Overnight Burn Question: A Little Soot in the AM OK?

[Caw]

Hi All,

I am running an Osburn 1600 insert with very nice dry Ash so far this season (16-18% fresh split @ room temp) and its been going great. I typically get her to 450 ish and start shutting down in stages, then cruise around 600-650 through off gassing with the air anywhere from 90-100% closed depending on how much wood is in there, then down to that nice 400-450 coaling stage. I typically get around 5-7 hours on a regular load on a cold day which I think is pretty solid for a little 1.8 cf box.

My question is on overnight burns:

I basically follow the same plan except I have the box stuffed to the gills with large splits and small splits filling the gaps. I try to fit as much mass as I can in there. This usually around 10 pm ish. Once its cruising comfortably I'll hit the sack.

I usually get up around 7 or 7:30 to a stove at around 200 degrees but I can dig up ample coals to get started again. So I'm able to get a nice 9 hours out of a big boy load which is great. I usually use a couple small splits ran wide open to get back to temp then do a real reload at 300.

What I have noticed though is the glass/interior around the door can be a little brown in the morning. Nothing thick and mostly powder to the touch. A good hot fire in the morning cleans it all right off. There's a little more black deposit sometimes on the back bottom if the stove on the metal between the bricks that is rough/firm, probably where a log was resting against it. This also typically dissappears after a big hit fire.

Is this normal for extended overnight burns? It makes sense to me that as it cools down with the air fully closed overnight there may be a little soot. Ive also noticed that my chimney cap gets a little brown too, especially after I let the stove go out on a warm day. Seems like the same principle.

I feel like I'm hitting all my temps and using good wood but being a rookie this year I just wanted to make sure I'm not missing anything.

Thanks

PS - All the temps im referring to are STT via magnetic and verified with an IR. My insert protrudes a fair bit so I can get the center of the top with the IR gun.

 

[kennyp2339]

Sounds like your getting a complete burn, but when you pack the stove to the gills the air wash gets a little compermised allowing some fly ash to stick to the glass

 

[Caw]

Ok, thanks. It cruises at 600-650 for a long time on the overnight burns so I tend to agree. It's gotta be a full burn. Just seeing anything brown gets my attention lol. Grey doesn't bother me.

Im getting pretty comfortable running the stove but since I'm new to the game I feel an abundance of caution/research is a good thing.. Wife/kids would be pretty mad if I burned the house down!

 

[marty319]

Ok, thanks. It cruises at 600-650 for a long time on the overnight burns so I tend to agree. It's gotta be a full burn. Just seeing anything brown gets my attention lol. Grey doesn't bother me.

Im getting pretty comfortable running the stove but since I'm new to the game I feel an abundance of caution/research is a good thing.. Wife/kids would be pretty mad if I burned the house down!

And gordon

 

[Caw]

I love that Gordon is now a celebrity here lol. It's the same way anywhere I go, he's always with me. People pull over to say hi to him on walks and let him jump paws into the car window to say hi. Everyone in my neighborhood knows Gordon but I'd bet only 50% know my name .

Are those sausages for meeeeee???

 

[Gearhead660]

I would check your chimney and that should tell you if there is anything to worry about.

 

[Caw]

That's the plan. I scheduled a sweep midway through winter to make sure everything is going smoothly. Just figured I'd ask here too.