The right amount of ash??

[Dave K]

Merry Christmas to all!

Usually I scoop out a few shovels full of ash every 2 days but last few nights I completely forgot and had about 4-5 days worth in there. There was more ash in the bottom of my fisher than normal (about 3 inches or more). I found that the stove burned more consistent than usual. The stove top was cruising at 550-600 for a long time and the stack temp was a consistent 400 for a few hours.

Normally I have to keep checking the stove to make sure that the temps aren't in overfire or dropping too low so this was definitely not the norm. I don't know what else I did differently but the only thing I could put my finger on was the amount of ash that I left in the stove.

Do you find that in older stoves that more ash is better than less ash? Or was this a fluke that my temps were consistent for a long time?

I've read that you should keep about 1-2 inches in there, but is it different for pre-EPA stoves?

 

[begreen]

Not just older stoves but most stoves burn better with a bed of ash. It acts as an insulator keeping the firebox hotter.

 

[perry]

My little englander likes a bed of Ash . most stove's do.

 

[gzecc]

I am always surprised to look in the insert and not see ash flowing out, when the night before I stuffed it full of wood!
Don't forget to rake the coals foreward and burn them puppies down!

 

[Motor7]

My ash bed if not managed will grow to over 6" thick. When they get that big, I rake it down, spread it out close the door then open the auxiliary air intake on the door wide open. The stove will run in the 300's for about 2 hours just on those coals & nothing else. Then I rake the red one's off to one side and scoop out the clinkers and grey powder ash from the bottom. Rake e'm back the other way and repeat until I have removed most burnt coals/ash. Then I level the remaining red coals and throw my splits right on top of them...roaring fire in a few min.

 

[rwhite]

Finally after 3 years I made an ash rack. Being able to rake coals forward properly (not with the shovel and stoker like I was doing) and leave the ash behind has greatly increased the time between cleanings becasue the ash burns down better. I'm on 2 weeks now and it's still ok. My rake has 1.5" tines on it so when I clean I just rake the ash forward and an ash layer the depth of my tines is left behind.

 

[DougA]

As long as the ashes are not plugging up any air holes, should not be a problem. In my VC Resolute, the air holes are covered in 2 days of burning and need to be opened.

 

[hearthofgold]

Merry Christmas to all!

Usually I scoop out a few shovels full of ash every 2 days but last few nights I completely forgot and had about 4-5 days worth in there. There was more ash in the bottom of my fisher than normal (about 3 inches or more). I found that the stove burned more consistent than usual. The stove top was cruising at 550-600 for a long time and the stack temp was a consistent 400 for a few hours.

Normally I have to keep checking the stove to make sure that the temps aren't in overfire or dropping too low so this was definitely not the norm. I don't know what else I did differently but the only thing I could put my finger on was the amount of ash that I left in the stove.

Do you find that in older stoves that more ash is better than less ash? Or was this a fluke that my temps were consistent for a long time?

I've read that you should keep about 1-2 inches in there, but is it different for pre-EPA stoves?

Probably what is happening is that the ash is not fine, meaning there were still chunks of burning embers giving off heat, which you were not use to since you clean it out so often. You could have a pail of ashes and three days later still have some live embers. Here is how that works, just like you turn the air down to burn the logs longer, air can get through ash, but very very very slowly, which gives the embers just enough air to live a few days. That's why you never just dump ash into the garbage can.

 

[Dave K]

Probably what is happening is that the ash is not fine, meaning there were still chunks of burning embers giving off heat, which you were not use to since you clean it out so often. You could have a pail of ashes and three days later still have some live embers. Here is how that works, just like you turn the air down to burn the logs longer, air can get through ash, but very very very slowly, which gives the embers just enough air to live a few days. That's why you never just dump ash into the garbage can.

you're right. When I was cleaning often, I'd be shoveling out small little chunks. When I cleaned last night it seemed that it was all fine ash and no chunks.