Need Quad 3100 help: Overfire vs. Smoke

[BradleyW]

This year I purchased an old farmhouse with two woodstoves and I am heating with wood for the first time in my life. The house is a cape with a Fisher Mama Bear in the basement and a Quadrafire 3100 in the first floor living area. It has been challenging to learn how to use these stoves and burn the wood properly. At first I was really concerned about seeing smoke coming out of the chimney because of the creosote build-up. I now realize I overfired the Fisher at least three times--saw part of the stove glowing red twice, and the stovepipe once. It's in the basement, so I don't see it all the time. So I've started using the Quadrafire mainly, just the Fisher when I have to, like the last few days of cold weather (11 below F last night). I feel a little more comfortable with the Quadrafire. Still, I see a lot of smoke coming out of the chimney when I add a load of wood, especially in the morning, sometimes for almost an hour. But don't feel I can open up the stove all the way because of the overfire potential (especially with the Fisher). Does anyone here have any sage advice? At this point I'm a little freaked out about the whole thing.

 

[begreen]

Welcome to hearth.com There's a learning curve with any stove and with two radically different designs you have a challenge on your hands. I think your plan to rely mostly on the 3100 is a good one. That is a solid performer. The Fisher will need to be run quite differently and yes, it will smoke. You can minimize this by running the stove hotter and with smaller loads. Also, always set a timer to remind yourself to go and check on the stove every 15 -30 minutes, especially during the early part of the burn cycle. Once it is in the hot coals stage you can open the air up a little and not worry about overfiring. Does the Fisher have a key damper in the stove pipe just above the stove? How tall is the chimney on it?

I'm going to move this thread over to the Main forum with a focus on how to run the 3100 properly. Do you have a thermometer on each stove? Tell us how you currently are running the stove.

 

[BobUrban]

and note that ultimate performance with any stove being the goal of complete combustion inside the box and zero smoke(emissions) reality is otherwise and perfection is impossible - ESPECIALLY at start up with new splits. We all have some smoke coming out from time to time and do our best to minimize this but even with 15% hardwood, perfect system, years of experience and a hot stove - smoke come through on reload.

Your doing fine - keep it clean and burn it hot(but not glowing hot!!) and don't worry about the smoke. As you get way ahead with your firewood - like years ahead - the smoke will be less but never be eliminated.

 

[BradleyW]

Thanks for the reply. The Fisher does have a key damper on the stove pipe. The chimney goes from the basement to the very top of the roof, so probably 30 feet or so. For that stove, when I load it up with about 6 pieces of wood I keep the key damper and both vents on the front all the way open. I have been closing everything about half way after about 15-20 minutes, and then 80 or 90% closed after another 15-20 minutes. Sometimes it gets really hot doing this, perhaps too hot, but there is still smoke coming out of the chimney. I don't have a thermometer for either stove. Wasn't sure what kind to get or if it would be useful.

For the 3100, I can only put in 3-4 pieces of small wood at a time because it is quite a bit smaller. I usually keep it all open for about 20 minutes. Then I close the primary air control all the way. I close the secondary air control about 25% after another 15 minutes or so. I usually can't close the secondary much more than that or it will smolder. The burn cycle only lasts for about three hours. I've read that the burn cycle should run 4-8 hours, which seems impossible, at least with a stove this size.

 

[branchburner]

it gets really hot doing this, perhaps too hot, but there is still smoke coming out of the chimney

This pre-EPA stove doesn't really have the technology to achieve extended secondary combustion that would burn all the smoke, so you should expect some smoke. But if you are burning too hot to the point of overfiring, and then greatly reduce air, you may lower the temps while also getting a less-complete and less-efficient combustion (and thus more smoke). It is a balancing act.

That was a classic scenario in the 70s, one I grew up with: a massive airtight stove that cooked us out of the room, leading us to almost totally deprive the fire of air, leading to a cooler but dirtier smoldering fire, leading to creosote production and cooler flue temps that allowed thick creosote buildup, leading to a raging chimney fire.

Some folks still burn this way... lather (with creosote), rinse (with chimney fire), repeat. They often see an extremely long, cool and smoldering burn as a means of getting extra BTUs, since fewer go up the chimney to keep it warm (and clean). But it is at the expense of releasing unburnt fuel in the former of particulate-heavy smoke.