Things I've learned this burn season

Wanted to make this thread for any of the newer burners that have tube stoves.
This is our 4th year heating with wood.
Start of 2nd full season with our current stove.
Things I've learned this season.
Thermal mass (in our case about 1500lbs of concrete block) really makes a huge difference. Our houses has been consistently around 10f warmer this year.
A tube stove is much much more efficient than a pre EPA stove (I've experimented with mine, in both configurations) it uses less wood and puts out more heat when tube system is working.
The most efficient way to burn a tube stove in my opinion is
Once fire is well established and up to temp close flue damper 100% to slow down exhaust while leaving air intakes as open as possible to reach your stovepipe/flue temps goals. ( Mine is 300f on exterior of pipe 18" above stovetop)
In milder temps for me this is near 100% open, on bitter cold/windy days this might be all the way down to the idle setting.
I've found that running a tube stove this way gives you maximum heat and longevity of fire. It keeps the secondaries in the box for longer therefore burning more smoke and slowing down the actual burn of the wood.
It's taken me many many mods on my stove to get this thing figured out/ consistently performing well.
Anyway hope this helps some newer tube stove guys

 

wood in jail

 

when I was not single if I had my boots on in the house I would be in the prison with the wood.

 

The Mrs has learned it's not worth the fight.
If I'm making multiple trips in and out ain't no way I'm taking them off each time

 

Bad wood.

 

I thought there was a firewood abuse thread , maybe that picture belongs there.
Wrongfully convicted, jailed and sentenced to death in the stove.

 

I’ve learned that once the temps dip below zero all bets are off. No more long 12 hour burn schedules. Keep the stove hot with smaller loads and more air to keep coaling down.

 

with all that weight in one location might want brace the floor from below.

 

I did
Put 3 floor joist jacks down there

 

still holding for correct moisture content

 

I got a different stove, stove itself weighs over 850 pounds so thermal mass was less important in my application.. glad it is working for you

 

Modern stoves are awesome. Both tube stoves I've had were larger and probably at least more than 2x as efficient as my FIL's potbelly stove. That thing is a joke I can't believe how much wood he goes through.