Englander NC30 deal .....ordered

The Ashley did the same.
Get the stove to about 400, and the flue (single wall) about 3-400, then start cutting air. Flue temp dropped, stove temp climbed.
This stove will take some getting used to.
This fire of 6 Oak splits was doing a real heavy ghost burn for a while, but now it's just sitting there, and no flame. Been 2 hours.
Should I open the air, or leave it?

 

If the chimney is clear leave it be if you have enough heat, if the chimney is smokey(my non cat would get some dark smoke if I had it down too much) open the air up a touch. Don't get caught up chasing the secondaries, even if the tubes aren't pouring flames out they're still doing something. If the stack is clear you're doing things right. People chase the wonderful secondaries everyone posts pictures/video's of. Next thing you know you have an overfire going on that you can't reign in. Just let it burn and everything else will fall in line.

With my non cat I would start turning it down in stages after the st hit 350-400, I'd turn it down until the flames got lazy, let them recover and turn it down some more. I usually left the air open a touch or if I closed it all the way down I'd open it back up some after the secondaries died down so the end of the burn was cleaner. After a few weeks you'll be running it like it was the Ashley. I think the biggest mistake people make early on is thinking the secondaries have to look like the pits of hell in order to be a clean fire.

 

Yeah, the secondaries were cool, but too much heat.
Before they got like that, the stove was running well, and I saw nothing but heat waves out the flue.
I'll get it. May have a question here and there.
Or, everywhere.

 

Well that stove looks real pretty sitting there like it was made for that hearth
1 broken brick isn't bad, lot better than a broken glass.
Me thinks you are going to love that stove.
I usually open my air up A little after a couple of hours.
One thing I found hard to get used to is, once you get it burning and start dialing it down, Small movements in the air control make a big difference, Like a quarter or eighth of an inch. On my stove does anyway, Way different than a smoke dragon

Burn Baby burn :firepit:

 

I've been following this thread Dave. Once you get it dialed in it should work out well for you. I'm looking forward to see how it works out.

Time for an avatar change?

 

You want the available draft pulling as much air in the door as possible to prevent smoke escaping, instead of some of the draft being spent pulling air in the primary.

You noticed that, huh?

 

I used one of my bricks to replace the broken one. Fit well.
I noticed that already (air adjustments).
I shut it too far, and it went out. Opened the air, and it came back to life.
I sat and moved it just a hairs width, and it changed the fire.
Very interesting.

 

Didn't even think of that Jon.
I'll see about that tomorrow.

 

Looks great glad you got it set up and burning! As far as smoke spillage goes crack you r door for 5-10 seconds before opening it and then open it slowly and you shouldn't have an issue. I can open the door on mine during a full burn using that method but I also have 30+ foot of straight up chimney and draft that would give a Hoover a run for its money.

The trick to a slow burn for me is dialing the air back soon enough that the load is only burning a little bit but still firing the secondaries. When I do that I get hours of slow secondary and a load that burns forever. Did it this morning and went 14 hours on a partial reload.

Also remember to pull the coals forward so you don't light off the whole load of wood at the same time. You want it to burn like a cigar from the front to the back. Once you get the hang of it it's just second nature. Hope that helps.

 

I think that brick is supposed to be like that, mine near the latch is also, looks just like that. It doesn't show it in the manual, but I seem to remember an additional piece of paper saying why that brick was like that.

See if you can get the bigger blower (ac-30) with the variable setting if you kick in a little more $, it is well worth it over the 2 speed smaller cfm unit that comes with the stove.

 

Thanks Certified.
It's nice to get these reminders from those who've been doing it for a while.
Since I was getting the smoke, I only kept the door open long enough to toss in a few splits on the last load at 6:00 p.m..
I'll do that for the overnight, but I'm not sure how much wood to put in. It's only going down to the mid-20's tonight.
I went ahead and loaded 8 pieces. I have the primary down so the end of the handle is even with the front of the ash tray.
I may stay up a while.
Dave, I put in a full sized brick to replace that one, and nothing is causing an interference that I see. Only difference between my brick and ESW brick is theirs are 4" wide and mine are 4.5".
I would expect the wider brick to cause a problem if the original were cut like that for clearance.
I plan to call the 800 # tomorrow for the blower.
By all means, keep the comments and suggestions coming. I'm trying to act like an info. sponge for this stove.

 

You got a ton of good info tonight, Dave. Everybody was spot on with how the stove should work. Just keep experimenting with air settings and you'll find you will know exactly where to put the air control based on the wood you're burning and the outside temp. Just remember that little adjustments can make a big difference, and can smother a flame if turned down too soon. One rule of thumb is to let all the wood get good and charred before shutting the air down.

Keep us posted on the progress of your learnin'.

 

I may try at least partially blocking the "doghouse air" at some point.
That seems to really chew through the wood.
I'm also extremely curious to see what's left of the load in the morning.
Which reminds me....since I got up early, I'm heading to bed.

 

Looks really nice Dave! Hope you'll wake to a warmer house in the morning.

 

Yeah, try cutting that primary air before you open the door, if you haven't already; It may give you just enough extra draw at the door to contain the smoke. Colder outside temps should give you more draw as well....

They aren't showing a cutaway brick in the manual....
Hey, they describe the "tunnel of love" in there!

You could ask 'em about the brick but I expect they'll tell you it was broken....

Try leaving a bunch of ash jammed up around the opening; That seems to cut the amount of boost air coming in below the door in the Buck.
I've got a separate air control for the boost, so it usually isn't too much coming in when cruising, since I have that slider shut and just have the air wash slider open a little bit.

 

This is excellent advise and I have definitely found it to be true. Many times the secondaries are only firing every once in a while with very lazy flames. Now if I want a hot fast load I get them fired up and going crazy and as soon as they stop I open the main air all the way up to keep it burning hot through the last part of the load.

Be careful if you already have a deep hot coal bed and you open the door to toss a few splits on as that will usually cause pretty intense secondary action and tons of heat in a very short period of time. What happens is it is so hot the wood off gasses all at one time. Not the most desirable thing if you want control over the fire. If I'm looking for a long controllable burn I let the coals burn way down to almost nothing pull them all the way forward and t light nothing but the very ends of the logs. When you get it set up that way it's crazy how easy it is to run.

 

Yeah, Dave, wake up! We want more burn reports!

 

"Yeah, try cutting that primary air before you open the door, if you haven't already; It may give you just enough extra draw at the door to contain the smoke. Colder outside temps should give you more draw as well...."
Woody, I get it...finally.
That description makes sense.
Pulling some ash up to the doghouse may work, but air comes in there at a pretty good clip.

 

Again, reminders....
I got so caught up in the "new" thing, I forgot all this stuff, even though I've been burning the Ashley just that way. DOH!
In my rush to get rid of the fumes by burning in the paint, I lost track of some of the basics.

 

The first overnight fire did ok, I guess. Not fully impressed yet.
Loaded 8 splits and could have put in more, but it didn't get cold last night.....woke to 32°.
Had a few coals left, and put 3 pieces of Pine in after raking coals forward.

Things I've noticed so far:
The fire starts quicker in the 30
30 seems to get warm/hot more quickly
More control of the fire with the primary air
The glass has a haze on it very quickly. I'll see if I can burn it off.