# How much wood do you pack into your wood stove??



## stanleyjohn (Apr 11, 2008)

Im just curious what you consider a full load of wood in your stove.Do you fill the chamber half,three quarters,etc.


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## jpl1nh (Apr 11, 2008)

For a full load I fill mine as full as I can get it.  However, I don't always burn a full load.


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## Carl (Apr 11, 2008)

I'm with JP1. For a full load I put in all I can fit. Most of the time I don't fill full loads because I don't need that much heat or long of a burn.


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## chad3 (Apr 11, 2008)

I'll have to clarify my answer first...it depends on the amount of wood.  If it is small splits, forget it, but large splits, three to four.  It also depends on what kind of wood as I have had some ash raise the temps way too high even from about a 300 start.    On the other hand, three good oak splits from about a 20 incher will get me through the night.  I must say I love white oak the most for full loads


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## Todd (Apr 11, 2008)

I find my stove works best with a full load and I try to pack it to the gills. If I just need to take the chill off I go for about half load. With a full load I can adjust the heat output with the air control and either have a long slow not so hot 10-12 hr burn, or turn the air up some and get more BTU's and a 6-10 hr burn.


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## begreen (Apr 11, 2008)

It depends on the temperature for us. In fall and spring, almost never a full load. In the dead of winter almost always a full load.


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## jebatty (Apr 11, 2008)

Almost never fill the stove. I find I get the most consistent and efficient heat output by not overfilling the stove. The following is what the wife and I both do. Our wood is very dry, three full summers of drying for all of our stove wood.

Usually start the stove with two fairly large quarter splits, separated in the middle for the kindling. Add kindling, then paper knots for top down start. The fire catches quickly to the kindling and spreads to the two large splits. Add a third small split between the two large ones, and the fire really takes off. This brings the stove up to temp, which is 300-350 on the outside of the stove pipe 18 above the stove top. If I'm around for awhile, let this burn down some, then spread the two large splits apart, add a very large half split, damper down to maintain about 300 temp, and this will burn for about 4 hours. If I'm not going to be around, still add a large split, damper down, and again about 4 hours of burn time.

If outside temp is mid 20's or above, this single burn will heat our whole house just about for the day. Then do the same thing in the evening (morning fire has burned out), and that's all the heat we need until the next morning.

If outside temp is above 0, will have to add large splits during the day as needed. I usually add one very large 1/2 split while the prior load has not burned down all the way. Just one split at a time. This maintains a very nice 300-350 fire pretty constantly. As outside temp drops below 0 (-35 is about our lowest during winter), will have to add wood as needed to maintain temp, pushing to 350-400 on the very coldest days.

On the colder days (+10 and under) I will add two large splits before going to bed. This will burn out by morning, house temp may drop to about 62, but warms up quickly with the morning fire.

We heat 1500 sq ft exclusively with our wood stove - no other heat to supplement.


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## Henz (Apr 11, 2008)

alot of things are dependent. temp outside is the number one. Having said that, when its in the dead of winter, I fill my Olympic up as much as possible. I typically will place 4 large splits on the bottom and then fill in the tops with smaller splits.


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## begreen (Apr 11, 2008)

jebatty said:
			
		

> Almost never fill the stove. I find I get the most consistent and efficient heat output by not overfilling the stove. The following is what the wife and I both do. Our wood is very dry, three full summers of drying for all of our stove wood.
> 
> If outside temp is mid 20's or above, this single burn will heat our whole house just about for the day. Then do the same thing in the evening (morning fire has burned out), and that's all the heat we need until the next morning.
> 
> We heat 1500 sq ft exclusively with our wood stove - no other heat to supplement.



Jim is this with a separate wood stove or the Tarm?


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## Jfk4th (Apr 12, 2008)

Adirondackwoodburner said:
			
		

> alot of things are dependent. temp outside is the number one. Having said that, when its in the dead of winter, I fill my Olympic up as much as possible. I typically will place 4 large splits on the bottom and then fill in the tops with smaller splits.



Do you put your 4 splits east/west or north/south?  Love my Olympic :cheese:


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## DiscoInferno (Apr 12, 2008)

I think half the fun sometimes is seeing just how many of the splits you just brought in you can jam into the stove.  Sort of like 3D Tetris.  N-S loading makes this a lot easier to do.  I do the full pack for long burns; for maximum heat I tend to fill it a little less to try to avoid massive coal buildup.

The last month or so it hasn't been real cold, so I've been burning my stack of 8"-12" long "stubs".  I'll pack them in tight N-S, so they fill from floor to ceiling but only 1/2 to 2/3 of the way from back to front.  Because all the wood is well back under the baffle and tubes, it burns well even though it's a small load.


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## BotetourtSteve (Apr 12, 2008)

Pack it in, but try to leave an inch or so from reburn tubes and inch or so from glass.


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## BrotherBart (Apr 12, 2008)

I fill it to the top of the firebrick on the 30-NC. I leave the space above as a combustion chamber for the re-burn to do its thing.


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## begreen (Apr 12, 2008)

I haven't tested the upper limit on the T6, but did on the F400. With the Jotul I tried to squeeze in all I could. During the long power outage, this was an every day affair. Not sure that I'll see that territory with the bigger stove. At least I hope not


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## Redox (Apr 12, 2008)

BotetourtSteve said:
			
		

> Pack it in, but try to leave an inch or so from reburn tubes and inch or so from glass.



I've often wondered if this was a good idea or not.  I just end up packing it in till it hits the tubes and haven't noticed any more smoke than ususal.  It burns down fast enough anyway.  Is this really a bad idea?

Chris


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## MishMouse (Apr 12, 2008)

On my TL-300, once I get it going good I pack it full, open it on high get a good burning going, activate the re burn chamber (when it activates), and get about a 9-10 hour burn with stove top still at 400.

On the Drolet I would pack it full, get it going and was lucky to get a 4 hour burn with stove top at 200.


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## Henz (Apr 14, 2008)

i put in around 8 splits in the N/S direction and probably 4-5 in the E/W direction. Ususally when I load in the E/W direction I use splits around 20", N/S around 16-17"


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## Highbeam (Apr 14, 2008)

I have an E-W stove and a side door. I load the thing to the gills without damaging that super fragile baffle plate above the tubes and without touching the glass. I make no effort to leave extra room between the tubes and the wood load. Fill'er up, get it going, and then damper to zero. I will have nothing but ash and a few coals behind that clean glass in the morning. 

I use every bit of the 2.3 CF of capacity.


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## stanleyjohn (Apr 14, 2008)

Doing my first lite this evening!It wont be packed but now i have an idea how much others load! THANKS!!


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## BotetourtSteve (Apr 14, 2008)

MishMouse said:
			
		

> On my TL-300, once I get it going good I pack it full, open it on high get a good burning going, activate the re burn chamber (when it activates), and get about a 9-10 hour burn with stove top still at 400.



Impressive time and temp  Not familiar with your stove and too lazy to google it - catalytic?  How big is firebox?

I can do 10-12 hrs and still have 200, but I'm below 400 after 6-7.


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