North, South Burning, Wood Consumption and Heat Output

[FireWalker]

If you have the ability (firebox depth) during the upcomming cold spell, give loading thru the front door with splits purpendicular to te glass (north south) for maximum heat output.

After reading a thread last week about another Hearthstone user having trouble getting their stove good and hot, I did some experimenting with my Equinox. First off it was well below 0 outside and at 6am I wanted big heat. I raked coals making a flat bed of them and then laid 3 good sized locust splits north south then a few smaller ones east west on top. This technique produced yet another record surface temp as the long past break-in smell occured once again. As the stove top past 600 in about an hour I backed off the air and kicked on my box fan placed behind my stove. Within 90 minutes I was passing 76 in my main space and my wife was looking for relief from the heat. It is simply amazing when pushed how much heat this stove will make. I still do not think I have achieved max heat output, I always chicken out and turn it down when things really get going. It makes me wonder what would happen if you were to run a full load at full primary air setting, I have yet to run it for prolonged periods above 1/2 throttle.

I've been pretty regular about loading and burning EW this whole winter as this produces long low to medium heat output. If you want to make more heat with your stove fast, give NS a try.

They say we will see -20 by the end of the week, I;m gonna burn some wood baby.

 

[karri0n]

If you have the ability (firebox depth) during the upcomming cold spell, give loading thru the front door with splits purpendicular to te glass (north south) for maximum heat output.

After reading a thread last week about another Hearthstone user having trouble getting their stove good and hot, I did some experimenting with my Equinox. First off it was well below 0 outside and at 6am I wanted big heat. I raked coals making a flat bed of them and then laid 3 good sized locust splits north south then a few smaller ones east west on top. This technique produced yet another record surface temp as the long past break-in smell occured once again. As the stove top past 600 in about an hour I backed off the air and kicked on my box fan placed behind my stove. Within 90 minutes I was passing 76 in my main space and my wife was looking for relief from the heat. It is simply amazing when pushed how much heat this stove will make. I still do not think I have achieved max heat output, I always chicken out and turn it down when things really get going. It makes me wonder what would happen if you were to run a full load at full primary air setting, I have yet to run it for prolonged periods above 1/2 throttle.

I've been pretty regular about loading and burning EW this whole winter as this produces long low to medium heat output. If you want to make more heat with your stove fast, give NS a try.

They say we will see -20 by the end of the week, I;m gonna burn some wood baby.

Not a good thing to wonder. You'll crack stones and warp the cast frame. Do it with n/s and the ash door open, you'll get a lava floe and China syndrome. The N/S vs. E/W thing is really good advice, though. I love burning n/s, but my the wood I have right now is too long(yeah, I said it. I can give you another link in a pm if ya want proof )

 

[LLigetfa]

N/S allows more air from the air wash system to feed down between the logs so yes, that will equate to more heat. If you then cross-pile wood on top of it, it being held up from underneath allows more air again. It is very easy to over-fire the stove and on a stove without adequate air control, the fire could run away.

If your splits are too long for N/S, you might be able to set them on a bit of a diagonal and cross-pile layers for the same effect.

 

[BrotherBart]

If my 30-NC would stop at 600 with a n/s load I would be a happy camper. Heck, I would be happy if it would stop at 650 with one.

 

[MrSplitter]

If my 30-NC would stop at 600 with a n/s load I would be a happy camper. Heck, I would be happy if it would stop at 650 with one.

I burned e/w last year, switched to n/s this year, and won't be going back. Far easier to start a fire, and the stove isn't using any more wood than last year. The key to keeping the beast under control is to start shutting the air down early, in small increments. If I wait too long its hello 750 degrees. My setup is a real draft monster, but the stove is cruising at 600 right now burning n/s.

 

[rwilson]

FireWalker, what's the maximum top temp that your Eq. can handle? I have the smaller Heritage, and Hearthstone says that anything over 600 is considered over-firing and can crack the stones and void any warranties.

 

[FireWalker]

FireWalker, what's the maximum top temp that your Eq. can handle? I have the smaller Heritage, and Hearthstone says that anything over 600 is considered over-firing and can crack the stones and void any warranties.

Good question.......................... I've read the manual a number of times and it gives no max number for the Equinox. I take 600 as the number not to exceed. My Rutland thermometer is not so accurate and I think it is high. If my thermometer is high that gives me a factor of safety that works well for me. So what's a boy to do?????????? Maybe I need to get me one of those infired thermometers.

