Lots of unburnt coals?

[bluedogz]

This is the first season I've been able to try different kinds of woods, and mix and match to see the results.

The most dramatic result I've found is that if I burn pignut hickory, I have a larger amount of unburnt coals left at the end of a burn cycle than any other wood. I mean like the box of the 30 is 4-6" deep in unburnt chunks of stuff. Similar occurs with cherry, but it is more noticeable with the hickory.

By contrast, black locust leaves behind nothing but a scorched wasteland of fly ash. Trouble is, the family gets heated out of the house. (Might be on to something, there...)

Before someone asks, all of these woods have been CSS for over a year.

 

[begreen]

The hickory probably needs another year to dry to be perfect. But it sounds like you have a good slow burner there for some good overnight fires. Put a small split on top of the coals and open up the air a bit. Those coals will burn down in an hour or two

 

[bluedogz]

Just for ha-has, I scooped the coals to either side, then loaded E-W across the gap, making sort of a bridge of splits across the firebox. Best slow secondaries I've seen from this stove yet.

Oh yeah... at the time this pile has created itself, stovetop temp has dropped to the 300 range. This make me think the stove is asking for a reload... no?

 

[begreen]

I go by the room temp. If it's 72F, then I would wait to reload.There's many a coal burn down that I have done with the stove cruising at 300-350F for another hour or two. Heat is heat.

 

[certified106]

The hickory may not be ready yet but I have also found when burning hardwoods I leave my primary open a touch more when going to bed to facilitate the coals burning down better.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah. Or you can drag the big pile forward and dump large splits behind the pile E/W and lay a medium on top of them can go for a heck of a E/W ride. What I did for the night burn last night.

 

[corey21]

Yeah. Or you can drag the big pile forward and dump large splits behind the pile E/W and lay a medium on top of them can go for a heck of a E/W ride. What I did for the night burn last night.

That is what i do it makes for a great E/W burn.

 

[remkel]

This year I have taken to burning the coals down even further...getting longer heat out of the stove, and the house temps have not suffered a bit. Once the basement is warm, the heat just keeps on coming. I have noticed this particularly this weekend as I have been home for four days and have not had the typical mid day cool down while I am at work. If I could only find a way to stay home permanently.......well, maybe in 25 years or so.