# Regency i3100



## John Rubbo (Oct 23, 2012)

Hi All,

I'm a newbie here. Live in PA and just purchased an i3100 insert. Had a few questions about it if you would be so kind as to give me some insight 


1. when starting, i notice that i smoke up my entire house (my fiance does not like this at all). any suggestions on how to minimize this?

2. seems like when i push my draft control all the way in, the fire goes out within 10-15 min. i thought this was the setting to get sustained/efficient burns?

3. in your experience, what is the best type of wood to burn in these things? i've heard oak, cherry and maple are all good but i'm still a novice with burning.

4. the installer said i should be able to get 10-12 hr burns (the manufacterer states the same). so far im lucky if i get 3-4 hrs. maybe use a diff type of wood?

5. i do have central AC and one of my buddies suggested i could turn my AC fan on to "circulate" the  hot air. Does anyone have any experience with this? My return vent for the AC is conveniently located right above the wood stove.

I really want to prove to my fiance that this stove can be the primary source to heat our 2000 sq foot (open floor concept) home this winter...she certainly has her doubts.

Any info you guys/gals can provide would be helpful!

Thanks,

Jack


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## rideau (Oct 23, 2012)

Tell us when you cut, split and stacked your firewood, and what species of wood you are burning.  It sure sounds like you are trying to burn wood that has too high a moisture content: ie, has not had a long enough period stacked for drying. 

You don't want to minimize smoke in the house, you want to eliminate it.  You need dry wood to do this. 

Fire is probably going out because the wood is wet.

Any split firewood is fine, as long as it is dry. 

Read through the recent "VT 038 Engage Cat Fire Dies " thread.  We just went through this discussion, and there are good explanations toward the end of the thread as to what is happening and what to do.  Lots and lots of threads dealing with the need for dry wood, and what to do to mitigate a problem with too wet wood if you can't get dry (which is very hard to purchase at this time of year).

Unless you know your firewood is dry, try this:  get some ends of lumber (untreated, unpainted raw lumber), put three or four pieces in your stove ...up to 1/2 to 1 cu foot total.  Use some dry kindling, birchbark, newspaper or firestarter to get the fire started.  It should burn with no smoke into your home.  You should be able to gradually close the air down until it is 1/4 or less open with a good burn staying in the box, as long as you wait until the wood is fully burning before you start the closing prcedure. 

If all goes well, your original wood is too wet to burn this year. 

If that is the case, cover the top of your stacks and let them dry for next year.  Locate some kiln dried firewood (more expensive, but will keep you warm this winter), scrap ends from a business that uses wood (window, door, or furniture manufacturer, floor manufacturer, mill, lumberyard...), or a local individual who has some excess wood seasoned at least one year (cut, split and stacked at least one year, 2 years if oak). or buy some manufactured logs at a place like Lowe's or TSC in bulk.  Get a moisture meter.  You can burn the new wood alone, or mix it with your present wood, if the moisture content in your present wood is not too high.

First, though, burn a fire with wood that you know is dry anad see what happens.  Then post again and we can give you more advice about wood, and setting the wood in your stove for optimal burn times.


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## HatboroPaul (Oct 23, 2012)

I agree with Rideau, although I find it is possible with some hard work and due diligence to find proper wood even now, you just have to know what your looking at, and ALWAYS see it before you open your wallet, and be willing to walk away and keep looking.  Where are you at in PA?


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## begreen (Oct 23, 2012)

This definitely sounds like poorly seasoned wood. But another factor might be the chimney. How tall is the chimney? Did they install a full liner in the chimney or is the insert exhaust a short stub to just above the damper? Is this an interior or exterior chimney?


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## John Rubbo (Oct 23, 2012)

good to know. thanks Rideau! i believe what i've been burning is sycamore and poplar (im not positive though). it was cut ~2 years ago but i just split and stacked it a few months back. i just ordered a cord of seasoned wood from a local guy. was super expensive (~250 a cord) but he guarantees its seasoned and i've talked to a few other people that highly recomended him. I'll make sure its dry before i give him the cash tomorrow. Thanks hatboropaul...i live right outside philly.

@ begreen Chimney is 25ft i believe. they installed a full stainless steel "316 Ti" liner from top to bottom and cap fully installed


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## BrowningBAR (Oct 23, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> i just ordered a cord of seasoned wood from a local guy. was super expensive (~250 a cord) but he guarantees its seasoned and i've talked to a few other people that highly recomended him. I'll make sure its dry before i give him the cash tomorrow. Thanks hatboropaul...i live right outside philly.


 
Good luck. In my experience in this area, no one delivers dry wood in the end of October.


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## rideau (Oct 23, 2012)

Glad you have the wood ordered. Hope it turns out to be nice and dry. Let us know how the fire goes with the new wood.

We'd like to hear....and welcome to the Forum.


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## James02 (Oct 23, 2012)

John, do yourself a favor and take just a few hours to read through some of the pages on the site.....Many, have been doing this longer thank I'm alive (no disrespect)...Many, including myself, read and researched before we jumped....You can do it, as noted it's probably your wood....At least get the flue warm and create a draft, that'll "help" not cure your smoke issue.  There are always people willing to chime in and help...Take your girl and learn together, so when you're not home she can tend to the stove....Good luck, and welcome!


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## TTigano (Oct 23, 2012)

John, where are you located?  I have a Hampton HI300 which is the cast iron model of what you have.  I really like the stove and installed it last year.  I also had problems with burn times and the fire going out if closing the air intake too much.  It all came down to the fact that my wood was too wet.  Plain and simple... I tested this theory by buying a few bundles of "biobricks" from Tractor Supply.  The stove would heat up so much more and burn so much better than with the unseasoned wood.  Also, I will have to disagree that you will be buying "seasoned wood".  I also have talked to people who recommend certain wood suppliers and the wood burns well for them due to the fact that they have an ancient stove that isn't as air tight as these new EPA stoves.  When starting the fire for the first time you need to use a good amount of dry kindling and get a small HOT fire started and slowly build it up.  Once you have a good bed of hot embers you can load the stove up and leave the door cracked a hair with the air intake wide open, this will create a billow effect and will get the stove fired up.  Leave the door open for a few minutes (About 5) and then close it.  Let the fire build and slowly close the air intake a little at a time.  You should be able to get some good burn times out of a fully packed stove.  Granted your wood is dry enough.  Grab a moisture meter and let us know what it reads on your current wood.


