log burner not producing much heat?

[hazzygawa]

Thanks for the info county.

 

I know it's an old fire but it was free. It does kick out a hell of a lot of heat as it is quite a small room it is in. Had a flue fitted about 2 months ago and it made a real difference with draw.

 

I will have to save up for a good un in the next few years.

[Chippy]

Hi Roglog

As Dean says light the fire with lots of bone dry kindling,have some pieces of 2 x 2 cut into 2" squares, once the kindling is burning hard throw in the 2 x 2 keeping lots of air round each piece this should burn fierce and fast once your flue is warmed up.

[stoxs]

A well set up wood burner should have a BRIGHT flame , if the flame is looking orange and dull the fire is being choked(not enough Air).

I have found if you have the air wash vent open to far you will loose alot of heat, also if you have the bottom Air vents open to far you will loose alot of heat straight up!

 

But in order to get wood burners working properlly you need heat in the wood burner and up the chimney.

As long as you burner is in good order and flue/liner is in good order light fire and leave to roar for a good while until there is plenty of heat u the chimney then you can gradually close bottom Air vent down until it stops roaring, clsoe top vent down so it is around 1/4 open.

no insulated flue liners dont draw as well as insulted ones. but evey chimney is different.

another point is do you have a cage and ht on the top of your chiney , I have heard that wind accorss top can stop draw in fire below, belive it or not!

[roglog]

Hi Roglog

As Dean says light the fire with lots of bone dry kindling,have some pieces of 2 x 2 cut into 2" squares, once the kindling is burning hard throw in the 2 x 2 keeping lots of air round each piece this should burn fierce and fast once your flue is warmed up.

 

done this and its burning well, the thermometer on the pipe is reading 200 celcius it is giving out heat but nothing like i expected.

to me it seems like the heat is all above the stove and not coming out into the room, the stove is slightley inset - ill put a picture up

[County4x4]

Have you got enough headroom above the stove to sit an ecofan at the back of it? Stoves buried in fireplaces will always take longer to get things up to temp - but on the plus side - may put more heat into the brickwork etc which will keep the temp of the room up for longer once the stove is out as the masonry holds the heat like a thermal mass stove. An ecofan will help to move that heat out of the alcove and around the room though.

[gensetsteve]

Is the chimney blocked of with just the flue going up a hole or is the chimney liner loose in the stack.

 

We have a 10 year old 5kw hunter in the lounge which I thought was good as we pump the warm air around and it heats the whole bungalow in this weather. But I accidentally bought a Hamlet made by arda last year and fitted it in my office what an amazing stove when the flames look like they are in slow motion the heat it gives off is incredible. Having bought an up to date stove I would agree with putting all cheap old stoves in the skip. The amount of logs you will waste in 6 months will pay for a new stove.

[openspaceman]

done this and its burning well, the thermometer on the pipe is reading 200 celcius it is giving out heat but nothing like i expected.

to me it seems like the heat is all above the stove and not coming out into the room, the stove is slightley inset - ill put a picture up

 

The flue temperature seems about ideal, if the stove body is all up to temperature then the stove should be radiating/convecting it's designed power. You can increase heat exchange by using a fan to circulate air out of the alcove, I would use a simple fan blowing downward to force warm air to run along the floor.

 

The only thing that would affect efficiency is the massflow up the flue, which (assuming clean burning) is dependant on excess air and water content. The heat exchange will be similar at a given flue temperature in steady state.

 

My stokers seem to burn clean at between 120C and 200C flue temperatures on whole wood (stay visibly clean to lower temperature when burning out char bed) but trip out at higher flue temperature to avoid damage.

[likeitorlumpit]

Do you know anyone who has a stove

Get them to help you- It's not rocket science but people who have grown up with fires seem to have a knack that newbees lack. It's easy to miss something when on a forum.

Combination of the wood you are using/ the stove/the flue/ the draw

Needless to say I'm lucky in that my stoves burn all wood wet or dry but I've known people who struggle.

[martin p]

Hope this helps! Our stove seems to put out more heat if the logs are loaded end first ie,cut ends toward the glass.The logs need to be about 9" to be able to do this.

[finny]

Lots of advice here!

If your flue is not insulated then much of the heat your stove is producing will be doing what heat does best..rising straight up the void between the liner and the original chimney.

I don't understand why anyone would line a chimney and not insulate..

except for the cost, oh and it;s a ball ache, oh and yes as mentioned above, try removing it.

Still it is a no brainer if you want an efficient stove that will last and be easy to light and not slumber, and not pollute the environment more than necessary. Oh and cost you loads less to run..