Break-in fires

[Upnort]

Probably a silly question to ask but regarding break-in fires, wouldn't burning at such low temps (200° for an hour, 300° for an hour, 400° for an hour) cause creosote? Finally doing my startup fires on the new F45. On fire #2. I've been doing these spread out, so first was yesterday, 2nd is today, and I thought I could get the third in today too but that might need to wait until tomorrow (and that's ok, right?).

 

[stoveliker]

You can get lower temps by burning a lot at a low rate (choked) -> creosote.
Or by burning a little at full blast. That'll be clean. Two splits don't get you to 400 imo.

Yes, having the burns separated is fine.

 

[Upnort]

Finished the break-ins (fires). Please pardon my newbie question, but is it normal to have the firebricks turn black after the three startup fires? (My setup--not that it matters for this but for any follow up questions--is first-floor stove with a double-wall connector pipe from stove up about two feet into 90 to interior chimney that is cinder-block and tile but has an insulated steel liner in it. Chimney has cleanout in basement. Chimney from stovetop up is about 20ft.)

 

[EbS-P]

Finished the break-ins (fires). Please pardon my newbie question, but is it normal to have the firebricks turn black after the three startup fires? (My setup--not that it matters for this but for any follow up questions--is first-floor stove with a double-wall connector pipe from stove up about two feet into 90 to interior chimney that is cinder-block and tile but has an insulated steel liner in it. Chimney has cleanout in basement. Chimney from stovetop up is about 20ft.)

Yes. They will get burned off with a hot fire. If they don’t check the moisture content of your wood.

 

[stoveliker]

These stones can get black in some places depending on where the fuel was and thus how the air flows. But the next fire that should be gone.

 

[Upnort]

These stones can get black in some places depending on where the fuel was and thus how the air flows. But the next fire that should be gone.

Yeah, all of them are all black, which surprised me. Hopefully this disappears.

 

[stoveliker]

I think you ran these fires with too large a load while keeping the stove top low enough per break in recommendations.
A smaller load would have allowed to keep the fire hotter (better combustion) while keeping the stove top per recommendation.

A normal (hotter) fire should take care of this.

This is all assuming your wood is dry enough. If your wood is too wet (often an issue for folks who start burning) then that is most likely a large contributing cause to this black stuff.

 

[Upnort]

Got it. I had the air all the way open except when the temp reached higher than the manual suggested break-in #'s 1 & 3. Then it suggested to cut it down if it got over temp. But I was also relying on the stovetop thermometer, which might not have been accurate. Was using mostly kindling for the fires but also a few very small splits of 3+ aged mix of wood (birch and ash but maybe some oak, but really slim pieces). I will see what happens when I start regular fires in a few days. Thanks!

 

[Upnort]

My wood seems dry (or should be), but I don't have a moisture meter. Do you recommend a certain one? Most of the wood has the baseball bat sound, checking, and (most) is lighter. Most was exposed to sun and wind (on pallets with only a top metal cover) for almost two years, but before that stored in a shed with only west exposure (where the first year we stupidly put a tarp blocking off that one open side so it only had exposure on 100% dry days). It was then placed back in that same l shed after being on the pallet (because I read more, mostly here, and learned not to store unseasoned wood that way). Some of the wood was only ever stored in the shed, but was also stored with the whole west side open to wind and sun for over a year/year and a half. It's a mix of birch, ash, and maybe some maple and a little oak. Might have poplar in it too. Our neighbor sold it to us. He was knew we were newbies. He is no longer our neighbor (we didn't do anything nefarious; he just ended up moving). Shed is a standard lean-to along side a small garage. Anyway, the bricks are getting dark, but maybe I'm shutting the air control down too soon? It just seems like it jumps up to 650° (stovetop) if I don't shut it down. Do I wait for all the wood to get some bring in it before shutting it down? The back of stove and wood seems to take much longer to burn. Lots of questions there. I appreciate your feedback!

 

[EbS-P]

My wood seems dry (or should be), but I don't have a moisture meter. Do you recommend a certain one? Most of the wood has the baseball bat sound, checking, and (most) is lighter. Most was exposed to sun and wind (on pallets with only a top metal cover) for almost two years, but before that stored in a shed with only west exposure (where the first year we stupidly put a tarp blocking off that one open side so it only had exposure on 100% dry days). It was then placed back in that same l shed after being on the pallet (because I read more, mostly here, and learned not to store unseasoned wood that way). Some of the wood was only ever stored in the shed, but was also stored with the whole west side open to wind and sun for over a year/year and a half. It's a mix of birch, ash, and maybe some maple and a little oak. Might have poplar in it too. Our neighbor sold it to us. He was knew we were newbies. He is no longer our neighbor (we didn't do anything nefarious; he just ended up moving). Shed is a standard lean-to along side a small garage. Anyway, the bricks are getting dark, but maybe I'm shutting the air control down too soon? It just seems like it jumps up to 650° (stovetop) if I don't shut it down. Do I wait for all the wood to get some bring in it before shutting it down? The back of stove and wood seems to take much longer to burn. Lots of questions there. I appreciate your feedback!

Soot burns off at something like 650 F (I made that number up but the actual number isn’t important.). If your stove isnall
Sooty it’s not getting hot enough. break in is done time to make some heat. Give it a 1/2 load of splits (4-6) then a lot of kindling for a top down fire. You need get a long hot burn. Let it burn down to coals and reload with a good sized load. After the re load burns out you should have nice clean bricks.

 

[stoveliker]

I think your wood is likely okay (or at least reasonable).
I concur with ebs-P: get 'r going and see what happens. You want to do that anyway to have the paint cured - if the stove is painted (I don't know the F45 well). It may stink and you may need to open the windows. Each time you reach a higher temp, the paint will cure further and stink. So best to get that done in one go (when everybody is out, the cold snap is over, and the windows open).

Regarding your flue, there is a clean out in the basement. If that's not properly sealed, then you may not have enough draft (suction on the stove), leading to lackluster burning and creosote formation even with the air wide open.
Having a horizontal run (2 ft or so?) and 20 ft is possiby okay but could be near the limit too.

 

[Upnort]

The cleanout is sealed with a cap. Not smelling paint so much anymore. Or I've been breathing it in so much that l I can't tell the difference (that can't be good but I don't feel funny or anything). :/ Or maybe there wasn't much paint to cure?
Anyway, when I let the fire burn, it's seems like I can't control it. It goes up to 650° or more (stovetop--that's the only gage I have; I have a double-wall leading from stove into chimney) super fast after I put the splits in and let the flames char them. (I was reading someone else's post/thread about turning the air down sooner, and maybe I need to figure that out because I was turning it down pretty soon, but that might also be what is causing the black bricks?). My splits aren't that thick, tho, and I haven't tried packing it full because I'm afraid of the temps getting too high and having a runway fire. Even with the air all the way cut off, the stovetop temps climb to 650, I have large flames, and the wood gets gobbled all up. But again I'm not filling it full. Not even half. I'd like too because I'd like an overnight burn and to go to sleep. Anyway, I think i have good draft? It's also in the single digits outside, so maybe that's making the stove uncontrollable. But to be honest, that air control lever doesn't seem to do much as far as calming down the flame once it gets to a certain temp. I'm glad to hear my wood is probably fine. I did get a start on next year's load (it's out and exposed to sun and wind with just the top covered.). Just don't have that much for this year.

 

[EbS-P]

Pack it tight. Read up where the boost air holes are. 650 is ok. An IR temp gun that goes to 1000F is a cheap way to measure temps. I really like my Auber AT200 thermometer alarm. Measuring flue gas temps is what I prefer.