FHC Exclusive! Long low oak burn in the new Ideal Steel stove

Yeah, in hindsight this long low burn in a new stove overnight while I was asleep, then while I was not here to monitor it, wasn't the brightest idea.

And my better half just said she wanted more heat, so at 18 hours into this burn, the air has been increased to 100% for the comfort of the women folk, science be dammed.

Here's what's left in the firebox at 18 hours:

 

That's a bunch of fuel left at 18 hours!

I'd like to see some type of t-stat on this stove, I think that would help some with those long burns.

 

Yep, not bad. Judging by the burn cycle that started this thread, this one should go a total of 24 hours too, even though I opened it up to full air 2 hours earlier in the cycle than last time.

 

I think going with more heat and seeing how long it burns will be good. How much heat can it throw on an 18 hour burn?

Looking forward to colder temps to see how hard you need to push the stove and how long of a burn you get out of it. I'm looking for 15-20 during milder temps and 12-15 during cold temps.

 

I'm talking to John about how best to mitigate these concerns prior to shipping.

 

Talking with Jamie at Woodstock today about the Real steel and the PH stove.. He said they are two different stoves.. The Real Steel stove was designed for high efficiency. The PH was designed as a stove that could produce lots of heat, so that's where there is no concern of how much wood the stove can hold... Jamie said he rarely ever hears of anyone needing to load the PH stove full, because of the 80,000 btu's of heat it produces , there is no need too.. ... So I don't ever think you will see like burn times between the two stoves..

 

Yes, Charlie. And Woodstock designed the PH to switch between secondary and cat burning constantly, as burn conditions dictated. They have found that in a condition that promotes good secondary burn, the air may all go the secondary and the cat may shout down for a while. The secondary burn may be slow, but it is still faster than a cat burn. Cat goes back on when conditions indicate. So the overall burn time should be shorter, with slightly more heat per hour, in the scenario of a smaller firebox, that is seldom loaded very fully. Hence our normal twelve hour burns with very steady temperatures and good coal beds remaining.

They designed a dedicated air supply for the new stove, so it can be kept in a cat burn. Would be prohibitively expensive to redesign the PH for this feature, and it is not a feature that is needed by the vast majority of users of the PH.

If I want a long burn with the PH, I believe can get it by filling the box, and filling it with large splits and rounds of good hardwood. But unless I was out to prove a point, long would likely be 18 hours of good usable heat.

 

Its 19 hours into the burn and 45 outside. Full air on the stove took this place from 70 to 75 in an hour and 20 minutes. It's getting too hot in here now, cutting the air back to about 25%. Still enough fuel in the firebox at this point in the burn to put out gobs of heat.

 

Oh heck, I can't even count tonight. I started this burn around 11:30 last night so I'm counting forward from midnight. It was 8:00 when I posted that photo. So my mind said, 10 plus 8 equals 18 hours. But it's actually 12 plus 8. That photo was what was left at 20 hours, not 18.

And I had to cut the air back because it was too hot in here at 21 hours, not 19.

I need to get some sleep.

 

Hey Brian, now I get it! This is your strategy to heat with free "everyone elses" wood all winter long! Awesome!

 

We've got a pallet guy here in central MN who sells his oak cut-offs too. it's the real deal (try picking one of his pallest up compared to other wood pallets... oofa!) . Just gotta let it season. Nice rectangular piles for neat-freaks.

 

Shoot. My devious plans are laid bare.

I do have a fence that needs whitewashed ...




On another note ... It's actually 22 hours after starting this burn and the first floor is up to 77 and I had to open the front door to cool this place off a bit. Air control is at 25%.

 

So a bit off topic, but while were talking field testing and product improvements, am I the first one in the world to wonder why Woodstock doesn't mark the Fireview draft with small white lines at their major 1/2/3/4/5 settings. I am constantly getting out a mini-mag flashlight to set my draft. I mean, it's on the rear of the stove, it's black lever against black cast iron guide marks.

How about some nice heat resistant white paint for the hashmarks on the draft Woodstock? Please, at least on the Fv.

 

Somewhere on the Internet there are photos of a Fireview where someone did exactly that.

 

...and there will be some right here on this forum pretty soon, because I am going to do it to mine.

 

Found it. (I can't add 2 + 2 tonight but my Google Fu is still strong.)

 

Wow, that guy went the distance and even traced the numbers! I was just going to paint the hash marks.

 

Well, I lit this one up at 11:30 last night. Here's the twenty four hour photo. I'm going to bed but it should burn for several more hours. I'll see if we can still restart from hot coals in the AM at the 28 hour mark.

 

You learn pretty quickly from the position what the controls mean on the fireview...don't really need to read them. Pretty easy stove to run, in my opinion. I don't want white paint on my beautiful light grey metallic stove. Easy enough for anyone who wants it to add it. Glad they are sent out he way they are.

 

Good Lord man! get some sleep, you've earned it and we're not going anywhere. It's not like we'll end up sleepless or anything because we're not receiving updates on the burn. Really. OK, I might toss and turn a bit, maybe a bit of pacing, but don't worry about that. Sleep well.