A lot of large cold coals upon morning clean out and running the blower speed control. Second season with this stove and am starting seriously playing with inlet control to get a handle on efficiency. This year I am not getting ashes but what I would have to say is small charcoal. Last year, when we had to clean out it was ashes. On the old stove it was always ashes. Wood supply is a 14 month split 80% ash mixture. This year vs last year: 1) I started to choke the inlet down to preserve wood usage. I have also observed that I get better secondary burn by choking the inlet down. (I have already addressed this in another posting and believe I am on the right track). With choking the inlet down I find that on morning cleanout and through out the day we get a large number of cold coals and not the ashes we use to get. Some of them look like clinkers. I am contributing the charcoal type ashes to chocking the inlet down. Tonight, not a good night to experiment since it is 17, I stirred the coals around and put the damper all the way open. Did this for a couple of hours and it appeared that the coals were more completely burning, but we did lose some temp. in the house. I finally loaded her up. 2) Variable sped blower control. Last year I didn't play with it much. Just ran it at 3/4 speed. This year I have started to play. At 100% the air is coming out luke warm, 75% it is hot, 50% and under you would be challenged to hold you hand I front of the outlet. Of coarse the volume air is reduced. How do you run your blower? More speed at a high flow rate and lower temp or less air volume at higher temp. Just attempting to get a handle on thermal dynamics. Sorry about the ramblings.
I run my fan on low (only high & low settings). The only time I run on high is when she gets a tad bit on the warm side....
Sounds like your having fun experimenting! Unburnt chunks are likely from your attempts at a more reduced intake air level I would guess (unless some wet stuff is in the stacks). Easy fix. Either reduce or choke down primary air a tad less aggressively to ensure plenty of air for a complete burn. Run the fans slower at the new lower air setting you are trying to let the stove maintain a higher temp through the burn cycle. Or get up earlier in the AM to pile the coals/chunks. Lay a small split on that pile and slide the air control to the nuclear mark That stuff will likely disappear in a flash. So to speak..... As far as fan speed goes. Less is better for my setup. Slow fan = longer consistently higher stove top temps throughout the burn. I really need to match my fan speed and air intake setting to squeeze out the best output/burn times. My wife is about ready to get me a white lab jacket and clipboard so I can pace back and forth recording my results! Kidding. Kind of! Take my experience with a grain of salt. Everyone's setup is different. Food for thought. Good luck.
