Leaving a Fire Alone....

[pulldownclaw]

This is a very timely thread, as I've been having some trouble with excessive coal buildup. I usually don't have a problem, as I rake the coals forward at the end of the burn cycle and open up the primary air wide open to burn them down a little before the next load. BUT, when my lovely wife is burning during the day and it's cold out, she just keeps loading the stove and I get home to a stove with 4 inches of coals ready to fall out the door when I open it up. When it's really cold out and you don't want to take the time to burn down the coals what do you do?

Does anyone else also think that you get more heat from the coals when you open the door as opposed to having the door closed with the blower on? It just seems like a ton of heat comes rolling out when I've got the door open with a good bed of coals, but if I close it, the air coming out of the blower doesn't seem that hot.

 

[RonB]

Pulldown, You've got the right idea to get rid of them but it takes time. I would add a couple of small splits at a time and burn it more wide open to cook down those coals. Shutting off the blower would also help (stove temp would rise). Maybe your wife could even do this occasionally a couple times thru the day to help you out. Make sure she understands the real goal is to cook down the coals and not to just add wood out of cycle or at will.

 

[jadm]

Thank-you everyone for your ideas here. I now have another option of how to deal with coals.

Current load has been burning for 6 hours and I haven't touched it since getting the initial primary air shut down as far as possible.

It is doing just fine without my tampering.

It is taking a lot of will power for me to let it be.... :down:

 

[pen]

This is a very timely thread, as I've been having some trouble with excessive coal buildup. I usually don't have a problem, as I rake the coals forward at the end of the burn cycle and open up the primary air wide open to burn them down a little before the next load. BUT, when my lovely wife is burning during the day and it's cold out, she just keeps loading the stove and I get home to a stove with 4 inches of coals ready to fall out the door when I open it up. When it's really cold out and you don't want to take the time to burn down the coals what do you do?

Does anyone else also think that you get more heat from the coals when you open the door as opposed to having the door closed with the blower on? It just seems like a ton of heat comes rolling out when I've got the door open with a good bed of coals, but if I close it, the air coming out of the blower doesn't seem that hot.

Get a bigger stove. If you are getting excessive coal build up, and not staying warm, the stove isn't big enough for what you are trying to get it to do.

pen