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## John Rubbo (Oct 23, 2012)

TTigano, Thanks for the reply....I am located right outside of Philly. So should I just buy a cheap moisture meter from Home depot or Lowes? and what would be an acceptable moisture content to say wood is properly seasoned?


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## TTigano (Oct 24, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> TTigano, Thanks for the reply....I am located right outside of Philly. So should I just buy a cheap moisture meter from Home depot or Lowes? and what would be an acceptable moisture content to say wood is properly seasoned?


 Yes, a moisture meter from Home Depot or Lowes will work fine.  The wood should have a moisture content of 20% or less give or take.  Also, when you look at the wood, you can tell by picking it up and knocking it together... It shouldnt thud when properly seasoned, it should almost make a "knock" and sound hollow.  Color and cracks on the ends of each split also are an indicator of seasoned wood... I found all this out last year when I kept buying a cord here and a cord there from so called "seasoned firewood sellers".  Not one cord was seasoned... So I've had about 6 cord sitting in my backyard stacked in single rows approx 4 feet high to expidite the seasoning process.


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## firefighterjake (Oct 24, 2012)

Random thoughts . . .

Ut oh . . . trying to get us in trouble by proving a point with the fiance . . .   Actually, I believe you will be right in the end . . . providing the wood is good, you learn how to run the stove correctly and the set up is good . . . and don't worry. . . you keep posting and we'll get you over the hump so that you'll be burning like a pro in no time.

Is it chilly in here or is it just me? Air Conditioning to move the heat . . . most folks who have tried this say it doesn't work all that well although some folks have had some success. Oftentimes insert users report that using their insert blowers and a fan (regular box fan or desk top fan) pointed towards the room with the stove works well in moving the heat as it establishes a natural current of air -- heated air rises to the ceiling and cool air is at the floor level . . . the fan pushes the cooler air towards the stove where it is heated up and rises and then it naturally moves out at the ceiling level to the spots vacated by the cooler air.

The Smoke gets in your eyes . . . Problems with smoke at start up . . . as noted this could be unseasoned wood . . . which you can check with a moisture meter or you can simply look inside and see water bubbling and hissing out of the ends of the wood . . . this is bad. The problem may also be a draft issue with too short of a chimney, the bathroom vent, kitchen vent, dryer, etc. is in use or the temp difference outside and inside may be too close and you may have a reversed stack condition which is when the outside air is moving down the chimney into the home instead of through the stove and up the chimney and outside. This time of year many of us have problems with reversed stack conditions when the temp outside is very close to the temp inside. You can easily tell if your draft is an issue if you light some incense or a match and then hold it near the open door to your insert . .. if the smoke is whisked inside and up the chimney typically the draft is good . . . if the smoke lingers or goes back at you . ..  you need to reverse the condition or risk having the inside of your home smell like the inside of a chimney. Sometimes you can fix this problem by just opening a nearby window a crack . . . othertimes you may have to resort to using a hair dryer, propane torch or candle in the firebox to get a draft established.

The figures lie . . Burn time. Ah, the big question about "burn time." Almost all of us have fallen for this one as newbies. We buy a stove and love the long "burn time" figures listed in the brochures and on line . . . the problem is none of us ever think to ask what the definition of "burn time" is . . . and it turns out that even here we all don't have a universal definition of what burn time is. Is it the time from when you light that match to when the final coal turns cold? Is it the time from when you get X degrees of heat from the stove until the time when the stove no longer produces X degrees of heat? Is it the time from when you see flames to the time when there are no more visible flames? I know I pictured the burn time as the time from when the fire was blazing to when the last flame burned out . . . and I can tell you now that this isn't Jotul's definition of burn time. Many folks here I would guess might say burn time is the time from when you reload or start the stove to the time when you still have enough coals to easily ignite the next load by simply putting some small splits or kindling on the coals . . . but again . . . even we disagree on what is the exact definition.

Wait for it . . . wait for it . . . When to start closing the air control. You are correct that the key to longer burn times and more heat is shutting down the air control . . . although sometimes you cannot shut these down all the way -- a lot depends on the temps in the firebox, how well seasoned the wood is, the draft, etc. Many folks can shut things down to a quarter mark . . . some folks can go more, others less . . . again it's dependent on a lot of factors. What is true however is that on a cold start fire usually you cannot shut things down in only 10 minutes without the fire dying . . . instead what many of us do is get the fire going and then at a set temp start to slowly close down the air control . . . a quarter mark at a time . . . the fire may die down a bit, but if it recovers and then starts burning pretty strongly after 5 minutes or so . . . turn it down another quarter mark . . . and then let it recover again . . . in this way you may be able to close down the air control most of the way without the fire dying a quick death.

All wood is good . . . just some is better than others at particular times for particular purposes. Oak is a fantastic wood for overnight fires -- but it needs to be seasoned for a long time . . . and by seasoned many of us would say cut, split and stacked for two or more years. Cherry seasons relatively well . . . give it a year and you should be good to go. Maple . . . hard to tell . . . sugar maple is right up there with BTUS . . . silver maple is not so great.The truth of the matter is that you can burn just about any species of wood in a stove . . . as long as it is seasoned . . . don't try petrified wood though -- initial reports indicate that it does not burn so well. The thing to bear in mind is that pine can be burned . . . but it tends to burn up quickly and you will have to reload sooner than if you go with something like cherry, ash, etc.

