I recently installed an Osburn Stratford. It replaced a ventless LP gas log. The gas log could maintain mid-upper 70’s without an issue (this is in the main living space, kitchen and living room). I don’t know the actual BTU rating of the log, but research shows most are around 30,000 BTU’s. So far with the Stratford I have struggled to maintain low 70s, and this is only the main living area, not the entire house! The total sq footage of the house is 1900, so this should be well within what it’s capable of. The btu of the Stratford is 75,000, so it should easily be able to heat the room well into the 70s all day. I typically load it full East/West with hardwood. What the heck am I doing wrong. Burning it as hot as I’m comfortable with letting it get and it won’t go more than 2-3 hrs on a load. Also very frustrating that it won’t go anywhere near the 8 hrs of claimed burn time. Please help! No OAK installed.
Why does my fireplace suck?
- Thread starter Fisherman85
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kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Do you have a block off plate? Most people that install an insert into an existing masonry fireplace see a portion of heat getting absorbed into the masonry and going up the flue (on the outside of the chimney) by install insulation (roxel) in the smoke chamber then a sheet metal plate below that the heat doesn't rise up, it gets forced out of the fireplace by the blower. Flush mounted inserts are tougher to run without a block off plate
Next is the wood, if the wood is to wet it wont burn well and the majority of heat produced is used to dry out the other wood pieces, get a moisture meter and take a room temp split, re-split it and test, ideal wood is below 20% moisture content.
Next is the wood, if the wood is to wet it wont burn well and the majority of heat produced is used to dry out the other wood pieces, get a moisture meter and take a room temp split, re-split it and test, ideal wood is below 20% moisture content.
Btu #’s are make believe. My Lopi 1750 with a 2.2cu box rated 74000 btu. My 18000btu vent free propane heater kicked its butt. Went to a 3.4cu Osburn 2300 and issue solved. Getting honest 8 hours heat, Lopi put out heat for about 3.
Your 2.5 might be too small.
Your 2.5 might be too small.
spudman99
Feeling the Heat
Chill out and follow this thread. You will get honest and quality answers. New stoves are different beasts than gas units. I have a propane gas vent free log in my LR and a BK Princess in the FR immediately next door. LP unit puts out more heat than the BK, but at proportionally higher cost. The BK gives me steady heat for 12 hours. Vent free also creates a lot of moisture in the house as a by product of continual burning.
Let us figure out your operational routine. Wood species, moisture content. Then the stove operation. Startup; air control; air closing technique; fan speed. Insert installation is also important, insulation; liner; liner length; chimney location (exterior?), etc. We can get your fine tuned to improve your experience. And pictures greatly help in diagnosing your situation.
Let us figure out your operational routine. Wood species, moisture content. Then the stove operation. Startup; air control; air closing technique; fan speed. Insert installation is also important, insulation; liner; liner length; chimney location (exterior?), etc. We can get your fine tuned to improve your experience. And pictures greatly help in diagnosing your situation.
Ok so for wood I have a lot of ash that was dead when cut 2 years ago, and it’s been in the shed ever since. So very dry. I’ve been mixing it with red oak, walnut, and some hackberry and silver maple that I cut a year ago. I fire it good and hot to get a good char on the wood, then reduce it for a slow steady burn. I have been loading it EW, but may experiment with NS to see if I can get more in there for a longer burn.
I was running the fan on high, but it was blowing the hot air down and making the hearth pad and carpet really hot. I’ve reduced it a bit to blow the air into the room more and not onto the floor
The ash is probably ok as long as your shed is open and allowing airflow. The rest is probably to wet. How far are you shutting the air back? How tall is your chimney? Is the liner insulated? Do you have a block off plate
Once it’s burning nicely I shut it back so the reburn tubes kick in. It’s installed in the wall, not an existing chimney. 15’ of class A pipe.
Oh ok I just assumed if you were replacing gas logs it was going in a fireplace.
Again how far are you shutting back? What pipe temps are you running? What stovetop temps?
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Yep, zero clearance. Other than having to run the chimney pipe, it was almost an exact swap for the insert for the gas log.
Using a laser thermometer I have registered around 700 on the reburn tubes at the hottest. Generally 550-600. I shut it back almost all the way once the reburn tubes are going.
I will check my firewood with a moisture checker. I assumed that was all good to go, but some may not be.
Mech e
Feeling the Heat
The IR temperature gun will not work through glass. 700 is the temperature of the surface of the glass.
The one I used did seem to work through the glass. If I pointed it at the reburn tubes it said one thing, if I pointed it on the logs it said something else. It definitely seemed to be working through the glass. Just my 2¢ from using it on the fireplace.
MAD MARK
Feeling the Heat
If you're going to assume your readings are correct, we can play that game.
You are only 700 at the reburn tubes, no wonder why you cant get no heat
Now we can play real life game. IR gun doesnt read through your glass.
What should the reburn tubes be at? I am not surprised if it isn’t accurate, just saying it’s definitely not only reading the surface temp of the glass.
So what are your thoughts on the OAK? I didn’t install it with one, but it wouldn’t be hard to access and install after the fact.
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