Proper reloading

[Welderman85]

Whats the best time to reload? Do you do a complete reload of just at a split at a time throughout the burn?

 

[thebaron23]

I reload when there's just a bed of coals left and I fill the stove jam packed right to the top.

I do this twice a day. Once before bed and once in the morning and that's all it takes to keep my well insulated house at 71 degrees all day and night.

 

[Gearhead660]

Best to let it burn down so there is a small amount of coals to light the next load. Load size will depend on the heat needed. More heat needed, more wood.

 

[prezes13]

It all depends on your needs. Most of the time I try to burn down to nice bed of coals. Sometimes I do it quicker if I need more heat or I have to leave the house. Sometimes I am behind and there is almost nothing left. Be careful when reloading on a hot bed of coals stove may take of on you.

 

[MMH]

Depends on your needs, weather and how your stove operates; I like others burn load down to coals, typically let my STT hit 300 or lower, cat still active. I have played a bit, got ballsy and reloaded at higher stove temps (against most recommendations) just to see how much control I have (I have BK stove), but honestly wouldn’t recommend it. In shoulder season I’m not reloading usually just warm up fires etc, in winter I’m on 12-16 ish hr reloads depending on species. Just have to play with it and see what fits you.

 

[Das Jugghead]

Whats the best time to reload? Do you do a complete reload of just at a split at a time throughout the burn?

Everyones' stove reloading habits/protocol is different and I suspect varies on the season and outdoor temperatures. Anytime the outside temperatures here dip below 20 degrees Fahrenheit we run our little stove hard and full out which means reloading approximately every six hours on average. Usually there is a good coal bed so during the day I rake the coals forward and lay a split on them to help burn them down. Since I work from home during the colder seasons I am able to get away with this scenario. Having said that during the shoulder season I can run ten to twelve hours before reloading and do so on a very small coal bed.

I guess the point of all the above rambling is that I reload in such a fashion so as to minimize smoke on start-up to try and remain a good neighbor. It takes a little trial and error but you'll get it.

 

[Sean in the woods]

I am still learning so I may not be using the best technique. But...

I have a stove with a large capacity firebox so I load north/south. I have great draft so have to be careful not to let it get away from me.
When I need to reload before the coal bed has burned down a lot. I minimize the contact between the fresh wood and the hot coals. I scrape all the coals to the side and pile them as tight as I can as along the right or left wall. I leave no coals on the firebox floor. I load as much of the new wood on the bare floor with just a couple splits in contact with the coals. The fire walks its way across the wood in an orderly fashion.

In the picture below, I could have packed more wood in...

 

[firefighterjake]

Am I cold?

Yes: Reload.

No: Do not reload.



Actually as others have said, it really depends on your heating needs. Normally I reload on the coaling stage . . . sooner if it is cold and I am really needing the heat, later if the weather is more on the mild side.

 

[Sean in the woods]

I am still learning so I may not be using the best technique. But...

I have a stove with a large capacity firebox so I load north/south. I have great draft so have to be careful not to let it get away from me.
When I need to reload before the coal bed has burned down a lot. I minimize the contact between the fresh wood and the hot coals. I scrape all the coals to the side and pile them as tight as I can as along the right or left wall. I leave no coals on the firebox floor. I load as much of the new wood on the bare floor with just a couple splits in contact with the coals. The fire walks its way across the wood in an orderly fashion.

I think I need to correct myself here. After a few more loads, clearing everything from a section of firebox floor to load fresh wood on, I had a couple of splits fail to burn completely. I think it is because they lost too much heat to the firebrick they were sitting on. Guess I should follow the advice here and leave an inch of ash on the bricks.

 

[thunderhead]

What tool would be best for collecting coals but leaving ash? A little rake? My T5 also likes to go nuclear real fast on full reloads, so I might try to your coals-to-the-side trick(as well as possibly blocking the boost air per another thread here).

 

[Sean in the woods]

What tool would be best for collecting coals but leaving ash? A little rake? My T5 also likes to go nuclear real fast on full reloads, so I might try to your coals-to-the-side trick(as well as possibly blocking the boost air per another thread here).

I got one of these and it does a good job, one you learn the technique. You may need this size for your T5 depending on the depth of the firebox. Basically, scoop some, tilt it to on side a little and shake it. The ash falls down and the coals roll to the side. I can measure mine if you like.

 

[logfarmer]

Hey Sean, what stove is that you are using? Looks nice!