Lopi Answer operating temps?

[IAJack]

Hello,

New guy in Iowa here with a new Lopi Answer installed last week. I have been doing nothing but reading here for 3 days straight and am still learning.

The manual and the warning label on the stove simply say not to overfire the stove. What are the ideal operating temps for the top of the stove (under the heat surround shield) and in the stack (double walled SS)

I am wondering if as heavy as this stove is built and as small as the firebox is if it is possible to really overfire it.

Also a newbie question here again on this stove. Can / will you always see the secondary burn or is that only when there are actual flames? Does this model do a second burn on high burn mode or only when the air is limited with the slider control somewhat out?

As small as this stove is I am working on finding that happy medium between good burn times and high heat.

Thanks all and Merry Christmas

 

[lopiliberty]

I don't know about the Answer but I have the Liberty and I can tell you this stove cranks heat. It is very possible to over fire a stove(happened to me the other night). I watched the stove burn at a stove top temperature of 625 for and hour, left the room and came back 30 minutes later to a 900 degree plus stove. Mine usually likes to run anywhere from 600 to 750 degrees. 750 is the max temperature I let the Liberty go to before I turn on the blower to cool it down. Once you get a good secondary burn(for me its blue flames coming from the holes on the air tubes) that Answer should crank out the heat. My flue temperatures are usually in the range of 300 to 400 degrees when the stove is running good.

 

[Treacherous]

Stay south of 800 degrees and you will be fine. I operate my Endeavor in the 500-600 range.

 

[DBoon]

I have a Lopi Answer, and I can tell you that you will really like your stove.

My Answer normally cruises at 550 degrees F stove top (thermometer in the middle near the front). It can go to 600 or 650 with a load of dry hickory or hard maple on a reload if I don't turn the primary air down soon enough. I have the blower, so in these cases, I usually turn it up to high to move the air faster around the stove. Having said that, I don't worry about overfire at these temperatures - it can go to 750 degrees without troubles (though I don't try to take it there intentionally).

If your wood is not really dry the first season, you may have trouble getting it to these temps - next year will be easier if you have drier wood. Experience pays. Its a little harder getting a smaller stove to get going with secondaries if the wood is not optimum, but still possible if you are willing to be more patient in fiddling with the primary air as you shut the fire down.

PM if you have any specific questions, and I'll be happy to answer them.

 

[daveswoodhauler]

I have a Lopi Answer, and I can tell you that you will really like your stove.

My Answer normally cruises at 550 degrees F stove top (thermometer in the middle near the front). It can go to 600 or 650 with a load of dry hickory or hard maple on a reload if I don't turn the primary air down soon enough. I have the blower, so in these cases, I usually turn it up to high to move the air faster around the stove. Having said that, I don't worry about overfire at these temperatures - it can go to 750 degrees without troubles (though I don't try to take it there intentionally).

If your wood is not really dry the first season, you may have trouble getting it to these temps - next year will be easier if you have drier wood. Experience pays. Its a little harder getting a smaller stove to get going with secondaries if the wood is not optimum, but still possible if you are willing to be more patient in fiddling with the primary air as you shut the fire down.

PM if you have any specific questions, and I'll be happy to answer them.

+1
Have the Answer Insert and it appears to like 525-550 or so. Not a huge firebox, but does a good job heating our 1800 ft house.
Well, right now it is 8 degrees out, and a cozy 71 inside

 

[MarkinNC]

My stove likes 550 to 700 depending on if I have the blower running. It is VERY easy for me to hit 700+. My wood is seasoned about 15 months. You'll see secondary combustion mostly above 450 with the air wide open or throttled back. It is easier to see at first when you cut the primary air control back. It seems like last year I kept getting the stove hot and then cutting the primary air a lot to see the secondary combustion. This year I just know what it is.

 

[IAJack]

Thanks for the replies

As a followup question when I have secondary combustion do the flames just dance around the top of the stove near the tubes or are flames actually supposed to be "shooting" out of the tubes similar to a gas furnace?

I got her up to 625 today by filling her full with good wood. It seems how you "stack" the wood in the firebox in order to allow airflow is important.

 

[Wood Duck]

I generally see the secondary flames sort of dancing around more than shooting from the air holes. I think either variety will get the job done.

 

[bpm44]

The temp of the stove, amount of coals when reloading, which way you load, the kind of wood and how well seasoned, what part of the burn cycle you're at all contribute to dancing/ lazy flames around the tubes or the gas furnace jet effect. Either is good secondary action and is burning the smoke before it goes up the chimney.