Woodstock progress hybrid

[Bostonceltics151]

Okay, so, I’ve been reading up on how to “properly load” a progress hybrid. I’ve had it for about 3 years, and I usually burn it on a 12 hour schedule. I load it, to the max; I stuff it as full as I can get it. I open the air, let it burn hot (900 degrees on the stove pipe probe thermometer, 500 degrees on the stove top), before I shut the air off completely and let it do its thing (usually stays strong at 500 plus degrees for 4-5 hours before dropping) My question is, am I wasting wood (fuel), by loading it so full? I’m reading posts about others loading it 50-70% full and getting same results. When I go to reload after 12ish hours, the stove is just above 300 degrees, which is great, but am I wasting wood, when I could get the same result with less? Thanks in advance.

 

[moresnow]

Doubt it. Guessing you may get down to 300 much quicker with a 70% load. Easily proven one way or the other! Give it a shot and let us know. Beauty stove BTW.

 

[Woody Stover]

If your wood is dry, try a top-down start so you don't burn up as much wood getting the stove up to temp. With top-down, flame heat is in the top of the stove, where it's needed to get the cat/secondary area of the stove hot enough to allow re-burn to occur. If loading on coals, pull them forward to get the flame going in the front, where the heat can get to the top of the stove
FWIW, I can light off my cat at 150 stove top. 500 before closing the bypass sounds like over-kill. What does the manual say? Mine says 250 but they mighta put that in for the benefit of wet-wood folks, I don't know. The cat will glow instantly if I go 250, but I don't think that's necessary. As long as the stove top temp starts climbing somewhat quickly after you close the bypass, you are good.

 

[weatherguy]

Sounds like you're doing ok.

 

[kennyp2339]

Its all relative to stoves draft, how tight your house is, how big the heating envelope if and the type of wood your using.
When burning hard woods it takes a little longer to get the fire established vs soft woods like pine, larch, doug fir.

 

[Bostonceltics151]

Here’s my morning update. Fully loaded (to the max) at 8:30 pm, damper fully closed, cat engaged at 500 degrees, and left for the night. Now 7:30 am, pictures attached of stove temp and coals. Wondering if any other PH owners are seeing the same results with less wood? I’ll be testing more after the holiday weekend.

 

[moresnow]

That many coals would be hours more heating left to extract from my stove. Do you give it air and let it go for a few more hours now? That's a ton of coals! Wow.

 

[Woody Stover]

That many coals would be hours more heating left to extract from my stove. Do you give it air and let it go for a few more hours now? That's a ton of coals! Wow.

Yeah, should be no problem maintaining that 325 stove top for a couple or three more hours if you open up the air on 'em a bit.

 

[Woody Stover]

I open the air, let it burn hot (900 degrees on the stove pipe probe thermometer, 500 degrees on the stove top)

900 flue temp isn't excessive, but you are probably burning up a lot of your load trying to get the stove top to 500 before closing the bypass. Your manual says close it at 250 stove top, like mine does for the Keystone. But as I said, I can close the bypass with about 150 stove top, and it will take off.

 

[Bostonceltics151]

Yes, I usually open the bypass and the air just a bit in the morning for a few more hours of heat. I’m just wondering if anyone else has the same amount of coals with less wood. It seems to get a certain point and level off at 325ish for hours..

 

[fire_man]

I'm not sure where you are reading how to properly load the Progress but its not what WS recommends.

900 F on the pipe is REALLY hot! Mine would be pinging like crazy at that temperature - or is your probe sensing internal pipe temp and not surface temp? Woodstock recommends engaging the cat when a single wall pipe measures 300-350 F 10" above the flue collar or 300F stovetop measured on the flue cover plate.

I can't argue with the results you are getting but your startup temps are really high for this stove.

 

[Woody Stover]

900 F on the pipe is REALLY hot!.... your startup temps are really high for this stove.

Flue temp is a probe, he sez. I'd like to know how high it is above the stove top.
Yeah, if I try to get the stove top to 500, it'll take me forever unless I have the air really far open. I don't like to subject my stove to the temp extremes generated by a roaring fire in the box. At any rate, I'll burn up half the wood in my small firebox, trying to get to 500.
If you read the manual excerpt I posted above, you'll see that they are cutting the air to 1/2 at ten minutes. Of course, that's going to depend on draft.

 

[Bostonceltics151]

900 is on a probe thermometer, 18” above the stove (as recommended). If I engage the cat at 250 degrees I rarely get the stove to get over 500 degrees, and often have to adjust the air constantly to get the stove to continue to climb. Guess I’ll keep playing with it... I’m definitely burning better quality wood this year, so maybe it’ll work engaging the cat at 250... keeping in mind that recommendation is with perfect draft and air flowing into the fire box, which I am not working with (just ordered the OAK for the stove). Thanks for all the advice, I’ll certainly provide updates after the holiday weekend when I get home.

 

[Woody Stover]

900 is on a probe thermometer, 18” above the stove (as recommended). If I engage the cat at 250 degrees I rarely get the stove to get over 500 degrees, and often have to adjust the air constantly to get the stove to continue to climb....maybe it’ll work engaging the cat at 250... keeping in mind that recommendation is with perfect draft and air flowing into the fire box, which I am not working with

If I'm trying to light the cat when I only have like 150 stove top, I'll run some flame in the box for a while to kick the cat off, before I cut the air to the final setting. From your previous post, it sounds like you might be cutting the air to the final setting too quickly..?
What is the deal with your sub-optimal draft? Short stack, 90-degree turns in the chimney, or what?
If you open up the load door after you've burned in the new load for a while, can you hear any hissing or see any wet spots on the ends of your splits? Did you test your wood on a fresh re-split at room temp, with a moisture meter? If your wood is even a bit damp, it may be harder to get the firebox temps you need to kick off the cat. I'd think that the secondary burn would help overcome that, though..

 

[Bostonceltics151]

Nothing wrong with the stack; 25’.. it’s in a basement that’s sealed really well, hoping an OAK reduces the pressure in the basement and increases to draw up the chimney. I have a moisture meter, no issues with moisture (this year..) I usually bring in about 1/2 cord at a time and it essentially kiln dries near the stove; the driest wood I’ve burned in years..