Loading T6 and top temp - new stove

[Belcain]

Hello all,

I've been reading this forum for a bit over a year now and finally got a new stove and actually signed up to become a member

After a year of research (a lot on this site - great posts and info by many of the members here.) I finally got a T6 to replace my 1988 VC Defiant Encore. The VC came with this house when I bought the house several years ago. It was always a finicky stove and I had to baby sit the thing or it would smoulder or over fire, also had CAT issues and just never liked the stove other than its looks. I also built a big addition on the house so wanted a bigger stove with a heating profile more like a non-cat so I settled on the T6.

I just set if up a couple of weeks ago and was worried about my 6x10 lined chimney and draft problems. I would not be able to fit a 6" liner down there so figured I would try it and worst case put a 5.5" liner if I had problems. Anyway, even now in NH with temps in the 40s, I get secondary burn and the stove cooks. I know I will really enjoy this stove, I can tell already after only 6 or so fires but it is drastically different than the old VC I've been running. So I now have a couple of questions that I hope some of you can help with.

1. Even with the stove only 50% full, I get surface temps in the 700 range with the stove turned almost all the way down. Very good secondary action but I worry that when I fill the stove, it will over fire if I walk away or go to sleep. Do I just need bigger splits? My wood is dry. Measured fresh splits at about 13 - 15%. My wood was cut pretty small because I was running the VC pretty hot and it needed smaller wood to stay hot. I would say the biggest splits I have would fit 3 or 4 across the bottom N/S.

2. How can I "fill" the stove? how high up on the inside should I go? Can I fill right up to the baffle or should I go only maybe to the height of the brick? Should I stick small pieces in any gaps or will that cause it to get too hot? Any chance somebody can take a pic of a "regular" load? I've been changing the way I do it now but have not stuffed the stove "full" but I dont get overnight times either.

So much to learn about this stove but as I mentioned, I already know I'll like it a lot.

Thanks for any input

 

[bag of hammers]

What are you burning? Smaller (apparently very dry) splits vs "large" splits seasoned to @20% will burn very fast / hot in a tube stove, softwood or anything that dry will pretty much spontaneously combust . T6 is a pretty popular stove here, others can give you first hand advice, but I know on my stove the recommendation from manufacturer is to load up as high as the fire brick (more or less - I've packed it tighter than that without issue). Without "crowding" the tubes / baffle, although I've read posts here from others who will load right up to the gills. You may have to experiment a bit to find the sweet spot in your setup.

Welcome to the forum!....

 

[madison]

Long time t6 user. A couple suggestions, "we" (on hearth.com) summit/t6 users have discussed stove/chimney temperatures over the years so there is a wealth of discussion on this very topic. Search this site, there is probably days of reading on this topic.

In short, I would suggest monitoring the stove top temp about 6 inches away from the chimney pipe at about 4 or 8 o'clock to standardize the monitoring. I would also suggest sticking the thermometer in your oven at various temps to see if it is relatively accurate. Running the blower if equipped with reduce the stove top temp, so 700 with the blower on is getting up there...

Check the ash chute and door for air leaks. The signs of the ash chute leaking are pretty easy to see, door leaks less easy, search dollar bill test for checking the door fit.

700 is pretty easy to attain especially with dry wood, and smaller splits. Leaving air spaces around the splits with smaller loads, seems to burn hotter. Search some of Hogwildz posts and you will see great pictures and great advice for filling the firebox and other advice on running PE summits/t6's
Here is a link to one: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/pe-porn.59767/#post-59767

 

[begreen]

Bigger splits will help. Most of ours are 4-6" across with some up to 8". My avatar is with a couple 8" splits and some smaller stuff in between. You might also try loading it E/W to see if that slows the fire a bit. I fill it up to the baffle, but not hard pressing there, more like just kissing it at a few peaks of the splits. Good tip on the ash door Madison. We never use it, but if one does it's easy to catch a small chunk of charcoal in the trap door. If that happens it will leak air under the fire.

 

[bag of hammers]

Good tip on the ash door Madison. We never use it....

I wanna say I never use it either, at the risk of another iteration of the ash pan debate...

Edit - I'm not even a T6 owner, so I guess I'm just being an instigator