Learning the new Englander Madison

[Silenced38]

(I wrote this i a very aggravated state. Im sure the troubles im having are mine and not the stoves. I dont want this to be taken as Englander Wood Stove fault. They make good well liked stoves and have very good customer service.)

Well been burning the Madison about a month now. Last nite could hear cresote fallin thru the pipe. So let it burn out.
Came home and took the pipe apart and it had about 1/2 inch of cresote all around it. Not just the brown fakey soot but hard glazed cresote.
In 5 years with the cheap cast iron boxwood, burning green wood because i didnt know any better, i never had hard glazed cresote.
Then to top that while tring to get the fiber boards out that were stuck. One broke in half.
( insert many explitives here)
The stove is hard to get to temp. Takes an hour to reach 450. And my wood reads 18% with mm. Ill be calling englander tomorrow. Not happy.

 

[NHcpa]

A lot of posts complaining of wood stove performance and if not chimney, must be the fuel source (ie wood). Despite what your mm reads, try Eco/Bio bricks or something similar. You will also read where the newer stoves are way too fussy on fuel (must be dry to get real performance).

 

[bholler]

i don't know the stove so i cant comment on specific issues with them but you started by complaining that your stove runs to hot now you cant get it hot enough. I am a little confused. And box woods run really hot because they are so leaky because of that they burn relatively clean but you couldn't get me to light a fire in one in my house no matter what

 

[realstihl]

Man I know the feeling about not being happy with the stove purchase. I went through that last year about this time. Hang in there, you'll figure it out.

 

[BeardedJon]

I'm not happy to be experiencing the same issue you are, but my buildup didn't seem to be as bad.

I'm not going to give up on the stove though as part of the problem I am having is getting my wife and I used to the stove. Once we are doing better on our end I'd like to think our Madison will be doing better as well.

 

[bholler]

Inexperience bad wood or bad chimney setup are the normal culprits. But occasionally it is the stove so keep posting info we might be able to help you guys

 

[Silenced38]

Once it gets to 450 then it takes off. Ive learned that thats ok. But its slow to get to 450.
You know how computers should have breathalizers before you can email. I need an angeralizer before i can post. The broken fiber board was the straw that stroked the camels sack today

 

[bholler]

how are you testing your wood with your mm. It really sounds like wet wood to me. Also what is your chimney setup? And by the way anyone who has worked on stoves for long has broken a baffle board or 2 it happens. Like i said i don't know the stove so i cant tell you any tricks about pulling the baffle

 

[Mag Craft]

How do you get a 1/2" of creosote in just one month. That stove must have been blowing smoke like a freight train. Have you ever looked outside to see if it is clean or smoking.

I know I was outside the other day and I look up at the pipe from my wood stove and see smoke pouring out of it.
I quickly go inside the house to find the wife loaded wood in the stove on coals that were only hot enough to make it smolder but not take off and burn.

 

[begreen]

There's still a very good chance the wood is not fully seasoned and the moisture meter is being used incorrectly or it's defective. Sluggish starts and heavy creosote are strong indicators of unseasoned wood. The wood starts drying out after a while (stove top passes 450F) and then burns better.

The Madison will never burn like the boxwood stove. Get a box or a garbage can full of dry construction cutoffs from a job site. Split the 2x6's in half. Start the fire with them and burn the 2x4's whole. Once the fire gets going well mix your wood in with them, maybe 50/50. See if the stove works a lot better.

 

[Silenced38]

17' from top of stove to cap. 6' of single wall. Test on a fresh split face. Oak hickory and pine.
I start with about 15 2x2 pine splits burn with door crackec for 30mins and 350. Then add hardwood and an additonal 20 to30 mins to get to 450 then tyrn down and it climbs from there

 

[Silenced38]

Im sure the fault is mine not the stoves
Stll learning i hope

 

[bholler]

That seems way to long to get to temp. Is it a straight shot up going to insulated chimney after the single wall? And all 6"?

 

[realstihl]

Get the pipe cleaned up. That will help with the draw of chimney.

 

[Silenced38]

No there are 2 30 degree bends. All the cresote was in the single wall pipe. Just soot in the triple wall

 

[bholler]

Is it all 6" and is the triple wall insulated or air cooled?. 2 30s shouldn't cause that much trouble And is there a testing procedure for you mm to confirm that it is working correctly? How long has your wood been cut and split?

 

[begreen]

Is there a stack robber (Magic Heat) on this flue?

 

[Ropelie]

In have the same stove and definitely notice when i have some wet wood. Moisture meter will be here soon so then I can tell before.

 

[webby3650]

Glazed creosote is caused by 1 thing. Well, maybe 2.

17' from top of stove to cap. 6' of single wall. Test on a fresh split face. Oak hickory and pine.
I start with about 15 2x2 pine splits burn with door crackec for 30mins and 350. Then add hardwood and an additonal 20 to30 mins to get to 450 then tyrn down and it climbs from there

If I left my door cracked for 30 minutes, we would have a serious situation! It really sounds like the wood to me. I know you think it's dry, how long has it been split and stacked?

 

[Grisu]

Has the wood been brought to room temp first before measuring the moisture content?

I start with about 15 2x2 pine splits burn with door crackec for 30mins and 350. Then add hardwood and an additonal 20 to30 mins to get to 450 then tyrn down and it climbs from there

Try closing the door once the pine is nicely burning. The stove should get up to temp much faster than operating it with an open door like a fireplace. Once that has burned down a bit, spread out the coals, put your wood on top and let it ignite. Close door, char the wood for a few minutes, then start closing the air in stages. Maybe a quarter until the flames start to move slowly, wait a few minutes for the fire to gain strength, then close by another quarter etc. Secondaries in the top of the firebox should take over and temp should continue to climb.

 

[Silenced38]

The wood was standing dead and has ccs for a little over a year.
Nothing in the stove pipe.
I even added an OAK
I've thought th mms maybe wrong.

 

[tarzan]

Pine been C/S/S for a year also?

 

[Silenced38]

Pine been C/S/S for a year also?

Pine 8 months ccs

 

[tarzan]

I think you may have two problems. Number one is the wood. The type of creosite you describe is caused by unseasoned wood. Number two is your draft. 15 pieces of 8 month old 2"x2" pieces of pine should be ashes within 30 minutes of running with the door cracked, or at least lit off the glazed creosite in your single wall pipe.

 

[Silenced38]

Has the wood been brought to room temp first before measuring the moisture content?


Try closing the door once the pine is nicely burning. The stove should get up to temp much faster than operating it with an open door like a fireplace. Once that has burned down a bit, spread out the coals, put your wood on top and let it ignite. Close door, char the wood for a few minutes, then start closing the air in stages. Maybe a quarter until the flames start to move slowly, wait a few minutes for the fire to gain strength, then close by another quarter etc. Secondaries in the top of the firebox should take over and temp should continue to climb.

It was not room temp. If I close the door before 350 it climbs even slower.
I operate as you have described but it is slow to climb to 450. After it passes past 450 I can shut the air down and the secondaries lite and all is good