Crazy Secondaries!

[BurnIt13]

Although I've only been doing this for three years, the denser the wood....the harder it is to control in my Englander 30. With dry pine I can moderate anywhere from hot as hell to a smoldering mess.

With oak it is anywhere between hot and way too hot. This is the first year I've burnt pine, and for the first time ever I have to make sure I don't set the primary air too low. I've not had a single nuclear secondary runaway with pine.

I threw a load of oak in there this past weekend when it was -3F outside. Within minutes I was dampered down 100% and had a firebox full of secondaries. The next load with pine behaved perfectly normal. Reloads were on a 250F stove top with a small amount of coals, enough to get a fire started without too much fuss.

I'm with oldspark on this one.

 

[begreen]

Did you try blocking off the NC30 boost air yet?

 

[BurnIt13]

No, but as a matter of fact I just bought some magnets. The problem is that the stove runs great 100% of the time with pine, and 75% of the time with hardwood. I'm waiting until I have another nuclear secondary to put the magnet on and block 50% of the secondary air.

I'm hesitant to put it on now as things are running perfect with the pine. I suppose if I did put it on I'd just have to add more primary air to make up the difference.

 

[begreen]

Try putting the magnets on the boost air holes now. Work with that for a week. If you are burning pine just give it a tad more primary air. No biggie at all.

 

[BurnIt13]

Try putting the magnets on the boost air holes now. Work with that for a week. If you are burning pine just give it a tad more primary air. No biggie at all.

Just for confirmation...the boost air you speak of is what I'm calling the secondary air correct? The englander 30 also has one or two inlets for the doghouse air as well.

 

[begreen]

No, the boost air is primary air that feeds into the front bottom center of the firebox. Doghouse air is the same. For the initial test, leave the secondary air alone.

 

[BurnIt13]

Well unfortunately I believe that air is inaccessible with the pedestal option. I'm of the understanding you need to install legs for that.

FWIW, when the nuclear secondaries are off....the wood is dark and there is no noticeable influence coming from the doghouse air. It is as if the entire stoves air is being fed through the secondary air inlet at the back of the stove.

 

[begreen]

That seems odd, the pedestal shouldn't block off the ports. Unfortunately I don't have a 30NCP to examine. Take a hand mirror and flashlight and closely examine up where the front corner leg bolts would be.

 

[BurnIt13]

I'll look, but as I sit here at work (not working) I recall that you have to tip the 30 on its side to get to the bolts where are inside the pedestal. You can only get to them from underneath the stove.

The back of the pedestal is open but the primary air box is in the way and it would be nearly impossible to reach the front of the stove from the back.

 

[oldspark]

It's not the wood. Doug fir burns hot and I have cherry in the stove right now. Locust is the hottest wood I burn. Put the damper back in and try again.

Just going by what burnlt reported with his results, I remember you stating once how different your stove ran with hardwood vs your other woods.
Had that damper in there for over a year and tried all sorts of things, not sure that will prove any thing.
Too bad there is not more information out there instead of all this shoot from the hip crap.
Not sure when it will be warm enought to put the damper in any way.
I know controlling the primary air on the old stove is what controlled the flue temps on that. (I know this is not an old stove)

 

[oldspark]

No, the boost air is primary air that feeds into the front bottom center of the firebox. Doghouse air is the same. For the initial test, leave the secondary air alone.

So where will it get its primary air.

 

[begreen]

We have been over this before, no? Most of the primary air comes from the air wash over the glass.

 

[begreen]

I'm really not finding anything new here. This is a repeat of a two year old thread. cya.

 

[oldspark]

We have been over this before, no? Most of the primary air comes from the air wash over the glass.

I guess I have to get the diagram out for my stove which kind of sucks, our stove are similar?

 

[oldspark]

I'm really not finding anything new here. This is a repeat of a two year old thread.

If you go back to the start of the thread it was not about flue temps, I have got to the point I figure out I am on my own for that, but if and when I get it fixed I will be more then happy to post the results.

 

[begreen]

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/losing-heat-up-the-flue.79405/page-2#post-1013034