Oh the Heat!

rstrawsburg · Post by **rstrawsburg** » Thu. Nov. 13, 2014 12:10 am

It was our first day burning all day with a rather warm outside temp. I have the hopper installed again and opened the ash door vent about 1/2 way open and set the automatic draft control at it's mid point. We need either a bigger house for this beast. The grandkids are complaining and opening windows. We'll see what the next couple days bring us. They are calling for some winter cold and I can't wait to see how the stove runs.

-Ron

Stoker6268 · Post by **Stoker6268** » Thu. Nov. 13, 2014 12:42 am

Why the auto thermostat half open? I close mine all the way down and just leave ash vent open a tad...

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Thu. Nov. 13, 2014 7:34 am

RS, now it's time for fine tuning. Play with those ash door vents & back thermo flap--you'll find where her sweet spot is. Just remember, it'll take the stove an hr or so to respond to any changes:)

michaelanthony · Post by **michaelanthony** » Thu. Nov. 13, 2014 8:19 am

On my box stove I put aluminum foil in front of my sliding air vents this time of year because air still sneaks by, it only takes a few crumbs of coal or ash for a 1/16" x 4 vents = 1/4 inch opening. Snug it up and use the bi-metal air control only, that's what its for.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Thu. Nov. 13, 2014 8:41 am

I'm with MA on that ash door vent thingy--BUT, 2 other FORUM members w/ 50-93's use the front vents & have real good results--like I said---fine tuning time:)

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » Thu. Nov. 13, 2014 9:53 am

I use the ash door vent when burning wood or for small coal fires during the shoulder months. I don't use it with the bi-metal air control & I don't use it once I'm burning continuously. Hopper is going in today as the temps are dropping!

Scottaw · Post by **Scottaw** » Thu. Nov. 13, 2014 10:56 pm

I never open my front vents. It's thermostat only, and it works great. I can hold it at 175, or 600 just by setting the dial where I want it. I know the vents are there for a reason, but I have a strong draft.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Fri. Nov. 14, 2014 7:20 am

Ditto on that SL

blrman07 · Post by **blrman07** » Fri. Nov. 14, 2014 7:28 am

I have been fooling around with all nut, all pea, 25/75 pea to nut, 50/50 pea nut and found it likes 100% pea coal for a hot long good burn. I can get easy 12 hours on pea and it keeps the house toasty warm.

Right now I am loaded full with nut and the house was at 66 when I got up. I goosed it by opening the ash pan door. I am sitting close to it at the DR table and won't even go get more coffee unless I close that stupid door first. Forgot one time and it looked like the surface of the sun when I smelled it an hour later. Only thing that saved me was I had the MPD at 1/2 closed. That kept the runaway reasonable but still pretty hot.

Right now running in indirect mode with 650 in the center of the griddle and it is cranking out the heat. House is back up to 72 so it's time to close the ash door and let it simmer down a bit.

Love these black rocks!!!

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Fri. Nov. 14, 2014 7:51 am

Indeed Padre:)

rstrawsburg · Post by **rstrawsburg** » Fri. Nov. 14, 2014 11:34 pm

Stoker6268 wrote:Why the auto thermostat half open? I close mine all the way down and just leave ash vent open a tad...

Thanks for the tip. I had the ash door vent completely closed and half way open has stopped the permature burnouts.

I need to work on that vent a bit. It doesn't adjust very easily. I think the paint has it sticking a bit.

-Ron

rstrawsburg · Post by **rstrawsburg** » Fri. Nov. 14, 2014 11:39 pm

freetown fred wrote:RS, now it's time for fine tuning. Play with those ash door vents & back thermo flap--you'll find where her sweet spot is. Just remember, it'll take the stove an hr or so to respond to any changes:)

She's been burning for 3 days straight.
That ash door vent did the trick.
Man I'm starting to love coal!
Just too simple. Shake, empty the ash and fill the hopper.

-Ron

Stoker6268 · Post by **Stoker6268** » Sat. Nov. 15, 2014 2:12 pm

Just wonderin'. Sounds like a lot close the ash vent tight and only use the therm flap. Question- where does the stove get enough air to maintaine fire if door vents completely closed and therm flap not calling for heat and is closed? Air leaks in stove? Around the shaker handle?

Scottaw · Post by **Scottaw** » Sat. Nov. 15, 2014 10:31 pm

Good question! I was assuming small air leaks myself, but I have no confirmed answer.

My air vents never worked smoothly, so I just closed them and cranked down on the nut to seal any leaks through the door as best I could.

For the record, I have a 30ish foot interior chimney, 6" ss liner, Baro damper, no mpd, and burn nut size only. I've been burning around 400, on a thermometer on the top right of the stove.

Freetown Fred is the master of the hitzer around here.

rstrawsburg · Post by **rstrawsburg** » Sat. Nov. 15, 2014 11:57 pm

Stoker6268 wrote:Why the auto thermostat half open? I close mine all the way down and just leave ash vent open a tad...

Yes this is what I'm doing now to keep it going during the warmer days. I had the front vent shutdown and was depending on flap but it wasn't calling for heat and closed completely causing the stove to go out. Thanks for the tip!

-Ron