Burning wood on wood burner stove - HELP required!

Greenfires

Could be several things.

Logs you're adding are too big. Any chance of adding some pics?

Logs could be damp. Very common problem and one of the biggest reasons people switch to briquettes, as they know every single one will be exactly the same and they're a fraction of the moisture of even kiln dried logs, so way more heat per kilo.

Could have too much draught coming up through the grate blowing all the heat and embers out. This is why you should allow the ash to build up to cover the grate if possible (in a multi fuel stove with a grate fitted)

If you do manage to get it going (suggest using smaller logs or split what you have, and then build up in size from there as the fire establishes) - then once it's well established, close the bottom air control completely and control the fire with the top air control alone.

Do you have any friends with woodburners who could come round and give you a quick driving lesson?

SG27

Lighting a fire is not as easy as many people think. It does take practice.

If the logs are not seasoned they will be very difficult to burn, I bought some 'seasoned' logs last year and after eventually getting them going they just would not give out any heat even with the doors left cracked open.
Stacked them until this year and they are great now. The drier the wood the easier it will be. I had some kiln dried that I didn't even bother with kindling. Just a decent amount of newspaper and it was roaring.

grumpyoldgal

Once again, thank you for your suggestions.


We shall see what happens tonight - and will try some photos if I remember!! I do think it is a lot of trial and error, I follow the advice regarding the air controls to the letter, have cleaned the surrounds this morning and there does look to be quite a decent ash bed in there now, so hopefully that will also make a difference!! Thanks again...............and watch this space for more calls for help!!

silverwhistle

I've got a new Contura stove and so am still experimenting, but I've had no problems getting it to light. From memory the manual says a surprising quantity of kindling to start with - 1.5k springs to mind - but I've not used anything like that. I've some nicely dry joinery off-cuts and I've been collecting wood for a year beforehand so it's 15% moisture or below. I've also tried a single verdo briquet a couple of times - split in two - and they are nicely predictable.

I've tried reviving the fire from embers, and that has been more difficult to judge, so another factor could be that you are not using enough kindling and small sticks to start with, and your embers are not sufficient for the job, particularly with damper wood. It's all fun playing though, and I wouldn't worry too much at the beginning.

A._Badger

One further thought might be to leave the door slightly ajar when you add the logs. Particularly if your logs are a little large (or, just as likely these days, insufficiently dry) they need a lot of oxygen to get going.

In the past I have been known to cheat and use firelighter blocks if the first batch of logs is reluctant to start.

Of course, the best answer, as I've often pointed out here, is to bite the bullet and buy an electric fan-operated lighter (a Grenadier). It's a high outlay but it means no more kindling and no more messing around.

Good luck.

System

Buy a stove pipe thermometer. We try to keep our dual-fuel stove in the range 300 to 400 F (it's the top range of the dial and shiney so easier to see than C range which is black). Start to build the fire up slowly. Whenever you add new fuel then give it some more air. We tend to add less seasoned wood only when the fire temp is high enough to take it. Remember, damp wood will smoke and it produces more creosote. The sign of a good fire is relatively clean glass the following day

Tip of the day: clean stove glass with either newspaper or a paper towel dipped in cheap vinegar/wood ash. No need for expensive cleaners and the wood ash doesn't scratch.

grumpyoldgal

My moisture meter arrived this morning - I've done a random test and it is around 17 and 18%........that's Ok I think?


So I just need to get it hotter but .......how do I get it hotter....surely that is down to the fire lol!! I have had sooty windows with some stubborn corners - will try to get woodash and try.....but now that it isn't due to wet logs it has to be how I am burning it mustn't it?


Therefore, trial and error.


I have had the door open all day today, and the ash bed is a reasonable level so hopefully that will help!


I love it tho (when I get a bit of a fire.....) just love it - the sight and sound of it too when the kindling crackles...

System

On a multi-fuel stove it shouldn't be necessary to leave the door open. Most stoves have a primary and secondary air inlet. You leave both open until the fire gets going. Closing the secondary inlet increases the draw through the primary inlet. You then control the stove temp by opening and closing the primary valve (usually between 100 and 50%). If this is not happening then you have insufficient draw on your stove. My advice would be to call your installer for advice.

http://www.stovesonline.co.uk/how-to-burn-wood.html

Second Tip of the Day:

As mentioned above, it is important to warm the chimney before starting the fire. My installer loosely scrunched up a few sheets of paper which he placed in the stove and lit. The flames will roar up the chimney which will make lighting the fire very easy. I also use shredded paper if any is available but avoid coloured inks if you can.

michaelgordon

I only have a small stove the firefox 5KW.

What i do is with half a a fire starter block build a jenga block 4 pieces on each level so about 12-16 pieces depending on thickness around this to the top of the firebox and light with all vents open, when this is flaming well and the stove thermometer gets to about 350-400 i close down the bottom vent and add either a heat log or a couple of small logs and let the stove get back upto temp around 350-400 again and half close the top vent then top up when the temp falls to about 200 top up with a couple of heat logs or a big log and this usually does me from about 6pm until about 10

Greenfires

Yep - you don't want to be leaving the door open once the fire is going - the whole design of a stove is centred around restricting airflows and keeping the heat in the firebox rather than just whooshing it all up the chimney - that's the reason an open fire is so inefficient.