Final thought . . . welcome to hearth.com.


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## m1garand (Oct 24, 2012)

I am a brand new burner, I have only run three or so fires in my used i3100. When I went to start my first one, I got a decent amount of smoke in the house. I had a window open in the bathroom that was causing a reverse draft . When I close the windows the thing fires right up  I cannot wait until it gets cold.


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## velvetfoot (Oct 24, 2012)

I also have a Hampton hi300 which is the sister unit to your Regency.

1.  If the stove is cold and especially is cold air can be felt coming down the flue, I crack open a closeby window and get the draft going in the right direction with some newspaper.

2.  I have also found that you can throttle this stove way down - more so than my previous insert.  I would keep it out about 1/2" or so on low with the fan on.

3.  Dry wood is good.

4.  Did you pack the stove well?  The splits can be put in front to back, and you don't have to worry about them falling out?  At this time of year in PA, you should get some good heat for a while.

5.  Can't help

Even with some fans, I think my wife will still be turning on the heat upstairs.  Hopefully not as much as with the previous smaller insert.  I think it will be warmer downstairs and upstairs, but will probably induce more napping time downstairs while watching TV.


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## corey21 (Oct 24, 2012)

Welcome.

Your problem sounds like bad wood these EPA stove need seasoned wood to burn hot and efficient.

I suggest if possible that you try and get ahead on your wood for next winter and beyond.


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## jophysx (Oct 24, 2012)

I also have the Hampton HI-300. 
My definition of burn time is time between reloads where I don't have to nurse the fire back - just toss on a couple more splits and off she goes.  With practice you will be able to get 8 hr burn times out of your Regency without much difficulty.  I have reached 12hr burn times on occasion.  Note that 8-12hr burn times happen when you are reloading into an already warmed up stove.  You won't get 8hr burns on a cold start. 

To get the best burn times you need to really load the stove to the gills.  And you have to run it hot to get it off to a good start.  Build up to it as you get accustomed to how the stove runs.  You don't want to pack it full when you have a big bed of coals or you run the risk of overfiring.

1. Use dry wood.
2. Pack the stove using large splits, with the largest in the rear.
3. Load E/W
4. After you get up to a good, hot operating temperature with secondaries firing, slowly close the air down to within 1/2" of fully closed (close it all the way if you can do so without killing the fire - depends on your wood and your draft)


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## John Rubbo (Oct 28, 2012)

ok so when i light newspaper and DRY kindling wood i still get smoke inside my house. so maybe its not the wood after all?.... i checked the specs on the chimney and its 20 ft. any thoughts? it was about 55 degrees outside today and the house temp was around 65. should i try cracking a window in that room?


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## John Rubbo (Oct 28, 2012)

sorry chimney is 25 ft (not 20 ft)


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## velvetfoot (Oct 28, 2012)

Yes.  Until the draft starts going in the right direction.


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## John Rubbo (Oct 28, 2012)

ok so the window open in that room did not work...any other ideas? I'm at a loss here. if my living room gets smokey (and ash from the newpaper) every time i start a fire my fiance is gonna be pretty pissed. please help!


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## salmonhunter (Oct 28, 2012)

I have the regency i1200 smaller version of yours and in my manual it says to only turn the air down 1/2 when you have the fan running I think it has to do with keeping the firebox hot enough. I had the same thing happening to me when I first got my insert I would cut back the air too much and the fire would pretty much go out. So my new technique is to get the fire going with kindling 5-7 mins later add a few  splitts and then after 5-10 mins or so cut the air back too 3/4 then 5-10 mins later put the air to 1/2 and leave it there until a reload. when reloading if there is lots of coals I open the air and throw in more splits shut the door and after 5 mins cut the air back to 1/2. All of this may not be the perfect way of doing it as this is my first year burning but it seems to be working for me so far.


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## salmonhunter (Oct 28, 2012)

I heard of people using a torch inside there stove to get the chimey warmed up and the air flowing the right way. But I just use 3 sheets of newspaper and a bunch of split up pallet wood. light the paper in a bunch of different spots and close the door with the air open. seems to work and not much smoke comes back in the room. Hopefully some of the more experienced people will chime in


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## John Rubbo (Oct 28, 2012)

do you fully close the door? or just leave a crack to allow some air?


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## TTigano (Oct 28, 2012)

I have a question.  Is your chimney lined?  That would make a huge difference.  I have never had a problem starting the stove and getting smoke.


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## John Rubbo (Oct 29, 2012)

it is lined. full stainless steel "316 Ti" liner from top to bottom and cap


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## burnt03 (Oct 29, 2012)

Maybe try a top down start with the door closed and the air control wide open?  I did that when it was a bit warmer here and it kick started the fire pretty good...

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...own-method-and-other-tips.92574/#post-1214681


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## TTigano (Oct 29, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> it is lined. full stainless steel "316 Ti" liner from top to bottom and cap


Also, make sure you don't have a negative pressure being created b a dryer or something.  Sometimes I crack the door of the stove for the "billow" effect.


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## John Rubbo (Oct 29, 2012)

awesome. thanks gang! i will try the top down method tomorrow. now with the top-down method after i  light the newspaper, do i fully shut the door and "lock" it or do i leave a crack so some air can get in there?


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## John Rubbo (Oct 29, 2012)

so the top down method did start the fire without any problem. the problem i am having now is that i still get smoke entering my living room when i try to add more logs (almost an hour later). had my dad stope over...he has owned a wood stove for 15+ years and he said this is definitely not normal. any other ideas? im going to call the installer in a few days if i cant figure this out...kinda frustrated.


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## begreen (Oct 29, 2012)

It's possible something was not done correctly at installation. Was this a self install or a dealer install? The most obvious thing to check is the baffle. Both sides should be all the way to the back of the stove with the left side baffle inserted first then the right, with their ship lock joints overlapping. Also, did the 3d secondary air tube get installed?

