Last night my stove 'puffed'. I loaded it up maybe an hour and a half before going to bed. There was a nice hot coal bed, and the stove top was around 400*. I loaded it about 75 or 80 percent full, with 5 medium-large sticks, more big pieces than I've ever put in it. After 20 minutes or so they were going good, and the stove top was around 580*. I turned the air down in a few increments over several minutes, and had the air 80% closed, a bit more than I usually would, as it was frigid out.
Anyway, the stove was running beautifully -- a few secondaries only; They were located not over the whole width of the stove, but generally over the middle -- and then they might move over to one side or another. The stove was stable at 550* for over an hour I'd say, with the secondaries as I described. I went to bed. Then after another half hour or so, I heard the puffing. Maybe once every 30 seconds. I did smell a bit of smoke, although not much. After 4 or 5 puffs (it took me a minute to figure out what it was, never had them before) I went down and checked it out. It was actually quite cool looking. It didn't seem like very much smoke was coming out the stove into the room, but I opened up the air a bit and it was fine as far as I know.
Advice please ? Should I just be careful about not turning down the air so much, or should I get a pipe damper or something ? My flue is straight up from the stove, into class A, 20 feet total from stove. Thanks in advance if anyone can advise me. I did have one of my tubes glowing a few days ago at stove top temp. 540* with a medium load of wood and air on medium -- in case that means anything ...
Thanks
Anyway, the stove was running beautifully -- a few secondaries only; They were located not over the whole width of the stove, but generally over the middle -- and then they might move over to one side or another. The stove was stable at 550* for over an hour I'd say, with the secondaries as I described. I went to bed. Then after another half hour or so, I heard the puffing. Maybe once every 30 seconds. I did smell a bit of smoke, although not much. After 4 or 5 puffs (it took me a minute to figure out what it was, never had them before) I went down and checked it out. It was actually quite cool looking. It didn't seem like very much smoke was coming out the stove into the room, but I opened up the air a bit and it was fine as far as I know.
Advice please ? Should I just be careful about not turning down the air so much, or should I get a pipe damper or something ? My flue is straight up from the stove, into class A, 20 feet total from stove. Thanks in advance if anyone can advise me. I did have one of my tubes glowing a few days ago at stove top temp. 540* with a medium load of wood and air on medium -- in case that means anything ...
Thanks