First Fire In New Stove Guidelines Please

I didn't make that presumption, but you're probably right. Manual doesn't say.
It only notes how to set it.

 

No, I have not tried that feature yet. I am trying to learn how to operate one of these epa stoves; I am going to hunt for videos so I can see more what you guys are telling me. I do appreciate the time and trouble you guys have gone through to help me.

 

The smart stove feature is you pull the damper rod all the way out, this is the fully closed position, then rotate to use the smart feature that fully opens the damper. Then when the stove comes up to operating temperature, the damper will automatically close back down. Then one can use the damper control in the normal way. I have not tried this feature yet.

 

OK, I have heard back from England Stove Works.
The chimney height is measured from the top of the stove to the ending which would be the cap.

My measurements has the chimney around 12.5 feet. The manual states that 15 is required for the stove.

As for operating the stove, I think I have not been allowing it to get hot enough when starting; I think I will use the Smart Stove feature and see how it behaves. Other than the smoke spillage, I am quite happy with the stove and it is nice having a warm house.

 

Just as an FYI Kimberly....I have the 30NC from Englander, and the suggested height of the flue is also 15' (although mine is measured from the floor). I found that to be lacking, so it's now 18-19', and I still have some smoke spillage when opening the door. And yep, it even happens when I'm down to mostly coals, and yep again.....I open the door like a tortoise.
I think you're on the right track.....still, but it does take time.
Once you get the pipe taller, you can use a Sooteater to clean from the bottom up. I don't remember if that's been suggested or not.

 

You have to be careful when searching. England Stove Works dosen't list the Madison in their catalogue online. They make two sizes of the Madison, one ends in the 01 and the other ends in 02. They are the same stove except for the size; with the 02 being the larger. So search for 50-SHSSW01 on the net. Lowe's carried the 01 in stock in my area but had to order the 02. Northern Tool list the 01 online. Oh, there is another difference, the 01 has the ash pan on the right side of the pedestal where the 02 has it in front.

 

Yes, back when I first started here about building a chimney. It is on the list of "gets."

 

Thanks! I'll have to see if anyone closer than the Lowes in Martinsville has one I can eye. I'm not sure why, but every time I go to the Lowes site, it says Martinsville is the closest lately. I may ride up there over the weekend since the weather is supposed to be nice and it's been a few weeks since I've taken my bike out anyway.

If it's suitable, I'll have to see who I can steal one from (Craig's List) I did the same for the 13-NC I'm running now and picked it up for $200 which included the blower, heat shields, and all the brass trim for the lips and door. (he said he couldn't get it to heat his place even though his place was a couple hundred square feet smaller than mine) It had been purchased new just a few months before he sold it to me and I have been using it ever since. Even better was he lived less than 50 miles from me, plus he had a tractor which he used to load it onto my pickup truck.

If I can snag one, I'll take the 13-NC and use that one in the garage and sell the US Stove 1100 I currently have in the garage. IF I can't snag one in a reasonable amount of time though, I may just pick up a new one when they're on sale or marked down. I don't like paying full price for just about everything.

 

I dunno how big of a stove you are looking for, but if you like deals, here's one for you!
Get on the Home Depot site, set your store as #1534, (Durango Colorado) they have the Englander 30NC on sale for $519 right now...$99 more gets it dropped in your driveway.

 

the easiest way to solve whether this is a draft issue(without making a manometer if it has a pipe tap port) or dry wood issue............

is to throw a bunch of dry sticks and limbs 1/2-1" diameter on a bed of coals, or even better a roughsawn softwood pallet broken down into smaller pieces and see how the stove behaves.

Kiln dried untreated dimensional lumber is meant to resist fire, it needs to be split into 1x1"-2" or less to take a fire in poor draft conditions.

 

I had some untreated 2x4 pieces, I figured they would be good for burning down the coals, I know they were dry, but they didn't burn very good, split them in half burnt pretty good then.

 

I've been burning a few 2x4 pieces here n there of late...cut offs from a construction project at work. I don't split, and they burn very well, other than a couple pieces that looked like they layed on the ground in the rain for a bit...

 

That's been my experience. I've burned LOTS of 2x4s, I used to frame for a living.

 

Thanks

 

That is a recent decreased, when we ordered the Madison, it was not that low.

 

It is the smooth surface; split, you have irregular surfaces; the surface area increases over the smooth planed surface of a 2x4. You also have surfaces that goes to small areas that can heat up quicker as well and reach the combustion temperature.