Log burner grate

[Lloyd90]

My mum has a log burner (she doesn’t know which make or brand it it) … 

I think it’s a multi fuel burner; most likely because it has a grate that raises the fuel up and then has a separate compartment below for the ash to fall into. 
 

Issue is she reckons when installed the man told her the flu she has is only graded for a wood burner so she can’t burn coal. 
 

She only wants to burn wood really, but often it doesn’t burn great. Wood will burn until all charred and black on the outside but isn’t burning fully that well and sometimes even goes out. 

 

When looking at it, I reckon the coals and ash etc falls through below, and I believe wood burners burn best on a bed of ash and coals, so she doesn’t get this effect and it’s not as efficient as it should be. 
 

Anyone able to confirm the potential issue and any remedies? 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Do the air vents work? and does she use them?

[Lloyd90]

4 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Do the air vents work? and does she use them?

Yes but mostly just left open all the time (bottom ones). 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

I would only normally have them open to get things going.

Then slow the burn to get maximum heat from all of the fuel.

[Mr. Merkel]

Hi, this may help to explain things

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=433myBuH18g

[oowee]

I have a grate over an Ash pan the same. If the wood won't burn then its a shortage of air or un seasond fuel. Mine is apparently OK for other fuels but when I used coke it looked like it might melt. It was incredibly hot. 

[B725]

Put Google lens app on your phone close the door then use the app by taking a picture and there's a good chance it will identify the model, not perfect but it can work very well at time's 

[Dave at kelton]

Sounds like lack of oxygen. To burn well you need the top vents open for wood

[Morkin]

Might be the daftest question but does she keep the door shut until it get hot and burning well.

[Walker570]

I have two Clearviews which have ash pans beneath the burn grid. They have two means of letting air in. One from the bottom which is to get the starting wood to burn and ignite small logs to start with. Once there is dancing flames shut that down and open the front airflow and this canbe fully open or closed down to slow the burn.

I don't understand the term top opening.

It sounds to me that she is trying to burn damp/wet timber a classic description.   

[marsh man]

Could it be a flu problem ? , is the flu lined or got a flu liner ?

We once fitted a brand new Aga solid fuel oven/ boiler in the game keepers cottage , it had a stainless steel liner down the flu and fitted to a plate on top of the stack , around the top near the pot it had mesh fitted to stop any birds falling down .

He was told to only use well seasoned wood , well he had unlimited access to as much wood as he wanted , the thing is it was not always well seasoned , after a while we got a call to say the kitchen was filling up with smoke , when we went round we couldn't see amy smoke comeing out of the flu so we put a ladder up and went to have a look , all the mesh had congealed tar blocking all the holes up , we cleared all the holes out and then we found the top of the liner was blocked with tar that had gone solid , this again was all cleared out and also we cleared the droppings that had fell on the plate above the stove .

We got every thing going and the keeper had to get it swept by a bona fied sweep at least once a year and to make sure he was using the right fuel and not just what he came across , It wasn't long after that he retired and a new keeper moved in , I retired soon after so I cannot say if it was still a problem .

[Luckyshot]

The difference in the grate for burning wood to coal is minimal. That stove as already mentioned isn’t getting enough oxygen which is clear by the state of the glass. If burning well the glass should be unmarked. It could be that the flu is partially blocked or the fire just doesn’t draw enough. 

[Windswept]

3 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

Sounds like lack of oxygen. To burn well you need the top vents open for wood

This. I burn only wood in a multi-fuel stove. When lighting top vent and bottom vents are open. Once alight, just a few minutes, bottom vent is closed. Top vent is normally always fully open, if closed the fire will die down and slumber which sounds like your problem.

[marsh man]

58 minutes ago, Luckyshot said:

The difference in the grate for burning wood to coal is minimal. That stove as already mentioned isn’t getting enough oxygen which is clear by the state of the glass. If burning well the glass should be unmarked. It could be that the flu is partially blocked or the fire just doesn’t draw enough. 

