First fires are always hottest and a shallow firebed will often burn hotter than a full firepot because of the easier airflow through it. So expect the lower stove temps to be a bit less as the firebed "ages" and there is some ash buildup on the grates - a good thing to help reduce the heat stress down on them.alpineboard wrote: ↑Sun. Oct. 07, 2018 9:02 amUnderstood on the wood coal comparison and volume of energy stored/released.
I did my first burn with coal, need it to be out by the time folks get home, re: new paint still smelling (slightly).
So from a fresh start, put in approx. 15 pounds, probably 1/3 of the burn pot.
Got up to temp very nicely. Almost the same numbers on temp, slightly lower, 400 to 450 side burn chamber, 400 to 500 on back burner. But the base was still heating to 450 to 480F, so a deflector plate is definitely happening.
Outside temp was 55 to 60f, with blue skies, so high barometric pressure, so a reasonable draft for a semi warm day outside. I was getting the stove up to its peak operating temperature, without overheating it. Nice even low orange glow with the coal.
From looking at the coal burning from underneath thru the grates, ash pan door open, everything appeared well, no grate overheating. I see now, why and how the larger space between the grates works so well.
I believe that I am operating this stove the way it should be operated. Are my base temperatures higher than what other folks with base burners are experiencing? As someone stated earlier. I think I am ok with these temps, and this is why they are called "base burners".
Central, 2 story, 16" cement block, 8 inch round clay flue tile chimney.
I still put a steel pan under my GW #6.
When Wilson had the stove set up and running in his kitchen he had to put an aluminum heat shield on 2x4s under it because the wooden floor was getting so hot. I have the stove on a 3x4 foot, 1/2 inch thick hearth board, but even with that I didn't want to risk over heating and discoloring the wooden floor under it.
I never use large broiler pan from my gas oven, so I placed that under the base. It reduced the surface temp of the hearth board quite a bit. The pan also helps when emptying ash. I just slide it out a ways under the ash drawer door and it catches any ash that falls off when I take the ash pan out and shovel out whatever missed going into the pan.
Paul