I went into the stove to clear out the ashes and found that I had a lot of charcoals so I left them and burned on top of them. I had not cleared out the stove ashes for about 4 days so was surprised to find all that charcoal. Today when I cleaned out the stove it had some of the charcoals but not the amt that was there yesterday. What causes the stove not to burn it all to ashes? I start the fire and get it up to about 500 degrees for a little bit 5-15 min then I add wood while it is really hot and get it back to 500 or so degrees and then I shut the damper and cut back the primary air(thermostat on this old stove) and let it settle around 400-450 and it goes for a few hours and then add more wood after opening the damper and get it up to 450 or so and shut the damper and let it ride again 400 -450. I do not have a tool that separates the charcoal from ashes so I can leave charcoals in stove and throw out the ash, I know there is energy in those coals but not sure how to keep them and get the ash out.
LOTS OF CHARCOALS
- Thread starter sandie
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I'm glad you asked this question, Sandie, because it's something I've always wondered about, too! Doesn't happen very often in our stoves but when it does I always wonder, "hmmm... how come?".
Sandie, first I am wondering about how you are operating the stove. You add wood when the stove is at 500, which is something that I never do, nor is it needed. Then you are shutting the damper, effectively cutting off draft.
To burn down those charcoals, when the fire gets burned down to just coals or almost to that point, open the damper and give it full open draft. That will hold your heat to the point that the stove is then until the coals get burned down to a more manageable quantity. Also bear in mind that wood which is not fully seasoned will give you more of those problems. If the wood is not really dry, the fire needs more air to burn it right. Also with not fully seasoned wood you will get different amounts of coals or charcoals with different types of wood.
What we do, and have done with many stoves is to leave the draft open full until the wood gets burning nicely and charred good. Then cut back on the draft but don't close it. If you experiment with it you will soon find the place where that stove will keep sending out good heat for a long period and then as the temperature drops, it will soon get to the coaling stage. You should then have that draft open full again until you reload the stove.
To burn down those charcoals, when the fire gets burned down to just coals or almost to that point, open the damper and give it full open draft. That will hold your heat to the point that the stove is then until the coals get burned down to a more manageable quantity. Also bear in mind that wood which is not fully seasoned will give you more of those problems. If the wood is not really dry, the fire needs more air to burn it right. Also with not fully seasoned wood you will get different amounts of coals or charcoals with different types of wood.
What we do, and have done with many stoves is to leave the draft open full until the wood gets burning nicely and charred good. Then cut back on the draft but don't close it. If you experiment with it you will soon find the place where that stove will keep sending out good heat for a long period and then as the temperature drops, it will soon get to the coaling stage. You should then have that draft open full again until you reload the stove.
My stove has a damper that is either open or closed, no in between and it has a air flap at the back that is adjustable and tha is what controls the air and I have that totally open when building the fire and then after it gets to 500 I shut the damper so the heat is staying in stove but the flap at back(primary air) is open and is slowly incrementally shut down by 1/4th incriments and then keep it slightly open for the few hours it stays at 400 or so. The wood I am using measures 20% or less so seasoned.
I add wood the first time when at 500 because it catches fast and gets back to 500 pretty fast and then let her go 400-450 and then it dies to about 250-300 before I refeed wood and then teh damper is opened and the air flap is opened til it is back up to the 500 level when I shut the damper again and back off the air some til again it is cruising at 450 or so and so it goes.
Also I start my fire with newspaper, some fire starter, kindling and then I have about 2 small splits and one medium split in there and off it goes to 500 degrees. Amazing how fast that is mostly burned down when it hits 500 degrees which i leave it for about 15 min and then add the new wood which cuts down the temperature so wait for it to get to 500 again and again as I said shut the damper and slowly cut back the air on the flap.
I add wood the first time when at 500 because it catches fast and gets back to 500 pretty fast and then let her go 400-450 and then it dies to about 250-300 before I refeed wood and then teh damper is opened and the air flap is opened til it is back up to the 500 level when I shut the damper again and back off the air some til again it is cruising at 450 or so and so it goes.
Also I start my fire with newspaper, some fire starter, kindling and then I have about 2 small splits and one medium split in there and off it goes to 500 degrees. Amazing how fast that is mostly burned down when it hits 500 degrees which i leave it for about 15 min and then add the new wood which cuts down the temperature so wait for it to get to 500 again and again as I said shut the damper and slowly cut back the air on the flap.
Love those hot coals! If burning 24/7 keep them and
just discard the ash. Reload on top of them and go for
another burn cycle.
If for one burn cycle, keep the cold remaining coals.
Separate them from the ash. Build your cold start on
top.
Some wood species coal more than others. Learn and
use it to your advantage.
just discard the ash. Reload on top of them and go for
another burn cycle.
If for one burn cycle, keep the cold remaining coals.
Separate them from the ash. Build your cold start on
top.
Some wood species coal more than others. Learn and
use it to your advantage.
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