If that all is done correctly then I would inspect the liner, especially going through the damper. If it is ovalized too much it may draw poorly.

Note that when you want to open up the stove door to reload, open the air up all the way first. Wait about 5 seconds, then slowly open the door.


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## rideau (Oct 29, 2012)

So,in the weather today are you still experiencing smoke?  You have almost no difference between inside and outside temps on the day you posted.  You can use a hair dryer directed toward the flue to warm the flue = no smoke.  Once the flue is warm, even with the small temp differential you'll get a  decent draft.  Load the the fire the way you want it for when you first light it, warm the flue with the hair dryer, light a match under the flue and see if the flame is drawn toward the flue.  If it is, you shouildn't have any smoke leakage.  All this time, air is completely open and , if you have a cat, cat is in bypass mode (not engaged).  Once you have positive draft, start your fire. 

You can get some long fireplace matches, and always check your draft prior to lighting the Regency, until you find temps are such that your testing shows consistently that you have a good draft.  then just light the stove, unless you run into a problem with smoke again.  Really think you'll be OK without warming the flue once temps are colder.  If not, the hair dryer is a simple smokefree solution and should work.

Good luck.


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## velvetfoot (Oct 29, 2012)

salmonhunter said:


> I have the regency i1200 smaller version of yours and in my manual it says to only turn the air down 1/2 when you have the fan running I think it has to do with keeping the firebox hot enough. I had the same thing happening to me when I first got my insert I would cut back the air too much and the fire would pretty much go out. So my new technique is to get the fire going with kindling 5-7 mins later add a few  splitts and then after 5-10 mins or so cut the air back too 3/4 then 5-10 mins later put the air to 1/2 and leave it there until a reload. when reloading if there is lots of coals I open the air and throw in more splits shut the door and after 5 mins cut the air back to 1/2. All of this may not be the perfect way of doing it as this is my first year burning but it seems to be working for me so far.



HELLO!!  I think the manual talks about 1/2" not 1/2.


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## velvetfoot (Oct 29, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> do you fully close the door? or just leave a crack to allow some air?


I leave it open a crack to start, use a fire starter square, put some newspaper in, and crack open a window when the draft is going in the wrong direction.


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## burnt03 (Oct 29, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> so the top down method did start the fire without any problem. the problem i am having now is that i still get smoke entering my living room when i try to add more logs (almost an hour later). had my dad stope over...he has owned a wood stove for 15+ years and he said this is definitely not normal. any other ideas? im going to call the installer in a few days if i cant figure this out...kinda frustrated.


 
I'm finding the same problem with mine lately, will get a little bit of smoke finding it's way into the house.  I find if I let the entire load burn down to coals so it's not actually flaming anymore, I don't have that problem anymore.  From what I've read, I guess you're supposed to load in batches (not add a few logs every hour or two). 

I "think" it'll improve as it gets colder.


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## TTigano (Oct 29, 2012)

Just for giggles, fired up the stove...I must be lucky because I'm able to light the kindling and immediately shut the door.  I left the door open also had no smoke in the house.. like mentioned above, are your baffles properly installed?  What are you using to actually start the fire?  You want to use very dry and small kindling first with two medium sized splits about 4" apart making a tunnel.  I think people here refer it as the love tunnel.  Post a couple of pictures since we can help you out.


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## John Rubbo (Oct 29, 2012)

i am using "fire starters"....they almost look like small pieces of hardwood flooring. i have been putting alot of newspaper under them.
i checked the baffle this morning and it looks fine (overlaps in the center). how do i check for the 3d air tube?
called the installer this morning and he said after the storm later this week he would stop over to check it out...


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## salmonhunter (Oct 29, 2012)

velvetfoot said:


> HELLO!! I think the manual talks about 1/2" not 1/2.


 
I just went and read the manual because of your post and your right it is 1/2" from fully closed. Looks like I should be closing the air down more then I have been. Looking forward to my next fire tonight to see what the difference is gonna be. thanks velvetfoot


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## John Rubbo (Oct 29, 2012)

something is defnitely off here. i just opened the door to red hot coals and smoke came out of the front of the stove.


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## begreen (Oct 29, 2012)

What are your outdoor temps? Did you open up the air control first, then wait 5-10 seconds and open the door slowly?


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## John Rubbo (Oct 29, 2012)

temp is ~ 55 today. air control is open. i'll try opening the door more slowly with my next load of wood.


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## etiger2007 (Oct 29, 2012)

i dont like the fact you got smoke spillage with coals, for giggles i just opened my door quickley with the blower off and air wide open and i didnt get smoke in the house. good luck ,  check your manual for burn tube placement,  i have three tubes and they have different size holes in them,  this requires the tubes to be placed ina certain way,   just a suggestion


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## begreen (Oct 29, 2012)

Everybody's setup is different. It sounds like John's draft is slightly marginal today. A ten degree drop in outside temps can make a big difference in draft improvement.

When you checked the baffle, was is pushed all the way to the back of the stove? Also, did you check the insulation blanket on top of the baffle? That must not bunch up at the back of the baffle or it will block draft. It needs to lay flat. There should be a few pieces of flat stock on top of it to be sure it lays flat.

Edit: no blanket on the 3100.


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## Woody Stover (Oct 29, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> something is defnitely off here. i just opened the door to red hot coals and smoke came out of the front of the stove.


Is the smoke coming off the door itself? If your wood isn't quite dry, some creosote can stick to the walls and door of the stove, then start burning off later as the fire gets hotter. In this case, I've seen smoke rising from the inside of the door when it is opened.


John Rubbo said:


> temp is ~ 55 today. air control is open. i'll try opening the door more slowly with my next load of wood.


From what you are saying, it sounds like weakened draft due to high temps outside may be exacerbating the issue. What you might do is open the door slightly for a few seconds. If you see smoke in the box, give it several more seconds to clear out. Closing the primary air should also pull a little more air in through the door.
With 25' of stack, though, you should be getting good draft...
Hang in there, you'll overcome this temporary setback. Soon your house will be smoke-free and you can concentrate on getting it so warm that she starts peeling off clothing.


