Load it up, burn all night....

[Hogwildz]

You want an overnight burn and then some, load the puppy full as you can.
Start with some bigguns, then fill in the top.
The baffle is the stopping point LOL.
This is just after reloading after just over 12 hours ago, on a level coal bed at 200 degrees stove.
Even 8 seasons in, the honing still continues. Less wood and more heat come from not only newer stoves, but better practices
Fire it up!

 

[vwmike]

Major stove envy! I can only get 2 of those big splits in my little guy

 

[Woody Stover]

That one on the right looks like it was on the bottom of the stack; A little moistish on that one edge.

Major stove envy! I can only get 2 of those big splits in my little guy

Maybe two of the big ones and one little one, if I packed it just right. Nice to have some Pignut and BL on hand so a smaller load will still go a long time.

 

[JA600L]

I did the same thing and woke up to a 73 degree house. Right on the money!

 

[cableman]

Do you pack it and keep the air closed right away?

 

[Beer Belly]

someday I'll get the *alls to load it full....I'm afraid of a runaway with a full load....maybe 4 splits at most

 

[Hogwildz]

Do you pack it and keep the air closed right away?

Nada, full open air for about 15 to 20 mins to establish a nice char, and cook any moisture out(the one on the right), then cut air full low at about 450 degrees.
Those big boys need some time to get good and charred.
I usually cut the air to 1/2 for another 10 mins at around 300 degrees, but it was already up to 450ish, so cut it all the way back. Still lots in there, so will let it burn down while I am out on the road today.

 

[jaychino415]

You want an overnight burn and then some, load the puppy full as you can.
Start with some bigguns, then fill in the top.
The baffle is the stopping point LOL.
This is just after reloading after just over 12 hours ago, on a level coal bed at 200 degrees stove.
Even 8 seasons in, the honing still continues. Less wood and more heat come from not only newer stoves, but better practices
Fire it up!

Nice and packed like sardines. ;-)

 

[AnalogKid]

Yep. Been doing this twice a day for several weeks now. It's great once you've got a system down.

 

[cableman]

Thats what i figured. How hot ya think your stack temp gets? Mine will shoot to 800 easy which im not sure is a good thing. Yesterday i walked away too long and it went to 900 then shut it down and it dropped to 600 for a bit.

 

[Saddle Mander]

I just got my NC135 weeks ago. I've been getting burn times of about 90 minutes, but I'm 100% positive that's because I have no idea what I'm doing yet.

In my ignorance, my fear has been that packing it to the rafters would result in either:

1) a bright red glowing stove or

2) nothing but smoldering smoke that would put a thick lining of creosote on the chimney

Feel free to chime in and set my thinking straight.

(Since I just got the stove, most of my wood is still in the 25%-30% MC range, so I've been adding a lot of pallet wood to help it along, or just burning pallet wood. Next year will be a different story.)

 

[oldspark]

Nada, full open air for about 15 to 20 mins to establish a nice char, and cook any moisture out(the one on the right), then cut air full low at about 450 degrees.
Those big boys need some time to get good and charred.
I usually cut the air to 1/2 for another 10 mins at around 300 degrees, but it was already up to 450ish, so cut it all the way back. Still lots in there, so will let it burn down while I am out on the road today.

I have probably asked you this before but how tall is your chimney? My stove will not run like that.

 

[BrianN]

Now that I am home all day (on the injured list) I load my stove 3 times a day. Needed or not. Usually not. I can only carry two or three splits at a time, so, I will put five or six splits in (two trips to the garage) let it char a bit then shut him down. That will get me well past the eight hour mark.
For the over night burn, I will stuff it a bit more and will still have a half load left in the morning.
Although, it is only -4 (25) overnight right now. But, later this week, we will be back to -16 (3) and hopefully will be able to stuff him with out too many trips to the garage.
When I do get back to work, hopefully next week, I will be back to loading it twice a day. Once before work and once when I get home.
That is when I stuff it full, with air wide open to get the char, also helps to clean the glass on the King.

 

[Hogwildz]

I have probably asked you this before but how tall is your chimney? My stove will not run like that.

The liner is 27' tall. 22' of Rigid insulated double wall, with 5' of flex from the bottom tile to the insert.

 

[Hogwildz]

Thats what i figured. How hot ya think your stack temp gets? Mine will shoot to 800 easy which im not sure is a good thing. Yesterday i walked away too long and it went to 900 then shut it down and it dropped to 600 for a bit.

