I finally got the kahones to stick some pine in the stove. I mixed in two pine splits with two elm splits this past weekend. Air control wide open, the fire TOOK off. You guys know the drill. Firebox literally filled with flames, coming from every direction. Temperature spiked to 550 quicker than I would like, so I shut the air control down, but there was almost no slowing the pine down. I was very concerned as I watched the temperature continue to climb. I debating closing the secondary air too, but I wanted to see what would happen, stove condition be damned. Temperature peaked at 650 and backed down from there pretty quickly. I was contemplating the run-away stove thread as I was watching it happen. I was not expecting such a violent reaction, but I later realized the air control was leaky when fully closed. I machined a new draft slider and that fixed that problem, I'm going to try round two in a few weeks.
On a related note, I noticed that the direction the holes in the air tubes face in the stove has a big effect on secondary combustion.
Originally I had them orientated like this:
o o o
/ / /
Now, I switched them like this:
o o o
/ | |
Now, air fully fully closed secondary burn is maintained and the firebox looks just like a quadrafire turned all the way down. Hrm.
I also did a little test whilst burning coal, for kicks. Usually I keep the airwash about half open and that maintains secondary coal flames for the beginning of the burn, as it should. If I close that air control down to a little less than 1/4 open and fully open the secondary control, the secondary flames of the coal just float in the middle of the firebox, not attached to the top or bottom. Just gorgeous floating blue flames dancing. It's quite amazing. Very minimal sulpher smell outside when its burned like that too, I've noticed.
On a related note, I noticed that the direction the holes in the air tubes face in the stove has a big effect on secondary combustion.
Originally I had them orientated like this:
o o o
/ / /
Now, I switched them like this:
o o o
/ | |
Now, air fully fully closed secondary burn is maintained and the firebox looks just like a quadrafire turned all the way down. Hrm.
I also did a little test whilst burning coal, for kicks. Usually I keep the airwash about half open and that maintains secondary coal flames for the beginning of the burn, as it should. If I close that air control down to a little less than 1/4 open and fully open the secondary control, the secondary flames of the coal just float in the middle of the firebox, not attached to the top or bottom. Just gorgeous floating blue flames dancing. It's quite amazing. Very minimal sulpher smell outside when its burned like that too, I've noticed.
