not getting secondaries like last year

[Silenced38]

Well it finally got cold enough to light the Madison. Its burning well but seams different from last year. Last year it would have good secondaries burning in the top of the stove. Kind of like the northern lights. Lazy and dancing along the fiber boards. This year the flames stay down by the wood and never detaches and burns up at the top of the fire box. The stove gets hot and appears to be burning clean, no smoke coming from the stack. I checked the mc of the wood. Its running from 15 to 18%. Just curious is this normal or is there something i neglected to clean.
Im not complaining it just seams different from last year.
(This is only my 2nd season with an epa wood stove.)

 

[begreen]

Should start up just like before. Was the flue system cleaned, especially the chimney cap? What are the outside temps?

 

[JA600L]

If it's putting out heat and burning clean it sounds fine. Are you burning a different variety of wood then last year? Different woods can cause different flame appearances.

 

[Silenced38]

Temps today in the mid 40s and half loads to keep the house warm. Other days in the 50s with small loads just in the morning. To knock the chill out.
Burning mostly oak and some elm. Last year was nearly all hickory.

 

[begreen]

Curious. Once the fire is burning briskly is the air control being closed most of the way?

 

[Silenced38]

Yea start up same as before. Usually top down start.

 

[JA600L]

Elm is a wood that makes for some funky blue coals. Not much flame and lots of coals. I would try another variety of wood and see what it does.

 

[begreen]

Do you use the AAS? Is it releasing properly?

Also, does the chimney cap have a screen?

 

[Silenced38]

Curious. Once the fire is burning briskly is the air control being closed most of the way?

Usually start shutting the air down when it reaches 400 to 425.

 

[Silenced38]

I havnt used the aas yet this season. It usually trips around 550.

 

[begreen]

Does the chimney cap have a screen?

 

[Silenced38]

Does the chimney cap have a screen?

Yes. It has a screen but its not clogged. Sorry ive forgot to answer this before.

 

[begreen]

That's an odd one. Does the stove have an outside air supply? If not have you tried opening a nearby window to see if that changes stove performance?

How tall is the flue system on this stove?

 

[blacktail]

My Lopi burned that way for a couple of fires early this season. It was because I forgot to slide the baffle bricks back into place after cleaning my liner. Have you moved or checked your baffle boards?

 

[Silenced38]

That's an odd one. Does the stove have an outside air supply? If not have you tried opening a nearby window to see if that changes stove performance?

How tall is the flue system on this stove?

It has an OAK. It is 19' from stove top to cap.

 

[blacktail]

I also had some funky burns recently after I cleaned it and didn't leave enough ash in the bottom. It took a couple of fires to get a layer of ash built up, then it was back to normal.

 

[BrotherBart]

Bingo. The biggest mistake is when I forget to leave a couple of inches of ash in the firebox when I do the last cleaning of the season. Stove burns like crap until that ash bed builds back up.

 

[Silenced38]

Thanks. Like i said its not burning bad just different. Ill let some ash build up and see.

 

[firefighterjake]

So it really is all about the bass . . . I mean ash.

And yeah . . . a nice layer of ash makes a big difference. A certain someone even sent me an automated message months ago to remind him in September or so not to clean out the ash in his beloved Englander woodstove.

 

[Silenced38]

My Lopi burned that way for a couple of fires early this season. It was because I forgot to slide the baffle bricks back into place after cleaning my liner. Have you moved or checked your baffle boards?

Yes i checked the baffel boards. They are in place.

 

[DBoon]

Temps today in the mid 40s and half loads to keep the house warm. Other days in the 50s with small loads just in the morning.

My setup burns more lazily when the temps are above 40 degrees, or with smaller loads. I have a small firebox to begin with, and a chimney on the edge of acceptable for height. What happens when the temperatures are colder? Also, is it possible that the wood going in the firebox is from the bottom of the pile and not quite the moisture content you may think it is?

 

[Silenced38]

My setup burns more lazily when the temps are above 40 degrees, or with smaller loads. I have a small firebox to begin with, and a chimney on the edge of acceptable for height. What happens when the temperatures are colder? Also, is it possible that the wood going in the firebox is from the bottom of the pile and not quite the moisture content you may think it is?

You have more draft the colder it gets. I checked the moisture before i burn it.

 

[MaintenanceMan]

A good ash bed makes a world of difference...

 

[Silenced38]

I loaded this morning. It took 30 mins to go from cold (58*) to 400* it peaked around 575*. Its been 8 1/2 hours it is at 200* with coals for reload. So i guess it not a problem. Thanks

 

[Woody harrelson]

why does an ash bed help a stove burn better? I know blaze king also recommends not removing all the ashes