Longer burns than expected

[ckarotka]

I installed a small Quad 400 0.9cuft cast stove into my heart this year. I've had this stove for 4 years now (freestanding before, purchased new) and it never held a very long burn, rightfully so, being so small. This is my first year since finding Hearth.com that I have dry wood. Also first year with the hearth mount.

I loaded it at 1230pm today with two medium chunks (one silver maple the other ??) and it cooked away just fine 450 or so for a while. I left it alone and went on with the days stuff to do. At 515 I decided to see if I could just reload from coals, and I COULD!

Is this because of the dry wood, or the hearth insulated the stove and keeping things warm or a combo of both?

Needless to say I'm very pleased with what I found today, being in the past I could never have done this.

Charlie

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I can comment on the wood for sure. Dry wood makes an enormous difference with burn times and burn temps. I have commented on other posts with regards to wood selection along with the wood being dry. In the colder months, Jan and Feb, I will combine hotter burning hardwoods with smaller amounts of the softer hardwoods and get much longer burn times and more heat output. I have also found that stacking the next days burn load in the same room as the stove will 1. dry any questionable damp wood and 2. prepare the load to be warm, out from the cold. Congratulations on your longer burn times!

 

[pen]

I too blame the dry wood for your success. W/ wet wood, you generally have to give the stove more air for it to burn so it consumes the wood quicker.

congrats.

pen

 

[Todd]

Dry wood does make a difference but the relatively warmer fall temps help slow the draft down as well.

 

[BrotherBart]

Also if the lil stove was in the basement before you probably had a pretty strong draft due to a taller pipe. That will torch a load faster.

 

[ckarotka]

Thanks guys,

I was worried this little gal wasn't going to get the job done. I paid $300 for this stove cuz I knew the salesman from working on residential new construction homes.
This winter is going to be a good one. This definitely gives me the motivation to stay ahead.

 

[firefighterjake]

Dry wood does make a difference but the relatively warmer fall temps help slow the draft down as well.

+1 . . . dry wood and slower draft . . . add in a nice layer of insulating ash and you will be able to have coals which will still be hot enough to easily ignite the dry wood at an even longer time interval.

 

[vvvv]

I installed a small Quad 400 0.9cuft cast stove into my heart this year. I've had this stove for 4 years now (freestanding before, purchased new) and it never held a very long burn, rightfully so, being so small. This is my first year since finding Hearth.com that I have dry wood. Also first year with the hearth mount.

I loaded it at 1230pm today with two medium chunks (one silver maple the other ??) and it cooked away just fine 450 or so for a while. I left it alone and went on with the days stuff to do. At 515 I decided to see if I could just reload from coals, and I COULD!

Is this because of the dry wood, or the hearth insulated the stove and keeping things warm or a combo of both?

Needless to say I'm very pleased with what I found today, being in the past I could never have done this.

Charlie

because it aint cold yet?

 

[ckarotka]

There has been a lot of answers talking about draft which I do understand but.....if I'm running the stove with main air closed 100% at 40* outside what happens when the temps really drop?

I.E. last night it was the coldest I've had yet @ 39*. I was running the NC 13 with a pretty good load at 550 with the air closed 100% also. So if the draft increases will if pull hard enough to reach a 650 or higher.

Will I be overfiring or just start turning it down sooner?

 

[begreen]

Burning in mid-winter is very different than burning during the shoulder seasons. If you want to stay warm, you'll probably fill the stove with thicker splits and use smaller ones to pack it tightly. Yes, you may turn down the air sooner. When our stove is hot and ready for a refill, I often turn it down in a matter of a minute or two if the wood is already getting fully involved with flame. But it depends. If the wood doesn't flame up, then I leave the air open for longer until it does. You will get a feel for this as the season goes on. FWIW, 650F on the stove top is not near overfiring. When it's below zero outside, hittin that stovetop temp may be a daily occurrence.