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## John Rubbo (Oct 29, 2012)

yea just checked baffle again. everything looks good (goes all the way to back and insulation looks good). smoke seems to defnitely be coming from the fire (not the door). this wood is well seasoned..15% moisture content. i am hoping the installer can come later this week
@minister of fire...LOL. thanks I'm looking forward to that


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## John Rubbo (Oct 29, 2012)

ps turning on my AC "fan" does work....i am finding that the rest of the house is about 3 degrees cooler than the room with the stove...not bad at all!


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## burnt03 (Oct 29, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> ps turning on my AC "fan" does work....i am finding that the rest of the house is about 3 degrees cooler than the room with the stove...not bad at all!


 
That's good to know, I think I'll give that a try on my next burn too!


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## TTigano (Oct 30, 2012)

what "insulation" blanket are you guys talking about?  I have the cast iron version of this stove and above my baffles is nothing like a "blanket".


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## velvetfoot (Oct 30, 2012)

no blanket here either.


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## begreen (Oct 30, 2012)

Thanks for pointing that out, my bad. Regency combines the 3100 manual with the 2100 manual. I scrolled down to the schematic diagram too far and went to the 2100 instead of the 3100 on the page before. The 2100 is the insert with the insulation blanket. Prior posting corrected.


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## John Rubbo (Oct 30, 2012)

yea sorry. def not a blanket here. i thought by insulation you meant the bricks on the sides of the stove. so i have been loading today E/W (before i was doing kind of a diagonal stack) and thing is kicking some major heat. question though....do u guys let it go down to hot coals before adding another load?

ps. WAY less smoke inside today with the weather in the upper 40's. hopefully this trend continues!


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## etiger2007 (Oct 30, 2012)

I tend to reload when the temps get just under 300 degrees stove top temp.  Reloading a hot stove can be tough to control as far as keeping temps at a safe range.


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## John Rubbo (Oct 30, 2012)

awesome thanks! any info on where one can find a thermometer for a wood stove? also where is the best part of the stove to attach it?


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## etiger2007 (Oct 30, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> awesome thanks! any info on where one can find a thermometer for a wood stove? also where is the best part of the stove to attach it?


 
Check your owners manual, they may reference this there. I have mine directley on my stove top. My old insert I could not put it on top so i chose to put it in the upper left corner above the door. This Condar Madallion magenetic temp gauage seems to be pretty accurate, its within 30 degrees of my Infrared gun. I bought this one at Northline Express.com. but im sure TSC or your local big box store will have one.


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## TTigano (Oct 31, 2012)

You can get the stovetop thermometer at a hardware store or at tractor supply.  Look for a "Rutland" brand.  They seem to be pretty accurate and well made.  They are magnetic.  You will need to place the thermometer "on top"  of the stove.  Place it inside the small area where the air blows out of from the fans directly above the door.  You can slide it in there a bit having the two tabs facing outward towards you.  You will not be able to read the numbers due to where the thermometer is but you will get a general idea by being able to see where the needle is in comparison to the two tabs.  In between the tabs is ideal.


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## John Rubbo (Nov 2, 2012)

ok so i picked up a few moisture meters. one is from harbor freight (with pins) and i borrowed the other one from ebay (pinless ryobi). wanted to have 2 sets of eyes on the wood. question about the pinned one...how far do the pins have to go inside the wood? am i pushing this thing in the wood as far as i can or just giving it a little prick or pinch?


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## TTigano (Nov 2, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> ok so i picked up a few moisture meters. one is from harbor freight (with pins) and i borrowed the other one from ebay (pinless ryobi). wanted to have 2 sets of eyes on the wood. question about the pinned one...how far do the pins have to go inside the wood? am i pushing this thing in the wood as far as i can or just giving it a little prick or pinch?


 
I push mine in as far as I can... which usually isn't too much.


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## Puffins (Nov 2, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> ok so i picked up a few moisture meters. one is from harbor freight (with pins) and i borrowed the other one from ebay (pinless ryobi). wanted to have 2 sets of eyes on the wood. question about the pinned one...how far do the pins have to go inside the wood? am i pushing this thing in the wood as far as i can or just giving it a little prick or pinch?



I use a drill with the smallest bit I have and insert the pins in the holes.


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## John Rubbo (Nov 6, 2012)

so waiting for the thermometer in the mail...in the mean time was wondering if anyone ever has any trouble with wood lighting when you are adding to HOT coals (some of the coals still have a flame coming off them). i am finding that i have to leave the door cracked for the wood to light. its mostly cherry, maple, oak and hickory wood. all of it is very seasoned. ~12-15% moisture content. i have the installer coming again on saturday as well because it seems like something still isn't right here.


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## nellraq (Nov 7, 2012)

Puffins said:


> I use a drill with the smallest bit I have and insert the pins in the holes.


The most accurate way of checking moisture content it to re-split an average sized split ... then take your reading on the freshly split 'face' of the wood. No need to push the pins in - just rest them on the wood surface and apply light pressure


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## etiger2007 (Nov 7, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> so waiting for the thermometer in the mail...in the mean time was wondering if anyone ever has any trouble with wood lighting when you are adding to HOT coals (some of the coals still have a flame coming off them). i am finding that i have to leave the door cracked for the wood to light. its mostly cherry, maple, oak and hickory wood. all of it is very seasoned. ~12-15% moisture content. i have the installer coming again on saturday as well because it seems like something still isn't right here.


 
Im finding with my new insert if I have that sucker packed full a cracked door for a few minutes helps things out, once going she cruises. If its four splits or less the door dosent need to be cracked. ( in my case)


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## HatboroPaul (Nov 7, 2012)

etiger2007 said:


> Im finding with my new insert if I have that sucker packed full a cracked door for a few minutes helps things out, once going she cruises. If its four splits or less the door dosent need to be cracked. ( in my case)


 
Couldnt agree more Ed, I really have to start getting it packed for the night 1\2 hr. earlier, I find myself needing to hang out a bit with the door cracked making sure its going good before I can turn in.


