hey guys. I am looking to get advice on how to burn wood in an insert correct from start to finish as in how hot to get the stove and when to start dampening down. Also where to measure temps on the insert and when to reload
Steps on how to burn insert correctly
- Thread starter tumm21
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Dix
Minister of Fire
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Buy a stove top thermometer. Get a good fire going, let every piece catch (air control will be fully open) stove temps should be in the 500's, start closing the air down in quarter increments. What you want is to see the flames start to lower, the air tubes should look like a gas fire. Stove temps should be maintained in the mid 500's to low to mid 600's, you don't want to go higher because you can risk an over fire and warp inside parts.
You don't want to let the thing cook into the 600's then start to turn the ar down because the fire can get away from you and you can damage your stove.
These stoves are designed to be ran with the air controls set at a lower setting, if your burning with your setting fully open your sending wasted heat up your chimney. The trick is your draft, everyone has different setups so you may have a naturally better draft than me, you may be able to close your air control further to hit your cruise zone than me, there's no set way for everyone, you have to play around with the controls and that's why I recommend a stove top thermometer.
You need an established fire with *dry wood, you may want to buy a moisture meter *lowes, homedepot, ect <$40.00. You will want wood under 20% moisture content. If the wood is wetter than 20% you will fight your fires every time you load or run the stove, and you will be unhappy with your insert. Wet wood will also cause low temp fires which will case creosote build up in your chimney (this is dangerous) I recommend checking your chimney after every cord is burned when first starting to get a feel for you system.
You don't want to let the thing cook into the 600's then start to turn the ar down because the fire can get away from you and you can damage your stove.
These stoves are designed to be ran with the air controls set at a lower setting, if your burning with your setting fully open your sending wasted heat up your chimney. The trick is your draft, everyone has different setups so you may have a naturally better draft than me, you may be able to close your air control further to hit your cruise zone than me, there's no set way for everyone, you have to play around with the controls and that's why I recommend a stove top thermometer.
You need an established fire with *dry wood, you may want to buy a moisture meter *lowes, homedepot, ect <$40.00. You will want wood under 20% moisture content. If the wood is wetter than 20% you will fight your fires every time you load or run the stove, and you will be unhappy with your insert. Wet wood will also cause low temp fires which will case creosote build up in your chimney (this is dangerous) I recommend checking your chimney after every cord is burned when first starting to get a feel for you system.
velvetfoot
Minister of Fire
My insert is the sister unit to yours. I'd first consult the manual. You don't want to see red through the room air outlet: I let that happen to me once when I left the air on high too long. As the manual probably states, after letting all the wood get charred, the air inlet has to be reduced in steps: too quickly and the flames go out. And remember, when the manual says 1/4 with respect to the air control, it means inch! 
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