Been burning for about a month now and have noticed the hottest area on my heritage is not anywhere on the top, but quite noticably on the side opposite the side load door. Can't monitor the temp there but most definately the hottest. Some brown discoloration noticable also on a couple of the stone panels. This side of the stove stays a lot warmer for a lot longer than anywhere else. Anyone else notice this? Why would that side of the stove be hotter than the top? I have the Condar Medallion thermometer on top of the stove and have reached 300 maybe 350 so far. Flue temp has maxxed at maybe 800 but haven't loaded her up yet. Is the brown discoloration abnormal? Thankx
where's the "hot spot" on your Heritage
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The color is normal but is not because of being "burned". It is the natural iron in the stone rusting with the rare exception that if you have a leaky and rusty chimney or a rusty casting dripping onto the stone. I have streaks and blotches of rust color on several places of the stove, adds chracter. You'll also noticing the stone getting overall darker over time.
I notice that the stove sides heat up quickly just below the baffle. The stove top is protected by a stainless steel internal heatshield and isn't in as much direct contact with the fire as the sides. After a long burn the sides aren't noticeably hotter than the top though.
Mine is cruising along at 525 right now. These stoves make a lot more mojo above 500 but don't let it get away from you. I had an outdoor fire last night with 30 some folks and neglected to keep the home fire burning. Frost this morning outside and 59 in the house allowed me to stretch the legs of the heritage.
I notice that the stove sides heat up quickly just below the baffle. The stove top is protected by a stainless steel internal heatshield and isn't in as much direct contact with the fire as the sides. After a long burn the sides aren't noticeably hotter than the top though.
Mine is cruising along at 525 right now. These stoves make a lot more mojo above 500 but don't let it get away from you. I had an outdoor fire last night with 30 some folks and neglected to keep the home fire burning. Frost this morning outside and 59 in the house allowed me to stretch the legs of the heritage.
You say "cruising at 525"? Haven't had my stovetop over 400 with temps in the low 40's. You mean flue temp?
Hee - nope he means stovetop center running at 525. HB runs softwood out a top stack, i run hardwood out a back-stack.
I think his stovetop winds up being a little hotter just due to the stove pipe next to the Rutland. (he upgraded to New Toys this yr so it's not a Rutland anymore).
I find the enameled castings around the top-exit blockoff plate get the hottest for me on the stovetop. the glass is the hottest thing anywhere. I'll find 700+ on the glass easy. Sides 500+. enamel around blockoff plate will read 100-150 hotter than the top-center-stone Rutland. I've confirmed the Rutland reading on its little spot w/ my IR thermometer. but there's definitely some nontrivial variations in temps around the stove.
I haven't had need to drive past 450 (Rutland) this year. was 70 yesterday and raining. cooler today but still able to walk downtown w/ the kids in a t-shirt. stove is just sittin' and waitin'
I think his stovetop winds up being a little hotter just due to the stove pipe next to the Rutland. (he upgraded to New Toys this yr so it's not a Rutland anymore).
I find the enameled castings around the top-exit blockoff plate get the hottest for me on the stovetop. the glass is the hottest thing anywhere. I'll find 700+ on the glass easy. Sides 500+. enamel around blockoff plate will read 100-150 hotter than the top-center-stone Rutland. I've confirmed the Rutland reading on its little spot w/ my IR thermometer. but there's definitely some nontrivial variations in temps around the stove.
I haven't had need to drive past 450 (Rutland) this year. was 70 yesterday and raining. cooler today but still able to walk downtown w/ the kids in a t-shirt. stove is just sittin' and waitin'
strawman said:
Ed's right, the stove top center stone can be heated to 525 or 550 with some effort and this is the only way to get the max output from these stoves. You don't leave the primary air shut off to do this, you load it up to the roof and run the stove with about a half inch of primary air.
I do burn softwood, doug fir which is better than pine, and have a vertical 14' stack with no damper. I have a condar flue probe meter (new this year) and a rutland stove top meter that I hope to replace with a condar inferno this Xmas. They just look better and I like the company.
Our stove's are rated to run up to 600 degrees and you're not seeing the potential of this heater if you don't push into the 500s when needed. Normal burns on normal days I set the stove to cruise at 400 or so which is done with a shut down primary air damper. This day I needed to gain 20 degrees in the house as quickly as possible so I burned it hard.
The stove is much cleaner on the inside after a run up to 550 or so. The deposits burn off quite nicely.
On edit: The pictured wood load is cottonwood (a great wood) but shows how you can load this stove when the F-around gauge goes to no F'n around.
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HB - whatcha think of my supposition that top-stack vs. rear-stack can affect the reading of that Rutland sitting in the same spot?
I don't know if it is significant. The rear outlet is obviously lower and I think inferior from a draft point of view but since heat rises I would think that the hottest gas will always sit up there against the roof. I would expect more funk to grow on the bottom of the stove top with a rear outlet since the air currents are slower. I imagine a sauna where the top bench puts your head up in the real stagnant high heat.
I wish I had a photo of the closed side door. I have some fairly significant rust streaks in the stone on the side door panel. This doug fir sure tends to leave more mess on the glass than my deciduous softwoods.
Ed, you've got to get a new photo for the avatar. I saw that you hang out on the tile forums as well.
I wish I had a photo of the closed side door. I have some fairly significant rust streaks in the stone on the side door panel. This doug fir sure tends to leave more mess on the glass than my deciduous softwoods.
Ed, you've got to get a new photo for the avatar. I saw that you hang out on the tile forums as well.
New avatar?? but this is the best thing i got to link my prettiest tile job w/ my woodstove! 
besides, i worked so dang hard to make that hearth, and wound up having to bury it after just one week. still sad about that
besides, i worked so dang hard to make that hearth, and wound up having to bury it after just one week. still sad about that
two big highlights last night w/ the Heritage:
1 - did my first successful Top-Down fire build. AWESOME. cleanest start EVER. Hardly any smoke out the chimney. i'm a convert.
2 - then drove her to about 530 (Rutland center-mount) but the handheld IR told a much different story. Had 620's in a couple hot spots. Glass over 800. that was about 3 hrs after starting from dead cold.
freakin' love this stove.
1 - did my first successful Top-Down fire build. AWESOME. cleanest start EVER. Hardly any smoke out the chimney. i'm a convert.
2 - then drove her to about 530 (Rutland center-mount) but the handheld IR told a much different story. Had 620's in a couple hot spots. Glass over 800. that was about 3 hrs after starting from dead cold.
freakin' love this stove.
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