Real world burn times for 30-NC

[Sain6815]

I can currently burn in the 550-700 degree range for about an hour with seasoned hardwood. After this period it steadily cool down to about 300-400 after about 2 hours.

I burn wide open till about 600 then shut the damper down about halfway and let it
Go

Is this average/below average?

.

 

[pen]

If you are using well seasoned hardwood and are leaving the air wide open until the stove top is 600, you are waiting too long to start closing things down in my opinion.

With good wood, the chimney will be screaming hot by the time I'm seeing my stove top only in the 350 range (from a cold start). 450 or so if loading on coals and the stove was in the 300's when loading.

I'd suggest to start closing the air down a bit sooner, and see if that helps you keep things hot for longer.

 

[BIGChrisNH]

That doesn't sound too bad to me. If I have a totally full firebox of hardwood, I can get several hours of really hot stove heat, probably at or above 500 stovetop, but I haven't actually timed it. With mine if I load the box full at approximately 9pm, there are still plenty of coals left for a matchless restart at 7am, 10 hours later.

Overall though, this stove isn't light on wood usage, I find I use about a big, full wheelbarrow load per day in the winter to heat my house.

 

[Sain6815]

If you are using well seasoned hardwood and are leaving the air wide open until the stove top is 600, you are waiting too long to start closing things down in my opinion.

With good wood, the chimney will be screaming hot by the time I'm seeing my stove top only in the 350 range (from a cold start). 450 or so if loading on coals and the stove was in the 300's when loading.

I'd suggest to start closing the air down a bit sooner, and see if that helps you keep things hot for longer.

That is helpful. Mine is a fireplace install and i don’t have a flue thermometer. I’ll try shutting her down sooner.

 

[Highbeam]

Three hours from a full load of dry Doug for trying to hold 700 stove top temps. This ain’t a cat stove, think pulse and glide.

 

[yooper08]

Agreed, try closing down sooner. Once secondaries are established in the firebox, then start considering damping the stove down. This could be within 10-20 minutes, depending on a cold start or from coals.

 

[pen]

Cool start with just enough coals to start new load up with a little puffing.

Here is about when I turn things down to where you see the air lever now. I’ll let it ride like this until the stove top is about where I want the stove to cruise at and make my final air adjustment then.

Sorry, stove top pic is blurry. Temp is about 300on upper level.

 

[Sain6815]

Cool start with just enough coals to start new load up with a little puffing.

Here is about when I turn things down to where you see the air lever now. I’ll let it ride like this until the stove top is about where I want the stove to cruise at and make my final air adjustment then.

Sorry, stove top pic is blurry. Temp is about 300on upper level.[/QUOTE

Tried your exact process and it seemed to help. Loaded at about 10:30pm. House was still warm this morning at 6:30am and had large coals. Stove at 200 degrees.

I also loaded entirely N-S. I’ve been doing log cabin type stacking and i think that creates too much air flow.

 

[kennyp2339]

My friend has a nc-30 and burns oak & maple, his usual burn times are about 8 hrs on average. I judge the burn times by useful heat. He has a great setup and the NC 30 is a tank. He's heating about 2400sq ft in a center hall colonial.
Normally he'll do partial loads during the day when home, it keeps the down stairs common areas reasonable, so figure 2-3 splits every 4 hours or so, then at night he'll load her up to the top of the bricks, let the load catch and then bank the air down, this results in big hot coals at 6-7am in the morning with a warm house.
I've said this countless times, if I didn't stumble on my BK I would be a proud NC30 owner, no doubt in my mind.
To those reading this, check out @Highbeam pics of his 30, if your handy with metal, build yourself a convection deck, that big flat top with a blower running slow / medium would make a killer heat pump.

 

[Sain6815]

To those reading this, check out @Highbeam pics of his 30, if your handy with metal, build yourself a convection deck, that big flat top with a blower running slow / medium would make a killer heat pump.

I’d love to add this but i really don’t want to remove my stove from the fireplace. I wish I’d seen that before i installed.

Great mod though!!

 

[brenndatomu]

I’d love to add this but i really don’t want to remove my stove from the fireplace. I wish I’d seen that before i installed.

Great mod though!!

No need to remove...I made a two piece for my inlaws NC30...would still be pretty easy to put on in a FP...

 

[Sain6815]

No need to remove...I made a two piece for my inlaws NC30...would still be pretty easy to put on in a FP...

Do you have any pics? My challenge would be mounting it. I have enough room to get a drill in there at certain angles

 

[brenndatomu]

Do you have any pics? My challenge would be mounting it. I have enough room to get a drill in there at certain angles

I don't have pics...I can get some though...no need to drill, if you have a couple inches you can mount it.

 

[Doc C]

I’m confused. I just took the 30 out of my house a few weeks ago because it was putting out to much heat.

During the dead of winter was the only time I could load my stove full. I would load it NS and have room in the back for several EW splits as well.

I would have a ton of heat coming out of the stove for a solid 8-10 hours.

I would have good coals and moderate heat for pushing 14 hours. I would load the stove at 1800hrs and not HAVE to load it until between 0900 and 1000 hrs. Usually would throw a log on when I woke up though. And then open a window.

You guys realize that you can put just under a full wheel barrel in this stove at a time right?!?!? lol

 

[Sain6815]

I’m confused. I just took the 30 out of my house a few weeks ago because it was putting out to much heat.

During the dead of winter was the only time I could load my stove full. I would load it NS and have room in the back for several EW splits as well.

I would have a ton of heat coming out of the stove for a solid 8-10 hours.

I would have good coals and moderate heat for pushing 14 hours. I would load the stove at 1800hrs and not HAVE to load it until between 0900 and 1000 hrs. Usually would throw a log on when I woke up though. And then open a window.

You guys realize that you can put just under a full wheel barrel in this stove at a time right?!?!? lol

Haha. True. This thing is definitely a beast.

I’m heating about 2800 sq ft from the basement in a late 70’s ranch with about r13 blown attic insulation which i will address eventually.

So I’ve got to keep it pumping to keep the upstairs in the 68-70 degree range.

Room with the stove is pretty cooking. I’d have more benefit from the stove on the main level but my wife and I didn’t want the wood mess in our living room.

 

[Highbeam]

I’m confused. I just took the 30 out of my house a few weeks ago because it was putting out to much heat.

During the dead of winter was the only time I could load my stove full. I would load it NS and have room in the back for several EW splits as well.

I would have a ton of heat coming out of the stove for a solid 8-10 hours.

I would have good coals and moderate heat for pushing 14 hours. I would load the stove at 1800hrs and not HAVE to load it until between 0900 and 1000 hrs. Usually would throw a log on when I woke up though. And then open a window.

You guys realize that you can put just under a full wheel barrel in this stove at a time right?!?!? lol

Turns out that a “ton of heat” is totally subjective. If you live in a freaking superinsulated closet, just a little bit of heat is a ton. If you’re sitting in a 48 degree shop like me at this exact moment then the 700 degree nc30 12” from your knees is insufficient!

 

[Doc C]

Turns out that a “ton of heat” is totally subjective. If you live in a freaking superinsulated closet, just a little bit of heat is a ton. If you’re sitting in a 48 degree shop like me at this exact moment then the 700 degree nc30 12” from your knees is insufficient!

Put another wheelbarrow of wood in the stove!!

 

[Squisher]

You wouldn't want it too warm. ....

......or it might melt your ice cubes.

 

[beatlefan]

if you have a couple inches you can mount it.

That’s what she said...

 

[brenndatomu]

That’s what she said...

Set that one right up I did...

 

[Highbeam]

You wouldn't want it too warm. ....

......or it might melt your ice cubes.

They all melt eventually. The big slab takes a long time to heat but then carries heat pretty well.