Not sure on stack temp. Being an insert, I have no access to the stack. I would say it gets up there prior to shutting the air down. With 27' of liner, all but the bottom 5' insulated, this thing has serious draft.

 

[Hogwildz]

I just got my NC135 weeks ago. I've been getting burn times of about 90 minutes, but I'm 100% positive that's because I have no idea what I'm doing yet.

In my ignorance, my fear has been that packing it to the rafters would result in either:

1) a bright red glowing stove or

2) nothing but smoldering smoke that would put a thick lining of creosote on the chimney

Feel free to chime in and set my thinking straight.

(Since I just got the stove, most of my wood is still in the 25%-30% MC range, so I've been adding a lot of pallet wood to help it along, or just burning pallet wood. Next year will be a different story.)

25% ain't the worst.
If you load it tight, with large & medium splits it won't go nuclear. Especially with the moisture content of the wood you have.
You prolly will get a shatload of coals though.
It is when you load a bunch or real dry small stuff with lots of air space between, that things get bright.
90 minutes burn times? Unless we are thinking differently, you should be getting a hell of a lot longer burn times than that. Are you getting it up to temp good then shutting the air back or down all the way?
If you leave it wide open, it will either overfire, some never get to a good temp, and the load will not last long. That will make things glow if I ever attempted that.

 

[Saddle Mander]

90 minutes burn times? Unless we are thinking differently, you should be getting a hell of a lot longer burn times than that. Are you getting it up to temp good then shutting the air back or down all the way?

Like I said, I'm sure the problem is me, not the stove.

With the stove top at 400-500, it's giving us good heat in the house. I'll put 2 or 3 splits in to get a fire going and heat up the box, then I might add one or two splits at a time just to keep it going. Once that gets roaring, I'll close the vent most of the way.

Should I be really packing it instead?

 

[Hogwildz]

Like I said, I'm sure the problem is me, not the stove.

With the stove top at 400-500, it's giving us good heat in the house. I'll put 2 or 3 splits in to get a fire going and heat up the box, then I might add one or two splits at a time just to keep it going. Once that gets roaring, I'll close the vent most of the way.

Should I be really packing it instead?

Do what your comfortable with. In time, you will feel more comfortable and also knowing your stove better, you will prolly end up loading it up. It gets tedious constantly filling a split at a time. And the babysitting involved.
I pack mine, get it going, up to temp, cut the air back. and walk away for 12 hours or so. I had many hesitations as everyone else does/did when they first got their stove. In time that will pass as you feel more at ease.
If you pack it, pack it with large, dry stuff, and see how it works for you.

 

[Saddle Mander]

Do what your comfortable with

Well, you're giving me the confidence to go ahead and pack it to the top of the firebricks and watch what happens.

 

[Kevin Dolan]

You want an overnight burn and then some, load the puppy full as you can.
Start with some bigguns, then fill in the top.
The baffle is the stopping point LOL.
This is just after reloading after just over 12 hours ago, on a level coal bed at 200 degrees stove.
Even 8 seasons in, the honing still continues. Less wood and more heat come from not only newer stoves, but better practices
Fire it up!

Sure looks stacked like cordwood, I too am jealous with the huge load you can put into that wood eating monster
Great pics, thanks

 

[MofoG23]

Your posted motivated me to get a picture of my load tonight...mostly medium splits....almost packed full.

Loaded up around 9:15pm, should be good till I load it up again around 6am with plenty of large coals left.

 

[Hogwildz]

Your posted motivated me to get a picture of my load tonight...mostly medium splits....almost packed full.

Loaded up around 9:15pm, should be good till I load it up again around 6am with plenty of large coals left.

View attachment 120833

That is the way to do it. Enjoy

 

[AnalogKid]

Me too.... Just loaded up at 10:00pm. Pulled the leftover coals forward from the load I put in at 8:30 this morning and packed it full with a bunch of odd-sized splits. Good to go till late-morning tomorrow.

 

[Huntindog1]

Looks like Hog is using the technology we call Big Chunk Technology and he has the stove to to do just that.

For newbies gotta make sure they are good and seasoned.

 

[cableman]

I stuck 6 splits in mine 2 were big and i couldnt load n/s. It Started lighting at 930, Airs been all the way down since 10! 450+ stove top