back I posted how a cup or 3 of pellets can really help burning down the coals and help keep temps up till you're ready to load again...no extra coals!

Just tell her that you guys can save even more money by getting a bigger stove and that maybe you can get as much for the old stove as you paid for it...she prolly won't buy that though..lol.

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

Just tell her that you guys can save even more money by getting a bigger stove and that maybe you can get as much for the old stove as you paid for it...she prolly won't buy that though..lol.

I just tried that line with her, and you were right: she ain't buying it, and she said she ain't buying a new stove either......

 

[HotCoals]

I just tried that line with her, and you were right: she ain't buying it, and she said she ain't buying a new stove either......

Well then just take it out this summer when shes not home and tell her someone broke in and stole it..shed some tears also! lol
If your tv is getting old pull that as well!

 

[begreen]

I close down the air as far as possible without snuffing out the fire. It looks like you can do the same. Give it a try.

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

Well then just take it out this summer when shes not home and tell her someone broke in and stole it..shed some tears also! lol

Well maybe I'll try a twist on that; I'll switch out the old for the new stove when she's away this summer, and then if she asks, I'll play dumb (play???) and just say, "huh, that's the same stove we always had....."

I close down the air as far as possible without snuffing out the fire. It looks like you can do the same. Give it a try

Funny you mention that, cause that's what I just finished trying this morning, and the results look very promising. The air is now fully shut (brought it down in about 4 stages over a period of 45 minutes or so) and the stove top is running at 600 F, the pipe thermometer is running at 315 F or so, the secondaries look good, and she's still throwing lots of good heat...... (pics of my basement setup included for reference and veracity)....

 

[ridemgis]

By the way, I tried to post a video of the stove running (same time as I took the pics) but I got a message saying the file was invalid???? Any ideas on that?

Put your video on youtube and paste the link to your post here.

 

[begreen]

Funny you mention that, cause that's what I just finished trying this morning, and the results look very promising. The air is now fully shut (brought it down in about 4 stages over a period of 45 minutes or so) and the stove top is running at 600 F, the pipe thermometer is running at 315 F or so, the secondaries look good, and she's still throwing lots of good heat...... (pics of my basement setup included for reference and veracity)....

Sounds just about right. That lower setting will still give you heat and will extend your burn time.

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

Put your video on youtube and paste the link to your post here.

Thanks for the info. Here's a link to the Timberwolf in action a couple of nights ago.....

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[Chuck the Canuck]

Sounds just about right. That will give you heat and will extend your burn time.

Thanks for the advice. Every little bit of information I glean from Hearth.com is stored away and continues to add to my understanding about how to properly carry out the "simple" task of burning a proper fire...... maybe some day I'll have it figured out....

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

As a follow up question, what would be the hottest that I should see the stovetop get to before I start getting worried? Is it ok to hit 750 F or 800 F while heating up the stove (prior to having the air fully closed down)???

 

[begreen]

For the long life of the stove it's best to try to keep the stove no higher than 700F, but an occasional foray above that to 750F won't hurt the stove, though it might soil your pants. If you are regularly hitting 750F or 800F you may be doing something wrong or there may be something wrong with the set up like too strong draft,

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

If you are regularly hitting 750F or 800F you may be doing something wrong or there may be something wrong with the set up like too strong draft,

So I should probably be turning the air down a little sooner than I have been, like when I'm getting a new burn started I should probably monitor the stovetop temp and start turning down the air at something like 600 F???