# How to, load up and burn for a long/ overnight burn ???



## HDRock (Nov 7, 2012)

I have been searching this site looking for info on running a smoke Dragon.
There is a lot of information about running the newer stoves but, not much on the older stoves.

Generally during the day. I build a good hot fire and put in a couple logs every hour or so.
1: Is this the right way for a smoke Dragon?

2:The main question is, what sizes,( large,, medium,, small, or mixed) pieces of wood do you use to load up for long burn, without burning your house down?

3: What are the biggest pieces of wood that you use 5,6,7,8 inches?

4: What do you start with, and already hot fire with a bed of coals?

5: Where do you set your air intake And your damper?

6: When it is loaded up for a long burn and running, what is the average temperature on the flue pipe?

I know there are some variables here, whether, wood, stove type, etc..
I did not grow up burning wood so, the only way I learn is from trial and error, or places like this . Great site.


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## geoxman (Nov 7, 2012)

Is your stove an Orley?


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## Coal Reaper (Nov 7, 2012)

i just picked up an old fire view like yours a few weeks ago.  i will be hooking it up in pole barn.  i expect it to pump out a lot of heat.  how is yours?


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## HDRock (Nov 7, 2012)

geoxman said:


> Is your stove an Orley?


No a Fire View,see my signature EDIT found a pic of an Orley, it is similar


Coal Reaper said:


> i just picked up an old fire view like yours a few weeks ago. i will be hooking it up in pole barn. i expect it to pump out a lot of heat. how is yours?


I was wondering if anyone on here had ,or has one.
This stove will put out more than enough heat for my house on the coldest days, I can put a 3 foot log in this puppy.
There is another stove I have seen on here called a Fire View, that;s nothing like mine.
If U looked at my sig yours is like mine


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## Coal Reaper (Nov 7, 2012)

i need to order a boot to go through the steel roof


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## bluedogz (Nov 7, 2012)

HDRock said:


> I have been searching this site looking for info on running a smoke Dragon.
> There is a lot of information about running the newer stoves but, not much on the older stoves.
> 
> Generally during the day. I build a good hot fire and put in a couple logs every hour or so.
> ...


 
I spent a couple years burning an antiquated Sierra dragon, and learned some hard and expensive lessons.

1: Yes, this will work ASSUMING you have properly seasoned wood.  If you have doubt or don't know what that means, read more here.  The down side is that you're burning much more wood than you need to.

2:  Long burn is about, among other things, air control.  You're gonna have a hard time getting anything like what we'd call a "long" burn out of that stove; it's not designed for it.  That's a bit like asking how to maximize the cargo capacity of a Vokswagen- it's just not made for that.

3:  See #1.  In my experience, smaller is better.

4: Not sure what the question is... throwing splits on a hot fire OR bed of coals is generally fine.

5:  Different for every stove.  I had no flue damper, and kept my air intake open no more than about 25% or so on a hot fire, 100% for starting.

6:  No idea, sorry; never used a stack therm.

Assuming you are scrounging wood and not paying for it... start laying up wood to season AND save your pennies for an EPA stove.  I coughed up for the 30 and instantly started using less than half the wood my dragon did for WAY more heat.

If you are paying for wood, learn to scrounge.


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## HDRock (Nov 7, 2012)

Thanks bluedogz


bluedogz said:


> I spent a couple years burning an antiquated Sierra dragon, and learned some hard and expensive lessons.
> 
> 1: Yes, this will work ASSUMING you have properly seasoned wood. If you have doubt or don't know what that means, read more here. The down side is that you're burning much more wood than you need to.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks bluedogz, Appreciate it
This is kind what I thought, ( You're gonna have a hard time getting anything like what we'd call a "long" burn out of that stove; it's not designed for it. That's a bit like asking how to maximize the cargo capacity of a Vokswagen- it's just not made for that)
Reading how people run the new stoves ,confused me.
I can get a longer burn with bigger stuff ,and choke it down,but it's still a hot fire
I am paying for wood,and I scrounge some but not enough.
I have big trees that need to come down close to house, so I have to pay for getting them down
Last year I flipped the switch and didn't burn at all.