Another one we had a problem with was like you say , it didn't draw enough , to solve that problem we had to put a air brick in beside the bottom of the stack , this day and age with all the seals around the doors and the double glass windows can cut out a lot of the drafts required for solid fuel burners and open fires .

[Lloyd90]

Thank you all 👍🏻 

 

Based off feedback I then assume the issue is the wood not being well seasoned and ensuring the top vent is also open. 

[harrycatcat1]

On 29/12/2022 at 21:22, Windswept said:

This. I burn only wood in a multi-fuel stove. When lighting top vent and bottom vents are open. Once alight, just a few minutes, bottom vent is closed. Top vent is normally always fully open, if closed the fire will die down and slumber which sounds like your problem.

Our multi fuel burner has two vents, top vent for wood and bottom air vent for smokeless fuel. Don't put plain coal on as it may blow the door off.

We only burn wood so never use the bottom vent at all.

[Windswept]

19 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

Based off feedback I then assume the issue is the wood not being well seasoned and ensuring the top vent is also open. 

Do you have access to a moisture meter? If so split a log and check it's 25% or under. If not do they his when on the fire?

Edited December 31, 2022 by Windswept

[Windswept]

8 minutes ago, harrycatcat1 said:

We only burn wood so never use the bottom vent at all.

Yes, similar to us, the bottom vents is only ever open for a couple of minutes. 

[Lloyd90]

46 minutes ago, Windswept said:

Do you have access to a moisture meter? If so split a log and check it's 25% or under. If not do they his when on the fire?

Yes, more like a snap, crackle and pop was coming off the other day 🤣 but only once every few mins 

[GingerCat]

As above, open both to light and then close the bottom if burning wood. If burning coal you feed it from the bottom which in part helps keep the grate slightly cooler due to coals hotter burn. The glass should be mostly clear, Ash on a damp bit of kitchen roll has it like new easy enough. 

House coal won't blow the doors off but can blow the glass out so smokeless only. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[walshie]

Not sure if this has been asked but apart from the wood maybe being too damp, what wood is she trying to burn. Some woods look OK but only smoulder. 

[Lloyd90]

On 05/01/2023 at 18:58, GingerCat said:

As above, open both to light and then close the bottom if burning wood. If burning coal you feed it from the bottom which in part helps keep the grate slightly cooler due to coals hotter burn. The glass should be mostly clear, Ash on a damp bit of kitchen roll has it like new easy enough. 

House coal won't blow the doors off but can blow the glass out so smokeless only. 

I have been up to my parents again this weekend and had a good check over the stove. 
 

It is a Worcester stove - I believe it is the Hanbury model.

I have also noted that the top vent is broken and doesn’t open, it’s stuck shut, just the bottom vent opens and closes. 
 

I fully imagine it’s never worked since she has had it and she’s just seen it doesn’t work and ignored the problem fully and just carried on as if it isn’t an issue … an infuriating thing my mum does that drives me completely mad.

 

She has now said she will approach the shop she brought it from and ask them why it doesn’t work and if they will fix it but as she’s left it for over 2 years I doubt they’ll rush out to sort anything. 
 

I have been saying to her for a long time it doesn’t work as it should but normally get caught up with other things when visiting. 

[Walker570]

Is it an 'airflow' stove?   I am not familiar with that make and model but after the Clearview patent ran out almost all the top woodburning stove makers went the 'airflow' way.

This system directs air around the body if the stove, warms it and then it exits along the top edge of the door flowing down the glass and into the fire, keeping the glass clean.

The bottom opening is purely for initially lighting where air is drawn in below the sticks so boosting flow and once flames are 'dancing' that is closed off and not used in the main burn.

 

[Lloyd90]

Photo of how it works 

[Walker570]

Hah. So not quite Clearview standard but should be burning far better than said. Do not really understand the 'tertoiaty inlet, how is that controlled?