So here's my greenhorn question. Are you not supposed to see "smoke" if burning properly seasoned wood in an EPA stove?
Smoke With An EPA Stove?
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Another thing to keep in mind is that when it's really cold, the hot air coming out gets condensate on it and appears like smoke, yet is not.
So I'll be care full to not offend anyone. I see smoke from mine for 20-30 minutes on cold start up. Then for 5-10 minutes after a reload....
Properly seasoned wood . . . and running the stove appropriately. I.E. You can have well seasoned wood, but if you close down the air too soon or too much you can still end up with a smoky, smoldering fire . . . but yes, ideally . . . if you have well seasoned wood and are running the stove right within a few minutes of reloading you should see little to no smoke . . . and yes . . . it's way cool . . . and yes . . . for the first year you will often find yourself going outside to look up at your chimney and marvel at the fact that there is a roaring fire in your woodstove and yet no smoke is coming out of the chimney.
My neighbors assume im crazy because ill go outside at night, shine a flashlight at the chimney and stare....
Stump_Branch said:
Just tell them that you thought you heard a noise and thought Santa was attempting to come down the chimney.
Lol, glad to hear I'm not the only one. Must be quite a shock to look out your window at 3am and see a guy in boxers and boots standing out in 5 degree temps with a flashlight aimed at the sky.Stump_Branch said:
I tell folks that if the "smoke" lingers for more than a few feet out of the stack, its smoke. If it vanishes shortly after it leaves the stack, its probably moisture.
For your original question, I'd say on a decent stove with good wood you should be smokeless after about 1/2 on a cold start and about 10-15 on a reload
For your original question, I'd say on a decent stove with good wood you should be smokeless after about 1/2 on a cold start and about 10-15 on a reload
Stax said:
Many people that have been burning their whole lives don't know what really dry wood is. Some even shun it because they're worried about over firing or shorter burn times.
It's interesting when these folks have the epiphany that comes along with proper burning.
So you were standing out side in 5 degree temps in boxers and boots shining a flashlight into the sky, My question is DID THE LITTLE GREEN MEN MAKE A SAFE LANDING ? Or did some local volunteers help you out with a rather tight fitting jacket with extra long sleeves? Couple more questions , Have you been certified and when was your release, or is it still pending?
Sorry couldn't help myself.
Sorry couldn't help myself.
Poke fun all you want. A least I was wearing boxers. LoLblades said:
As far as the webcam, I didn't have one aimed at the chimney, but I was the guy with one pointed at the stove to monitor from work. That thread is around here somewhere.
Edit: here ---> https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/68857/
Stump_Branch said:
At least it is only your neighbors.....my wife thinks I am insane for doing the same thing.
during starts and reloads its common to have smoke as the wood is heated up as well as the secondary chambers or cats in modern stoves. essentially if enough heat and "turbulence" is there the smoke (which is really just unburned fuel) will incinerate in the stove and all that will come out the stack is residual moisture as stated above , if the "smoke " dissipates within several feet of the chimney top its steam. usually this will present as a whispy white color. if the "smoke" tends to stay in a cloud and in most cases tends to decend its smoke usually from load reload or somone not allowing the stove to reach optimal temps before banking it , or simply banking it too much for the load they have in the stove. or burning wood with a high moisture content at too low a temp (green wood)
seing as your title mentions EPA stoves, the important thing to note is that with EPA stoves , the common mistake which causes smoking is to "bank" the stove too early in the coaling stage of the fire, this does not build enough internal heat to initiate the "reburning" effect. in a cat stove this can reduce the life of a cat (or plug it up) in a non-cat stove its not as likely to damage the stove but can cause creosote buildup in the flue which is not a desirable thing.
with a cat stove use of a thermometer (preferably a probe type) even with seasoned burners is worth the price. with a noncat which usually has visual results when the stove is banked look for the active secondaries even if they are not very strong yet you can feel more confident that the process is starting to happen and will build.
hope this helps ya
seing as your title mentions EPA stoves, the important thing to note is that with EPA stoves , the common mistake which causes smoking is to "bank" the stove too early in the coaling stage of the fire, this does not build enough internal heat to initiate the "reburning" effect. in a cat stove this can reduce the life of a cat (or plug it up) in a non-cat stove its not as likely to damage the stove but can cause creosote buildup in the flue which is not a desirable thing.
with a cat stove use of a thermometer (preferably a probe type) even with seasoned burners is worth the price. with a noncat which usually has visual results when the stove is banked look for the active secondaries even if they are not very strong yet you can feel more confident that the process is starting to happen and will build.
hope this helps ya
I think it was back around 2005 or 2006 when a guy did have a cam aimed out of an upstairs window across the roof at the chimney.
I can't break myself of the habit. Not as often as in years past but I still go out and look at the thing every once in a while. And when I am walking back through the woods from the mailbox and see some smoke it irritates the hell out of me. "Why is that happening?" Funny since it is usually just a little bit and I used to kinda look at the steady stream of it from the old stove fondly.
The worst I have ever seen was in 2006 when I was driving down to the Englander plant to meet up with Mike. I passed a community in a valley somewhere North of there that was completely engulfed in a cloud of wood smoke. A good mile long and wide. You could see the chimney that was spitting it out from the road over the valley. My first thought was "Those folks need to go see Mike.".
I can't break myself of the habit. Not as often as in years past but I still go out and look at the thing every once in a while. And when I am walking back through the woods from the mailbox and see some smoke it irritates the hell out of me. "Why is that happening?" Funny since it is usually just a little bit and I used to kinda look at the steady stream of it from the old stove fondly.
The worst I have ever seen was in 2006 when I was driving down to the Englander plant to meet up with Mike. I passed a community in a valley somewhere North of there that was completely engulfed in a cloud of wood smoke. A good mile long and wide. You could see the chimney that was spitting it out from the road over the valley. My first thought was "Those folks need to go see Mike.".
BrotherBart said:
either a paper mill, an OWB or as you said , someone who doesnt yet have an Englander
gonna have to get you down for a proper tour one of these days bro. was a bad day for it when you came down last time. i still feel bad about not getting a chance to take you through the shop, heck we even have a second plant since you came down last time
Danno77 said:
They are most likely staring because steams coming off you, your not shivering and your out there for a quarter of a burn cycle..just to check. You probably go back ib like me, lights dying. Or still no smoke, time go back in and sweat...
Mean while they are in sweaters saying your crazy, heck your just hot!
cmonSTART said:
"banking" a stove is a term from the old days, essentially its a short way of saying closing the primary down to slow airflow to achieve a long burn. just a term. esentially you would "bank up " the stove with splits for the night get the stove settled in and close down the air so that it would last longer.
in modern terms i would equate that to in a cat stove , after getting the fire settled in, closing the bypass and reducing the primary for the long burn.
or doing similarly with a non-cat , loading coaling out the load closing the door and reducing the primary when secondary burn starts showing.
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