Tonight will be my last night burning for the year. This was my first year burning and I can proudly say i kept the house warm and the furnace never ran once all winter. I wouldn't have been able to do it without everyone's help in answering all my noob questions. But I will start running the furnace tomorrow. I am building a new garage and my propane tank is in the way. I can't have it moved until it's down to 5%. So I'm sad to say i gotta use my furnace to use up some propane. Can't say enough about my blazeking ashford 30. Thanks again.
It's a sad day.
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We've gone a couple days without a fire, but I am just about to light up a small one for the night.
jetsam
Minister of Fire
Propane companies are well able to pump the propane out through the wet tap on the tank.
Ask 'em to bring a pump truck that can hold the extra when you move the tank. Maybe they can move the tank and top it off and call it a delivery.
I imagine my propane company would tell me to go jump in a lake, but yours might be more accommodating.
jetsam
Minister of Fire
We only got up to 55F, but the heat pump did the work during the daytime. Looks like you'll be in the high 60s in a couple days.
Just lit one myself.When I called them about it they said call us when you're at 5%. Im gonna call and try again.
Normal years I burn until the end of May. Just night fires to take the chill out of the cabin, plus we love to have a fire at night. I've been know to open the doors so we can have a evening fire.
A smaller evening fire is nice on many levels. We'll probably do this until nighttime temps are in the 50's.
heavy hammer
Minister of Fire
I'm in the same boat as begreen and xman23 I will have small fires to keep the chill out. They are calling for a cool weekend for us here so I'll keep the fire going. Last June was cold and rainy if it wasn't for me cleaning the stove, chimney etc out completely I would have had small fires then to, just to get the chill out.
Warm_in_NH
Minister of Fire
Same. Good evening blaze to take the chill off. Even if it means an open door so you don't sweat endlessly in your sleep.
jetsam
Minister of Fire
I've found that I can keep my magic stove burning through the low 60s without having to open a window. Got at least a couple more weeks of 30-60- will see how mid-60s do at some point!
Comes to a point where as much as I love a fire the heat pump is cheaper, cleaner and easier.
March/April is shoulder season for me with temps 30-60. First winter to use the Ashford 30.1. I usually burn 8 splits in the morning. This keeps the house 75-80 where the dogs and wife like it. At the lowest burn that keeps the cat active with the stove top at ~200 (located just forward of the cat stat) I figure the heat output is the same as two of my electric space heaters giving ~2KW of continuous heat. I don't think I will ever need to use the space heaters again.
Things I have learned in the first year of burning with the Ashford:
1. For good operation the wood load must be charred to drive out the moisture and prepare the wood for a long burn. I do this by setting the thermostat at 4:00PM, your setting will vary as unit to unit differences exist. This results in about a 20-30 minute bright flame burn, then the thermostat moderates the burn. Then I turn the thermostat down until it just closes. Let it sit for ~15 minutes then set it where I want the final burn rate to be. If burning a stuffed full fire box I will do one more intermediate turn down.
2. The stove top thermometer is useful for setting the lowest possible burn rate. After many hours of operation, I tweak the thermostat to hit 200. This assures me of having an always active cat. Doing it this way (rather than using thermostat position) seems to compensate for outside air temperatures and wood variations.
3. I use my flue probe, 30" up from the stove top, to know when to roll over the bypass damper. At 350 it is ready to roll over. Even though the cat thermometer is only hovering above the "a" in the word inactive, it lights off immediately without fail. Far less smoke in the neighborhood. Loading is important. I load all wood from front to back. If a small load, it is centered. Using a Rutland fire starter I try to light the center, lowest portion of the stack in the front. I try to get flames licking up at the cat intake. Leaving the door ajar and doing the damper rollover at 350 often times results in a 15 minute start time! I do shut the door just prior to rollover.
4. This stove is truly a no-worries stove. It will not suddenly take off and turn cherry red because the load shifted. The thermostatic control prevents run-away. With my installation, 17'X6" chimney, it is difficult to make the flue go over 700. All of my other stoves could easily exceed 1,000 and usually operated in the 600-900 range. That is a lot of heat not going into my house but up the chimney.
5. I wish I bought one of these BK stoves back in the 70s, or whenever the BK company started up as it would have save a huge amount of wood. The extremely long steady heat output is truly a wonderful experience. Turn-down, the second most important burning trait of a wood burner, is the best of all stoves on the market.
Note: The above applies to the Ashford 30.1 only.
1. For good operation the wood load must be charred to drive out the moisture and prepare the wood for a long burn. I do this by setting the thermostat at 4:00PM, your setting will vary as unit to unit differences exist. This results in about a 20-30 minute bright flame burn, then the thermostat moderates the burn. Then I turn the thermostat down until it just closes. Let it sit for ~15 minutes then set it where I want the final burn rate to be. If burning a stuffed full fire box I will do one more intermediate turn down.
