Trying for an 8-10 hour burn

Ok so this weekend seems like a good one to try out some longer burns on my NC30. I have a few questions naturally lol! Main one is how on earth do I pack the firebox full and not overfire this beast? I throw 5-6 medium to large splits of mixed hardwood (poplar,hickory,oak) and she takes off too 620-650 range. I have seen pics on here of them loaded full so I know it can be done. I usually turn the air down when the STT is around 150 or so, is that to soon or late? I know for a longer burn I have to dial the air back and have read that a good gauge is having the spring even or right behind the ash lip. Any other tips like maybe EW loading is best for longer burns or what not much appreciated. Also I have not messed with plugging any holes on the stove and not sure I want to try that yet.

 

It does like to burn up there sometimes. That's fairly hot, but not needed in these temps. I also don't fill the firebox in this weather. A few splits and we're gooder to go for most of the day. I do 8 hours "burns" all winter. Usually more like 9 or a little more.
Try closing the air all the way, then pulling it back out just a hair. Maybe 1/8-1/4" once the stove is up to temp. For me, that's at least 350-400, but could be a little higher depending on outside temps.
I'm surprised your fire doesn't go out if you're reducing air at 150 degs.
That's barely warm.
I sit myself down in front of the stove with a cup of coffee in the morning and just mess with the air to see what it'll do to the fire.
I started a small fire this am, let it burn down some, then added one more medium Maple split, and the STT is 500 with a lot of dancing secondaries. Primary air is barely open.

 

capetownkg , I've mentioned this in another thread somewhere, but once you get the air rod under the ash lip, very small adjustments can result in large changes in the fire.
Remember too, there's still quite a bit of air going in the stove from the tubes and the "doghouse".

 

Are you loading N/S or E/W??? You'll get a hotter, faster burning fire with N/S loading because your doghouse air easily gets between the the logs and the fire gets to the rear of the box more quickly and the fire engulfs much more of your logs more faster than with E/W loading.

E/W probably won't get as hot as N/S, but will likely give a longer burn time due to the logs in front blocking the doghouse air from rear of the firebox. The fire has to work it's way thru the logs in the front of the box before many of the logs in the rear of the box really start "off-gassing/burning".

All of this is assuming you watching a monitoring and adjusting the air control in a similar manner between loading styles.

 

Lotsa great info in this Post^^^^^................................but maybe more for the "seasoned" burner than a newbie.

 

I don't pay much attention to the stovetop temperature while getting the stove fired up and dialed down, I watch the flames and the pipe temperature, when the pipe hits about 700° internal temperature, ( that would be about 350 degrees on a magnetic thermometer on single wall pipe), I start dialing down in increments, also before this happens, either starting a new fire or reloading the door is cracked open to get the fire going and I also close the door in increments.
Where I end up setting my air, is not always the same, that depends on the outside temperature, wind, kind of wood is in there, and how much heat I need to get out of the stove.
My Stove likes to run hot, 5 - 6 medium to large splits of hardwood it will hit 650.
On a reload you will need to start dialing your stove down a lot sooner, just because it will hit higher temperature quicker.

 

Some good points HDR and all.
On the Ashley, that's how I knew when to adjust the air too. Roght around 3-350 degs.
I should revisit the E/W loading method.

 

Thanks for all the good pointers. I will keep playing around with it. I have only tended to load N/S so i will try some E/W. Also will let it warm up more before dialing the air down. I do get good draft with this stove. I can set the air really low and still get a complete burn of the logs. But thanks agaian everyone sorry im so green to burning but at least my wood isnt!

 

I routinely run my 30 fully closed after a good coal bed is formed. STT ranging from 400 - 600 depending on how much wood is in it.

 

Another thing to keep in mind with a full load is split size and how tight you fit the splits in the stove. A full load of loose small splits is gonna get hot and not last as long. With to large of splits you might have trouble getting it burning quick enough.

 

Very good point even if you only fill your box a quarter full and pack them in the middle tight together it will burn less hot and slower, then if there is air space between them

 

Conversely, I can snuff the fire completely under any conditions by shutting the draft completely. It's one of the things I like most about this stove, no chance of runaway and complete control by me.

As the fire gets going I can pretty quickly shut the air about half way with no apparent change to the fire. This helps the stove heat up faster and prevent melting the air wash plate. Then when she hits 650 or so I shut it down to where the tip of spring is even with the ash lip. Much farther in and it'll snuff and go cold, much farther out and she'll go nuclear. There is only a narrow band of operation for me. After the first couple of hours there are more usable draft settings.

 

If your draft is too strong, you may want to experiment by covering the dog house air inlet holes.

 

For the sake of information my flue is 6 feet of 6" single wall, then transitions to 8" triple wall for the next 17'. All straight up and though the roof, only 5' out of roof, the rest is in unfinished, but warm, insulated storage area.

 

I'm also in an insulated lukewarm shop. 10 feet of vertical single wall, then 9 feet of class A vertical four feet of which is above the roofline. All 6" of course. Your chimney is nearly twice as tall and 8" so it should suck harder which perhaps explains how you can run so low.

 

Agreed. She pulls like a S.O.B.

 

She could suck seagulls off of a landfill!