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[rt014]

First year, loving this free heat.  I'm sure I'll figure this out eventually....Has anyone learned any tricks to avoid the bottom middle burning out and the rest of the logs 'holding each other up' and creating a hollow space?  I know I'm stacking them in properly per the instructions, but sometimes I wind up with a void that needs to be poked and prodded down into the coals sometimes.

Thanks

[boilerman]

I get the best results by loading lengthwise with the butts of the logs toward the front door. I split any log that is more than 8 inches diameter and load round side down. I've found that rounds and wood that is not well seasoned have more tendency to burn out underneath. Also seems more likely to happen if you don't have many log remains left to load on top of during reloading. Hope that helps.

[rsprank65]

Good morning,
I am experiencing similar issues with my 2400.
I hope someone out there has a solution.
But my first guess may be log length.
This year all my wood has been in the 26-30" length. Perhaps this is just a tad too long. How is your length?

Randy

[slimjim]

I do not run a Central but with the other gassers that I have run extensively, I find that loading the largest chunks in the load right over the nozzle and smaller chunks to the sides helps to stop the bridging as the largest most dense piece of wood will resist burning up before the sides fall down into the coals, doing this also tends to keep the nozzle from getting plugged better.

[Roger2561]

Well, I don't have the E2400, I have the E1400.  However, what I've found that works pretty good for me is everything is cut to 24 inches long varying in diameter size from 2, 3, 4 inches to 8 to 10 inches in diameter.  I also have found out that if you mix the larger diameter with the smaller the bridging will less likely to occur.  I hope this helps.  Good luck.  Roger   

[rt014]

Thanks everyone.  I'm going to try loading the larger ones in the middle, smaller ones on the sides.  That makes sense.  Keep the ideas coming.

[dwneast77]

These are all very good answers for you.  There are many factors that play in the equation.  Adding too much wood when the old wood is burned too low is a problem I've had.  Now, like today, if I let it go too long I add some kindling with 6 or 8 -  1 to 2" diameter sticks to get it going again.  Then after a while add a few bigger sticks.  After a couple of burn cycles I can then add a more substantial amount of wood and it will burn well.  Log length has also been an issue.  I try to average 20" to 24" lengths in my E2300.  I've had a lot of primary air supply issues with my unit as well.  Primary air is key!!  If your primary air holes are plugged up at all you will have issues.  I hope they have fixed this problem in the newer models.  I have finally made my own fix that is working flawlessly for my model E2300.  One other cause I can think of that was not mentioned is un-seasoned wood.  If the moisture content of the wood is too high that can also cause bridging.   I've seen other guys post that opening the primary air solenoid a tad will help and I can see where it would.  Be careful in doing so, however, as too much primary air can cause problems too, such as too deep of a coal bed which can prevent good flow down through the nozzle.

[Corneroffice]

  I've had a lot of primary air supply issues with my unit as well.  Primary air is key!!  If your primary air holes are plugged up at all you will have issues.  I hope they have fixed this problem in the newer models.  I have finally made my own fix that is working flawlessly for my model E2300. 

Im having a few issues with the primary's as well. I keep up on poking the holes clean weekly but that's getting old. can you elaborate on your "fix"?

[dwneast77]

Corneroffice  (or anyone else interested)- e-mail me  jeffg77@roadrunner.com  I'll pass on some pics.  I just used 1-1/2" piping.  Works well, easily removable/replaceable.  Cost, generally under $150 and should get you 1 to 2 seasons.  Something anybody can put together with few tools.  Only tough part the first time might be cutting out the back portion of the old channel.  Happy to help if I can.

Jeff

[hockeyguy]

Corneroffice  (or anyone else interested)- e-mail me  jeffg77@roadrunner.com  I'll pass on some pics.  I just used 1-1/2" piping.  Works well, easily removable/replaceable.  Cost, generally under $150 and should get you 1 to 2 seasons.  Something anybody can put together with few tools.  Only tough part the first time might be cutting out the back portion of the old channel.  Happy to help if I can.

Jeff

Jeff, is that to relocate the air holes to the top of the firebox so they don't fill the air tube up with junk?
Thanks

[Roger2561]

Corneroffice  (or anyone else interested)- e-mail me  jeffg77@roadrunner.com  I'll pass on some pics.  I just used 1-1/2" piping.  Works well, easily removable/replaceable.  Cost, generally under $150 and should get you 1 to 2 seasons.  Something anybody can put together with few tools.  Only tough part the first time might be cutting out the back portion of the old channel.  Happy to help if I can.

Jeff

Jeff, is that to relocate the air holes to the top of the firebox so they don't fill the air tube up with junk?
Thanks

hockeyguy - If it's who I think it is, no, they are not at the top of the firebox.  I can't remember if they run slightly above or below the built-in air holes, but it seems to do the trick for him.  Roger

[Big Wood]

I 1/4 all most all my wood if small will half it also try to put bark side to the outside wall and fill in the middle. I stack the fire box full to the top every loading it will dry the wood use a bent rod to poke the coal bed before loading run the boiler temp 195 -190 just went to all green wood fresh off the stump burn baby burn 22" -24" wood

[dwneast77]

My first attempt did bring the air to the top and that may work ok if done differently than I did.  I just did a pipe to the top then 1/2 way to the front to a Tee blowing to each side.  If I just brought the pipe to the front and capped it and drilled holes on each side it would have resembled the P&M 250 design and maybe worked ok.  But the way I did it allowed for the fire to backdraft.  I'd get these explosions that would blow ash and coals out the stack and also smoke and fire into my air box.  I did not keep it this way for long, just finished out that season.  The other reason that did not seem to work for me is my fire seemed to be confined to the nozzle area and not even across the firebox floor causing more bridging.  That was just my experience with it.  I did not try to experiment further with that design. 

Attempt #2 had the pipe assemble running on top of the original air channel.  This worked better but I may have sized the pipe too small and it was still troublesome but more stable.

3rd attempt brought the pipe back down to original height, level with the air inlet pipe.  This was done after I had to have my side walls relined and the old channel was removed.  Had the holes drilled to blow inward as the original factory design did.  Worked ok but ashes would build up and I would get creosote in the back left corner mostly that would back up into the air holes there and block air flow on the left side.

Currently, attempt 4, is working the best.  Instead of coming in from the back wall to a Tee aiming to each side, I come in to a 90 degree elbow up with a short nipple to a Tee then piped to each side and then forward to the front.  (This is done very similar to attempt #2).  This time I have 6 holes on each side aiming downward (slightly toward the middle).  I also drilled 2 holes in the rear (done later so they aim toward the front).

All of the earlier attempts worked.  There is one detail in this 4th attempt that the previous versions had which I omitted here.  That is a creosote drain at the rear inlet.  All those versions had a drilled hole to allow creosote buildup to drain.  Turns out that was my biggest problem with those other attempts.  My "Drain" hole turned out to be an inlet for creosote to build up to and ooze into the pipe, thus blocking air flow.     It took me sooooooo long to figure that out.  I've had absolutely no buildup in this new channel.

Jeff