Nc30 questions

Had to go back and try to see what the problem is. Sounds totally normal to me. The rear coals are the last to burn and the back corner bricks never burn clean on mine either. I also have to clean the white residue from the glass after a few days of burning.

You have overfired that stove. The white spot on top means you got way over 800. The buckled and twisted piece inside the door is another symptom. No harm though.

Oh and I burn at 700 all the time. Tip of spring even with edge of ash lip. She likes to run hot.

 

400° F start closing it.

 

Oh the white spot on top of the stove that was a previous thermometer there. Then I decided to wipe it and it just smudged everywhere.

 

So if that warped piece has a job what is it? Because all I see is a 90° piece of iron that has three crappy welds on it, is warped, and taking up space in my eyes. Also on the other forum there hearth.com I read where a guy took his off and nothing ill came of it.

Overfiring? I read a forum topic here, that is why I joined actually that was 23 or so pages long about a guy and his nc30 maybe "papadave" was the name I think. And in that topic I saw pictures of guys stoves that were literally packed to the tubes. And I was shocked they don't overfire. So how is it that I am, when I only put 8 pieces of wood in? I am baffled lol.

 

I pack mine right up to the tubes too, and have not overfired the stove. The hottest it's gotten is about 700 or so. That won't hurt the stove, but the house will get pretty toasty.
Yours is definitely running on the too hot side of things. Hard to argue with warped steel.
The stove that was here when we moved in had been overfired by the previous owner. The weld where the bottom and back pieces of plate steel come together popped, warped, and created a 1/2" gap, allowing a whole lot of unregulated air into the stove. Had a devil of a time controlling that stove until I got it fixed.
Why would ESW put in a piece of steel that didn't serve a purpose?
I wonder if mike holton could shed some light on what that purpose is?
Ok, if you start closing at 400, that's just about perfect, as long as it doesn't snuff the fire.
Are you getting secondary flames within a minute or so after doing that?
I still think you're leaving the air open too much once the stove is up to temp.
After loading the stove last night, it got to about 400, I closed the air about 1/2, waited a few minutes, then completely closed it. Immediately opened back up enough to still have some good secondaries and the stove was running at about 530. If I'd used the IR gun, it would have shown a hotter temp....probably closer to 600. This was with about 6-7 splits and too much ash (I didn't feel like cleaning it last night). Didn't need any more wood in the stove anyway.
Something I've found is that the air "damper" doesn't have a whole lot of effect until it's pushed in about 1/2 way. After that, the slightest adjustment can have a pretty big impact.

 

Really like the Englander company and the customer service.

But post after post I read about their products shows that the welds are often needing attention. Incomplete, open spaces, etc. Why?

(Off topic)

 

Here's a pic of mine this morning. The piece on the left still has some lazy flames after I opened the air. The glass is fairly dirty too, which means I shut it down a bit too much.
A controlled, hot fire, will burn off most of the stuff on the glass, but since the house is still 72, that ain't happenin'.
What generally happens, is that if the wood isn't dry enough, the fire needs more air. If it doesn't get adjusted after the water is burned off, the stove will get very hot...maybe to the overfire point. Before I learned that (this was the old stove), I added more wood to the fire, then after a while...BAM. The gates of hades came alive inside the stove, and it got REAL hot. Pegged the thermometer.

 

Hey papadave , could you confirm that you are referring to STT and not flue temp? Just clarifying for my own purposes.

 

Yep, that's STT.

 

Regarding that strip of warped metal, I checked on my un-installed 30 and as I wrapped my fingers around it, I could feel little openings. Maybe this is some type of air diverter?

 

I think it helps direct primary air into the fire. When I have a fire going, and close the air, the flames die back (duh, but stay with me here). Then, when I open it back up, the flames get more lively right down along the front of the splits.
Then, of course, the doghouse air just acts like a blowtorch and burns through whatever happens to be in it's way.

 

My 13NC is the same way.

 

I could overfire a stove with a full load or a half load. Hang with us Ruffrider, lot of good folks here and they all would like to help get you into the sweet spot with that stove. I still hang on the not quite dry enough wood and thus sometimes have to give it too much air theory and it is not burning down to fine ash just like not perfect wood will do. These new stoves are great but they have to have WELL seasoned wood.

 

That's right. The amount of wood in the firebox is not what determines how hot the stove runs, it's that air control thingy under the ash lip. I've always filled my stoves to the top and then reduced the intake air to get the desired stove temperature.

 

Alright I guess unseasoned wood must be the answer then. Thanks everybody.

 

Only way to know for sure is to get an inexpensive moisture meter and check a few splits. Resplit them first, and check.

 

Ruff, ask around with your wood burning friends to find out if you can have an armful of dry, seasoned wood just to try it.
Might be worth a 6-pak of that fancy type beer people like now-a-days, no?
This time of year, it'll probably be a little easier to get someone to give it up also!

 

Sounds good. Now it makes sense. I put the wood in it sizzles a little so I leave damper open about half way wait for about 10 mins gets to about 500° I turn her down more turn fan on at 600° and let her go. I can see how she is overfiring now, the water dissipates and makes dry wood and boom hot stove.

 

I love watchin' the light come on.....you know, the "ah-ha moment".
It's a beautiful thing.