Newbie with a few questions about my Fisher stove

[Jack Plating]

Hey All,

Forgive me for my amateur knowledge base, I'm new to wood stoves but really enjoying learning all I can. We recently purchased a small cabin in the northeast Georgia mountains and it had a really nice Fisher wood stove installed. The cabin is only about 1000 sq feet with a loft and a big deck so this stove will run you out if we don't keep it dialed way back. We've used it several times on cold nights and it's amazing, I'd like to learn a bit more about it. I bought a wood stove temp gauge/magnet (see pic below) and am wondering if it's "zones" are accurate for this stove. The Fisher will get really nice and hot showing a surface temp of 800 degrees at times, do I need to stay away from those temps or is that common/OK for this stove?

Also, there is a damper installed on the stovepipe above the stove, can you enlighten me as to the optimal position for controlling the speed of the burn, etc? Usually i keep it tilted at about a 30 degree angle and it seems to slow things down nicely, is this ok? When first starting the fire I open up to completely vertical. I'm also usually only opening one side of the screw style inflow vents about 1/3 turn once the stove gets up to temp.

As you can also see from the pics I built a small "fence" using copper pipe to keep our kidos at a safe distance, we have a 1 yr old and a 3 yr old so keeping tiny fingers away is a must at this stage. It pills apart for the summer and stores easily. Anyway, thanks in advance for any guidance you can offer me on best practiced for keeping the stove working at optimal conditions.

-Jack

 

[dmmoss51]

I don't have experience with that specific stove but I do want to give you a +1 on the fence. I've got a two month old and I am going to need something in place for when he starts crawling!

 

[Jack Plating]

I don't have experience with that specific stove but I do want to give you a +1 on the fence. I've got a two month old and I am going to need something in place for when he starts crawling!

Thanks! it works well, copper sheds head quick and the fittings are fairly cheap, i just pressed it together, may solder the corner pieces for strength and leave the joints open for the longer pieces so I can easily take it apart for offseason. It also looks kinda cool.

 

[coaly]

Welcome to the Forum, you're in the right place to learn as much as you want about a Fisher;

That's hot. Try the thermometer on the section of pipe the damper is in. The object is to keep internal flue temp above 250* all the way up to keep moisture (from combustion and smoke particles) above the condensing point where creosote will not develop. That is the reason for the "normal" colored section on the thermometer. 300 measured on the bottom pipe may or may not keep it hot enough all the way to the top. (That may give you about a 500 degree stove top). Flue temp required depends on chimney flue diameter, height, insulation, and many other factors. Once you know what temps work for keeping the flue clean, you can check stove top temps. They are normally about twice the flue outlet temp.
Can't tell if you have a Mama or Papa by the picture, but if it takes 24 inch wood, it's a Mama. Papa will fit up to 30 inch. Your heating area requires a Baby Bear.

You can close the damper as much as you like once hot and drafting well. You are correct in starting it wide open. Dampers vary in the size of open hole in the center when closed. Older ones will have a larger hole perfect to close fully for the correct metered amount. Always open it wait a few seconds before opening door to insure a good draft to prevent smoke roll in.

Both air intakes should be opened about the same amount. I usually spin the air intakes (draft caps) open a few turns to light, then close them down to a turn once going, then down to a half or so as it comes up to temp. Then go by each fin as a measure to how far they are open. Usually one fin will be enough heat overnight - when sized correctly to the area. Or just cracked to see light through the opening for minimal burn. This is going to drive you out and turning it very low is going to be in the creosote range. You have far too much stove surface area to be able to keep a clean hot fire to keep th ecorrect flue temp. This is why sizing a stove to the area is very important, and simply burning "small cooler fires" isn't the same as the correct size stove.

I have a Mama Bear in a log cabin that only requires a Baby as well, but it's only used occasionally so it's cold when I get there. Having an oversize stove heats the cabin quicker and it's the only cooking appliance, so the larger top than Baby is handy as well. If it was going to be fired and lived in all the time, I would change mine out to a Baby.