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[racnruss]

1st year with the Optimizer 250 and finally figured out what is working best for me when I load it.

First, I open the door and let it clear out.

Second, I run a 8" flat nose shovel with long handle down the sides of the fire box and basically pile the coals and ashes into a row right down the middle, covering the nozzle.

Third, load new wood on sides of firebox and on top of pile of coals.

Fourth, use the P&M tool that is 1/2" rod with a 90 degree bend 3 inches from the end and poke it through the pile of coals just enough to clear a hole for the air to get through to the nozzle.

Fifth, close the door.

this has been the best way, creating the least smoke with gasification happening the fastest way I've found.

If you have another idea, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Russ.

[coolidge]

Sounds like the exact same plan I am using.

[karlk]

I load twice a day if I put the right amount of wood in there is not much left except some coals. I put the largest piece of wood directly over the nozzle and pile the rest on top .
I take some ashes out every week or two being careful not to hit the nozzle.

[JTS717]

I keep about 3" of coals and  put the biggest peice (usually about 8" diameter) right on top of the nozzle.  I noticed it gasifies much better when the wood is tucked in tight to the nozzle.  Yesterday I loaded one armful at 6:30am and didn't load it again until I went to bed at 11:00pm.  I did open it up and push the wood closer to the top of the nozzle when I got home from work around 5:00pm.  Temp was 20°F yesterday so there wasn't much load on it.  When I first started running this boiler I thought I was going to burn through way more wood than I was with my indoor wood furnace.  Now that I have been running it a few months I have figured out what it likes and I am going through quite a bit less. 

[racnruss]

Early on I was trying to conserve wood and just putting barely enough to make it till next load,  the problem was sometimes when I got back to it the coal bed was burned down so much that the next load took awhile to start gasifying, hence smoke.

And anyone with a gasifier hates to look out and see smoke because you know its not gasifying if its smoking.

So now I just load that sucker up and keep a deep bed of coals in it. Doesn't burn any more wood and gasifies much sooner. 

[Cabo]

First year here as well.  Here are my observations;

-Largest piece over the nozzle and try to build an upside down pyrimid(??) so that as the wood burns it falls upon itself toward the nozzle.

-Now I never put a round directly over the nozzle.  The 2 times I did it seemed to retard the ability to gasify.  One time the fire actually bridged so now if I have rounds I try to load them toward the sides of the firebox.

-I try to keep the ash level 2"-4" deep.  It seems that when the ashes get to deep on the sides the wood almost gets forced down into the nozzle area and you make more charcoal and don't get good gasification.

-I have only lit the stove once and that was at start up on Oct. 18.  Twice I have had the blower shut down at the 160 low temp and my oil boiler take over.  I have opened the door to find just white ash and figure it will never take off again.  Just stirred the coals, threw in some small pieces on the bottom and some larger on top, turned the timer to start the blower and 10-20 minutes later it was taking off.  Completely amazed how it goes.

=In summary, I couldn't be happier with the unit and it preforms just as Slim told me it would.

[coolidge]

What length wood are you guys using?  If I buy mine it's 24", if I cut it myself 22"(that's all my splitter)

[racnruss]

My wood length is all over the place. Anywhere from 12-24".   Trees here are broad and curvy,(like our women), not tall and straight.  So, its hard to have all exact same length pieces.

[Cabo]

Wood length is 22"-24" with misc. end cuts mixed in.

[jrider]

In my 4th season with it and I have always just kinda threw it in there however it landed.  I only burn the junk/odd/ends I can't sell so I throw in chunks of every shape and size that fits in the door and the unit just continues to perform.