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[Watt2323]

Ok I have talked to several people about this and haven't gotten a definitive answer yet. When filling your stove, how full do you fill it? I have had some guys say they fill it as full as they can while others say they fill it just enough to get to the evening when they get home to refill it. What is best? I say not packed because it will burn hotter am I correct in thinking this?

[GUSWHIT]

When I had my Central Boiler I used to put only enough to keep it going until the next fill.  Just kind of had to gauge temperature conditions to get the right gauge.  My thinking on this:  I wanted to make sure that I could stir up the ashes better, other wise it seemed that I was leaving a lot of large charcoal like pieces under the mountain of ash in that stupid designed stove.  The new BL-3444 will be a new adventure I'm sure once I finally get it hooked up.  It's been a long year.

[CountryBoyJohn]

The conventional wisdom is to only put in enough to get you to your next fill.  One definitive reason is you will have significantly less smoke as the wood will char much sooner than if the box is stuffed full. 

[Watt2323]

My BL-3444 has an ash pan which I wasn't sure about before getting the stove and now I am not sure how I would go without one.

[juddspaintballs]

Rarely more than halfway full.  It seems to burn the wood better and last longer than if it's stuffed full.  Also, a lot less smoke.

[fireboss]

I think what works best for you is the right answer! It's all a learning curve! I used to pack it full and it would smoke out the neighborhood and now I put more then I need in case I don't come home !

[oaky]

Same here with my P & M 2840, enough til the next fill up. I believe it will burn less efficient when filled over 2/3 full IMHO. Good to have more open space to allow for heat to metal contact.

[Watt2323]

Good to know thank you everyone I will be only filling it half full at the most, that way to burn better & have less creosote I hope. I was always afraid that if I dont have enough wood in the stove it will run out and the house will get cold. But after it taking a week to bun the coals out at winters end last year I no longer fear that.

[fireboss]

It's not the end of the world if the house gets cold but I am sure our wife's and family's would say different but it  would probably take days for anything to freeze so it won't really hurt anything!

[kybaseball]

I never fill it more than half full and it works great for me.

[mlappin]

Half full on a G400, really hope to get a real winter this year to see what it will do, had a few days that were in the single digits with a howling wind, I want some polar vortex temps this winter. Might be moot anyways, rest of the windows are changed in the house, soon as harvest is done we are going to start on the upstairs by tearing the ceilings out and installing 1” foam faced foam insulation then covering with sheetrock, have also tightened the shop up considerably since the 13” of rain we had in August in a attempt to keep the mosquitos out.