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## David Tackett (Nov 7, 2012)

Don't lite the fire and then leave the door wide open.  If you put paper in it and lite it and then only leave the door cracked this should heat up the flue and get the draft going and not let smoke into the house.


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## John Rubbo (Nov 7, 2012)

so u are leaving the door cracked for ~30 min?


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## HatboroPaul (Nov 7, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> so u are leaving the door cracked for ~30 min?


 
No, just  5 or 10 minutes.  I just watch in for a bit after that to make sure its burning good and doesnt start to smolder before I turn the air down.  I am told every stove is different, so this has just been my experience with mine.  Im basically just talking about when I load it full, because I dont want all that wood packed tight to smother it.


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## etiger2007 (Nov 7, 2012)

HatboroPaul said:


> No, just 5 or 10 minutes. I just watch in for a bit after that to make sure its burning good and doesnt start to smolder before I turn the air down. I am told every stove is different, so this has just been my experience with mine. Im basically just talking about when I load it full, because I dont want all that wood packed tight to smother it.


 
It sounds like we have the same routine, I'll load it for the night make sure its not going to get out of hand then off to bed I go. If I didnt do it that way I would get up every five mintues because my thoughts would get the best of me .


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## John Rubbo (Nov 7, 2012)

yea i just threw a piece of cherry in and 2 pieces of hickory on a HOT fire at 11.30am. after 15 min with door cracked  its still not full blast. something just isnt right. hopefully they can fix this when they come out here on saturday


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## John Rubbo (Nov 8, 2012)

will the fan on "high" setting burn through the wood faster? or is the wood burning time just a product of the air control alone?


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## John Rubbo (Nov 15, 2012)

when the air control is pressed in should there barely be a visible flame? i've been burning alot less wood in the past week. i think i'm starting to figure this sucker out.....


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## velvetfoot (Nov 15, 2012)

Yes, I would say, most times.  Sometimes, when things are going real well, I put it all the way in even with the fan on.  Most times so far I've kept it between 1/4 and 1/2 inch out. I like that it's controllable.


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## John Rubbo (Nov 15, 2012)

awesome. thank you. one thing i am still struggling with is overnight burns.i usually use about 4-5 nice size logs (cherry, hickory, oak)... after 7-8 hours (fan on low and air control in about 3/4 of the way), the ashes arent really hot so i need to start a fire from scratch again. i am loading E/W. anyone have some advice on what i can do better to get the 8-12 hours the manufacturer suggests?


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## DAKSY (Nov 15, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> will the fan on "high" setting burn through the wood faster? or is the wood burning time just a product of the air control alone?


 
The blower only moves convection air around the OUTSIDE of the firebox. It has nothing to do with the combustion air INSIDE the firebox.


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## DAKSY (Nov 15, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> awesome. thank you. one thing i am still struggling with is overnight burns.i usually use about 4-5 nice size logs (cherry, hickory, oak)... after 7-8 hours (fan on low and air control in about 3/4 of the way), the ashes arent really hot so i need to start a fire from scratch again. i am loading E/W. anyone have some advice on what i can do better to get the 8-12 hours the manufacturer suggests?


 
I doubt you will EVER get that long a burn. I burned that unit for 4 - 5 winters up here in NY & put 4 - 5 cords of mixed hardwoods thru it each winter. I loaded it up every nite at about 11PM & at 5:30AM when I got up it was ready to be reloaded. Coals were still glowing & the blower would still be operating, so that meant the firebox hadn't cooled down all that much..Rake the coals to the front & load the wood in the back. Open the Air ALL the way...15 minutes & she's blazing...NO need to leave the door cracked EVER...BTW, I figured 8 hours MAX with a full firebox, so three loads of wood per day...


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## Sprinter (Nov 15, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> so u are leaving the door cracked for ~30 min?


Be sure to use a timer. For the first 30 minutes or so, you will either have the door cracked or the air full up. Many here, including me, can tell stories about how easy it is to get distracted during this period. Personally, I only keep the the door open for a few minutes, but it depends on the size of wood splits.


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## burnt03 (Nov 15, 2012)

velvetfoot said:


> Yes, I would say, most times. Sometimes, when things are going real well, I put it all the way in even with the fan on. Most times so far I've kept it between 1/4 and 1/2 inch out. I like that it's controllable.


 
When you've got the air down that low and there's "barely a visible flame" like John noted, is the chimney smoking at all?


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## velvetfoot (Nov 15, 2012)

I didn't say there was a barely visible flame.  I would close the air about more than 3/4 of the way for an overnight burn.  More like a quarter inch out.


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## burnt03 (Nov 15, 2012)

velvetfoot said:


> I didn't say there was a barely visible flame. I would close the air about more than 3/4 of the way for an overnight burn. More like a quarter inch out.


 
Sorry velvet, I thought your last post was an answer to John's post (#68).  So when you close down for an overnight burn, do you have much for flame?


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## velvetfoot (Nov 16, 2012)

Well, if I put a lot of wood in there, there's more flame, naturally, even at the same air opening of 1/4".  But, if it's burning real well, and I feel like it, I'll put it all the way in.  That goes for in the morning when I leave for work too-generally 1/4" out and fan on low.  I ramp down the air gradually (within time constraints) without losing the flames.

Something else happened this morning related to the door's designed max opening of 90 degrees, which caused me to write a note to myself.  Self:  when reloading, don't burn forehead on open door.


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## John Rubbo (Nov 16, 2012)

i tried raking the coals to the front of the fire this morning. threw 2 small logs in the back. they did not light. are u guys using fire starters to light up fires the next day? how do the logs light up otherwise if they arent in contact with any of the coals?


