Finished my install. How did I do?

[30WCF]

Someimes I do a chunk-O-oak, three year seasoned. I got nice coals in the AM, but it’s a slower, lower burn. Often enough to keep the chill off when you are asleep, under a blanket, but not what you would want if you were awake.

View attachment 335423

View attachment 335424

View attachment 335425

View attachment 335426

Possibly I misspoke. I’m heating a house, you’re heating a room. Once you have the room warm, the chunk-O-oak might actually simmer you for the night. Worth a try.

 

[Huggytree]

Woke up after 3.5 hours cold. Sitting right in front of it. Still cold. It’s just embers. 400 degrees. It’s heating the loft great but I’m cold 10’ in front of it . Furnace is rated for 1250 sq ft. But it’s struggling at 240 sq ft. A bit odd.

Tossed more wood in. Set alarm for 2.5 hours more sleep.

Ashes are really deep. Surprised after only 8 hours of use.

 

[30WCF]

Can you get several pieces in to fill the stove, and once it’s going close the damper?

This should get you a few hrs. It may run hotter than you want, but coast for longer once the room is warmed up.

Mine is a 1.25 cubic foot fire box.

 

[bigealta]

I started adding medium cuts of oak. Top of stove is 400 and slowly climbing

No smell yet from paint break in

What temp should I try closing the door?

We’re 20 min into it. View attachment 335358

I close my door right away. Next time try top down fire when starting cold. make sure the box is fully loaded.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

In my experience, heat rises. Floors never really warm up the way you’d want them to unless the stove is in the basement.

 

[Huggytree]

I don’t need to set the alarm. I slept 8’ in front of the stove. When it’s at 600 I’m warm. Once the wood burns it drops to 400 and I get cold. Wake up and reloads. Stove lasted 2.5 hours between refills. This morning the bed of coals is 2/3 of the firebox. It’s steady at 400 and I’m gonna leave it to burn down. Leaving in 6 hours.

Floor isn’t warming up fast. It’s warm around the stove now. Maybe in a week it will be warm all over . R19 on ceiling. R15 on walls.

Hopefully I’ll learn how to load the stove better and improve the 2.5 to 3-4 hours.

There’s a 8-10” icicle hanging off the chimney cap. Is this normal?
Cap is leaning slightly. Icicle is towards the lean. I’ll secure the chimney next weekend

 

[30WCF]

I don’t need to set the alarm. I slept 8’ in front of the stove. When it’s at 600 I’m warm. Once the wood burns it drops to 400 and I get cold. Wake up and reloads. Stove lasted 2.5 hours between refills. This morning the bed of coals is 2/3 of the firebox. It’s steady at 400 and I’m gonna leave it to burn down. Leaving in 6 hours.

Sometimes I extend a burn by cracking the door 1” and stir the coals towards the front. You might do this 2-3 times depending on the coals bed, but it will help you get a little more heat out of it while the coals burn down. Nice dry pine also works well for burning coals and still producing good heat. Pine doesn’t coal up like hardwoods.

Floor isn’t warming up fast. It’s warm around the stove now. Maybe in a week it will be warm all over . R19 on ceiling. R15 on walls.

Hopefully I’ll learn how to load the stove better and improve the 2.5 to 3-4 hours.

Sometimes it’s just a game to figure out.

There’s a 8-10” icicle hanging off the chimney cap. Is this normal?
Cap is leaning slightly. Icicle is towards the lean. I’ll secure the chimney next weekend

Brace it up like you said.
I’ve never had ice on mine. It’s always warm to the touch on the outside of the class A.

 

[Huggytree]

It’s -6 right now. It’s as bad as it gets in central WI. Flue pipe is ice cold to the touch. Thimble inside is also cold. Surprised me.

Carbon monoxide detector says 0 so venting is working great

 

[30WCF]

I don’t see negatives and rarely single digits and lower teens. That could be enough to change what the outside of the pipe feels like.

 

[qwee]

You are heating an uninsulated space. This is completely different from other wood burners. Don't blame the wood, don't blame the stove, don't blame the chimney/draft, and blame the lack of insulation. Even if a space is small it should be insulated. A well-insulated space makes any wood stove seem like a 'top-of-the-line' wood burner. Maybe rigid foam on the slab and spray-foam on walls and ceiling. You can get those spray foam kits and do it yourself.

