Late night reload

[jcapler]

Just a little curious about what everyone does when they have to get up and reload the wood stove. Sometimes it seems like forever before the stove is up and running. Probably because all I can think of is falling back to sleep. What is everyone method for staying awake and getting up and running again.


Woodpro WS-TS-2000

 

[Ctwoodtick]

The goal is to set the stove up before bed and then NOT having to wake up during night to reload. Results with this will vary with dryness of wood, species of wood, and firebox size of stove. With my setup. I will load as much as I reasonably can in about 20 minutes before I plan getting to bed so the load has time to catch I can dial stove air back in stages to a final low, efficient burn. 8 hours later stove top is about 200 degrees and there are ample hot coals to reload in the morning.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Another thing to think about. Reloading in the middle of the night carries with it the possibility of falling back asleep while you are waiting for load to catch (with air on high setting). This could cause issues including overfiring stove and/or chimney.

 

[jcapler]

I agree ... wood makes an enormous deal on how the overnight burn will run. I am in the same boat ... I get a 6 to 8 hr burn depending on the wood quality. I have a new born so getting up isn't much of a choice. I usually have at least one up in the night. I guess I just try and kill two birds with one stone and load the stove when I get a bottle ready. Sometimes I feel like the stove is more of a chore then the kiddo is [emoji848]. Sleep doesn't seem to be ample lately so I just wondered what others did if they had to get up and get a reload in during the night.


Woodpro WS-TS-2000

 

[Gotrek]

I reload before going to bed even if the previous load isn't done. I supplement it burn on high for a bit then dial back to the temp I want.

 

[Simonkenton]

Although I burn a lot of oak and black walnut, Praise God, I have access to locust. So when I load up the stove late at night I load with locust. That will pretty much get me through an all night burn.

 

[begreen]

Since we got the T6 I have never gotten up to do a reload. I did have to do this during very cold weather with the Castine. It was a groggy slog and strong motivation to get a larger stove.

 

[jetsam]

I fluff my pillow a little and roll over thinking, "Ooh, I don't miss that."

 

[jcapler]

I fluff my pillow a little and roll over thinking, "Ooh, I don't miss that."

Don't miss the kid crying or loading the stove [emoji848]


Woodpro WS-TS-2000

 

[jetsam]

Don't miss the kid crying or loading the stove [emoji848]

Yes. They both mind themselves for almost the entire day now.

 

[moresnow]

I fluff my pillow a little and roll over thinking, "Ooh, I don't miss that."

Ditto. I played that exact game. You might consider letting the stove burn out overnight. Save your pennies and replace it down the road with a longer burning model. Safety first.

 

[bholler]

Just a little curious about what everyone does when they have to get up and reload the wood stove. Sometimes it seems like forever before the stove is up and running. Probably because all I can think of is falling back to sleep. What is everyone method for staying awake and getting up and running again.


Woodpro WS-TS-2000

I dont i load around 930 or 10 then reload around 6 before i leave for work. I would not burn wood if i had to get up in the middle of the night.

 

[jcapler]

I have kicked around the idea of a CAT stove but I need to get some more info. Really I would like to get some hands on with one to see what it would be like. The wife is all for it so I feel like I have most of the battle won.


Woodpro WS-TS-2000

 

[jcapler]

I guess to add a little. I don't have to reload when I get up (sometimes I just don't feel like it). It has been satisfactory in the morning when I wake up but I could always be happier with more heat in the over night burn.


Woodpro WS-TS-2000

 

[Gotrek]

Just to rub it in I'm at 29 hours on my last reload and I think it will go another 2-3 but its time for bed.

 

[jcapler]

Just to rub it in I'm at 29 hours on my last reload and I think it will go another 2-3 but its time for bed.

What stove are you running? I have always been amazed that today's technology has got us to a place that a wood stove can run for 20 hours.

 

[kennyp2339]

Haven't had to do a midnight reload in 3 years, soon to be 4. Don't miss those days at all. Buy the BK, it will keep you sleeping all through the night

 

[Gotrek]

What stove are you running? I have always been amazed that today's technology has got us to a place that a wood stove can run for 20 hours.

Bk scirocco 30.1 but I'm also burning more oak the my usual box elder so that helps

 

[Dakotas Dad]

I got up and reloaded once this winter.. was in some not great wood, and the low temps were in the small single digits. I probably didn't HAVE to reload, but the heat pump might have come on had I not...

 

[Highbeam]

Getting up out of bed to do anything with a stove means you are doing it wrong. Either the wrong equipment, or wrong method of operations, or possibly you left the doors and windows open! Even in my non-cat days burning absolute junk quality fuel I could keep the stove and home warm overnight.

Pellet stoves can usually burn for 24 hours on one load, your furnace can run forever, and a proper cat stove can burn 24 hours without attention.

I've had kids and burned wood. You need your sleep for health.

 

[Dobish]

just go to bed later

 

[electrathon]

What the heck! I can fill the stove at 11:30 and if I sleep till 6:00 there will be nothing left to get the next load going. The only way we can still have heat in the morning is to add a full load during the night.

 

[Highbeam]

What the heck! I can fill the stove at 11:30 and if I sleep till 6:00 there will be nothing left to get the next load going. The only way we can still have heat in the morning is to add a full load during the night.

Just goes to show you that every installation is different. I could get 9 hours of burntime from my heritage loaded with red alder/cottonwood/maybe some fir but all low btu junk. You've got to load it full and get the draft shut off though.

 

[bholler]

What the heck! I can fill the stove at 11:30 and if I sleep till 6:00 there will be nothing left to get the next load going. The only way we can still have heat in the morning is to add a full load during the night.

Get a different stove or fix your setup so you get the burn times you should be getting have you tested the draft? Have you installed a key damper? What wood are you burning? How full do you pack it? Have you checked for leaks?

 

[electrathon]

Just goes to show you that every installation is different. I could get 9 hours of burntime from my heritage loaded with red alder/cottonwood/maybe some fir but all low btu junk. You've got to load it full and get the draft shut off though.

My wood is usually medium soft. I have a lot of fir, some alder and maple, some fug wood. I only open up my draft when I start the fire, otherwise it is kept fully closed.