Running a Manchester, please help

[moresnow]

Where are you located? Never heard of Moranaj Might want to update your location so members that are local to you can advise you on what wood types/seasoning times are common.

 

[Trey1979]

Thanks for the replies. I wouldn't have thought that brush would retain moisture like that from just rain. I'm certain the oak I have isn't really ready to burn but the cherry seems good I just still dont get those high temps on the stovetop you guys are talking about. I can get it that hot if i feed it small splits but that isn't very useful to me for a longer burn Nd it will take me a while to get it to climb to 600. Could the 45 be killing my draft that much?(yes it 45s and then goes straight out the roof) It seems like theres good airflow but the fire itself is telling a different story. As a side note I've also noticed I get much worse performance if the box is loaded up more than if I just have 3 splits in it say

does the flames change are get lazy when adjusting the air control?

2018 drolet ht2000

 

[Woody Stover]

The manual says be careful not to over fire the stove and then doesn't give any suggested operating range which I find ridiculous

That is CYA terminology by them; They don't want buyers claiming "I never went over 600 degrees" or whatever the actual number is; Maybe the customer's thermometer was reading low. So they just use the term "overfire." If it was me I wouldn't exceed 600 on that stove. Did they at least mention the stove top thermo, and where to place it?

Where are you located?

He updated to PA...hardwood heaven.

Theres a lot more to know about stoves than I imagined at first but I'm having fun with it

Sorry to have to tell you but there's also a ton to know about wood. It's a good thing you're "having fun." https://www.hearth.com/talk/forums/the-wood-shed.17/
Lesson 1, Oak. Oak will have light-colored lines (medullary rays) radiating out from the center. Oak is about the only specie where these are visible, but they aren't always easy to see. After a while, you'll be able to ID most of the common woods in your area, just by looking at the split face, bark etc.
Dense woods take longer to dry, and Red Oak is one of the slowest. Don't try to burn it next season, separate it out for additional time drying. I like to leave it split and stacked in the wind (top-cover only) for at least three years..then it really gets good. This has been out there maybe six years.

 

[NateH]

That is CYA terminology by them; They don't want buyers claiming "I never went over 600 degrees" or whatever the actual number is; Maybe the customer's thermometer was reading low. So they just use the term "overfire." If it was me I wouldn't exceed 600 on that stove. Did they at least mention the stove top thermo, and where to place it?
He updated to PA...hardwood heaven.
Sorry to have to tell you but there's also a ton to know about wood. It's a good thing you're "having fun." https://www.hearth.com/talk/forums/the-wood-shed.17/
Lesson 1, Oak. Oak will have light-colored lines (medullary rays) radiating out from the center. Oak is about the only specie where these are visible, but they aren't always easy to see. After a while, you'll be able to ID most of the common woods in your area, just by looking at the split face, bark etc.
Dense woods take longer to dry, and Red Oak is one of the slowest. Don't try to burn it next season, separate it out for additional time drying. I like to leave it split and stacked in the wind (top-cover only) for at least three years..then it really gets good. This has been out there maybe six years.

View attachment 235428

Wow, 6 years! I need to get more wood

 

[PAbowhunter]

Yes the flames do get lazy when I turn down the air as long as I have a good fire going.

Yup I live in the poconos in PA and spent 1 year paying an outrageous electric bill and here I am.

Thanks for the info on wood seasoning I'll go through it. You guys made me realize I have a ton more work to do. Unfortunately when I stacked all the wood I was trying to get it out of my driveway asap and stacked all of the oak and cherry mixed together even though the cherry is ready to go and the oak is not.

And no it says to use a flue thermometer but I haven't installed one. I've been using an infrared thermometer to measure the stove top through the strange top that the stove has

 

[Woody Stover]

Unfortunately when I stacked all the wood I was trying to get it out of my driveway asap and stacked all of the oak and cherry mixed together even though the cherry is ready to go and the oak is not.

Oh, right, you said the Cherry tested good. Get more from the same batch from that guy if you can, pronto. It won't burn as long as Oak but it's not bad..I use it quite a bit.
If you have a wood lot you can scrounge, look for standing dead, bark fallen off, 8" or less in diameter. Pretty much guaranteed to be ready to go.

