Like starting over

[ssoucy]

after burning for nearly 30 years with cast , finally got my new soapstone up and running today. Did all the breakin stuff...Stove Top reading 375-400, stove pipe reading 275-300 (14"away from rear exit) with fantastic secondaries. Within the norm for a soap?

 

[ssoucy]

forgot a few MINOR details...
Stove is Hearthstone Castleton
Pipe is single wall
Therms are simple magnetic
Air settings are as manual suggests

 

[gyrfalcon]

forgot a few MINOR details...
Stove is Hearthstone Castleton
Pipe is single wall
Therms are simple magnetic
Air settings are as manual suggests

Not familiar with the Castleton, but soapstone (at least Hearthstone) do usually cruise at 400-450, depending on the size of the firebox. I can occasionally get my Heritage up to 500-550 if I load it just right with dry high-btu wood and turn the air down at just the right time, but it doesn't stay there very long. I think Hearthstone pegs the safe upper limit at around 600, but I've sure never gotten there.

 

[webby3650]

I hit 550-600 easily with my Mansfield. 400-450 is more comfortable for it though. The key with soapstone stoves is to keep them going. Mine rarely has been below 250 since it was installed.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

Yep, with a full load, I have slipped past 600F a few times, nearly 700F once. But usually cruises around 425F - 475F for several hours after a reload. Honestly, I wouldn't want it running at high for any real length of time. At those stove temps, even with single digit outside temps, the house will gain temperature as fast as 3-4 degrees an hour. Makes her happy.. me, not so much.

I usually let the stove drop to 200 or so before reloading, unless it's really cold out. Then 275F or so is the target. She would reload at 400. LOL

Edit.. the Homestead ran much the same, just shorter time spent in cruise, and not as much mass/surface area to radiate the heat.

 

[ssoucy]

the value of the soap is already apparent. Loaded at 10:30 last night and stove was still at 300 at 6:30 this morning. My cast stove would be cold to the touch after that long. House only lost 2deg through the night. Normally furnace kicks on around 4 or 5am. It does take longer to restablish the fire though.