Stove Lighting in 15 days J.A. Jung Sirius wood stove..

[SpaceBus]

I used bio bricks mixed with marginally dry firewood for our first winter. Our electric baseboard heaters are very expensive to use here and we didn't have much dry firewood, and that ran out pretty fast. Mixing the bricks and marginal wood was cheaper and warmer than using the electric heaters as well.

 

[begreen]

I used bio bricks mixed with marginally dry firewood for our first winter. Our electric baseboard heaters are very expensive to use here and we didn't have much dry firewood, and that ran out pretty fast. Mixing the bricks and marginal wood was cheaper and warmer than using the electric heaters as well.

BioBricks are a good product. 100% densely compressed sawdust with no wax additives. I liked them when I tested them out.

Begreen wil have no issues. They are merely compressed sawdust.

Yes, that is safer.
The Pres-to-logs are ok, but they burn up quicker. They are not as densely compressed as NIELs or Home Fire Prest Logs. I haven't tried the Redstones from Tractor Supply yet, but folks seem to like them.

 

[clancey]

Thanks now does anybody want my environmental logs? Going to get some of those 100% sawdust environmental logs--different varieties and was going to do that but fell asleep and need to write down the names of the logs that you all suggested...I played with my wood shed today and put all my wood in further just in case it snows.. I left the uglies on the front and brought in a pile of firewood that I am going to burn as soon as I get to HD and buy a screw gun with a 1/16 attachment so that I can test the wood--I am real curious on that..I have a lot of ash in my wood stove and I wonder how much I should take out and leave in and took a picture of it...I also took a picture of my wood shelf inside the house and I will be using this up when it gets cold enough. My chair and light is there too where I watch the fire and have a beverage and listen to tunes..lol...clancey

 

[stoveliker]

If the ash does not restrict the quantity of firewood you can put in, or is otherwise a nuisance, I'd leave it in.

If you want to take some out, I'd leave a layer in of about 1" of ash.

Northern Idaho Energy Logs, BioBricks are the two products I know. (Have not used them myself).

 

[SpaceBus]

The ash will also pack down.

 

[clancey]

Its not cold enough this week to start a fire in my fireplace--maybe at night but I would like it to be colder--today 69 degrees and tonight maybe in the 50's and its the longest time without snow in the city here...Well I took a moisture reading and it was a complete pita---I did not know how to use my new little electric drill and had to call people and figure it out--then the 1/16 bit got stuck in the drill and next it broke in the wood so then next I started all the different sizes in the plastic case to see if I could get some decent holes and had to mark out my little holes so that the meter would fit in the holes and finally I used my second 1/16 little bit and got a reading on this oak kiln dried 16 inch piece of wood.----Must be a better way then this and what is a ir meter like a poster suggested? I do not have wifi but if someone can point me in the right direction would be nice..Took pictures of this ordeal as well---terrible and finally I just banged the meter in with a small hammer. lol lol--it did not break aw too bad...I am sure not a lumber jack or tool person here. lol old clancey

 

[Rickb]

ummm....?????

Super confused what your doing there....

You just take the split. Then use a small axe and split it again. Then push the pins of the moisture meter into the fresh face of the split. Takes a second or 2. lol

 

[stoveliker]

ummm....?????

Super confused what your doing there....

You just take the split. Then use a small axe and split it again. Then push the pins of the moisture meter into the fresh face of the split. Takes a second or 2. lol

She couldn't get the pins in. Predrilling holes that are slightly too small helps to get a good reading because the pins get in deeper.

