Burning wood on wood burner stove - HELP required!

grumpyoldgal

Hello


Sorry to appear totally dumb, but we had our wood burning stove (multi fuel) installed on Wednesday, and I am really really struggling to get a fire going in it.


1. Kindling starter - fabulous, not a problem, do it as advised....air wash and primary vents open, door ajar slightly before lighting and afterwards.


2. After 10 - 15mins or so, nice red embers....add 2 logs.......and that is when it all goes pearshaped.


The flames can be going really well but this just puts it all out and the room smells very smoky, altho the glass stays mainly clean,


When it was installed the draw test was absolutely fine, the logs have been stored correctly since purchase in a log store, I have read more articles on how to establish a fire, watched more youtube videos, read the user manual.......and I appreciate a lot states it is trial and error, and I appreciate that but actually I really would just like to get the fire started so we can enjoy our stove!!


Any help would be very much appreciated,


thank you

Smiley_Dan

So you're lighting with just kindling in the firebox? And they are just glowing embers? I think that's your problem. Adding logs will dampen the embers and cool the firebox, just when you need as much intensive burning as possible.

Also, check the moisture of the logs. Excessively damp logs are a common problem from 'log man'. Ideally 20-25% moisture content - you can measure with a meter from eBay.

I prefer building top down fires with largest bits of wood at the bottom, then progressively smaller until kindling and paper at the top. Light the paper, close the door and watch it go...

grumpyoldgal

Hi Dan


thanks for replying.....no the kindling goes great guns but after 10m or so has burnt down but still have flames I put a log on......and then my problems start!! But that is what I read over and over.


So should I chuck a log on when it is still in full flame?


Also - could I ask at this point that if I get a nice little fire going with logs, when do you put more logs on??


Moisture meter - I have one ordered.


top down lighting I have read about this - may try this tomorrow


thanks again

YORKSHIRELASS

Adding 2 logs at once might be too much, especially if they are a decent size. Ideally you want some smaller logs, or some logs split into 3 or 4 pieces. Make sure you are adding these when your kindling is blazing away too, not when its starting to die out.

We have pretty much given up with logs, just because its difficult to buy decent dry, seasons logs and store them properly. We use smokeless fuels more often now.

Mojisola

grumpyoldgal wrote: »

Sorry to appear totally dumb, but we had our wood burning stove (multi fuel) installed on Wednesday, and I am really really struggling to get a fire going in it.

When it was installed the draw test was absolutely fineu

Have you spoken to the installer? As it worked well after installation, get him to talk through the way he got it going.

flowrypot

I had this problem and so I either use verdo heat logs from home bargains or a mixture of logs and heat logs , I found that even the seasoned logs were not really seasoned enough and kiln dried are so expensive.

Smiley_Dan

I would definitely construct the fire them burn that. Don't add in dribs and drabs because it compromises the temp in the stove leading to an inefficient burn.

Biomass is best burnt at high intensity in batches.

The Verdo logs are good to test if it's the logs that are the problem. I find I either need to use those or season my own.

StevenMarks

When I got my first stove, I was told the main reason for the stove not taking properly was lack of paper. And to be honest I do find that when I use more paper it takes better.

Lots of paper and kindling and then progressively bigger logs is the way to go. But balancing with not opening door too often as that causes temperature to drop.

grumpyoldgal

thank you again.......but......


when refuelling or adding more logs - when is the best time and does it automatically result in the fire flattening out a bit?


God help us when I decide to try the smokeless coals lol!!

Smiley_Dan

It's difficult to explain, one of those things that are best learnt through experience because it can depend on your stove, fuel, etc etc. I refuel soon after the flames have stopped.

Recently I started to use a stove thermometer and when the temp drops to the bottom of the ideal range I restock. Again - depends on the fuel and what you do with the vent. Generally I reopen the vent when restocking until the thermometer starts climbing again.

A thermometer can also help avoiding overrunning the stove and producing a slightly longer burn but this takes experience... Broadly it's best to have it running fast than smouldering. Also, you need dry fuel to do this, otherwise it's easy to run it too slow.

My philosophy is to get the most kWh I can out of the wood.

asharon

Mine smokes the room when its cold outside. If you scrunch a piece of newspaper lightly and burn it then it will heat the flu.

I have a Hunter herald slimline and logs were poor when I burned them, the next year I went for heat logs and they kick out the heat for me and burn lovely.