Question on setting of draft controls

[KJoseph]

Hi,

Kevin here, new to wood stoves in general. I recently installed a Buck Stove 26000B pre-EPA stove in my cabin. It's been working pretty good but I have several questions.

I have an Inferno magnetic thermometer and an IR thermometer as well, and I know I should be burning between 400-650F to keep creosote at a minimum. I just installed a 6" chimney liner (I know the Buck takes an 8" but my chimney has this weird split terracotta liner and its 7"x13" and the Buck came with a 6" adapter and the previous owner said he had no issues). My chimney is 30' tall, straight up, in an external 12" thick stone chimney.

Draft is no issue. It pulls hard, even when the chimney is cold. Here is my issue. I start a fire, it gets going (sometimes I leave the door open a little when its real cold, other times I just leave the flu damper open 100% and the draft controls open 100% until it gets going). Then I close the flu damper down as far as it goes on the Buck. No smoking out the door whatsoever. Still pulls good. Here is the thing though, with the draft controls fully open, the fire is strong. If I leave it that way, I can fairly easily get up to 450F in a matter of like a half an air and it really pumps heat out of the blower, but it burns wood like a champ (been burning cherry and oak, it's pretty darn dry). But when I "shut it down" a bit (close the draft controls some), the temperature drops fairly quickly. My cabin is terribly insulated so I need as much heat as possible.

What is a reasonable amount to leave my draft controls open? I worry about Creosote and my thermometer sits between 275 and 350F with the draft controls at ~ 70%. I run it overnight daily and just can't seem to keep a load of wood going for more than 3 hours.

What's the issue? Or is this normal? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[pen]

Leave it open wherever it needs to be for a good burn. However, with good draft as you describe, you shouldn't need to have that draft open very much.

How long was the wood cut, split, and stacked before getting put into the stove?

 

[KJoseph]

I've been burning 2 different sets of wood.

One is pin oak I bought from a friend, it was cut this last August, split and stacked under a tarp.

The other is cherry that has been down in my field for well over a year. I'm new to woodburning like I said, and was told that cutting up downed trees that have been dead standing for a while, and splitting them is considered season. I suppose I need a moisture meter to be sure but the cherry sure looks and feels really dry. I cut and split the cherry last weekend and it seems to burn better than the pin oak.

 

[bholler]

I cut and split the cherry last weekend and it seems to burn better than the pin oak.

I am pretty sure neither of them are anywhere near dry

 

[Attaboy]

I am pretty sure neither of them are anywhere near dry

Fully agree, that wood is a problem !

Pick up a package of these from Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and throw no more than 2 in at a time and see how they burn and the quantity of heat you get vs the equivalent in your firewood, this should demonstrate that your firewood is not sufficiently dry yet.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Pres-to-Log-Shrink-6-Pack-FL45/207206849

.

 

[KJoseph]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll get a package of wood and give it a shot.

 

[bholler]

I'll get a package of wood and give it a shot.

Get the compressed logs or bricks like the link dont get the actual split wood. They claim it is kiln dried but in reality it is just heated in a kiln just enough to kill any bugs so they can transport it where ever they want. It is very rarely actually dry.