Question about temps for a Jotul Castine cast iron stove

[rgsccr]

I am pretty new at this so please forgive my ignorance. Anyway, we have been using our new stove a bit here in the Pacific Northwest as has been cooler than usual the past week or so during the day, and in the low fifties or high forties at night. The instructions with my stove indicate that the optimal operating temperature is between 400 to 600 farneheit. However, if I get the stove that warm it often overpowers the living room so more often I am keeping it closer to 300 degrees. My question is if I operate the stove at lower temps like this am I causing a problem in my chimney by creating more creosote with a lower temperature burn? Thanks.

 

[begreen]

Until it drops below 50, it's better to burn short fires. It will soon get cool enough to run regular, hot fires, but in the shoulder seasons you are better off burning shorter hot fires than long ones at a low temp. Add less wood, let the stove get up to 4-500. Add no more wood and let it burn out. That's usually enough to take the chill off for the evening.

Tonight may be your first opportunity for a little longer fire. It's supposed to drop to the low 40s. I fired up the beast for the first time since June.

 

[rgsccr]

Thanks for the reply. Next question - when it gets cold enough to need to stove to burn all night how do you accomplish this. Do you get it up to 4-500, put in a couple of bigger logs, and then turn the draft down to slow the burn?

 

[begreen]

With NW softwood, it's somewhat tricky getting a real overnight burn in the F400. By that I mean, with the stove still producing meaningful heat in the morning. The firebox is not large enough for that. But one can certainly get a reasonable 6 hrs heating and still have enough hot coals a couple hours later to start up a new fire. The time will vary with the wood. Generally I would add a new load of wood around 11pm, get the wood burning well and charred on the outside. Then I'd close down the air control about 50%. The stove temp might jump up to 550 depending on the wood. I'd wash up, brush teeth, watch the Daily Show, then drop the air control down to just before secondary burning (visible high wafting blue flames) stopped. Usually this would be with the air control open about 1/8 to 1/4. Your operation of the air control may vary depending on the flue and fuel.

 

[rgsccr]

Thanks so much for a very clear reply.