Burn Time Standards

echos67 · Post by **echos67** » Thu. Jan. 19, 2012 7:45 pm

I see alot of different burn times posted and some people get some seriously long times. I have been messing around with the stove here and I am on a 12hour tend time and my stove always has plenty of coal when the shaking takes place probably due to the mild winter and not running the stove more than 350-400*. I don't know that it will go overnight and a day at work, well I forgot to shake it the other morning and found out It does ! The fire when I got home wasnt that large of a circle, maybe 6-8" in diameter in the center and it took about 45 minutes and some patience to get it back up burning fully.

Is my time a legitimate 24 hour burn ? (I did add coal but no shaking took place)
So what is and is not allowed when taking burn time lengths ? (standards)
Loading is ok and shaking is a disqualification ?
Ideling the stove along is allowed ?
Poking is a dq as well ?

buck24 · Post by **buck24** » Thu. Jan. 19, 2012 10:11 pm

I would say from loading the burning stove to full capacity to when the fire goes out. No adding of any coal in between. Load her up, let her burn till she goes out. Draft setting would be your choice. Let us know what you get. Burn safe and stay warm.

LsFarm · Post by **LsFarm** » Thu. Jan. 19, 2012 10:51 pm

Simulate going away for a long weekend, we had someone a few years ago turn his Harman III way down to a simmer and go I think 40 hours on a full load, nobody home, so no shaking..

I think this gives the most meaningfull and usefull burn time 'standard'.

Greg L.

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Thu. Jan. 19, 2012 11:12 pm

I think you need a few catagories..

Useful burn time...
Full load of coal, house temps no lower than 65*?, no shake, no poking, no adding coal, fire still strong for easy addition of coal and easy continued firing...

Vacation burn time...
Full load of coal, house temps no lower than 55*?, no shake, no poking, no adding coal, fire still going for addition of coal and reasonably easy continued firing...

Longest burn time...
Full load of coal, house temp no lower than 45*?, no shake, no poking, no adding coal, fire out no red coals anywhere...

I can load the DS up pretty well and can leave the house for long weekends returing to a house above 55* and a fire that is easily brought back to life...
I always set the NG for 55*...
Just in case

LsFarm · Post by **LsFarm** » Fri. Jan. 20, 2012 1:08 am

OK, who's going to keep the records, create and post the results on a spreadsheet?

I agree that you have to have a useful fire capable of being restore, otherwise it would length of burn till extinquished.

Greg L

Post by **Lightning** » Fri. Jan. 20, 2012 3:45 am

I'm new to coal this year so the first time I got 16 hours without touching the furnace and was able to re establish a good fire relatively easy at the point, I was pretty thrilled...

Eric L · Post by **Eric L** » Fri. Jan. 20, 2012 6:25 am

LsFarm wrote:... you have to have a useful fire capable of being restored...

But then there would be two separate numbers:
The time it will burn and be restorable within a few minutes by me, and
The time it will burn and be restorable at all by my wife (a much smaler number)

.

- Eric

jpete · Post by **jpete** » Fri. Jan. 20, 2012 7:46 am

I think the basic standard it "hands off" time.

You shook it, loaded it and set it, then walked away. As soon as you touch it again, it's time to reset the clock.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Fri. Jan. 20, 2012 8:05 am

My Hitzer 50-93 w/ hopper is good for 30 hrs in the zero type temps we had last year keeping the 2400 sq old farm house at 70+ & being not the least concerned about loseing the fire. I might of been able to go 35-40 hrs, but it was way to cold to get too stupid.

PS--I don't think there are any STANDARDS--each house/situation/stove is different. " every time I figure out all the answers, somebody goes & changes all the questions"

Post by **Rob R.** » Fri. Jan. 20, 2012 8:10 am

In my mind there are two ways to look at it.

1. How long can you go before the indoor temperature drops below your 'target' temperature?
2. How long can you go before you have to get another match?

michaelanthony · Post by **michaelanthony** » Fri. Jan. 20, 2012 8:23 am

freetown fred wrote: PS--I don't think there are any STANDARDS--each house/situation/stove is different. " every time I figure out all the answers, somebody goes & changes all the questions"

That's right, let's not go changing the rules to suit our needs. How many times have we herd that every situation is different and I bet you could put the same stove in everyones house and get totally different results. good draft, average draft, poor draft, different weather patterns etc. I could go on and on.I think the stove becomes cognitive to our life style and habits, just like a vehicle, as a matter of fact a vehicle would be an excellent example of different people, habits, and parts of the country, oh yeah, and FUEL.

Post by **franco b** » Fri. Jan. 20, 2012 11:04 am

michaelanthony wrote:
freetown fred wrote: PS--I don't think there are any STANDARDS--each house/situation/stove is different. " every time I figure out all the answers, somebody goes & changes all the questions"
That's right, let's not go changing the rules to suit our needs. How many times have we herd that every situation is different and I bet you could put the same stove in everyones house and get totally different results. good draft, average draft, poor draft, different weather patterns etc. I could go on and on.I think the stove becomes cognitive to our life style and habits, just like a vehicle, as a matter of fact a vehicle would be an excellent example of different people, habits, and parts of the country, oh yeah, and FUEL.

Have to agree with these posts.

The important thing is how long will the stove maintain the desired output.

In general the stove with the least heat loss to the sides in the fire box and the deepest bed will maintain the fire longest. A suspended iron fire pot will burn longer and more completely than one not suspended. A fire box lined with fire brick will also burn longer and more completely.

Long burn time does not make one stove superior to another because that deep bed is much more likely to generate more CO and not burn it as well as a shallower bed that does not last as long. How well the shaker grate clears the ash from the last tending can make a significant difference, and how quickly and easily and cleanly is also important.

Recovery time after a shake is another important aspect. Hopper stoves are better at this but also how the stove is handled. Steve Zee has developed a technique to very much reduce that time.

There are just too many things to judge a stove on than burn time.

echos67 · Post by **echos67** » Fri. Jan. 20, 2012 5:17 pm

I will go with the vacation burn time, fill it and forget it and still be able to revive it. No hands on at all and what it is, is what it is.

Maybe I used the word "standards" incorrectly ? I was just trying to find out what qualify's as acceptable and unacceptable so that I could more correctly compare my results to what others post about their burn times.

Post by **Lightning** » Fri. Jan. 20, 2012 6:05 pm

Useful burn time...
Full load of coal, house temps no lower than 65*?, no shake, no poking, no adding coal, fire still strong for easy addition of coal and easy continued firing...

In my own situation, this is how I would define a standard burn time. I would add, along with adjusting draft..

coalturkey · Post by **coalturkey** » Fri. Jan. 20, 2012 6:42 pm

OK! what did I win. Went 96 hours at 75 degrees and still had fire to add to without a relight. Oh, no prize? Well I guess it wasn't that long after all. Just having a little fun. I'm still learning to fine tune my base heater but it is good. Carry-on. Mike