Is it the stove, the wood, or me?

[Vermontster]

ok, so, there have been post about ashes and post about the Lopi Leyden, I think my question fell into both of those categories but was different, so heres a new thread.

I have a new Lopi Leyden, and I am burning wood (mostly beech and maple) that is slightly green, not fresh, but not as dry as it could be...
(I am trying to burn some piles that are far from the house, that once snow comes I wont be able to get to, so instead of restacking closer to the house, I am just bringing it in and burning it, make sense?)

... so, heres the thing, I am getting tons of ash in the stove, more than I have noticed in a stove before. I mean it's pretty deep after a day it's up an inch of the windows

I am figuring it is:
1) greener wood
2) lopi Leyden and it's everburn type system
3) me thinking too much and I need to just go clean the stove

thanks!

 

[Todd]

Dry firewood makes all the difference. But could also be the weather and the relatively warm fall temps create sluggish drafts.

 

[Dunadan]

Sounds like it's definitely an efficiency issue.

At the beginning of last season, I was burning seasoned wood that had been stored in the garage (which had picked up moisture due to humidity issues) and was getting more ash than I expected. I needed to clean it out at least once a week.

At the end of the season, I had gotten to burning the wood that had sat outside against the house all winter (my final stash). This wood was very dry and left very little ash. I was going 3-4 weeks without needing to empty ash.

So far this year, burning wood that was stored outside, I'm seeing what I saw at the end of last year. I get ash after a burn, but it's so fine that it packs down to almost nothing when it's time to reload. I think each new load of wood burns down the old ash even further, and then adds new ash (very fine when done).

It could also have to do with how hot you're burning. Last year early on most of my fires temps would be around 300-400. This year, my temps are running normally 500-600.

I don't really know what I'm burning wood wise, so I can't comment on that. I just know I have a good mix of hardwood, with a bit of softwood here and there.

 

[Vermontster]

Dry firewood makes all the difference. But could also be the weather and the relatively warm fall temps create sluggish drafts.

that was my No.4 thought - that it just isnt running like it will in January...

 

[Corey]

Dunadan - 3-4 weeks without emptying ash?!? WOW!

I don't really know how to quantify the ash except to say that some woods seem to give off more ash than others - poplar and pine are the two that I have the most experience with. Oak and hedge seem to me to give a little less.

I have an ash drawer that is about 3.5" x 10" x 17" and that gets emptied just about every other day during burning season. That is burning from about 6pm - 3am.

 

[Dunadan]

Dunadan - 3-4 weeks without emptying ash?!? WOW!

Yes, and that was burning 24*7 back when my draft was poor because of an installation "glitch" (i.e. installer didn't leave enough room between end of liner and chimney cap).

The stuff just burns up into nothing, compresses down, then burns down more. Not only is it less messy clean-ups, it's great insulation for coals. As I mentioned in my other post, I can have the fire be "out" for a good 6 or more hours then come back and still salvage enough coals to get everything going again.

 

[webbie]

Unless the ash contains a lot of black and brown residue, the wood is most likely being consumed. My guess is that it it the relatively low window combined with wood types, etc.

I think most wood is about 1% ash, maybe 1.5% if bark, etc. is included, so that is 1.5 pounds for each 100 lbs burned.

 

[Vermontster]

Unless the ash contains a lot of black and brown residue, the wood is most likely being consumed. My guess is that it it the relatively low window combined with wood types, etc.

I think most wood is about 1% ash, maybe 1.5% if bark, etc. is included, so that is 1.5 pounds for each 100 lbs burned.

Do you mean the actual glass door window is low?