Hello everyone - website is awesome and full of tons of useful info!
I have a new VC Defiant NC and still trying to figure out the secondary burn issue. I just started burning this year for the first time, so most of my wood (maple, beech, and oak) is still green as it only had 6 months outside in the wind.
Through the help of the forum, I've come to assume that some of my troubles achieving secondary burn is because the wood is indeed still somewhat green. I have had a couple secondary burns, but it seems to be a moving target, even with a full bed of coals. Regardless, it is a source of enjoyable frustration as I learn what my stove wants and needs. I have a few questions:
1) When burning (after leaving bypass open and slowly turning down the damper and then closing the bypass when the fire has caught enough), I'm constantly going outside to check the color of the smoke. Can you achieve secondary burn and still have white-tinged smoke? Does secondary burn by definition = clear smoke? My wife thinks I'm not after repeated trips outside...
2) In the Defiant, it's very easy to hear when the secondary burn has initiated or not; it actually sounds like the furnace is on when it's working, and then I know it's functioning. However, sometimes it appears to stall, the smoke turns lightly white (not billowing white, but just that grey bluey white), and the rumble dies away. BUT the temp in the stove actually slowly increases to 600, then levels out around 650, after which I then turn the damper down. At this point, there is no rumble, the smoke is not clear, but it appears that I am achieving a partial secondary burn. The flames inside the stove are not bright orange, but that eery purpley-blue. Knowing my wood isn't 100% seasoned, should I be happy to settle with this situation? Or is there something else I'm doing wrong?
Thanks for your input!
I have a new VC Defiant NC and still trying to figure out the secondary burn issue. I just started burning this year for the first time, so most of my wood (maple, beech, and oak) is still green as it only had 6 months outside in the wind.
Through the help of the forum, I've come to assume that some of my troubles achieving secondary burn is because the wood is indeed still somewhat green. I have had a couple secondary burns, but it seems to be a moving target, even with a full bed of coals. Regardless, it is a source of enjoyable frustration as I learn what my stove wants and needs. I have a few questions:
1) When burning (after leaving bypass open and slowly turning down the damper and then closing the bypass when the fire has caught enough), I'm constantly going outside to check the color of the smoke. Can you achieve secondary burn and still have white-tinged smoke? Does secondary burn by definition = clear smoke? My wife thinks I'm not after repeated trips outside...
2) In the Defiant, it's very easy to hear when the secondary burn has initiated or not; it actually sounds like the furnace is on when it's working, and then I know it's functioning. However, sometimes it appears to stall, the smoke turns lightly white (not billowing white, but just that grey bluey white), and the rumble dies away. BUT the temp in the stove actually slowly increases to 600, then levels out around 650, after which I then turn the damper down. At this point, there is no rumble, the smoke is not clear, but it appears that I am achieving a partial secondary burn. The flames inside the stove are not bright orange, but that eery purpley-blue. Knowing my wood isn't 100% seasoned, should I be happy to settle with this situation? Or is there something else I'm doing wrong?
Thanks for your input!