Too much draft causing VC Acclaim secondary overfire?

[Kobeman]

Thanks for the reply branchburner, I have a fan blowing around the rear of the stove and it moves the heat off of it nicely. The back puffing starts when the flame goes out, it loads up and whoof. I shut the air down gradual, but any lower than the sweet spot and the flame goes out. Sitting here I've brainstormed a thought, perhaps my moisture meter is off, ( says 16-17%), and the primary fire is not burning clean, overloading the rear which causes it to burn too hot, which I try to compensate for with the air control which makes a back puff. I'm going to go get smoe of the pre made bricks they sell and give it a go to rule out my wood, its worth a shot. I'm still confused as to how to propor set the air if the griddle temp doen't come up. Slow it down as low as I can with out a puff and let it ride? Perhaps I'm worrying about the glowing rear more than I should? Doesn't seem right.

 

[branchburner]

"I'm still confused as to how to set the air if the griddle temp doesn't come up."

For myself, I no longer pay attention to the stove top temps too much. I keep an eye on flue temps, and especially the back of the stove. If the back is too low, I know I'm net getting secondary combustion; as it comes up and gets very hot, I know the secondary is cranking and cut back the air or put on the fan.

If your wood was too wet, I doubt you would get such a hot secondary burn. I actually get backpuffing on occasion when I am burning a lot of very dry/small wood and shut the air down too quick. In the event I do get backpuffing, rather than open the air up too high and leave it there, I sometime just open the bypass for a few minutes and then close it again. THEN I open up the air for a few minutes, and slowly cut it back. That often seems to do the trick.