Solution for excess smoke while burning pine in the NC-30

[Seasoned Oak]

I may have stumbled onto a solution for all the smoke produced from burning soft wood in the Englander 30 at high air settings.
I have notice that this stove burns from front to back, the wood in front burns first before any wood in the back of the stove is consumed. So i put all the soft wood in the back of the stove and the hard wood in front.
With the soft wood burning much slower the reburn system is not overwhelmed and can efficiently burn most of the smoke produced by the pine. And since the flue gas exits the main firebox stove at the front of the stove, the smoke has to travel past all 4 of the reburn tubes. So far very little smoke at all air setting levels.

 

[DAKSY]

The newer, clean-burn (Non-cat) stoves are meant to
be burned with the wood at the back of the firebox.
read your owner's manual & it will probably tell you to burn that way,
no matter what sort of wood you're shoving in there.

 

[Hogwildz]

I burn mine FULL, north to south. Never heard of just loading the back. Never had a problem burning pine in it either. Guess if your burning east to west maybe you have that problem.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah I burn a lot of pine. Burn it N/S just like the hardwood and don't know what this smoking problem is about. At 400 and up with a firebox full of flames smoke is a non issue from there on.

 

[fbelec]

trump you sure your pine is dry? i burnt 5 cord this year. the stuff when dry is as light as feather. i burn in a old stove and the stuff didn't smoke hardly at all even with out having the secondary running.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

trump you sure your pine is dry? i burnt 5 cord this year. the stuff when dry is as light as feather. i burn in a old stove and the stuff didn't smoke hardly at all even with out having the secondary running.

Its about 60-80 years old and has not seen a drop of rain in that time span. Its wood torn out of old homes i rehab. So im quite sure is dry. Stuff like 2x4s and floor joists. New system worked like a charm again today, all the soft wood in the back =no smoke. If i burnit up front the secondaries go crazy.

 

[madrone]

http://www.woodheat.org/firewood-too-dry.html

 

[Seasoned Oak]

http://www.woodheat.org/firewood-too-dry.html

Good Link Madrone I guess that explains it. I was right in my theory that the wood was off gassing so much that it overwhelms the stoves ability to burn all the smoke,placing it in the back slows down that process to sustainable levels. Probably will keep my pipes and chimney much cleaner as well.

 

[spirilis]

Very good point for those who burn kiln-dried or super dry wood though... move it to the back to avoid overwhelming the burn tubes.

 

[DBoon]

Hi Trump,

When burning nothing but two or three year dried softwoods (pine or fir, doesn't matter), I don't get what I call visible smoke, but there is definitely an odor around the chimney area downwind from where the wind blows. It's not terrible, but I never smell this when I am burning cherry, hickory, or maple.

So in the shoulder seasons, I'll mix my softwoods 50/50 with hardwoods. I don't bother putting it all in the back - I've tried that, and what happens is it seems to burn with even more smell. By mixing in some hardwoods, it provides for a consistently hotter firebox that seems to do a better job of burning off the smoky particles the softwood seems to produce in abundance.

I worry about the outdoor smell more than others since I live in a village and my next door neighbor is only about a dozen feet away. She has never complained, but I don't want to give her reason to also, if it can be avoided.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Dboon
Yesterday i piled a big load of lathe boards in the back of the stove ,they always smoke a lot, but as long as they are in the back ,no smoke. This smoking is stove specific ,in the harman i dont get smoke no matter where i put the wood ,cuz the stove is a different design and so is the secondary burn process.
THe 30-NC burns from front to back ,unless there is no wood in front. I get very little smole anymore from the NC_30 just because iv learned how to load it.I like this stove more and more as i learn how to run it. Its a very good stove and a steal at $650 + free delivery.
I may buy another one next year for my work shop.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

The newer, clean-burn (Non-cat) stoves are meant to
be burned with the wood at the back of the firebox.
read your owner's manual & it will probably tell you to burn that way,
no matter what sort of wood you're shoving in there.

The manual only states not to load wood any higher than the firebrick,nothing about stacking EW or NS or front,back orientation.

All the fresh air ,with the exception of the small rear reburn tube,comes in at the front so it no surprise the wood in front burns first.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I really got this stove figured out now,im burning entire loads of soft wood with no smoke ,where before just a few pieces would give me a lot of smoke ,even when up to temp. Its all about loading the wood.
Now its coals in the front and new soft wood in the back. Even when the entire back 2/3s of the stove is soft wood i get no smoke.
This is a great stove and im having a good time learning its secrets.