Overnight reload

[clipse270]

Hi all, as I’m slowly figuring out how to run my new insert I have realized I’m not quite sure how to do an overnight reload. When I got home from work I had a nice bed of coals, So I loaded the stove. My question is is it OK to load the stove leave the door cracked for a few minutes until the fire gets going and then close the door and turn the air control off? Or must I sit up and slowly do it over a period of time? I simply closed the door turned the air all the way off and went to bed. I woke up to more coals this morning however the glass was very dirty so I don’t think it was burning well. All tips appreciated.

 

[buc74]

Sit up and baby sit is what I do. Doesn't take all that long (~30 min) and for me is very relaxing. I also can go to bed knowing my stove is safe and running as efficient as possible. Heck, sometimes I'm waiting 3 plus years for the wood to season I hauled, cut, split, stacked, and move once or twice. I'm going to enjoy it! I'm finding out their is a whole lot of planning going on with this wood burning stuff.

 

[begreen]

For a reload on hot coals leave the air open for a short time in order to allow the fresh load of wood to ignite and start burning well. How long that will take will vary depending on the species and dryness of the wood, size of splits, draft strength, etc.. Usually it's not long, maybe 5 minutes. Then close the air down all the way but wait a little bit more to verify that the fire is not going to lose flame and smolder. If it does, open up the air again and get it burning well. For our stove and wood this is about a 10-15 minute process, but at times it can be as little as 5 minutes.

A smoldering fire can cause puffbacks when a flame reappears and ignites the smoke. This creates a small explosion which can stress out a system. You don't want that to happen.

 

[SuperJ]

1. Load it on a good bed hot coals so you can close the door right away (this might mean throwing on some wood 3 or 4 hours before bed time). If you're not on hot coals you might have spend more time futzing around get a strong burn going.
2. Leave the air wide open
3. Set a timer for 10minutes (or whatever your experience deems necessary)
4. Go brush your teeth
5. Turn the air down and go to bed.
6. Optional additional steps: turn down halfway to establish good secondary action
7. Go take a pee
8. Turn down the rest of the way
9. Go to bed.

 

[clipse270]

Ok thanks for the advice. Last night was much better from what I can tell

 

[old greybeard]

We can’t close ours down all the way, it will smoulder. And the amount closed seems to vary with draft. Finding the right spot for a lazy burn does take time. We’re new to epa stoves this season so possibly when its bitter cold and windy we can shut her down. But we get the same dirty glass and smoulder so far if we shut her down all the way, even with a 675 temp. Secondarys will burn hot for a bit, then every thing dies.
Hope that we can get the shut down quicker when its cold, doing a 4 am reload and having it take 1/2 hour is not conducive to getting back to sleep.