Wow ! That's a big difference. Using less than half the wood my dragon did for WAY more heat,


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## HDRock (Nov 9, 2012)

Coal Reaper said:


> i need to order a boot to go through the steel roof


 
Where can you get that kind of boot ?


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## Coal Reaper (Nov 9, 2012)

Pipebootexpress.com


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## Dune (Nov 11, 2012)

HDRock said:


> I have been searching this site looking for info on running a smoke Dragon.
> There is a lot of information about running the newer stoves but, not much on the older stoves.
> 
> Generally during the day. I build a good hot fire and put in a couple logs every hour or so.
> ...


 
1. Whatever it takes. Smaller, hotter fires are cleanest burning.

2.Largest you can fit for longest burn, with smaller stuff in between, the goal being to fill the box as much as possible

3, The largest size I can fit in my stove.

4. Big bed of coals before last reload. Rake some of them towards the stove door.

5. Hard telling, not knowing.

6. See 5.


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## HDRock (Nov 12, 2012)

Sorry for the dumb questions
I should have been more clear.  This question , 3: What are the biggest pieces of wood that you use 5,6,7,8 inches?  What I meant was diameter


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## firecracker_77 (Nov 13, 2012)

I think for a long burn, the largest diameter that will stay lit over a hot bed of coals.  Choke the air down as much as possible...better yet, choke back the damper if you have one.  I'm not sure how much wood you go through, but it's expensive enough to consider a switch to a 30 maybe at some point.


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## HDRock (Nov 13, 2012)

firecracker_77 said:


> I think for a long burn, the largest diameter that will stay lit over a hot bed of coals.


 
Thanks ,firecracker
From your experience, Whats the the largest diameter that will stay lit over a hot bed of coals ?
*I just burned three splits, about 7" dia. 18" long, and the burn time was 4 1/2 hours, does that sound like average for a dragon ?*
I do have a damper ,and I close it almost all the way with the sliding air control just under half way open.
Im going get a , new stove for sure, maybe a 30 but, it isn't in the budget this winter, I only recently found out how much more efficient the new stoves are


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## rkshed (Nov 13, 2012)

I have an old smoke dragon and see little reason to upgrade other than a newer stove might have a "purty" color.
I burn my uglies over night and jam as much else in as will fit. All on a nice hot bed of coals. Air intakes closed to 1/2 turn open and it idles at 300 all night.
The most important part is to make sure your wood is seasoned.
If you do run little air overnight, keep an eye on creosote in the liner. cant be too safe.


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## Dune (Nov 13, 2012)

HDRock said:


> Sorry for the dumb questions
> I should have been more clear. This question , 3: What are the biggest pieces of wood that you use 5,6,7,8 inches? What I meant was diameter


 
The biggest I can fit in my stove. Really. 
Assuming a good big bed of coals, and lots of smaller fill in pieces, the largest chunk you can fit in will indeed burn.

I split nothing under six inches, and always keep a few 8-9 inch rounds as "all nighters".  (of course I allow years for them to season)


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## HDRock (Nov 13, 2012)

Thanks every one

Dune,  I was ! wondering before how small to split to
Dang, does that run on 220, Home built 30 ton electric splitter;


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## Dune (Nov 13, 2012)

HDRock said:


> Thanks every one
> 
> Dune, I was ! wondering before how small to split to
> Dang, does that run on 220, Home built 30 ton electric splitter;


 
Yep, 10 HP Baldor draws 42 amps at 220 volts.


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## Dune (Nov 13, 2012)

HDRock said:


> Thanks every one
> 
> Dune, I was ! wondering before how small to split to
> Dang, does that run on 220, Home built 30 ton electric splitter;


 
Don't go by me, I had 3 years worth of wood on hand before I installed my stove. 
I split the way I do because I have the time to season rounds and I don't like splitting much,
plus I cut all the way down to 1" diameter so I have no need of small splits. 
Many folks on here split stuff as small as 3", and when you are first starting out, this may be a good idea, as the smaller splits season faster.
I am just too lazy to go this route.


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