hampton hi300 insert issues

[bobby magee]

And this is how I reload my insert after the startup fire described by velvetfoot above:

Rake most/all the coals forward towards the door, drop ~2 splits E-W behind the coals (wearing welding gloves!) creating a level surface with the coals, load more splits on top of the wood/coals until it almost hits the baffle. The tighter you can pack it the more control you should get and the longer your burn times will be. With the door slightly ajar I wait until the wood has caught fire, then close door. Let the fire establish, then start closing the air about a quarter every 5 min (your stove may differ). After every adjustment the flames should be slow moving ("lazy") but when you wait a few minutes they should get vigorous again. If they don't recover just open up the air a bit and wait for the fire to establish itself again. After 15 to 20 min air is in the final setting (maybe a quarter open to fully closed depending on your draft and wood), secondaries are blasting, stove will climb to 650 to 700 F over the next 30 min. I won't touch the stove for at least 6 hours; it will still be putting out heat and have hot coals after 10 hours. Plus, coals will be manageable as the old ones burn down with every reload.

Check with your IR thermometer the hottest spot on the black front. In my case that's in the center just above the door where it reads about 50 F less than stovetop. Get also to know the distance to spot ratio from your manual. You may need to get fairly close to the insert to get an accurate reading. I use mine from about 3" away.

very very helpful....refering to the manual....i dont think i got one with the stove.... was just warranty info with a single sheet of paper regarding the first few fires ....nothing directly as to the full operation....does the E-W apply to the placement of all the wood....i have been loading it N-S.

 

[bobby magee]

Well, I'm burning hardwood pellets right now.
I'm not good at wood identification, but the wood that is on the top of the stack now is oak, which I wish was down lower for winter.
I don't really know what my average burn time is. I just do a full load, put in the air rod, like above, and let it go for as far as it goes.
Sometimes there are too many coals when it's cold out and you want to put in another load-there are threads on this and I try different things to burn them down.

here in my area we dont have any hardwoods as such, birch would be about the best. other than that theres only spruce and fir available...no luxury wood at all

 

[Grisu]

Here you can download it: http://manuals.regency-fire.com/get...7-9b24-7f875e9c1f05/HI300-English-Manual.aspx
However, your dealer should really have given you one with the insert.

My insert is a dedicated N-S loader (meaning you look at the end of the splits when loading). However, to reduce the coals I raked them forward which made it difficult to get a level layer of wood in there. First, I was looking for really short splits that I could drop N-S behind the coals. Then it hit me that I could just as easily load those E-W to get a level surface with the coals and then add more wood N-S until I reach the baffle. That way I maximize the firebox and the E-W loaded splits in the bottom should reduce the airflow a bit and therefore make for a slower burn. In any case, that way of loading seems to have extended my burn times by at least another hour.

 

[velvetfoot]

As long as it's dry, you'll be fine. Happy burning!

 

[bobby magee]

Here you can download it: http://manuals.regency-fire.com/get...7-9b24-7f875e9c1f05/HI300-English-Manual.aspx
However, your dealer should really have given you one with the insert.

My insert is a dedicated N-S loader (meaning you look at the end of the splits when loading). However, to reduce the coals I raked them forward which made it difficult to get a level layer of wood in there. First, I was looking for really short splits that I could drop N-S behind the coals. Then it hit me that I could just as easily load those E-W to get a level surface with the coals and then add more wood N-S until I reach the baffle. That way I maximize the firebox and the E-W loaded splits in the bottom should reduce the airflow a bit and therefore make for a slower burn. In any case, that way of loading seems to have extended my burn times by at least another hour.

you guys here have really eased this first time burners mind....very very helpful

 

[NewHarmanOwner]

@NewHarmanOwner: Are you sure we are talking about the same stove? 14 hrs seems a little long for a 2.3 cubic foot firebox, non-catalytic. The HI-300 only has a single air-control rod, no damper control (although maybe you had one installed separately in your flue? If so, is that the secret to your extraordinary burn times?), and no "notches". Your description of the operation sounds more like a catalytic unit of some kind.

Absolutely, here is a picture of mine. I stuff it pretty full and my airflow is about one notch maybe 1 1/2. I set it at around 10PM and I won't have to reload and still have coal at noon. Of course, I'm burning oak slab wood, very dry and dense.

 

[begreen]

The OP has a Hampton HI300 insert not a Harman 300I. The model numbers are close but the inserts are quite different.

 

[jophysx]

so you think the 700 plus reading on the center of the glass is too much,so where should i be on that reading/.?. the other readings are ok??

700F is fine in my experience. But you are starting to get up there. I am comfortable running the stove at 750F on the glass if I need a lot of heat. But you've got to watch it closer when you are running at the upper end like that. Just make sure everything is stable and it's cruising along with temperatures slowly dropping before you walk away.

Keep in mind these are my numbers for my installation. Yours may vary. Honestly, I don't check the temperatures that often any more. When I first started with this thing, I was checking all the time. But then I got to know the burn characteristics of my stove, and how things should look/behave. And now I rely on the IR thermo much less. Although I still do check it once or twice per burn cycle just cause it's so darn cool!
-Jim

 

[cableman]

So you still have flames.

So you think its fine to shut it all the way if its burning strong?

 

[velvetfoot]

If it is indeed burning strong. But, how long it will be that way? Yesterday, it set it at about 1/4" out, and the glass was black when I came home. So, as long as you're getting secondaries, I don't see a problem. Except, as I said, if you go out and leave it, the fire could go out, smolders, glass black, etc.

 

[jophysx]

Talk stove top temp not "decent heat". I fart decent heat. A non-cat with 250 or so stove top after ten hours is doing really well. And coals to reload.

I fart decent heat too, but try as I might, I cannot maintain a steady output for 8+hrs. If you can, I am impressed, but you must be tough to live with.


-Jim

 

[bobby magee]

If it is indeed burning strong. But, how long it will be that way? Yesterday, it set it at about 1/4" out, and the glass was black when I came home. So, as long as you're getting secondaries, I don't see a problem. Except, as I said, if you go out and leave it, the fire could go out, smolders, glass black, etc.

secondaries....wont ignite until stove is around 650 on the glass(center)...then temp climbs to 800 ..i close it down some and temp will drop but secondaries will go out