New Burner Check-In - Instrumentation, Burns, Build-Up

[EmberEnergy]

Happy Friday,,,

I wanted some feedback on my first two weeks of 24/7 heating on a Kuma Cascade LE insert. I've been burning primarily 100% hardwood sawdust bricks and small splits of ash that are 8-20% mc. I typically put in 6-8lbs of bricks and a few splits and I'd say my loads are 1/3-1/2 of the 2.5ft3 firebox. Initially, with my larger loads, the cat probe on my stove gave me some scares because after I shut down the primary air, the gauge kept climbing toward the "<!>" zone, and the off-gassing was still going stronger than I wanted. It was then I learned to lead the air shut down a little more cause I figured the gauge was delayed. Talked to Kuma and they said the gauge I have is on the conservative side and they have an updated gauge they sent me with extended range markings. I'd like to get more instrumentation. Looks like Auber AT200 would be a good probe in my appliance adapter for flue, anything else, IR?

My fires seem medium small and hot, and closing the air down at the right time for me reminds me of a strong clutch with a tight engagement zone - touchy and hard to hit it right.

I haven't seen anything on the outside of the stove glow red, stove top inside the blower outlet, or the stove stack or liner, but I don't have an actual temp reading.

How is the build up looking? Creosote only looks shiny and thickest on the uninsulated top edge of the liner. The creosote on the inside looks like a thin powdered coat and you can still see the liner ribs. The most severe build up occurs at the outlet of the liner correct?

 

[begreen]

The build-up on the cap is typical. The liner looks good. The Auber works. I rely on it now.

 

[EmberEnergy]

The build-up on the cap is typical. The liner looks good. The Auber works. I rely on it now.

Thanks BG. Is there a guide on here like your "starting a fire in an epa stove" but for reloading on hot coals? I get the top down, minimize air gap approach on a cold start. Is it no different when you're loading on hot coals, except now the full load burns from bottom up? Just seems like things would behave different for bottom up, like more volatile/runaway etc.

 

[EbS-P]

Thanks BG. Is there a guide on here like your "starting a fire in an epa stove" but for reloading on hot coals? I get the top down, minimize air gap approach on a cold start. Is it no different when you're loading on hot coals, except now the full load burns from bottom up? Just seems like things would behave different for bottom up, like more volatile/runaway etc.

Smaller loads will just be touchy on a hot reload. The surface area (exposed to heat ) to volume of wood loaded ratio is just high. I suggest packing it as tight as possible. Your cat will be overactive for a while running hotter than probably is comfortable.

I really like my at 200. I have two one regular one wireless.

. Running my probe at my appliance connector for my insert is fine. But I am still relying on how the fire looks. New stoves take a while to learn. Plugged some air leaks and now I’m starting back at week 3 with a four year old stove.

I ran a few packages of the bricks and they burn differently than cord wood. I feel like they are slower to start but once they start to swell it’s off to the races. Pack them tight. I would move coals away so they wouldn’t sit right in hot coals but have the coals on the sides. Normally I’d only do 3 two pound bricks. All touching , then Add cord wood on top.

 

[EmberEnergy]

Awesome. Did you plug air leaks in your house, and now your house is tighter so the drafting is now different? I need to air seal myself, entire attic, then I'll see if I want to run an OAK. I actually think I'll want an OAK anyway. After my install, I decide this,,,

Agree with you on the bricks - oddly stubborn to start but once they reach critical mass, they don't slow down. I use them on the bottom too and I feel like they get bigger splits that are closer to the 20%mc going.

I tried fully loading for the first time this AM on hot coals. Visually and the cat probe I have went pretty well except there was continuous smouldering toward the back of the stove that came forward throughout the burn. Probably my dirtiest but largest burn yet.

 

[EbS-P]

Awesome. Did you plug air leaks in your house, and now your house is tighter so the drafting is now different? I need to air seal myself, entire attic, then I'll see if I want to run an OAK. I actually think I'll want an OAK anyway. After my install, I decide this,,,

Agree with you on the bricks - oddly stubborn to start but once they reach critical mass, they don't slow down. I use them on the bottom too and I feel like they get bigger splits that are closer to the 20%mc going.

I tried fully loading for the first time this AM on hot coals. Visually and the cat probe I have went pretty well except there was continuous smouldering toward the back of the stove that came forward throughout the burn. Probably my dirtiest but largest burn yet.

My house is so leaky plugging everything wouldn’t ever effect draft. Air leaks in the stove I have been plugging effect much air setting for my low burn rate. Honestly the OAK on inserts is a bit of a pain. If it’s easy do it’s probably a good idea. Otherwise unless your home is really tight. It’s probably not going to change burn.

 

[EmberEnergy]

My house is so leaky plugging everything wouldn’t ever effect draft. Air leaks in the stove I have been plugging effect much air setting for my low burn rate. Honestly the OAK on inserts is a bit of a pain. If it’s easy do it’s probably a good idea. Otherwise unless your home is really tight. It’s probably not going to change burn.

Yeah, pretty sure my attic floor is a about as air tight as a cheese grater. I don't even want to know how much of my new wood heat is lost through that.

What air leaks do you have in your stove and how did you find them? It's that a common occurrence?

 

[EbS-P]

I had an over fire stove top got to 900. I started looking. Flashlight in ashpan showed a small gap at the corner of the door. Under a hot burn with only secondary combustion I could see flames near the bottom of the firebox at the cast seams of the stove. They are all small leaks. But they add up. Common? Air has to get into burn. Jotul added two new permanent air leaks in the ashpan of the new f500 so really it’s probably just considered combustion air until you put a big dry really sappy piece of pine on hot coals.

It was an uncharacteristic temperature excursion for my stove so I started looking and paying attention. Now I know ghost flames near a joint when primary air is full closed is a possible leak. All said it’s probably equivalent to a 1/4” hole or less. But it makes a difference

 

[EmberEnergy]

I had an over fire stove top got to 900. I started looking. Flashlight in ashpan showed a small gap at the corner of the door. Under a hot burn with only secondary combustion I could see flames near the bottom of the firebox at the cast seams of the stove. They are all small leaks. But they add up. Common? Air has to get into burn. Jotul added two new permanent air leaks in the ashpan of the new f500 so really it’s probably just considered combustion air until you put a big dry really sappy piece of pine on hot coals.

It was an uncharacteristic temperature excursion for my stove so I started looking and paying attention. Now I know ghost flames near a joint when primary air is full closed is a possible leak. All said it’s probably equivalent to a 1/4” hole or less. But it makes a difference

Woah, interesting. Thanks for sharing. I'm ordering the AT 200 today. There is so much to know and understand with all of this. It's sort of got me thinking about guests and grandparents of our little guy if we're not home and this being a primary heat source. I mean, I've been actively reading/absorbing trying to connect dots, leveraging the cumulative experience on this site and it is still easy to find yourself coloring outside the lines.

I think it would be a challenge to curate a "quick-start guide" I'd feel comfortable with for a house guest who's new to wood burning. Families and communities where wood heat being a common primary heat source would be different, but for me, I'm the only one in my family who's ventured here, and I have like one friend who's familiar with wood heater operation.

Need to address our heat pump and get that in a state so it can handle the load on it's own if it needs to. A good pairing as you've said before.