Some burning trouble...large pieces charring.

[mgh-pa]

Just a week ago burning was going well. I could load up a couple good chunks of oak, keep the air down, and it was burning great. Btw, the stove is a 30yr old Shenendoah (sp?).

Now all of a sudden, loading up more oak, anything above 3" simply charrs with the draft wide open. If I crack the door, it will start to burn a little bit, but once the door is shut, it goes back to smoldering. This oak has been drying for almost a year, so I wouldn't imagine it's wet, but was else could be happening? Is the flu temp too cold and it's not drawing?

 

[rdust]

Most people around here will recommend 2 years for oak. I have some oak that is 18-24 months and it's still less then perfect. I'm burning some standing dead ash from September that is burning better. :lol:

Have you checked the chimney, if it's dirty that could cause issues. Usually colder outside temps will cause a chimney to draft better.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Flue could be dirty also.

Matt

 

[Jfk4th]

How clean is your chimney pipe? If you are burning it on low setting your temps might not be hot enough to do that, what temps do you burn at? Plus oak sometimes takes more than a year to season, sometimes it takes 2 years to season, depends on location of where wood is drying. Moisture meter? Has this stove been in this setup for 30 years or it is a "new" setup.

How many feet of chimney pipe do you have also? Again is this a "new" stove for you or have you been using this stove for a while.

 

[Jfk4th]

Hey rdust,
sweet avatar

 

[BrotherBart]

Sounds like a plugged up chimney cap to me.

 

[blades]

Ditto on the plugged cap, especially if you have the wire mesh around the out side. that will collect and become gummed up with creosote. This can happen even if you burn hot or wide open all the time.

 

[savageactor7]

We've had both of those free standing Shenandoah's ...sounds to me like unseasoned wood is the trouble. If the chimney were plugged it seems to me smoke would leak out the stove. Best you check the chimney anyway cause if you burning on low the chimney could be restricted with creosote. Try smaller splits and keep the thermostat closer to high than medium...avoid low until you score some well seasoned wood.

 

[jmhpsu93]

Definitely sounds like some unseasoned wood. The mid-Atlantic had a horrible "seasoning" year with really high humidity and lots of rain, especially in our fall season. I had some oak that was split in Spring 08 that just sizzled and smoldered, and that was 18 months seasoned. All of the oak I had delivered this year is worthless, while the other species are fine for bought-from-the-wood-salesman wood.

You might consider mixing in some other species or pressed wood products like Wood Brick Fuel or Liberty Bricks (just learn to use them as they really burn hot and quick!).

+1 on checking the chimney and cap.

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Just a week ago burning was going well. I could load up a couple good chunks of oak, keep the air down, and it was burning great. Btw, the stove is a 30yr old Shenendoah (sp?).

Now all of a sudden, loading up more oak, anything above 3" simply charrs with the draft wide open. If I crack the door, it will start to burn a little bit, but once the door is shut, it goes back to smoldering. This oak has been drying for almost a year, so I wouldn't imagine it's wet, but was else could be happening? Is the flu temp too cold and it's not drawing?

Yep, All these posts have it right, probably a clogged screen on your cap....... due to that Oak split less than a year.
Split your chunks smaller, that will help (once you check your cap)


WB

 

[mgh-pa]

Thanks for all the input guys. I let the fire burn out last night, and this morning, we pulled the cleanout cap off, and looked up in, and it was just a little ashy. We then removed the stove pipe, and everything checked out good. The only place where I had some creosote buildup was up at the chimney cap (no screen). The majority of the chimney (stainless) is exterior, and I was told at the top where the pipe is the coldest, is where creosote is most likely to buildup. Is that true?

The only thing I can deduce (also what many of you were suggesting) is the wood is simply too large/green.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

mgh-pa, I think you have it right now. You are right about that last couple of feet of pipe being the dirtiest.

On the oak, it depends upon what type of oak you are burning. The red oaks seem to take a bit longer to season and we always give them 3 years before trying to burn