Timberwolf 2100 firing advice

[wilsoncm1]

Howdy gang

We have one of the aforementioned Timberwolf 2100 wood stoves. It was installed a couple of years ago when we built the house. It has a 6" stovepipe (stainless steel insulated) with a length of ~28 feet.

I am burning a mix of local hardwoods (white/red oak, poplar, maple, birch, hickory) which have been seasoned for over 2 years. No moisture meter.

Normal operating technique:

I pack the firebox and start a top down fire. I keep the door cracked and air control open until things get going. I then close the door. When surface temps get to 300 I start to close down the air control about a 1/4 of the way at a time until it's as closed as it will go.

Surface temps rise to 700-800 F and the flue hits 400 F. It doesn't stay long and then quickly falls off to ~400 F (surface). Burn times are about 4 hours. After 8 there are still coals that I can start another fire from.

Sometimes it acts like it's taking off even when it's choked down all the way. My temp gauge pegs out at 850 F. and the flue hits 550 F or higher.

My question:

It just doesn't seem like I'm getting a lot of heat for a reasonable amount of time out of the thing. Is this just a problem with an inexpensive unit? Am I doing something wrong?

Is there a way to control the air when it's choked down a little more? I only have the one air control and I'm fairly sure the door seal is sealing properly.

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[bholler]

With 28' of chimney you may need a pipe damper.

 

[wilsoncm1]

With 28' of chimney you may need a pipe damper.

Great! thanks for the advice. Looking at them now.

 

[wilsoncm1]

Adding the damper has changed my life. No longer does it burn through wood like there's no tomorrow. It's been in the teens the last few nights and the house has been ~66F with the firebox temps around 200F. Super easy to start up.

Thanks again for the great advice.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Adding the damper has changed my life. No longer does it burn through wood like there's no tomorrow. It's been in the teens the last few nights and the house has been ~66F with the firebox temps around 200F. Super easy to start up.

Thanks again for the great advice.

Great outcome. Mind taking a picture of where you put the pipe damper? Also, what kind did you get? Thanks.

 

[wilsoncm1]

Great outcome. Mind taking a picture of where you put the pipe damper? Also, what kind did you get? Thanks.

I'll get something when I get off of work tonight. Until then, I installed this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KKO0OC/?tag=hearthamazon-20
about 6 inches above the joint with the stove.

 

[Ludlow]

I like heat. I would have to open the air more and live with shorter burns.

 

[bholler]

I like heat. I would have to open the air more and live with shorter burns.

But now the stove is set up properly and they don't have to live with short burn times.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I'll get something when I get off of work tonight. Until then, I installed this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KKO0OC/?tag=hearthamazon-20
about 6 inches above the joint with the stove.

Thanks! Look forward to the pictures.

 

[Ludlow]

But now the stove is set up properly and they don't have to live with short burn times.

But now my family would be complaining. You cant sell your wife on a wood stove saying how toasty warm she will be and then have the house at 66 degrees. I guess it's personal choice.

 

[bholler]

But now my family would be complaining. You cant sell your wife on a wood stove saying how toasty warm she will be and then have the house at 66 degrees. I guess it's personal choice.

That depends what temps you were accustomed to. 66 may seem warm.

 

[Ludlow]

This is true.

 

[Dug8498]

I think he means it’s 66F in the house with 200f firebox temps in the morning after an all night burn. I don’t think that’s bad at all. I like it warmer in the house after work, but that’s about how cold it is when I wake in the morning to rake coals and throw more wood on.

Good advice bholler. Learning how to use key damper on my setup allowed me to get much longer burn times and also allowed me to get a lot more heat out of my stove as so much wasn’t going right up the flue


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[Ludlow]

I think you are right. That isn't bad in that case.