Newbie Question - Damper Position For Most Heat?

[HappyWarrior]

We've had a Regency Stove fitted: https://www.regency-fire.com/en/Products/Wood/Wood-Inserts/CI1250

It's a bottom sliding damper. All new to me!

Should we leave it fully open for the most heat? Or start the fire open and slide it closed when established?

The instructions don't give any useful guidance...just talks about draft control which is new to me and out of context.

Thanks!
HW.

 

[begreen]

As the air is closed down, more air is pulled through the secondary tubes. That starts burning waste wood gas for better and hotter combustion. So closing down the air actually makes the stove hotter. Running it wide open sends more heat up the flue liner. With good dry wood burning, close down the air 50% or close the air until the flames start to get lazier, but not out. Then let the fire rebuild strength for a few minutes, now close down the air some more until the flames get lazy and wait again. By now you should be seeing secondary combustion occurring at the top of the firebox in front of the secondary tubes. Once the stove is hot, turn on the blower.

 

[prezes13]

Exactly what begreen said but it’s not going to happen if your wood is not seasoned, 20% or less of moisture content.

 

[regency]

I have the same insert, get a moisture meter and confirm your wood is proper. I seem to close the air down an inch at a time, sometimes almost all the way. My moisture content has been12-15 percent

 

[blacktail]

The instructions don't give any useful guidance...just talks about draft control which is new to me and out of context.

I are confused.

 

[Ludlow]

Yes. Manuals are vague. Very little information on how to actually run a stove.

 

[firefighterjake]

BeGreen pretty much covered the process and answered your question . . . more heat = "closed" air control . . . with the caveat being how much you can close the air control depends largely on how well seasoned the wood is (moisture content) and how hot the stove is at the time. I find that thermometers help me know when to start dialing back the air vs. just guessing based on the view of the flames.

 

[nola mike]

I see this all the time, and I think it's confusing to newbies when told to close the air more for more heat. Closing the air as described above I think will be the most efficient burn, but not necessarily the hottest. For me on the insert that I'm in front of now, that point is with secondaries going and the flame is active still but not lazy. About halfway closed. But no question, if you leave your air wide open it will run hot (to the point of overfire most likely), and you'll go through your wood in no time. And yeah, a thermometer helps a lot . You'll have to experiment with your stove to find the sweet spot.

 

[kennyp2339]

Just to add, start closing the air down in increments, after each move wait 10 min and see what the fire is doing, also check the chimney cap and make sure you still have heat vapors or minimal smoke coming out of it. Once you learn your stove and how it reacts things will get easier and easier.

 

[begreen]

Just to add, start closing the air down in increments, after each move wait 10 min and see what the fire is doing, also check the chimney cap and make sure you still have heat vapors or minimal smoke coming out of it. Once you learn your stove and how it reacts things will get easier and easier.

10 minutes can be too long, even for a cold start. It depends on the wood, draft and how it is loaded. Better to watch flue temps or watch the fire itself. Turn down as soon as the fire regains strength. On a reload on hot coals this could be just a few minutes.

 

[kennyp2339]

10 minutes can be too long, even for a cold start. It depends on the wood, draft and how it is loaded. Better to watch flue temps or watch the fire itself. Turn down as soon as the fire regains strength. On a reload on hot coals this could be just a few minutes.

Lol, what can go wrong, the op has left the damper fully open, so by shutting it a little at a time while learning is prob better.

 

[begreen]

Lol, what can go wrong, the op has left the damper fully open, so by shutting it a little at a time while learning is prob better.

Besides a waste of fuel it can be the difference between a 600F stove top and a 750F. The object is to moderate the outgassing of the wood for a more steady burn.