 

[PAbowhunter]

I can find out if he can do a cherry only load. I definitely have some areas I can scrounge from where I live too. Thanks for the tip.... I have one more question and since I already have a 3 page thread going with a million questions....

Are the burn tubes in my stove supposed to be angled the way they are? I'm not sure if they were always like this or the back one got smacked when I was loading. It doesn't seem like there is much play in it but still

 

[Woody Stover]

Are the burn tubes in my stove supposed to be angled the way they are? I'm not sure if they were always like this or the back one got smacked when I was loading. It doesn't seem like there is much play in it but still

They are probably held in place with cotter pins or something, so I don't think they could be spun out of position accidentally. I'd think it would make sense that the back ones are angled down more but I'm just guessing here..

 

[kennyp2339]

He updated to PA...hardwood heaven.

LOL, you changed my view of PA again, I always said "where America starts" now I'll add hardwood heaven to that.

 

[Ludlow]

Most of us dont even consider burning conifers here. No need.

 

[FPX Dude]

Please help WHAT...put a SUBJECT in the TITLE, hey MODERATORS can't you fix this, thanks!

 

[Tom1]

FWIW, another factor that might impact your burn is how the wood is arranged in the stove. if a log is right in front of your air intake (wherever that is) it'll immediately break up the air flow and impact the burn--at least I think that's a factor with my stove (a smaller Hearthstone--a Shelburne).

If the air has a clear path deep into the firebox, it would seem that would facilitate better/hotter burning and secondary combustion vs. if it hits a wall of smoldering bark 1/4" into the stove.

 

[jetsam]

Most of us dont even consider burning conifers here. No need.

Conifers are the cat's meow during a cold snap and you're running the stove hard (no coaling). Also great if you are low on wood (ready to burn in 1 year or less). I'll go past oak to get pine if I am low on pine in the stacks.

 

[Woody Stover]

Conifers are the cat's meow

Better keep 'em outside then, they might upset your pooch.

 

[PAbowhunter]

FWIW, another factor that might impact your burn is how the wood is arranged in the stove. if a log is right in front of your air intake (wherever that is) it'll immediately break up the air flow and impact the burn--at least I think that's a factor with my stove (a smaller Hearthstone--a Shelburne).

If the air has a clear path deep into the firebox, it would seem that would facilitate better/hotter burning and secondary combustion vs. if it hits a wall of smoldering bark 1/4" into the stove.

It's funny you brought that up because I noticed when i have a good burn going I have a baseball size hole burned through the wood going north south when its loaded east west. It almost makes a cave under the splits. I wonder if that has anything to do with it

 

[begreen]

If it was me I wouldn't exceed 600 on that stove. Did they at least mention the stove top thermo, and where to place it?

Why? This is a cast iron stove. 700F should be fine. However, it has a convection lid so a thermometer on the top is not going to indicate the actual stove top temperature. I thought this stove had holes in the lid for convection. If so, it may be possible to slide in a stove top thermometer via the openings on the front of the stove and then push it back so that it aligns with the holes in the stove lid so that it can be read looking down through a hole.

A good flue thermometer may be the best guide here.

 

[begreen]

It's funny you brought that up because I noticed when i have a good burn going I have a baseball size hole burned through the wood going north south when its loaded east west. It almost makes a cave under the splits. I wonder if that has anything to do with it

That sounds like it could be boost air being supplied at the front, bottom center of firebox.

 

[PAbowhunter]

I've been using an infrared thermometer through those holes but I might get a flue thermometer even though I'd rather not. It would give me another look at what's going on.

That's exactly what it is be green. Front center of the stove. I'm not familiar with that terminology though.... boost air?

 

[begreen]

Boost air is common in many stoves. It supplements the air supply for easier starts. When your stove is cold and you have cleaned out the ash, look just inside the firebox at the front, bottom center for some small holes. This is where the boost air outlet ports would be.

 

[Woody Stover]

If it was me I wouldn't exceed 600 on that stove.

Why? This is a cast iron stove. 700F should be fine.

Agreed, should be fine at 700. That's just me, I like to baby 'em a bit. Like you say, the easier you run 'em, the less wear and tear on the stove over the long haul. Remains to be seen, once he gets the stove running right, how much he's going to have to push it.