Learning to burn my new Alderlea T6

[M1SF1T]

I was starting to confuse people in another thread I started earlier this year regarding a BK Princess needing replacement.

We installed a new PE Alderlea T6 about a month ago. I thought I had better start a new thread in the PE sub for my questions as I look to get the most out of this stove.

Here's my stove.

We are heating a 2600sqft house on Northern Vancouver Island.


During the cleaning and install for the new stove we also noted some deficiencies in our old 5" liner and connection and last week had the 5" steel liner and the ceramic liner in our masonry chimney removed and a new 6" steel liner with clean out and 7" through wall connector installed in it's place.

I had done a couple weeks of burns prior to the new chimney, but I notice with the new 6" and additional draft I think I'm getting a shorter burn time.

I've read about covering the EBO air holes and last night I decided to trial it covering the EBO holes with aluminum tape.

At 21:30 I loaded a 85% load of large splits of doug fir and medium splits of maple on a bed of coals, dialed the air back slowly and let it fully flame up before shutting off the air entirely. I may have waited too long. STT was 750 when I went to bed around 11.

8:30 am this morning the stove is cruising along with STT at 300 and a still 30%+ load of large full log coals in fire box. I opened up the air and the stove flashed back up. STT was up to 475 at 9:15, back down to 400 at 11:20, still lots of large coals.

I suspect this isn't ideal burning overnight at that temp in this Alderlea stove, the glass did get pretty dirty, although I do like the 14 hour burn.

Anyway, I'll keep playing with it, I appreciate any recommendations and experience anyone can share in helping me get the most out of my stove.

 

[EbS-P]

Get a flue gas temperature probe and run it based on that. I like my Auber AT200 as it has a high temp alarm. I have found it much easier to learn a new stove when I can always see what the flue gas temps are. Stove top temps react slowly and you you end up on turning down soon enough then turn it down too far. All of this can happen in 5 minutes when you can see the changes nearly instantly.

 

[begreen]

I strongly recommend not altering the stove in any way at first. There is a learning curve that one needs to get over. Modifying the stove can lead to tail chasing if the fault lies elsewhere.

How tall is the 6" liner that the stove is connected to?

Link to old thread here:

M

Post in thread '11 year old BK Princess in new to me house'

Oct 11, 2024

I wanted to update this thread.

We ended up getting a PE Alderlea T6 to replace the tired BK.

Got the stove home about 2 weeks ago and have been enjoying burning it. It warms the whole house fairly well even with small shoulder season loads. I find I can turn it down overnight and still have a warm stove with coals in the morning to add another log to. I run the fan in the entry area which seems to help circulate the air between the upstairs and downstairs.

Before the installation I had a sweep give me a run down on my chimney situation, it was serviceable but had some issues that...

• M1SF1T

• 

 

[begreen]

It sounds like the firewood is dry. Doug Fir starts pretty quickly. One very common problem is not turning down the air soon enough. The flue temperature is much more important for good operation than the stove top temperature reading. That is a lagging indicator. To help better run the stove, get a probe thermometer for the stovepipe. A digital one is the best option. Here is some guidance running the T6 burning Doug Fir.

Thread 'Starting a fire and running an EPA stove'

Jan 17, 2020

Questions about starting a fire and avoiding a runaway stove come up so frequently I decided to document starting our stove. This is a Pacific Energy Alderlea T6 with about a 3 cu ft firebox. The stove is connected to a straight-up, 20' interior flue. The outside ambient temperature is 34ºF. The blower was off all the time for these shots. The firewood is douglas fir at about 17% moisture content. This is a N/S loading. An E/W loading start will follow.

NOTE: as testing will show, the older Condar flue thermometer is reading low. It needs recalibration.

There are 3 instruments shown.

1. ...

• begreen
• Replies: 92
• Forum: The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces

• 

 

[M1SF1T]

Thanks for the comments.

After going out the wall, the straight run of 6" liner is probably 20-24'.

I thought I had been shutting down the air soon for the most part, but I'll try starting earlier. I realize it's best not to guess and get a more accurate sensor, but if I can get a process that works for me without running wires I'm inclined to hold off.

I'll check out that thread too.

 

[begreen]

In the least, get an analog probe thermometer. It's slower to respond than a digital unit, but works ok as long as you know this in advance. This is illustrated in the provided thread.

It's important to know the height of the liner. If it's 24', then it's on the tall side. With strong draft, a key damper inserted in the stovepipe may be the best solution. It might be why 5" liner was used previously.

An EBO was mentioned as being taped off, what is this? The boost air hole?

 

[M1SF1T]

In the least, get an analog probe thermometer. It's slower to respond than a digital unit, but works ok as long as you know this in advance. This is illustrated in the provided thread.

It's important to know the height of the liner. If it's 24', then it's on the tall side. With strong draft, a key damper inserted in the stovepipe may be the best solution. It might be why 5" liner was used previously.

An EBO was mentioned as being taped off, what is this? The boost air hole?

I'll look into the thermometer.

I was guessing on the liner height looking up outside, also not being sure the exact spot the stove comes through. But I forgot I haven't taken away the old liner yet, it is 20'.

Key dampers are against code in BC now so not an option.

I think they used 5" liner because that's what fit inside the existing ceramic liner, pretty sure it was a home install done poorly too. But by removing the ceramic liner I was able to install a 6" solid liner all the way down to the cleanout.