 

[clancey]

Lol Lol-- That's the story Rickb and I could not get the probe prongs to go into the wood for it was too hard... Cannot split it any more just not strong enough so I got a drill and tried to drill four little 1/16 holes to put the prongs of the probe in --by the way I have never used a drill--so it has been a real learning experience--one 1/16 bit broke and the other one got stuck in the drill and the probe still would not go in---its been a experience--but got it in finally and the moisture registered 10%..I will tell you one thing that oak wood is really a hard hard wood..So now I am asking what kind of moisture meter would be better than this one --any ideas--? I do not have wifi and I am hard wired into the net...Getting ready to light up the stove and it is just not cold enough here and waiting for winter....lol Thanks...lol old mrs clancey

 

[stoveliker]

Lol Lol-- That's the story Rickb and I could not get the probe prongs to go into the wood for it was too hard... Cannot split it any more just not strong enough so I got a drill and tried to drill four little 1/16 holes to put the prongs of the probe in --by the way I have never used a drill--so it has been a real learning experience--one 1/16 bit broke and the other one got stuck in the drill and the probe still would not go in---its been a experience--but got it in finally and the moisture registered 10%..I will tell you one thing that oak wood is really a hard hard wood..So now I am asking what kind of moisture meter would be better than this one --any ideas--? I do not have wifi and I am hard wired into the net...Getting ready to light up the stove and it is just not cold enough here and waiting for winter....lol Thanks...lol old mrs clancey

I don't think there are others that would go in more easily.

Also, measuring on the outside is not really useful. It's the driest part of the wood. Inside may very well be 20 percent. That's why one should split a piece and measure on a freshly exposed (not dried out to the air like the outer layers) surface.

But, you do what you can do. I understand.

 

[clancey]

Well I will now get an ax and split the wood outside just like you and rickb suggested for I am not done with this--lol lol--but anyway the reading satisfied me being 10% for kiln dried wood and i feel secure with it as well...My stove installer put it up to his cheek and said it was fine...without even splitting it...so I guess it will be okay and really getting itchy to light my stove again--hope it snows here--lol Thanks everyone...clancey

 

[Rickb]

I use a small axe and a small 2lb sledge/hammer and tap the top of the axe a few time and it splits. Saves me from having to bend over when im splitting kindling.

 

[clancey]

Well that makes it easier and I will do it like that and i was just looking at a spare tire (old one--in a accident) and was going to roll it up to my back door to try to split the wood ---I read that somewhere to contain the wood-lol but it was too heavy to roll...lol Your way is so much better and thank you...clancey lol

 

[Rickb]

If im spliting a bunch of wood I actually will just use a chain with a bunge cord wrapped around 3-4-5 rounds then a big axe. The chain/bunge keeps them contained while I split it all. A tire works but the chain/bunge is easier and quicker. Again your not splitting a bunch your splitting 1 split smaller. or multiple small splits smaller for kindling. I take my normal 3-5" splits and resplit them 3-5 times to make small splits for starting the stove from cold.

 

[clancey]

Well I saw "one flake of snow" so I light my stove...Now is it normal for the fire to be curled around the inside top of the stove? Pictures--yes I am sitting in my chair celebrating with my favorite Irish Coffee...watching the stove...lol Getting ready for the big meal tomorrow...I have the air adjusted on at half way...and stove is making noises (very light)...clancey Forgot temp gauge now 15 later is at 400...Anything scary here.? lol

 

[ABMax24]

Well I saw "one flake of snow" so I light my stove...Now is it normal for the fire to be curled around the inside top of the stove? Pictures--yes I am sitting in my chair celebrating with my favorite Irish Coffee...watching the stove...lol Getting ready for the big meal tomorrow...I have the air adjusted on at half way...and stove is making noises (very light)...clancey Forgot temp gauge now 15 later is at 400...Anything scary here.? lol

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Yup that's normal, that's just the air/flame going around the baffle and heading toward the flue pipe.

Little bit if smoke from the chimney, but it looks like the photo was taken just after startup so that's probably normal. Should clean up once the stove warms up.

Metallic tinging as the stove warms up is also normal, caused by differing rates of expansion caused by uneven heating of the firebox.

Where are reading 400F? That's not too hot for either the stove top or the flue, just curious what we are talking about here.

