Chimney and Stove selection, Englander Madison?

LOL CHOOCHINN I hope here in the next couple days. I wonder how bad the stove black will smoke?

 

Shouldn't be too bad. I've had two new englanders and was not a bad start with wither of them. But then, I did only small fires...cool down. Next time, larger fire....cool down....etc

Was awhile before I let them really go to town!

 

That is the plan. I think the book says 1st fire should be 300. And next 2 slightly larger.
So does that mean the 4th it is ready to rip. Lol

 

Thinking I'd wait for it too cool off a little outdoors. Thought of a fire in the house when the next few days are close to 90 isn't appealing.

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I almost built a fire outside in mine but decided to wait. I was surprise that the smoke and smell was hardly noticeable.

 

Some one has started a fire. Now sweating my arse off. Got it to just under 300 and letting it cruise down. One quarter round split into kindling.
Burning now for close to an hour. And CHOOCHINN at at 250

 

Very slight smell. Next time will try and get it to 350.

 

but watch the temps during the firings and keep the loads where you don't have to worry about them running away. Part of this is to slowly heat the metal so that it all settles in.

 

Fire in the hole she's a choochin now man
I love it when a plan comes together

 

So do I .
Couple of hiccups but I think all is good. After all said and done just shy of $1,700 total. About $300 over what I had hoped. But it should recoup that in 2-3 winters. Plus warm hearth makes warm hearts.

 

If you went to almost 300 for the first burn I'd try to go higher than 350 for the second...maybe 400 lets say. Steel stoves don't really need "broke in"...I think Englander suggests it more for the paint curing process than anything...but many people with a steel stove have just went ahead and fired it up full bore with no issues...the whole "break in" fires comes from cast iron stoves I believe...or maybe soapstone, not sure which. Its not a bad idea...just not "crucial".
More important than break in, IMO, is not firing the stove too hard as it comes up to operating temp after a reload...or even more importantly, when firing a cold stove...fast/dramatic temp swings is hard on metal...causes fatigue long term. An example of this would be cold stove to 600* STT in 5 minutes...probably done by leaving the door cracked and having a load of really dry small splits in...makes a blast furnace effect...not a good idea.
And just FYI, each time you hit a new high temp record with the stove, you will get a bit of smoke, or at least some of that same smell as the paint cures to a new level every time that happens...
Nice work Corey, enjoy!

 

paint smell - yep even after six years worth i can still get a bit of that if things get a bit to warm.

 

My Madison had a lower over fire temp than what the 30-NC folks were saying. What did your manual say about cruising temp and over fire temp?

 

Lol I haven't got past the break in fire's lol. Reading ahead is for them there smart people.

 

My other question is about starting the fires. How was the draft? Did you have to leave the door cracked on startup?

 

By the book over firing is 650 or higher and normal is 350 low up to 600 for high.

 

I did leave the door cracked a bit. Seemed to work good that way

 

Installed this little buet in the flue. And grabbed my first ever moisture meter.
Won't be able to test it for a bit as it was 90 deg today. More of a fan and AC day then a fire in the house day. Maybe a bonfire out side but that is different story.