Yeah, the boost hole. I thought I read it was called the EBO somewhere... anyway it's difficult to see but there are 2 orifices there. I tried covering one and didn't notice much difference so covered the other one too. Anyway, I'm going to be more deliberate tonight on my timing and see what happens.

 

[Kodiak]

How goes the burning? I’m in process of installing a t6. Been reading your thread. Did you get a probe thermometer for flue gases temp?

 

[M1SF1T]

Hi.
No, I didn't get a flue thermometer. The burning has been good though. Burn times seem to have averaged out a little better, this thing radiates so well too. I avoid reloading too early and get the air turned down sooner. I don't even look at the STT thermometer anymore. Overall happy with the stove.

 

[GrammyPammy]

In the least, get an analog probe thermometer. It's slower to respond than a digital unit, but works ok as long as you know this in advance. This is illustrated in the provided thread.

It's important to know the height of the liner. If it's 24', then it's on the tall side. With strong draft, a key damper inserted in the stovepipe may be the best solution. It might be why 5" liner was used previously.

An EBO was mentioned as being taped off, what is this? The boost air hole?

There are no fireplace dealers I can drive to….or discuss options with knowledgeable people. So I will have to order a flue probe and IR gauge online. Does anyone have recommendations of which company and/or particular brands and models would work well with an Alderlea t6? I need simple, not something that needs to be programmed, lol!

 

[stoveliker]

Condar flue probe thermometer for low cost analog (and slow measurement).

Others will suggest their digital more expensive Auber models.

I have an etekcity laser grip 1080 IR thermometer. Cheap, Chinese I presume, but works fine

 

[begreen]

A stovepipe thermometer is the most important. This needs a small hole drilled into the stovepipe about 21" above the stove top.

Condar stovepipe probe thermometers

stovepipe probe thermometers

www.condar.com

The stovetop thermometer is optional, but for some, it's helpful. A good, magnetic, stovetop thermometer will suffice, but an IR gun will also work and are fun to play with. I use ours to test the pizza stone temp. Make sure it reads high enough.

Stovetop thermometers:

Stove top thermometers

Condar stove top thermometers magnetically attach to the surface of your stove and help optimise stove's performance by showing best temperature range.

www.condar.com

Reotemp stovetop thermometer

IR guns:
IR thermometer
IR thermometer 2

 

[JPinnell]

First fire in our T6 this weekend. I was expecting a longer burn time.

Previous stove the trusty 17yr old Englander 13NC (1.8cuft) would end up with enough embers to relight in the morning after 7-8hrs. When near Zero we would plan to throw a couple splits in during the night. No blower but ceiling fan in the same room. Would keep our 1500sqft Ranch around 75 but the heat pump might kick 3-4am after a 10pm loading.

T6 firebox is twice the size, 3.0cuft so TWICE as much wood. More coals left in the morning for sure after 7-8hrs, but I was reading about 10hr burns. We went T6 vs Hybrid for simplicity of maintenance. New Selkirk 6in, double wall smoke pipe, and from hearth floor to chimney cap is 17ft

So tell me about this boost hole to cover?

 

[begreen]

The T6 is an easier breathing stove than the 13-NC. Was the 13-NC on a different flue system?

Give yourself some time to get used to the stove. Try a top down start for a longer, more uniform burn.

I think on the newer Summits and T6s the boost air hole is next to the air control blade opening but it would help to get an update on the LE models with a picture of the underside showing this. On the older units it is front center on the underside of the firebox.

 

[JPinnell]

The T6 is an easier breathing stove than the 13-NC. Was the 13-NC on a different flue system?

Englander was on a different flu. I had an old smoke dragon "Alaska" stove much like a Fischer. We planned to put it in the house, but Insurance denied it because of no UL Sticker. I had already installed Selkirk 8in for the Alaska. So the 13-NC was running 8ft of single wall with 2 - 45º Elbows then necked up to about 8ft of Class A 8in Chimney. Not ideal but never had any draft issues. Would get "some" creosote buildup at the transition, usually swept the chimney at the beginning of the season for birds nests, then Jan thaw, then again at the end in April. 2-3 quarts of light flaky residue each sweep with the Soot Eater.. Only thing I ever replaced in 17rs was a few baffle boards. Wonderful stove, would have bought a 32NC but I missed those by a couple years. Wanted something with legs and could not find an SBI with a 3cuft Fire Box with legs. Looked at Osburn, but really felt the "craftsmanship" had gone down from our older Englander. I realize its a welded steel box, but nothing "new" seems near as good as the once were in the economy stoves.

T6 got a new 6in flu as we went with a bigger stove as we added on. T6 is in the new 16x25 Fam Room bump out, which is sunk about 2ft or 3 steps down. 6x6 entry to the rest of the house and soon a 2nd 6x4. I plan to put a small floor fan near the 4x6 doorway and get some return air flow. We went with the "convective" T6 to soften the heat in the new Fam Room. But I think we will eventually get the blower for it to extract more heat. We have 2 ceiling fans in the new Fam Room as well.

Overall we doubled our square footage which is why we went with the T6. The 13-NC did great for the 1400, but we'd see some heat pump action after 6hrs or so. Wife has RA 9or she's a lizard) so 75+ is her preferred temp. I don't expect the new stove to heat the whole place as its too sprawling of a floor plan now, but given the elevation change I think we can get some circulation going.