Why am I re-loading every hour or so?

[budman]

Joe,put some 2 year cut,split and stacked wood in that fire box and
you will see a world of differance.

 

[joefrompa]

Yeah, I'm starting to think that's my main problem at this point. I'm using Ash, which is considered pretty good out of the trunk, but it's still probably 25% MC.

However, at 25% MC, I've got 3-4" thick ash splits that are going down to coals within 75 minutes OR going smothered if not.

Nonetheless, I'm going to really change the way I burn based upon a single-day of trying things differently last night.

 

[gpcollen1]

I think you need to fill the firebox more - pack it to the gills on a good coal bed. Get the secondaries going and close the air in steps until the secondaries are firing and heat is pumping. When secondaries are gone, close the air down some more. Your limiting factors are the wood you are using and the size of the box you stuff it in.

 

[tickbitty]

Joe, I have the same stove and last year I did the same thing, put in wood whenever it appeared burned down and there was a lot of space. This year I am doing it more in cycles, letting the temps drop more, down to 375 or so before I reload. There's still a lot of heat pumping and blowing out of there when it's 400 or up, even if it appears to be getting "empty." Try some cycles, let it get lower before you reload, and see if that changes things any. Also when you are at your cruising temp, you might be able to turn the air down more and get it to go a bit longer. When you have your air halfway as you say, where is that on the bar if you are looking straight down over the ashlip? You can get it down where only the spring handle is sticking out, no bar, or even go down a couple coils into the handle, and you should still be seeing pretty good heat come out for quite a while once you are up to temp.

 

[flyingpig]

Hi Joe - I don't have the 1750, but I have the declaration. From my experience & the 1750 manual, Lopi primary air control rod position is not in a linear proportion with the % of air control. For my declaration, the full movement of the rod is 2". The low burn range is full shut to 1/8" (position 0~6.25% range), medium burn 1/8"~5/8" (6.25% ~ 31.25% range), and high burn is 5/8" ~ full open (31.25% ~ 100% range). Assume that medium burn means restrict the air inlet to 50% flow, the rod position for that is only around 20% (average between 6.25 and 31.25). Those numbers are the same for 1750 too.

Just in case when you state your primary air control is @ 40% means 40% of the control rod position, you'll still be in the range of "high burn" which won't slow down the wood consumption that much. In my case, I let the stove burn until it reaches 450 ~ 500, the I fully closed the primary, and move the rod only a tad (1/8" to 1/2") to sustain the secondary burn. Give it a try.

Cheers.......Som

 

[joefrompa]

Tick - I'm almost always at only the spring sticking out and having a good burn. That's what I call "50%". At 50%, I'm getting ~1 hour until the wood is down to coals, and usually the stove top is cooling rapidly.

I use your "look straight down over the ashlip" for 3 months now, and as soon as the fire is good and stable I shut the air until I can only see coils. Then I nudge it back 1-2 coils at a time.

I've been using your method - what I'm thinking is that I need to use it faster. I.e. only coils is fine, but once the fire is established on a good coal bed shove it down to the rod and a few coils hidden right away.

Also, like you are saying, I think I need to let the heat of the coals supply me for awhile longer.

Lastly, my best results (seriously) have been with like a 3" thick ash bed and a 2" thick coal bed on top of that. Usually the firebox is half-full of ash and coals, and at that point anything I stick in there is going to secondaries VERY fast and allowing me to choke it down too.

I get the fastest cold starts on an empty firebox, but the best burns on a firebox 1/2 full of ash and coals. Who knew

Joe

 

[tickbitty]

Tick - I'm almost always at only the spring sticking out and having a good burn. That's what I call "50%". At 50%, I'm getting ~1 hour until the wood is down to coals, and usually the stove top is cooling rapidly.

I use your "look straight down over the ashlip" for 3 months now, and as soon as the fire is good and stable I shut the air until I can only see coils. Then I nudge it back 1-2 coils at a time.

I've been using your method - what I'm thinking is that I need to use it faster. I.e. only coils is fine, but once the fire is established on a good coal bed shove it down to the rod and a few coils hidden right away.

Also, like you are saying, I think I need to let the heat of the coals supply me for awhile longer.

Lastly, my best results (seriously) have been with like a 3" thick ash bed and a 2" thick coal bed on top of that. Usually the firebox is half-full of ash and coals, and at that point anything I stick in there is going to secondaries VERY fast and allowing me to choke it down too.

I get the fastest cold starts on an empty firebox, but the best burns on a firebox 1/2 full of ash and coals. Who knew

Joe

I should credit Pagey with the ashlip/coil thing though! Just wasn't sure if that was what you meant with halfway. I too get better results with a thick ash/coal bed, but sometimes it gets to be a little much if we're home all weekend lading again and again or something and it doesn't get to burn itself down a bit.