Over Firing (beginner's question)

[lumbering on]

Just getting the hang of my new stove. Developed a good coal bed then loaded it full for the first two times yesterday and today (with enviblocks and partially seasoned wood). Turned the air down and had beautiful secondaries, first time I was loving the stove and not completely frustrated. After about four hours the brick on the back of the stove (secondary combustion chamber?) was glowing red. Is this over firing?

I keep reading about not letting the stove glow red, but does this mean the cast iron external stove should not glow (which definitely seems bad) or the internal fire bricks should not glow red?

I have a non-catalytic downdraft secondary combustion type stove.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Hogwildz]

The actual fire bricks will glow at times. That is part of their purpose, to take the heat and protect the steel behind them.
Do you have a thermo and monitor the temps when this happens?

 

[lumbering on]

I just ordered a thermometer. Waiting for it to arrive.

 

[Cross Cut Saw]

I think you'll find a stove top or pipe thermometer to be extremely helpful in judging your burns. Check with the manufacturer for placement and parameters for your particular stove.
You'll find that not only is it good to have for knowledge of how hot the stove is getting, but I also use mine to help determine how to control the air flow.

 

[etiger2007]

Glowing parts inside the firebox happen tubes and bricks but it can be avoided. I used to always have glowing secondary tubes when I would settle the stove in, now I have figured out how my stove operates and I very rarley see anything glow inside my stove even when the stove top hits 600-650. There is a very fine line here, for me its closing my air down sooner and slowing the woods off gassing processs if I dont do it correctly the wood will off gas rapidliy thus burning the wood a faster pace (wasting it) which makes the secondaries go crazy and start to glow.

 

[stanb999]

To the OP

You would be amazed at the heat fire brick can take... Unless they are melting they are good.


The thing to be careful about is speed or rate of temperature rise. You don't want to go from a cold start to blazing hot. If you do you can have the base of the stove 50f and the top 500. This causes a lot of stress in the stove and can cause cracks. You would be alarmed at the hi temps the stove can take if slowly heated or cooled. You just wouldn't get it that hot. Obviously, don't run your stove so hot that the outside of the stove, or more common with wood burning the stove collar/pipe gets red. This would be a very dangerous condition.