30 with a mind of its own tonight.

Stove top of 785. Front glass at 867. Primary air closed. I even burned down the coal bed before I put this load in.

The crappy thing with this is that I like to leave the primary air open a little so the end of the burn finishes better. Otherwise I can have big chunks that you can tell did not burn properly, usually in the back of the stove.

Oh well.

 

Well it's sure cranking out heat !
What wood type?

 

Pretty sure it is mostly Black Locust with a few small splits of oak and pine.

 

PINE
There's the problem

LOL
Just kidding

 

Hmm that stinks. I don't think I have ever had that problem with the T6. Now I do notice that if I don't open the air closer to the end of the burn the chunks in the back take a long time to burn down. It's a double edged sword because when its cold out you want it to burn quick hot and fast but during normal temps it works out great for it to burn slowly as I have a ton of residual heat left in all the cast iron and it can stretch out my reloads to every 16 hours sometimes longer. On a normal day in the 20 outside I go about 12 hours between reloads.

 

785. Wow If i saw my 30 at those temps Id probably need a clean pair of shorts. Is that on the higher side of safe? Mine is usually at 600-650 at most. I dont think Ive ever had her that hot. (dont know where else i can use this line and be totally normal)

 

Eh, it happens. If it isn't glowing, I'm not worried. You are burning a big azz steel stove. It can take a beating. I usually shoot for 600-700, but, sometimes chit happens.

Just remember, if the stove continues to climb on you after you have shut down the primary air, don't freak out. Monitor the situation and know that there is a FAR great chance of the stove settling than climbing to the point where you need to actually worry about it.

 

Yeah, if the air is closed down the end burn won't be as efficient as it should be. Could end up with a smolder. No matter where I end with the air settings I like to open it up at the end of the cycle for a more complete burn.

 

Locust will do that temp wise, a lot of pent up energy in that stuff. It will be a few hours before it starts to decline some depending on the size of the splits.

 

I run mine in the 650-750 range. But this burn was different. I usually close the air down until I see the flame begin to slow. Little by little until I just have rolling flame. This usually means I end with the air a little open and not fully closed and a stove top temp around 680. Sometimes it tops out higher.

But, this time, the flame didn't slow. Kept turning the air down, and nothing changed. Had it closed and it was still rumbling at a decent pace. I wasn't worried, but this is the first that has happened with the 30. This wasn't even on a big bed of coals, either.

Now, there have been instances where I forgot about the stove and the air is wide open resulting in the stove climbing even after I adjust the air. That I expect. This was different. I usually expect this from the Defiant.

 

You can get the 30 to hit 600 easy with just a few small splits on a hot coal bed wide open. Been holding the house at 70-72 ( main area) in these -50 windchills the past few days 2000 sqft ranch 1960 build, found another cold air leak ( or new one) flippin bottom right corner of front door. That will get zip sealed later today. I do not need to use it. Warmer this morning only -4 w/o windchill. knocking the coal bed down right now , rake to front 4" split silver maple on top n/s

 

Ok, but on the same load, can you turn the air down and get a more controlled burn in the 400-500° range?

 

No. It is a standard non-cat stove.

 

Thanks BBar.
So, does that mean then, that the stove is going to run at 600 or more on most loads, even with the air on low?
Just trying to get a clear sense of how this stove likes to run and if there's enough control for me to bother with it.
Like you've mentioned, I have enough heat (most of the time), but it's delivered in the wrong doses/time frame.

 

Correct. On a EPA non-cat stove, you will be hitting peak temps with the air closed, or close to closed. For the most part, that will mean stove temps in the 600 degree range. Higher on some stoves.

On smaller loads I will still get 600+ stove top temps, but the rest of the stove does not get as hot. So, there are differences between a full load and a small load as far as heat output.

 

yes

 

Full load of Sugar maple. less than 20% mc, Got to about 700, closed her down to even with the ash lip and it was settling back 5-600 range as I left. House is getting cold soaked from the subzero temps and 25-50 below wind chills last few days some of the outside walls are registering 45-50 degees on the infared gun. Warm up on the way might get all the way up to freezing. ( 32F) come Sat. Cost is freezing rain , sleet, maybe snow.

 

Oh jeez. So which one is it?
BBar, my old Ashley does the same thing, but the 30 seems to run at the higher temp a bit longer.
If I can't control the stove to get a less intense fire, then I guess the Ashford/Sirocco is back in the limelight.
I'd like a stove to burn about 300 for a while during SS, then crank up to 600 or more when we're getting normal winter temps.
Anyway, didn't mean to Jack this.

 

Reall depends on how you load it, what condition the coal bed is in and when you damp her down. I can put a full load in and damp way down before it hits that 6-700 range it will cruise quite a while at less than 500 that way. again depends on the fuel, lot of other variables. I have a Selkirk flue assembly and the cap really does a number to prevent super high draft with high winds, no screen inside it so never gets clogged up either, unlike the mesh ones in this sub arctic weather.