One month of burning.

[guest5234]

My first month thanks to you guys has gone very well indeed.
It takes quite a bit of experimenting with your own particular stove (Jotul f250) to get the perfect burn with secondary going, I have found with my particular stove that smaller splits and stove loaded with about 4 of them produces a good secondary burn and big splits do not really work for me, it takes a bit more attention with smaller splits (every 2 hours or so) but hey…it’s fun anyway.
Thanks for all the help.

 

[begreen]

It takes awhile to learn how to run a new stove under many different weather conditions and with different types of wood. Sounds like you are progressing nicely. Try putting larger splits on a well established coal bed for longer burns.

 

[fossil]

Neil, you did this, we didn't do it for you. You put a lot of time and research into the planning and installation of your new stove, and for that I offer you a most hearth Hip Hip Hoorah! (If only everyone did the kind of homework you did). You should be very proud. You're learning the stove and you'll have it down pat in short order, I'm sure. Well done. Enjoy! Rick

 

[guest5234]

It takes awhile to learn how to run a new stove under many different weather conditions and with different types of wood. Sounds like you are progressing nicely. Try putting larger splits on a well established coal bed for longer burns.

Thanks, I am trying larger splits and they do go well, but I will wait till it gets colder over here to try an overnight burn with a bigger load.

 

[guest5234]

Neil, you did this, we didn't do it for you. You put a lot of time and research into the planning and installation of your new stove, and for that I offer you a most hearth Hip Hip Hoorah! (If only everyone did the kind of homework you did). You should be very proud. You're learning the stove and you'll have it down pat in short order, I'm sure. Well done. Enjoy! Rick

Thanks Fossil, it's only the great advise from you guys that have made it so easy for me to get everything right.






Hang on...................................I think my smoke detectors going................................LOL

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Neil,

Have you run a brush up your chimney recently? When I was learning I accumulated a fair amount of creosote. I'd run a brush up every month or two and the stove would burn better because of it. A fringe benefit was cleaning the chimney told me how I was doing. Less creosote the better I was at burning.

Matt

 

[bcnu]

Neil, just wondering about wood supply in your area - easy to come by?? My sis lived in England for 3 years in the late 60's when I was just a kid. She wrote and said they had a parrafin heater - I couldn't understand how you could warm yourself with wax - until she translated parrafin for me. :bug:

 

[crazy_dan]

Neil, just wondering about wood supply in your area - easy to come by?? My sis lived in England for 3 years in the late 60's when I was just a kid. She wrote and said they had a parrafin heater - I couldn't understand how you could warm yourself with wax - until she translated parrafin for me. :bug:

so are you gonna let us in on this parrafin?

 

[guest5234]

Neil,

Have you run a brush up your chimney recently? When I was learning I accumulated a fair amount of creosote. I'd run a brush up every month or two and the stove would burn better because of it. A fringe benefit was cleaning the chimney told me how I was doing. Less creosote the better I was at burning.

Matt

Not yet, going to purchase some next week.

 

[guest5234]

Neil, just wondering about wood supply in your area - easy to come by?? My sis lived in England for 3 years in the late 60's when I was just a kid. She wrote and said they had a parrafin heater - I couldn't understand how you could warm yourself with wax - until she translated parrafin for me. :bug:

Loads of wood in my area near Stratford upon Avon, large branches at the side of roads and my neighbour and I know a few tree surgeons that will happily let us pick up trees to save them the cost of dumping which surprisingly they have to pay for.

 

[fredarm]

"Parrafin" in England is kerosene.

 

[bcnu]

Right on Fredarm. I wonder if you carry the paraffin home in the boot?

 

[fredarm]

Only in cans....

I lived in England from 1970 to 1975 as a teenager (my Dad was transferred with his company). The house we lived in had central heat, but it was not very effective (someone had the bright idea to put the boiler under the greenhouse, then run the uninsulated pipes through an uninsulated garage, and only then into the house). We had fireplaces in almost every room, coal fired downstairs and gas fired upstairs. I got pretty good with the coal fires--Dad was at work and Mom didn't want to deal with it. I guess that's where I get my pyromaniac tendencies! During the miner's strike in the winter of 1974 (I think) we had rotating power cuts--everyone lost their electricity for a certain period each day to conserve coal (the power plants were mostly coal-fired at the time). We kept the coal and gas fires going and supplemented in the unheated kitchen with a parrafin heater. Central heating was by no means common in England at the time, and many of my friends lived in houses without it, using gas or electric "fires", which were seen as the more modern alternative to coal. Some still had coal-fired Aga Cookers (stoves) in the kitchen. My Dad used to joke that they were called "Aga" because when an American looked at a house with one they went "Arrgh-Ga, what's that??". I haven't been back to England in over 20 years, but do hope to visit next year.

 

[bcnu]

I remember reading, many many years ago, an article in some magazine about paint, and how someday there would be an exterior paint that would convert sunlight into electricity for your home. Interesting concept and maybe it's even being worked on at this time. But I think the best use of the magazine was probably to use as a fire starter in the woodstove. :roll: