Seasoned wood charring, cant keep temps in house up

[fireboss1237]

Question....
My stove (Blaze King) is suddenly having a a hard time heating the house above 72°. When just 4 days ago it was getting up to 76 (not on purpose). Granted it was 10° warmer. But I went from adding 1 log ever few hours to putting 3 in to make it to 72... it's around 37 degrees currently. And my stove is rated for 2000 sqft. I have a 1700sqft house.

I want to add that I'm having a lot of coal build up. Cleaned the stove 5 days ago and the coals are 5+ inches deep and almost coming out the door so they arent burning down all the way. This hasn't happened before. My wood is less than 20% moisture content. I usually run the thermostat at 25% and have room to turn it up. Currently running around 40%. But see no need at 35 degrees to run it full out. I dont want to blame the stove because it's ran fine since I started it up 1.5 months ago.

I cleaned out the stove except for a 1/2" of hot coals. The 2nd picture is with the thermostat all the way up after an hour of burning. Ive never had to run the stove past 50% except for initial start up. The wood seems to be getting charred, but not buring all the way through. Even though my wood is good on my moisture meter and it's sounds like it's supposed to (hollow) when you hit it together.

Any suggestions???

Will updated or delete if something changes.

 

[ctreitzell]

you can delete?
I must be missing something

 

[Dieselhead]

You may of got into a different species of wood. I’ve been running through about 2 cord of straight shagbark hickory since the start of the season in the end of sept. and my experience is similar to yours. With mixed hardwoods I was a lot more impressed. Do you happen to know what species you are burning? Also can you describe how you go about testing the moisture content of your wood just so we are on the same page?

 

[DonTee]

I’m curious about why you’re adding wood so often. Adding 1 split every few hours sounds like what you would do with an old school stove.

If the wood isn’t catching, and you’re having to run the air control at a higher setting, that points to wet wood IMO.

You should be turning the thermostat to high for starts and charring. The charring process is important to get long burn times and also bake out any moisture that’s left in the wood.

And you most likely need to add more wood at a time. And then let the stove do its full burn cycle.

 

[ctreitzell]

I’m curious about why you’re adding wood so often. Adding 1 split every few hours sounds like what you would do with an old school stove.

my Panadero wood stove owner's manual says:
"In order to achieve the stated nominal heat output of this stove a total quantity of 2.5kg of wood (roughly two logs weighing a little over 1 kg each) must be placed inside at intervals of one hour. The logs should be positioned horizontally and separate from one another, to assure a correct combustion. In any instance a charge of fuel must not be added to the stove until the previous charge has been burnt, leaving only a basic fire bed which is enough to light the next charge but no stronger"

My stove is a one year old EcoDesign 2022 build. I have read owners manuals for other EcoDesign 2022 wood burning stoves and they instruct using their "appliances" in a similar manner. I only point this out because this is new legislation in Europe and the UK

 

[DonTee]

But the poster in this thread is using a blaze king, and that’s not how they’re supposed to be used.

IMO it’s pointless to have a long burning stove like a BK if you’re going to throw a stick of wood at it every few hours. Load it up and let it do its thing. It’ll run on low for 24+ hours.

 

[ctreitzell]

But the poster in this thread is using a blaze king, and that’s not how they’re supposed to be used.

IMO it’s pointless to have a long burning stove like a BK if you’re going to throw a stick of wood at it every few hours. Load it up and let it do its thing. It’ll run on low for 24+ hours.

my bad, I mistook this for a different thread

 

[DonTee]

my bad, I mistook this for a different thread

No prob 🍻

 

[BKVP]

Check the cap if it has a screen. Reduced draft will reduce heat producing performance. Check face of combustor for fly ash accumulation.

BKVP

 

[fireboss1237]

You may of got into a different species of wood. I’ve been running through about 2 cord of straight shagbark hickory since the start of the season in the end of sept. and my experience is similar to yours. With mixed hardwoods I was a lot more impressed. Do you happen to know what species you are burning? Also can you describe how you go about testing the moisture content of your wood just so we are on the same page?

Unsure the kind of tree, want to say it was locust. But i mixed it with red oak. I'm burning 75/25 red oak to mystery wood. Tested moisture a few times through out the 3 month burning process. These events just start a few weeks ago. Cleaned it out inspected cat and looked up flue. Will go up on the roof after snow melts of, but spark arrestor in stove and chimney cap is clean

 

[fireboss1237]

Update.... called dealer and Blaze King, they are puzzled. Cleaned and restarted twice. Cat is clean. Will check chimney cap after snow melts of roof. Hard to see because of the reflection and finger prints. But this is what the burn looks like after leaving door open for 10 mins and letting it rip. Then closed door and closed bypass. It looks like its running on low. But am staying in the active zone. Is there an intake for the thermostat I can check to see if its clean and clear

 

[NickW]

That doesn't look gunked up to me at all, really looks clean.

Has it been windier along with the 10 degree temperature drop? I fight the wind more than temperature here because the insulation is OK but air sealing is poor. 30 degrees and windy or 0 and calm aren't a problem, 0 and windy is a struggle. Breezy also makes it harder to get the farthest reaches from the stove warm. I often even in "easy" weather have the stove room over 80 and the farthest reaches bedrooms only 66. Cold and windy is worse.

 

[fireboss1237]

That doesn't look gunked up to me at all, really looks clean.

Has it been windier along with the 10 degree temperature drop? I fight the wind more than temperature here because the insulation is OK but air sealing is poor. 30 degrees and windy or 0 and calm aren't a problem, 0 and windy is a struggle. Breezy also makes it harder to get the farthest reaches from the stove warm. I often even in "easy" weather have the stove room over 80 and the farthest reaches bedrooms only 66. Cold and windy is worse.

One day it was windy, others calm, Still same issue. Shouldn't have to run thermostat 100% to maintain 73 degrees

 

[NickW]

Interesting...

Had the temperature in the house been allowed to drop at some point? Remember it takes a lot more BTU's to raise temperature (of not only the air but the walls and everything in the house) than it does to maintain a temperature once already there. If temperature was at 68 and the goal is 73 it could take a full load run at 100% to get there, then the next load might be able to run lower (possibly still warming walls and "stuff" up), then the next load lower again. Going from 0 to 30 outside is great, but that cold is still in the walls until they get re-balanced.

Consider a 6" wall 70 degrees inside and 0 degrees outside. The center point of that wall at 3" would be 35 degrees. Now consider it 30 degrees outside, the center point would be 50 degrees. Now if you have 4" walls that center point temperature is 1" closer to the inside of your house. Then consider it takes time for temperature changes to penetrate through the insulation, cabinetry, appliances, etc. Add wind to the outside stealing the heat penetrating into the walls (or in summer stealing the a/c). This is an oversimplification, but I think you get the point.

Not saying any of this applies in this situation. Just things I ponder sometimes. Like why does 72 in the house feel warm in summer and chilly in winter...? I Googled it. Combination of walls radiating heat/cold and humidity.

 

[fireboss1237]

Had the temperature in the house been allowed to drop at some point? Remember it takes a lot more BTU's to raise temperature (of not only the air but the walls and everything in the house) than it does to maintain a temperature once already there. If temperature was at 68 and the goal is 73 it could take a full load run at 100% to get there, then the next load might be able to run lower

To assist with this I run my furnace to 70 to avoid the lag from the stove.

I can not turn the stove down after the room temperature is met. It will almost go out. Barely any glow with thermostat at 25%. This changed a few weeks ago

 

[RockyMtnGriz]

I'm not familiar with how that stove gets its air, but could the air supply be restricted? Ashes or a dead mouse can cause that type of problem.

 

[fireboss1237]

I'm not familiar with how that stove gets its air, but could the air supply be restricted? Ashes or a dead mouse can cause that type of problem.

I plan on finding the intake and trying to clean it out

 

[BKVP]

Do you have a fresh air kit connected? If so, could snow be blocking it?

BKVP

 

[reaperman1]

It doesnt sound like you have a probe thermometer to check the chimney temps. Probes are almost a "must have" to accurately monitor temps. In fact, they should be included with every install in a perfect world.

 

[fireboss1237]

Do you have a fresh air kit connected? If so, could snow be blocking it?

BKVP

No never had one, ran fine. Though it would probably help. But not installing until I figure out this issue

 

[fireboss1237]

It doesnt sound like you have a probe thermometer to check the chimney temps. Probes are almost a "must have" to accurately monitor temps. In fact, they should be included with every install in a perfect world.

Had one on my old stove. But to be honest I ran 2 years without it. That's the least of my worries

 

[all night moe]

I'm not a BK owner, although I do want a Princess, but back to species of the wood and MC.
Your MC should be checked at room temp, on a fresh split, and in the middle of that split.
Now to the mystery wood .... possibly locust. If indeed black locust, it is quite the coaling wood and hard to burn on it's own as to it doesn't flash into flames without a serious bed of coals. If the MC is compromised at all, this will amplify the issue. Just like oak coals and needs sufficient season time. Mixing the woods will help.

 

[stoveliker]

I wanted to write what more above wrote. How did you measure the moisture content?

If draft is not impeded, all symptoms are consistent with wet wood.

Finally I can run my BK without seeing any glowing, so that in itself should not be a concern. (As long as the cat stays active.)

 

[fireboss1237]

I wanted to write what more above wrote. How did you measure the moisture content?

If draft is not impeded, all symptoms are consistent with wet wood.

Finally I can run my BK without seeing any glowing, so that in itself should not be a concern. (As long as the cat stays active.)

Split and measured 3 places across fresh split. Wood is also super light and hollow sounding when banged together. I will try another analyzer. But the wood is dry. I want to check the intake, no idea where it's at

 

[stoveliker]

Okay,.good.
If it's a freestanding stove, it'll be in the middle of the back, on the bottom. But it may be hard to figure out if there is something farther into the air path. Be careful sticking something up there; don't damage the thermostat at the top back. (Again, if it's a free standing one)