Normal temps with air control all the way down?

[Amin1992]

Hey guys. Have appreciated the help I've gotten so far and sorry if I'm being annoying.

I feel like for whatever reason I have an air leak or over draft situation for some reason. Gasket is tight, air controls work, and new liner that is around 20' (stove on first floor, 2 story home).

If I load the stove up and start a fire, shut the air control down all the way within 5 minutes and keep it all the way down, I still get stove top temps of 450* and a liner temp of 550*.

I'm not sure if this is considered out of control or not. In the shoulder season, turning the air control all the way down would almost kill the fire.

Appreciate the help

 

[begreen]

Based on the description that is far from out of control, assuming that the flue temps reported are with a probe thermometer in the double-wall stovepipe. As outside temps go down the draft will get stronger, pulling more air into the stove, thus the air control position will change with a large change in outside temperature. 450º is not a high stovetop temp.

 

[Amin1992]

OK that's great to know thank you. The 550* temp is using a laser thermometer on the liner.

 

[Amin1992]

Tonight I stuffed it with 6 huge splits, totalling around 28 lbs!

I got it roaring, once the splits ignited it was an inferno so I cycled like people here recommended: knocked air down a notch, 5 min later down another notch, then 5 min later down to the lowest air control setting.

Firebox was still raging for quite a while, kind of scary. I'm 2 hrs in and the stove top is 575*F, liner is 715*F. And that's with the air control all the way down. Fire still going but flames look more like secondary ones (though still rapid whipping flames, not the slow ghostly ones I wish I could get).

Will report back and see how long 28 lbs lasts me. At the rate it's going and from my own experience, I think flames will be out in another 2 hrs, so 28 lbs in 4hrs, or 7 lbs an hou

 

[Amin1992]

Flames went out and I'm down to coals spot on at 4 hour mark. That was with air all the way down.

Room is very warm - went from 67F to 77F in 4 hrs - but I rather there be a slower heat and a longer flame for ambiance.

 

[EBFIRE]

Tonight I stuffed it with 6 huge splits, totalling around 28 lbs!

I got it roaring, once the splits ignited it was an inferno so I cycled like people here recommended: knocked air down a notch, 5 min later down another notch, then 5 min later down to the lowest air control setting.

Firebox was still raging for quite a while, kind of scary. I'm 2 hrs in and the stove top is 575*F, liner is 715*F. And that's with the air control all the way down. Fire still going but flames look more like secondary ones (though still rapid whipping flames, not the slow ghostly ones I wish I could get).

Will report back and see how long 28 lbs lasts me. At the rate it's going and from my own experience, I think flames will be out in another 2 hrs, so 28 lbs in 4hrs, or 7 lbs an hou

Everyone's opinion on when to start turning down the air differs because of so many variables. If your getting too hot too soon turn it down sooner. I have an insert that's a few years old now and I've now perfected the turn down. I have two year old oak splits that take off if air isn't turned down sooner than later. I can always start the train back up but usually can't stop the runaway.

 

[BigJ273]

I really think your overthinking things....

 

[Amin1992]

I probably am and just want to confirm it haha!

 

[Dix]

I probably am and just want to confirm it haha!

Consider yourself "confirmed" (wise crack dating back my Irish Catholic upbringing )

 

[jatoxico]

Tonight I stuffed it with 6 huge splits, totalling around 28 lbs!

Room is very warm - went from 67F to 77F in 4 hrs - but I rather there be a slower heat and a longer flame for ambiance

I do not cycle, meaning load chock full, burn to coals/ash and repeat. In part its due to some limitations of my setup but also because a full load puts creates too great a temp difference over the cycle. Too cold on reload and putting out more heat than I need at peak. In a typical cycle I would go from say a 250 deg stove top to 650 deg or more and back. During reload the stove is too cold to support good secondary burn and while its at 650-700 I have to have the fans on high and the room gets too warm (truthfully with a flush insert I'm not sure I can fully strip all the heat the stove puts out at peak with the fans).

All that is to say that as long as I'm around I prefer to load as needed to keep the stove closer to between 450-550 which keeps secondaries going and keeping room more evenly heated. I don't see why I shouldn't meter in fuel like you do in everything thing. This is why the Blaze King guys are such fans, because the stove does a lot of it for you.

 

[Amin1992]

You all are great!

Jatoxico, when you say you keep the stove between 450 and 550, how are you measuring that? And where?

 

[jatoxico]

You all are great!

Jatoxico, when you say you keep the stove between 450 and 550, how are you measuring that? And where?

I have an insert so flue temps, except at the collar is not possible. I measure stove top temp, center a few inches back.

 

[Amin1992]

OK I have an insert too, but it does extend out about 5".

I can measure my liner right at the collar - I get temps of 700F give or take there. Is that a good spot to read or is it too close to the stove?

On the stove top I get 350-500F depending on where I measure.