The manual does say that fully open damper settings is considered "high burn rate" and should be achieved once or twice a day for a clean system. "Medium high" is half throttle and "medium" is 3/4 shut which the mfgr. suggests is the best unattended burn setting. This setting runs the stove at about 400-450 and on cold mornings I need more than this. Full shut is "low" and will make creasote build-up.

So I will run my stove for 20-30 minutes full open daily but beyond that it gets shut down. My wife and kids also know that running wide open is a no-no.

 

[Henz]

Locust is really high in the BTU and burns fast and hard....its great stuff

 

[drdoct]

I've been burning N/S since I got my stove. A week or so ago I tried burning E/W like some have to. I hated it. What I hate the most is that you can't get the firebox very full at all because you can't see. If I ever have to replace the insert I've got it will have to have N/S loading. I get longer burns burning this way too because I can actually get enough wood to fill the box.

 

[BrotherBart]

How are you N/S guys handling the coal bed. That is are you stacking the load on top of spread out coals, packing the coals in the front and putting the splits on the floor of the firebox behind the coals, sitting the front of the splits on coals, none of the above?

 

[karri0n]

@ BB: I just use the "hot dog" method at the front of the firebox, put the fronts of the logs on the coals, close it up, and let it rip.

 

[MrSplitter]

How are you N/S guys handling the coal bed. That is are you stacking the load on top of spread out coals, packing the coals in the front and putting the splits on the floor of the firebox behind the coals, sitting the front of the splits on coals, none of the above?

If I only have a small amount of coals, they go n/s right down the center of the firebox. Otherwise I spread them out evenly.

 

[gpcollen1]

If my 30-NC would stop at 600 with a n/s load I would be a happy camper. Heck, I would be happy if it would stop at 650 with one.

I burned e/w last year, switched to n/s this year, and won't be going back. Far easier to start a fire, and the stove isn't using any more wood than last year. The key to keeping the beast under control is to start shutting the air down early, in small increments. If I wait too long its hello 750 degrees. My setup is a real draft monster, but the stove is cruising at 600 right now burning n/s.

Some stoves enable you to do N/S and some do not. My Olympic take 24" logs E/W but really cannot handle anything more than 14-16" N/S - and I dont have very much cut that short. The Castine takes 18" E/W. I do some diagonal when I am trying to get her going but for a longer and hotter burn, E/W is the only way for my olympic.

In the AM, I rake the coals forward a bit- maybe a scoop or two of ash - but after only a 6 or 7 hour slumber there really is a big coal bed still. I add a few smaller splits to get it burning and the stove up over 400. I take a shower and get the kids going - fill that stove with a good mix of large and small to fill the firebox and let her rip once again. Cut the air back slowly - watch the stove top get up over 600, then 700 - cut her back some more and then the final close and watch the show as i leave the house.

 

[pen]

How are you N/S guys handling the coal bed. That is are you stacking the load on top of spread out coals, packing the coals in the front and putting the splits on the floor of the firebox behind the coals, sitting the front of the splits on coals, none of the above?

For my setup I find that I get a fire I can control quicker and will burn cleaner if I spread the coals out, then load N/S.

You said your stove top temps take off on your? What happens to your stack temps when that happens?

On my stove being pre-epa I can really close down the primary air if necessary. however if I turn it down early (as another mentioned) I really can get a nice "blend" for that clean, long, burn.

Do you have a stack damper on that englander? I have a short chimney so I have adequate draft, definately not too much. Only occasionally now (with the baffle that I added installed) do I need to use the stack damper when the atmospheric conditions are just right, my splits are a bit smaller than normal, etc etc.

BTW, I find the other advantage of burning N/S is that I get a better burn out of larger splits.

pen

 

[madrone]

How are you N/S guys handling the coal bed. That is are you stacking the load on top of spread out coals, packing the coals in the front and putting the splits on the floor of the firebox behind the coals, sitting the front of the splits on coals, none of the above?

I spread the coals and then load. I usually can close all the way within 30 min depending on the wood and how soon I reload. With oak or dogwood it can get a little scary at times, rolling away for the first half-hour and making me nervous, but so far I haven't lost control of it. I've got plenty of draft, so I've considered trying E/W, but N/S is much easier to load on this stove.

 

[BrotherBart]

No damper on the stack on the 30 and since it is in a fireplace no stack temps available. It may get a damper eventually since the liner is 21 feet straight up but I sure hate to install one because the flue is so easy to clean without it.

On my pre-EPA monster insert I only burned N/S and let it rage and then closed it down for the long cruise.