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## DAKSY (Nov 16, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> i tried raking the coals to the front of the fire this morning. threw 2 small logs in the back. they did not light. are u guys using fire starters to light up fires the next day? how do the logs light up otherwise if they arent in contact with any of the coals?


 
You want the combustion air from the doghouse to blow across/through the coals onto the wood. That heated air will ignite you new load...  What size splits are you putting in there, John?


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## velvetfoot (Nov 16, 2012)

You raked the coals to the front and threw the splits in the back?  Shouldn't they be on top of the coals?  I just poke the coal bed a little and level it out with the poker.  I also have some splitter scrap that I put in trash cans that I've put on top of the coals for kindling.  The stove seems to produce a pretty even bed.


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## velvetfoot (Nov 16, 2012)

When things go cold I use these:


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## DAKSY (Nov 16, 2012)

velvetfoot said:


> You raked the coals to the front and threw the splits in the back? Shouldn't they be on top of the coals? I just poke the coal bed a little and level it out with the poker. I also have some splitter scrap that I put in trash cans that I've put on top of the coals for kindling. The stove seems to produce a pretty even bed.


 
The splits don't need to be on the coals. The heated air will ignite them fine. They do need to be small in order to get them started, if there's nothing left but coals.


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## velvetfoot (Nov 16, 2012)

I put them on the coals.


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## John Rubbo (Nov 16, 2012)

i use the same  rutland fire starters, velvetfoot...are you using kindling with them? then addding logs after its hot enough? i am still having some issues starting her up in the morning........ Daksy, the splits i usually place in there are ~ 18 inches long and no more than 3-4 inches in diameter...smaller splits than what i would normally throw in a blazing fire.


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## etiger2007 (Nov 16, 2012)

velvetfoot said:


> When things go cold I use these:


Me to


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## etiger2007 (Nov 16, 2012)

Now I need to know if Im doing this wrong, when I reload I rack the coals to the front of the stove the back of the fire box is just brick.  I load from the back to the front, usually two splits in the back ( bigger ones one on top of the other) two on the coals and what ever else I can fit on top of those. The fire obviously starts with the wood on the coals and the ones in the back I thought where catching fire later in the burn thus giving me a longer burn time.  Im reading to rake the coals forward and only load the back.  Any suggestions.


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## velvetfoot (Nov 16, 2012)

I don't need kindling with the fire starters, but I have about 3 cans of the kindling stuff left that I want to burn up.

For example, yesterday, my wife was gone all day and things were a little cold when I got home.   I poked and leveled the ash/coal bed, put some of the splitter junk down, put some splits in (front to back),  put one of the little fire starter squares under the wood by the doghouse hole, totally opened the air control rod, turned off the fan, lit the square, closed the door to a crack, did some stuff in the kitchen while keeping an eye on things, closed door when things got started, turned on the fan manually, progressively shut down air control (not letting flames die out) until control rod was 1/4" out.  At some point, I turn on the fan to low and  'auto' so it turns itself off, if it ever gets that cold (in retrospect, I don't think it got that cold).  

In the depth of winter, I'm sure things will be different.  Maybe keep the rod out a little more, and put fan on high.

I'm no expert;  that's just what I do, for now anyway.


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## Fod01 (Nov 16, 2012)

etiger2007 said:


> Now I need to know if Im doing this wrong, when I reload I rack the coals to the front of the stove the back of the fire box is just brick. I load from the back to the front, usually two splits in the back ( bigger ones one on top of the other) two on the coals and what ever else I can fit on top of those. The fire obviously starts with the wood on the coals and the ones in the back I thought where catching fire later in the burn thus giving me a longer burn time. Im reading to rake the coals forward and only load the back. Any suggestions.


 
Sounds to me like you nailed the reload.  I do the same.  Full air on the coals for a minute or so if they need to wake up a bit, then reload.  Sometimes a stick of kindling on the coals to ensure a quick light.

Gabe


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## velvetfoot (Nov 16, 2012)

etiger2007 said:


> Now I need to know if Im doing this wrong, when I reload I rack the coals to the front of the stove the back of the fire box is just brick.  I load from the back to the front, usually two splits in the back ( bigger ones one on top of the other) two on the coals and what ever else I can fit on top of those. The fire obviously starts with the wood on the coals and the ones in the back I thought where catching fire later in the burn thus giving me a longer burn time.  Im reading to rake the coals forward and only load the back.  Any suggestions.



Maybe this time of year?  I mean, you have to stuff it full of wood when it gets cold, no?    
PS:  I really loading front to back, ie, north-south.


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## John Rubbo (Nov 18, 2012)

is there an "ideal" moisture level with wood? I've heard anything less than 20% is fine but will say 10% burn better? most of my wood is between 12-18% according to my moisture meter.....


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## mfglickman (Nov 18, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> is there an "ideal" moisture level with wood? I've heard anything less than 20% is fine but will say 10% burn better? most of my wood is between 12-18% according to my moisture meter.....


 
Did you do a fresh split and get 12-18% on the interior? If so that's nice wood. 



> i tried raking the coals to the front of the fire this morning. threw 2 small logs in the back. they did not light. are u guys using fire starters to light up fires the next day? how do the logs light up otherwise if they arent in contact with any of the coals?


 
This happened to me all the time last year with sub-prime wood. This year with good coals it starts right up - with small coals I toss some kindling or a couple of small splits onto the coals, leaving the bigger stuff in the back to burn slower.


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## John Rubbo (Nov 19, 2012)

i purchased this wood about a month ago. seems like good wood. i test every piece but it seems even with some pieces reading 15%, they will "fizz" a little when i place them i the fire.


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## mfglickman (Nov 19, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> i purchased this wood about a month ago. seems like good wood. i test every piece but it seems even with some pieces reading 15%, they will "fizz" a little when i place them i the fire.


 
Not to harp on it but do you split it and test it? Or are you just testing the already split edges?