 

[clancey]

Smoke stack now has no smoke coming out of it and temperature on the flat top over on the right side as some of the pictures on posting here (red , blue. or white. ?? ) would be in the blue area..Its magnetic and flat on the stove top..air adjustment is now at 1/4 of the way and stove is burning away at almost 400 so it is dropping in temperature and i moved the air adjuster now to 1/2 and seems to be picking up more flame...I started with three kiln dried oak 16 inch splits and they registered 10% , and the other two at 16% moisture..It is snowing more--Yes...Blower just turned on and it turns on automatically...temperature gauge on stove says 400 with air gauge at 1/2...clancey

 

[clancey]

Now I started my stove fire a little before 4pm here and the flame is still going and the blower is on but the flame is getting less now and it is at 400 on the stove top temp gauge taking a long time for it to get over this--nice heat but it sits there at that temperature--should it be highter...Now I would like to put another piece of wood in and can I open the door up with flames or should I wait until no flames and how scary is this going to be?--Do I take out any of the ash and put in the metal can and take it outside as well....sorry for all the questions but want to be right on all of this. lol clancey

 

[ABMax24]

400f is fine for a smaller fire. 700-750 is max depending on the stove.

You can open the door mid burn to add more wood if needed, but make sure you have good gloves on to avoid being burned, welding gloves work well for this. Usually though most of us wait until the fire has burnt down to just coals then reload. Again gloves are a good idea here. Just make sure you crack the door a little and let the air rush in before slowly opening the door fully, this helps minimize smoke spillage into the house.

As for the ash most of us generally let it build up for a while before removing, depending on how large the bottom of your stove is. In the heart of heating season I'm cleaning my stove about every 4 days, but my stove doesn't hold much ash. It's something you'll get a feel for though.

 

[begreen]

It's good to see you using the stove for heat and not just in case emergency. When it is very cold out, the firebox can be loaded fuller for a longer burn.

 

[clancey]

Yea I slowly opened up the stove when all the fire was gone just the coals hot and a black flake few out and I thought it was a moth but it wasn't then I put two more splits of wood on it--one thinner about 4 inches thick and another regular split (moisture 12 and one 17 or 18 --thicker one)--and let the door open a crack and watch it and it would not catch so I put two of those fire starter packet under the smaller one and light it again and left the door open a bit and it caught and then I shut the door and put the air adjuster all the way for air and sat there watching it catch better.. I just took a picture and my window got dirty and the flame is only halfway now-ugh but burning nicely..I cannot seem to get the temperature over 425 and is this normal or do I need more wood..Disappointed in my window dirty again but its heating very nicely and it brings heat to the front of the house a little but not burning full force yet I think because it won't get up past 425 and outside there is about 1/2 of inch of snow on the ground--heat feeling good . Yes....Took the picture about five minutes ago...clancey

 

[clancey]

I put another split in and i have a delightful fire and my house is heating up as well..I am addicted and this is like the Frontier Days and I have a iron pot of soup heating...took pictures and it is 11:25pm here and the stove has been going since about 4pm..The white stuff is snow on the ground....clancey

 

[clancey]

I been playing with this wood stove all night and have not went to bed just yet--its getting time...I threw in another split of a mixed wood do not know what kind but the moisture reading was about 18% and a lot harder to get to start to burn and the best thing was after many tries was a rolled up newspaper that I threw in and my window is dirty as well...Have not figured out the blower just yet when it turns on maybe by temperature at that point but later maybe it is on a timer for every half an hour when it turns on again past a certain temperature..working on figuring it out. This wood stove fire burning is a art form as well as a learning experience...Good night everybody and Happy Thanksgiving...clancey 1:45am

 

[SpaceBus]

The way your glass gets dark during the burn makes me think your wood isn't quite dry enough.

 

[kennyp2339]

Clancey your doing really well, it looks like your within 100deg f your optimal stove top cruising temps, always remember that fire doesn't really burn by itself. so when it comes to splits at the minimum use the rule of 3's, 3 splits minimum next to each other on a hot bed of coals will burn