Jotul c550 need advice

[Cndctrdj]

I got a c550 last year. I went through a ton of wood and I loved it but I want to learn how to do things correctly.
The wood I get seems to be all over the place as far as moisture. I get some that are 12% some that are over 20%.
I know that has a lot to do with it.

Anyway.
I can't get my temps to go over 400°f. I have an ir reader. The hottest point is always low.
I don't think I'm using the air correctly. Or loading the machine correctly. Or being patient enough.

It takes about 30 min to get a fire going. We leave the door open until the fire gets going well. The air is open all the way. Then we shut the door and leave the air open for a while after. But then we shut the air off and the fire doesn't stay hot. The wood is usually gone within 2 hours. If it lasts that long.
We try and fill it as the wood gets low.

Outside chimney about 30' oak wood with mixes of this and that. No pine. We have just been burning at night so I don't know if smoke is coming out.
Also not sure if the secondary burn is ever happening. Don't know what it looks like compares to regular burn.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Make sure you are splitting the wood and testing moisture on a fresh face of split of wood.
Also, I’d get a stove top thermometer and stick in the slot where the warm air cones out of insert ( this is actually the stove top). In my experience using a IR themometer with this insert doesn’t give you an accurate stove top temp.
I attached a video of secondaries in this stove with air turned down.

 

[Cndctrdj]

Thanks for the reply.

What is an acceptable amount of moisture in the wood? I know the reader is happy with it's <13%

 

[Ctwoodtick]

20 % or below.

 

[Cndctrdj]

I'll make sure I find those.

Also I have never seen a secondary burn like that in my insert. I really have not been doing this correctly.
I need to go back to the drawing board and start with dry wood.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Yes, you’ll find that most issues with not getting the burn that you want have to do with too much moisture in the wood. Report back what you end up getting for moisture meter results and the folks here can help guide you along with whatever you’ve got from moisture content.

 

[Cndctrdj]

Checked the moisture in the wood. Some were high others were ok.
So I went through a lot of the wood and grabbed only stuff that was less than 16% moist.
Then I started the fire. It started pretty good. Waited for it to heat up and shut the door. Slowly put the air control lower and lower every few min I would lower it. Until it was closed.
The fire went for about 2 hours but it was only a few pieces of wood. So I waited for it to get to embers and I stuffed the box pretty full.

It took a bit to catch but it eventually did. After 2.5 hours itt still has a good amount of wood in it.
The temp is the hottest I've ever had at 500°. But the secondary air system still is doing nothing.
I've got a video but not sure how to upload it

 

[begreen]

The easiest way to load a video is to post it to youtube or vimeo and then post the link.

 

[Simonkenton]

Sounds like the wood is not dry enough.

 

[Cndctrdj]

The drier wood lasted about 5 hours. The temp for up over 600°. So that was a first for me. I can't wait to get more dry wood and see where I can go with this stove. I'm more excited. Now that I know I have been measuring the wood and I have a few piles of wet stuff and dry.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Yes that wood moisture is a huge factor. Glad you had success with your drier wood. Secondary burn should be evident at this temps. Did you notice if you had any going at that time?

 

[begreen]

It took a bit to catch but it eventually did. After 2.5 hours itt still has a good amount of wood in it.
The temp is the hottest I've ever had at 500°. But the secondary air system still is doing nothing.
I've got a video but not sure how to upload it

How far closed off was the air at peak burn?

 

[Cndctrdj]

How far closed off was the air at peak burn?

We leave it completely closed for the most part after it gets started.

 

[Cndctrdj]

This is the closest I've ever gotten to a secondary burn. Never seen little flames come out. Nothing. This was burning about 480 for a while. But that's it

 

[begreen]

It's a nice fire but I see what you mean. How tall is the liner on the insert?

 

[Ctwoodtick]

A see a bit of secondary burn there, but also a lot of primary

 

[Cndctrdj]

It's a nice fire but I see what you mean. How tall is the liner on the insert?

Not sure how tall it is. I'd have to take the backplate off and look

 

[Cndctrdj]

My wife got the fire over 600° today. I'm proud of her. We are still learning this thing

 

[begreen]

Not sure how tall it is. I'd have to take the backplate off and look

This would not be on the backplate. How tall is the chimney?

My wife got the fire over 600° today. I'm proud of her. We are still learning this thing

That sounds better. How did the secondary burn look?