 

[kborndale]

You are heating an uninsulated space. This is completely different from other wood burners. Don't blame the wood, don't blame the stove, don't blame the chimney/draft, and blame the lack of insulation. Even if a space is small it should be insulated. A well-insulated space makes any wood stove seem like a 'top-of-the-line' wood burner. Maybe rigid foam on the slab and spray-foam on walls and ceiling. You can get those spray foam kits and do it yourself.

Only the floor isn't insulated.

 

[Huggytree]

Walls and ceiling are now insulated - they did it this week

I’m positive it’s the floor causing the issue.

Ty for all the advice. You’ve helped me figure things out. Still more to figure out but I’m at least functional.

Sure is much nicer in this cabin vs my old travel trailer. I could live here full time and be fine.

 

[stovelark]

Life and wood stoves are like a box of chocolates sometimes. I've seen situations that just don't make sense, big stoves not heating smaller areas that they in theory should, and small stoves seemingly being herculean in their operation. Sometimes you just gotta smile and keep going. Your tenacity throughout this thread remained positive though, good on you. Keep trying with the best wood you can and -6, that is tough. Its -2 here today, we rarely get this cold (thank the lord). I'm thankful I have an inside job. Stay warm all.

 

[Huggytree]

Install is done
Chimney leveled and secured

 

[kborndale]

Install is done
Chimney leveled and secured
View attachment 335822

Looks good, light it up and let us know how it works!

 

[MaybeErnie]

You just need to trim the horizontal piece (“Y”) to make from the bend in the 45 to the end of the 45 (“X”) equal 18” when added together.
It may mean the two 45s are closer together or possibly even touching like @stovelark suggested.
Calculate this from the estimated finished wall thickness. If it’s just cement board then that’s fine. If you add paneling I’d dry wall you’ll need to account for that.

Double wall has better insulation and will help with the draft if that’s really an issue.

Do one thing at a time because you may not need to do all of it.



View attachment 335222

I’m not sure I understand this image. Why wouldn’t the 18” distance apply to the entire 45 degree elbow?That is, shouldn’t the whole elbow right up to the seam where it meets the horizontal section have to be >18”, rather than just 18” from the wall to the lower angle of the 45 elbow?

I’m also considering a through-the-wall installation so I want to understand how to measure the clearances properly.

 

[begreen]

I don’t need to set the alarm. I slept 8’ in front of the stove. When it’s at 600 I’m warm. Once the wood burns it drops to 400 and I get cold. Wake up and reloads. Stove lasted 2.5 hours between refills. This morning the bed of coals is 2/3 of the firebox. It’s steady at 400 and I’m gonna leave it to burn down. Leaving in 6 hours.

Floor isn’t warming up fast. It’s warm around the stove now. Maybe in a week it will be warm all over . R19 on ceiling. R15 on walls.

The heat loss is still high. Is this on an uninsulated concrete slab floor? If so, that can be remedied and will make a notable difference.

 

[bigealta]

The heat loss is still high. Is this on an uninsulated concrete slab floor? If so, that can be remedied and will make a notable difference.

What is the remedy for the slab? Exterior in ground insulation around the perimeter?

 

[bigealta]

Install is done
Chimney leveled and secured
View attachment 335822

How's she burning?

 

[begreen]

What is the remedy for the slab? Exterior in ground insulation around the perimeter?

An inexpensive fix is interlocking 24" sq foam flooring that is 1/2" thick. I put this on my uninsulated shop floor and was surprised what a big difference it made in being able to heat the space. It's standing up pretty well after 8 yrs of use.

Wood Look - Foam - 24 x 24 - Interlocking - Gym Floor Tiles - The Home Depot

Get free shipping on qualified Wood Look, Foam, 24 x 24, Interlocking Gym Floor Tiles products or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Flooring Department.

www.homedepot.com

 

[Huggytree]

Last weekend we used it
Worked great


If I put carpet and a pad down on the slab would that insulate things much better?

I think that’s the route we’re going to do

 

[begreen]

Last weekend we used it
Worked great


If I put carpet and a pad down on the slab would that insulate things much better?

I think that’s the route we’re going to do

That could work if the foam pad is thick. Use the 1/2" 8 lb density stuff to maximize the insulating value.

 

[Huggytree]

We’re got very hyper dogs that like to dig in with their nails. Not sure the foam would hold up. But it’s sure cheap!

 

[begreen]

It's cheap and goes down very quickly.

 

[30WCF]

I suppose the same reason it isn’t 18” where the straight section meets the wall thimble or where a vertical pipe meets at a ceiling box. Why, I don’t know the answer. Only way around that would be to have a larger ceiling box or heat shield.