2. The stove top thermometer is useful for setting the lowest possible burn rate. After many hours of operation, I tweak the thermostat to hit 200. This assures me of having an always active cat. Doing it this way (rather than using thermostat position) seems to compensate for outside air temperatures and wood variations.
3. I use my flue probe, 30" up from the stove top, to know when to roll over the bypass damper. At 350 it is ready to roll over. Even though the cat thermometer is only hovering above the "a" in the word inactive, it lights off immediately without fail. Far less smoke in the neighborhood. Loading is important. I load all wood from front to back. If a small load, it is centered. Using a Rutland fire starter I try to light the center, lowest portion of the stack in the front. I try to get flames licking up at the cat intake. Leaving the door ajar and doing the damper rollover at 350 often times results in a 15 minute start time! I do shut the door just prior to rollover.
4. This stove is truly a no-worries stove. It will not suddenly take off and turn cherry red because the load shifted. The thermostatic control prevents run-away. With my installation, 17'X6" chimney, it is difficult to make the flue go over 700. All of my other stoves could easily exceed 1,000 and usually operated in the 600-900 range. That is a lot of heat not going into my house but up the chimney.
5. I wish I bought one of these BK stoves back in the 70s, or whenever the BK company started up as it would have save a huge amount of wood. The extremely long steady heat output is truly a wonderful experience. Turn-down, the second most important burning trait of a wood burner, is the best of all stoves on the market.
Note: The above applies to the Ashford 30.1 only.
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Those high flue temps would bother me too. 47F this morning, wife is chilly. I finally broke down and started a 6 split fire a few hours ago. Now 50F outside and LR is 75F, she is happy.
![[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/177/177241-516ab852777b4b97fea3be6a64a1b68c.jpg?hash=AVHDui7Qsq "[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.")
![[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/177/177242-1a283eef0673537c99faf86e94a2ee0c.jpg?hash=7VrldjUsXK "[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.")
jetsam
Minister of Fire
I'm still working on last night's load. I sifted some ash out earlier- nothing left in there coals and ash. Turned it back down to low, and will throw tonight's wood on the coals in a few hours. Actually had a window open almost all day today (I think it hit 63).
It is nice to load the stove once every 24 hours! (I wouldn't call it a 24 hour 'burn' because the cat has been inactive for most of the day, but I won't have to light a new fire either.) On the down side, we officially have mosquitoes now.
It is nice to load the stove once every 24 hours! (I wouldn't call it a 24 hour 'burn' because the cat has been inactive for most of the day, but I won't have to light a new fire either.) On the down side, we officially have mosquitoes now.
Warm_in_NH
Minister of Fire
Just felt a little chill inside (as I sit here in my shorts and T shirt) so I fired up the Oslo.
Took a look at the indoor / outdoor thermometer, It's 59 outside and 64 inside.
Oh well, it's burning now, habits die hard...
Took a look at the indoor / outdoor thermometer, It's 59 outside and 64 inside.
Oh well, it's burning now, habits die hard...
64 inside, and I'd be wearing a snowmobile suit! Scratch that...I'd be firing up. 73.5 in here now, thanks to this morning's fire. 
Shouldn't need a fire until Friday AM but when it's windy out like it has been, the house will get cool pretty quickly if outside temps dip overnight.
Shouldn't need a fire until Friday AM but when it's windy out like it has been, the house will get cool pretty quickly if outside temps dip overnight.
jetsam
Minister of Fire
![[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/177/177249-e3d3ba2dec9b7027c8404040d51b7a22.jpg?hash=jHXwVF5h9w "[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.")
Yay!
Of course I have to turn it down soon as it's already 75 in here, but yay for now!
Edit: Turned it down. That's pretty too, when the wood has stopped flaming, but all the gasses are still burning in the firebox.
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44ºF this morning and windy as a cold front moves in. I started a fire an hour ago with some fir and madrona. It's starting to get toasty in here. 
I turned the blower on after the picture.
![[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/177/177269-699aca0f6fdfad11ebabbdee10a767d3.jpg?hash=9ee9PZHt1Z "[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.")
![[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/177/177270-25bc5794c2c0e2c21c22f52bf74e3301.jpg?hash=8CFFRAxNWA "[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.")
![[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/177/177271-679970e66cc973898dd383151ad7efb2.jpg?hash=DbkVwsZdqX "[Hearth.com] It's a sad day.")
I turned the blower on after the picture.
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heavy hammer
Minister of Fire
I had Had a fire here and there with the temps ranging from 35 to seventy over the last couple of days. You know it's bad when you get home and you think the house is chilly so you start a small fire to take the chill out and you realize the house is still 74. The wife and dogs love it to so everyone is happy, but it's funny that most people don't even keep their house that warm and I think it almost cold. Supposed to be in the high thirties tomorrow so fire will stay for a few more days. Like said above I'll probably keep a small fire going even with it in the low sixties just to keep it comfortable.
Can you run that T6 very long at 750 plus, SST?44ºF this morning and windy as a cold front moves in. I started a fire an hour ago with some fir and madrona. It's starting to get toasty in here.
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