Flue and stove temp with door open

[woodhog73]

It should be able to last a lot longer than 4 hours

I think you were thinking about a quad 3100 when you mentioned burning more than 4 hours ? I’ve always been a little disappointed with my burn times. But I love the heat output and that heavy metal top that sticks out a foot from my hearth stays hot and radiates heat many many hours even after the coals have gone. That said with dry oak, 5 medium splits, I get about 3 to 4 hours of flames then another 3 to 4 hours of red coals. So a total of 6 to 8 hours per load for a heating cycle. In shoulder season it’s a solid 8 hours of usable heat. Less in January and Feb etc, I assume these stove companies count the coaling stage as burn time too ?

Sometimes I wish I had a cat stove. But like that I don’t have to deal with the extra maintenance of a cat stove and they cost more. I got a good price on the quad.

 

[woodhog73]

Religiously use the timer on your phone when ramping up a fresh load.

Great idea. Im a safety freak with everything I do in life. I can’t believe I fell asleep. I wish I had a alarm attached to a temperature monitor on the stove that would go off in the case of an over fire.

 

[Ludlow]

Did you say if there was a new smell in the house when you woke? Look at your liner right above the collar. If it is purple then you know you really torched it good.

 

[bholler]

I’m dumb when it comes to stove technology. Mine is a quadrafire 3100 insert. Is this cast iron ? Or steel ? And what’s the difference as far as how long the stove will last ?

It is steel with a cast door and it really means nothing about how long it will last

 

[woodhog73]

Did you say if there was a new smell in the house when you woke? Look at your liner right above the collar. If it is purple then you know you really torched it good.

No new smells. But I was sleeping.
I’ve been burning non stop its been cold out but tomorrow is going to warm so I’ll pull the face plate and look at the color of the connection as you suggested.

 

[woodhog73]

It is steel with a cast door and it really means nothing about how long it will last

Ok thanks. Good to know. I like the looks of those fancy soap stone stoves especially by Vermont castings but I wonder if they give good radiant heat. But they sure look nice compared to a plain old steel stove.

 

[bholler]

Ok thanks. Good to know. I like the looks of those fancy soap stone stoves especially by Vermont castings but I wonder if they give good radiant heat. But they sure look nice compared to a plain old steel stove.

Vermont castings doesnt make soapstone stoves they make cast iron stoves that have reliability issues. They are working on those issues but i feel they have a long way to go still. Woodstock and hearthstone make soapstone stoves

 

[Woody Stover]

I like the looks of those fancy soap stone stoves but I wonder if they give good radiant heat.

Woodstock and hearthstone make soapstone stoves

I have a soapstone cat stove, and it does radiate well, especially if you run a little flame in the box and the sides heat up. We sit fairly close to the stove, and the radiation warms us even if room temp is down a little bit. I'm not really sure how that radiation compares to a soapstone non-cat or a steel stove though. Back when I had a plate-steel stove my wood was too wet so there was no heat to feel.

 

[deborita3]

I think you were thinking about a quad 3100 when you mentioned burning more than 4 hours ? I’ve always been a little disappointed with my burn times. But I love the heat output and that heavy metal top that sticks out a foot from my hearth stays hot and radiates heat many many hours even after the coals have gone. That said with dry oak, 5 medium splits, I get about 3 to 4 hours of flames then another 3 to 4 hours of red coals. So a total of 6 to 8 hours per load for a heating cycle. In shoulder season it’s a solid 8 hours of usable heat. Less in January and Feb etc, I assume these stove companies count the coaling stage as burn time too ?

Sometimes I wish I had a cat stove. But like that I don’t have to deal with the extra maintenance of a cat stove and they cost more. I got a good price on the quad.

I have a quad 3100i. I had 5 medium splits today. A combination of oak, maple and Locust and got less than 3hrs of flame. I have a new liner that was installed. Once I have red coals the temp drops quickly to 300 degrees. The coals don't last 3-4 hrs either. I get about a total of 4hrs.

What kind of temps are you getting? What is the highest temp you get?

 

[woodhog73]

I have a quad 3100i. I had 5 medium splits today. A combination of oak, maple and Locust and got less than 3hrs of flame. I have a new liner that was installed. Once I have red coals the temp drops quickly to 300 degrees. The coals don't last 3-4 hrs either. I get about a total of 4hrs.

What kind of temps are you getting? What is the highest temp you get?

Honestly I don’t know. I might catch some crap for saying I don’t have a stove thermometer. But here is why.

I believe a stove top thermometer should be placed at the hottest part of the stove. On the Quad 3100 I have it’s believe it’s near where the liner attaches. That’s under the outer metal where the air flows around the stove when using the blower. The metal jacket I believe is what it’s called. And it’s behind the face plate anyways. So I wouldn’t be able to see the thermometer. I think on the front of the stove the hottest area is just above the door, on the front ( not the top the actual front) and I don’t think you could fit a thermometer there. And it would get in the way when opening the door in that area.

The other thing is I’m in and out so much when burning I don’t know how much I’d look at the thermometer.

Ok before people say I’m crazy....if I was concerned I was too hot I’d definitely get a thermometer. My stoves primary air is very sensitive and works very well. When closed fully off it will actually cause all flames to go out, and red coals to get very dim, no matter where in the heating cycle. So I always run the stove with the primary air 80 percent closed ( after start up after my fires well established etc ) I always use dry hardwoods. I always get lazy flames that are dark orange and purple blue just moving in a slow manner above my splits. I describe the flames as wafting in the air. And this is from the secondaries firing. I never get an inferno or raging fast fire in the fire box ( unless I fall asleep with door open lol ). And it’s always cranking out decent heat. Nothing ever glows on the stove. My liner stays reasonable clean after each season. So I’m fairly comfortable my temps are appropriate.

But I’m in the minority. Most use thermometers. I’d say if yours is reading the temps mentioned by others where you have it I wouldn’t worry too much. Sounds like your getting good heat from your Quad. I certainly like mine it’s a great heater.