I think that I just stumbled on a trick that makes my stove do a pretty amazing thing. I have seen this before but not this good. I am calling it the Aurora Borealis Effect.
Most of us have seen the flames flow off the wood in swirling and undulating patterns. It is mesmerizing. I catch myself glancing over at the flame show while watching TV.
The wood may have something to do with it. I have lots of small round pieces, 1 to 3 inches in diameter. I hate to waste small branches so I cut them up and stack them. They dry well and are great for starting fast hot fires.
First, I did not pull the coals forward but instead spread them evenly in the box. They were medium hot.
Second, I arranged the first layer N/S, the second layer E/W, and a third layer N/S. I left a gap between each piece.
I closed the door and pretty soon it was catching fire on all 3 levels. In fact I had to set the air control to minimum to keep the stovepipe temp under 400.
It was still burning above 350 so I closed the damper completely.
That is when it really started... the Aurora Borealis Effect. The flow was the richest I have ever seen. It started at the top and slowly fell in front of the glass until it expanded and swirled back into the matrix of wood and disappeared.
I looked closely at the waves of flame and could see tiny specks of ash burning in the flow.
On every hole in every secondary tube was a perfectly shaped and undisturbed flame.
It did this for over a half an hour. The trick is to get the secondaries real hot, get alot of gas coming off the wood, and then slow the flow down as much as possible.
Next time I have company over I will show them my Northern Lights.
If it was not for that $3 stove damper my stove would not be able to do this.
MnDave
Most of us have seen the flames flow off the wood in swirling and undulating patterns. It is mesmerizing. I catch myself glancing over at the flame show while watching TV.
The wood may have something to do with it. I have lots of small round pieces, 1 to 3 inches in diameter. I hate to waste small branches so I cut them up and stack them. They dry well and are great for starting fast hot fires.
First, I did not pull the coals forward but instead spread them evenly in the box. They were medium hot.
Second, I arranged the first layer N/S, the second layer E/W, and a third layer N/S. I left a gap between each piece.
I closed the door and pretty soon it was catching fire on all 3 levels. In fact I had to set the air control to minimum to keep the stovepipe temp under 400.
It was still burning above 350 so I closed the damper completely.
That is when it really started... the Aurora Borealis Effect. The flow was the richest I have ever seen. It started at the top and slowly fell in front of the glass until it expanded and swirled back into the matrix of wood and disappeared.
I looked closely at the waves of flame and could see tiny specks of ash burning in the flow.
On every hole in every secondary tube was a perfectly shaped and undisturbed flame.
It did this for over a half an hour. The trick is to get the secondaries real hot, get alot of gas coming off the wood, and then slow the flow down as much as possible.
Next time I have company over I will show them my Northern Lights.
If it was not for that $3 stove damper my stove would not be able to do this.
MnDave
