Loading Question

[jadm]

When loading a full load of wood how much room does there need to be at the top between secondary burn tubes and top piece of wood?

 

[myzamboni]

I try tot leave ~1 inch (the F3 has a plate with holes instead of tubes), but I have on occasion had wood right up against the plate. The fire still manages to burn cleanly.

 

[kenny chaos]

Pack it full! My 3.1 cu.ft. firebox is rated at 75,000 B.T.U.'s/hour but unless I put a solid piece that size in, there's always lots of wasted space.

I did some figuring this morning; If I have a three inch layer of ash and coals on the bottom and fill it to within an inch of the tubes with 16" splits, I'm utilizing less than one cubic foot. :down:

 

[Todd]

Most manuals state to leave a small air space between, but if you reload on a good coal bed and fill it too the top it will create it's own air space in a few minutes as the coals burn down, and as the moisture is driven out of the wood it will shrink. I always filled my non cat stoves full and they would burn clean.

 

[jadm]

Thank-you all for the replies. Now I won't hesitate to go as high as possible. :cheese:

 

[LLigetfa]

Pack it full! My 3.1 cu.ft. firebox... fill it to within an inch of the tubes... I'm utilizing less than one cubic foot.

Waddup widdat? Misleading advertising? Measuring to the glass and above the smoke shelf without the firebrick?

I never calculated how much I pack into my 3.1 cu ft box, but it goes right up to the tubes.