Raking coals

[Ctwoodtick]

I have been experimenting with raking the coals forward when reloading. The Jotul 550 manual says to spread coals evenly in box upon reload. I was wondering if there is any problem with placing a split or 2 in the back of the firebox where there is minimal ash left on bottom of firebox. Does this cause an overheating situation for the floor of the firebox?

 

[Hogwildz]

Shouldn't. esp if there is firebrick on the stove floor. What you may find is that the wood may smoulder sitting in the back there.

 

[Babaganoosh]

Do you mean you want to just throw 2 splits down on the bare floor to drive out the moisture or are you meaning that the splits on the bare floor would be during a standard reload?

 

[NoobTube]

I see advisement for loading at the back and raking the coals forward so you get a front to back burn... I try to do this all the time. If I leave it as a solid bed of coals I have to try to put the more moist wood at the back and the drier wood up front. If I do this in reverse I get a wall of fire that I can't see behind the wood thats at the front.

 

[jatoxico]

Have tried this with the 550 and Hog nailed it. With E/W the back log just doesn't get any air and can't get the "cigar" burn of a N/S load. Even played a little with raking to the side but bailed on that.

Better chance would be to rake live coals forward but leave enough ash in the back that you can make a channel for the doghouse air all the way to the back wall.

What I like best is when I have enough stubby chunks to at least load the bottom layer N/S with E/W above. This works pretty darn well to the point that I keep saying one day I'm going to take some time to cut some right sized pieces. Not being able to load N/S with a reasonable size split is one of the big drawbacks of the 550 IMO.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Do you mean you want to just throw 2 splits down on the bare floor to drive out the moisture or are you meaning that the splits on the bare floor would be during a standard reload?

Standard reload.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Shouldn't. esp if there is firebrick on the stove floor. What you may find is that the wood may smoulder sitting in the back there.

No firebrick on bottom of this insert.

 

[Babaganoosh]

If you are concerned maybe try to rake the coals forward and leave the ash behind. Use something that pulls coals but not ash.

 

[xman23]

I clear the area just in front of the dog house ( air supply ). But level out the coals. Just to help the relight.

 

[CincyBurner]

As others have suggested, rake coals forward creating pedestals on either side of the dog house creating a channel, and in back leave a good layer of ash, or lighter layer of coals. Or raise (E/ W) reload with a couple shorts (N/S). This raises loaded wooded into superheated airflow.
If you're cramming box full to the top it's not as critical, as the top wood will be in the superheated airflow anyway.
Keep Osage toward back to reduce sparks when opening door on next reload.

 

[velvetfoot]

When I reload my N/S loading insert, I fluff up the coals and arrange the bed so that I perceive the front is higher than the rear. The splits loaded on top have less a tendency to hit the tubes that way.

 

[EJL923]

no issue with this. Only when i clean is there little bits of ash covering the bottom and even then i have no worries. 6 years of burning this stove. Being an e/w stove, there should be enough ash to cover anyway unless youre constantly cleaning. If theres a lot of coals, i spread even. If theres a little like from an overnight burn, i pull forward to get the front log started.