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## John Rubbo (Nov 19, 2012)

i am testing the already split edges....should i try splitting some pieces smaller and testing that way?


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 19, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> i am testing the already split edges....should i try splitting some pieces smaller and testing that way?


Yes.


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## KB007 (Nov 20, 2012)

We have had an I3100 for a couple of years now and really like it. 

First off just to clarify a little, the I3100 and HI300 are a little different, the I3100 has a 2.9cuft firebox, the HI300 is 2.3.  That 1/2 cuft makes a big difference in this case (our Nap stove has 2.25 cuft and can't come close to the perf of the I3100.)

1. For starting we now use the Pine Mountain starter "log" firestarters.  They're kind of a brick thing.  We break one in half, throw a couple of splits on the bottom, the 1/2 brick and a couple of splits over top of the brick.  Open the air full, close the door tight and 1/2 later, fire is going well.  This is the only way my wife will start a cold fire.  No smoke, no fuss.  Have you checked your door seal and gasket?  Try the dollar bill test to make sure you don't have a little seapage into the room.  Also as someone else mentioned, make sure you have no stove or bathroom fans running when you're starting a new fire, this will draw smoke back into the room in most cases.  Plus there's no dinking around with an open door (dangerous) or fussing with it.  Those starter logs come in boxes of 24, so using 1/2 at a time gives us 48 cold starts, usually way more then we need in a season.  Last year we started once in Dec and didn't use another until end of Feb.  For re-loads, I turn off the blower and rarely get much smoke back into the room.  As soon as I close the door, blower goes back on.

2. Operating the I3100 is pretty simple, but can be a little tricky.  You may not be letting it get hot enough to burn efficiently (presuming you now have some decent dry wood).  The thermometer will help.  We have ours just above the LHS corner of the door on the front face.  I also have a cheap IR gun which I use more to check the magnetic than anything.  I let it get up to between 500 on the front of the stove (which is a little cooler than the actualy stove top temp becuase of the way the insert is "wrapped" in steel.  Once it gets up to that temp, we shut down 1/2 way for a few minutes, then all the way down.  With that we get nice secondaries and the stove temps usually go up some as the stove gets hotter from the sec burn.  When we started I had similar issues and my installer suggested getting it to the temps I mentioned. It worked much better even with somewhat "wetter" wood. I leave the blower on low speed all the time (except in the early fall/late spring) and it pushes out enormous amounts of heat.

3. In your area you should be getting a decent mix of hardwood - it all burns great.  If you have lots of Oak, split it small and let it season for 2 years if you can.

4. "Burn time" seems to have the ad hoc definition of something like "amount of time between loading the stove to the gills and when you can put in more wood without having to re-start from scratch"    Truth be told, for the nights, I fill it up N/W as much as I reasonably can and usually 8 hours later when I get up, I simply throw a couple of splits on in the morning and open the air full.  If it's really cold, I'll fill it up in the morning and it catches pretty well.  If you're only getting 3-4 hours, either you're not filling it up enough, maybe turning down too late, not turning down enough, maybe not getting hot enuf to turn down fully, some combination of the above.

5. We use a single 12" floor fan to circulate air in our 1800 sqft bungalow - 1/2 open concept.  Our bedroom was 78F last night when we went to bed - O/S temp was 28F.  I tried using my central blower and it really wasn't that effective, plus it's a much more expensive fan to operate.  If it works for you, great - try a smaller fan blowing in to the stove room for fun just to see if it works and you may be able to leave the furnace fan off.  

 I'd suspect that you have a combination of a) some wood that is less than seasoned and b) need a little adjustment to your technique (temp b4 turn down etc).  Once you get it dialed in you'll be toasty warm I'm sure.


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## velvetfoot (Nov 20, 2012)

Wow, I didn't realize the I3100 had a 2.9 ft3 box!  That's fantastic.  I will I could've fit something like that.  Maybe I was thinking about another Regency model-the i2400?


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## KB007 (Nov 20, 2012)

velvetfoot said:


> Wow, I didn't realize the I3100 had a 2.9 ft3 box! That's fantastic. I will I could've fit something like that. Maybe I was thinking about another Regency model-the i2400?


 
Yeah - the HI300 and the I2400 are closer in size and I think they share some of the same construction (tho I'm not 100% sure on that).  The HI300 is nice, but wasn't big enuf for what I wanted.


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## John Rubbo (Nov 20, 2012)

shouldnt i be able to start a fire with kindling with the door WIDE open with no smoke coming into the house? now this installer is saying he may have to "insulate" the chimney....


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## etiger2007 (Nov 20, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> shouldnt i be able to start a fire with kindling with the door WIDE open with no smoke coming into the house? now this installer is saying he may have to "insulate" the chimney....


 
I can


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## KB007 (Nov 21, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> shouldnt i be able to start a fire with kindling with the door WIDE open with no smoke coming into the house? now this installer is saying he may have to "insulate" the chimney....


 
With the blower off, yeah.  My installer had me try putting a candle in for about 15 minutes just to get some warm air going, then try to start a kindling fire.  It worked pretty good.  Tho, since we've been using the starter things, we never bother with kindling any more - they work really well.


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## Fod01 (Nov 22, 2012)

John Rubbo said:


> shouldnt i be able to start a fire with kindling with the door WIDE open with no smoke coming into the house? now this installer is saying he may have to "insulate" the chimney....


 
I've got a cape code with an external, lined, uninsulated chimney.  When the system is cold (no fire for a day), and outside temps are mild, it has a lazy draft.   When starting a fire, I'll only ever leave the door fully open to light and load.  Cracked after that for maybe 5 min or not depending on what I stuck in there.  This season I'm trying only smaller splits and a firestarter.  No kindling.  It seems to work ok, but we'll see how the first cleaning goes.

I remember a thread a couple years back where the installer had kinked the liner.  Are you able to shine a light up/ down there to take a look?

Happy Thanksgiving
Gabe


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