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[DaveWertz]

How much does the size of wood you burn affect your stoves recovery time? This afternoon it was 6 outside. I was burning my kiln dried blocks which burn hot and seem to take less blower time to get going again. Well the house was at a comfy 72 to 73 in the house.
  Tonight its down to about 3 to maybe 0 and I decided to throw in 3 big rounds that ranged from 18inches round to im gonna say 33inches was the biggest. The house is now at 68. Could the size of the wood you use affect the recovery time on your stove creating less heat to your home? Tonight was a good night to try it and so far it seems to be the case.

[CountryBoyJohn]

I would say it depends on the quality of your coal bed. If you are basically empty and throw in big chunks, I would say yes, it would take longer to get 2 or 3 big rounds to start cooking vs. a bunch of smaller pieces. I would say if you are going to throw in big pieces, toss them in a couple hours sooner than you normally would.

[DaveWertz]

Well with the normal block wood I use there is usually always a bed of coals. With these rounds there were good coals when I put it in but I went and checked it out it didnt seems like many coals at all. I threw some blocks in there to get coals back in there.

[Sprinter]

Yes , full rounds are mentioned in many threads as problem burning. Not on every stove, but many have stated. How's the burn look to you?

[hoardac]

Yeah I always have 4 or 5 smaller pieces on the bottom if I use big rounds.

[hondaracer2oo4]

Dave, I have the same problem too with big rounds in my H4. I don't burn them often, I usually will split them in half just so that they can get going easier, but they don't last as long as they would if they were big rounds. That big round is a BIG ice cube at these temps. I mix in some smaller stuff with the bigger stuff. Helps get the bigger stuff going.

[DaveWertz]

Sprinter the burn didnt look even at all. Honda racer I wont make that mistake again. The stove had trouble keeping up lastnight. The house got down to 64! It is currently 68 and climbing with an outside temp of 6. I believe the huge chucks I threw in made it harder to get the fire going back again and just couldnt produce the heat fast enough to get to my house.

[AirForcePOL]

Like several others mentioned, I will usually throw a big round in only if the is smaller stuff underneath and on the sides of it.   I've been burning a load of seasoned hedge I got from a friend the last couple of days.   The pieces are a lot smaller than anything I usually burn but the recovery times are great!

[DaveWertz]

Im gonna take a good look at the aqua stat also. I have it bumped to 185 for this single digit weather. I didnt see another dial to adjust the low side temp. I really dont think there is one. Its I believe the orginal honeywell.

[ITO]

 We don't split our wood, we cut large oak and burn "rounds" all the time, they are seasoned though and I cut them short (for handling, drying and burning), we usually call them "pills" because of their usual shape and they seem to work fine, we've been doing this for years, since we cut from our own land we have many small pieces, limbs and oddball assortment that we fit in among the bigger pieces. Obviously the bigger pieces have to be seasoned longer but we don't have a splitter and that just seems like handling the wood more to us. -35F predicted for tomorrow, will be burning some pills for sure, stay warm all.

[Sprinter]

He said pills.......
I am surprised tho at how many stoves are sensitive to wood size and load amount. It's not like the old dumb burners where you loaded it anyway you wanted and as long as you had a good coal bed it was fine.
Now the uneven burn, what up with that? Knot in the wood? Or fire box design?

[willieG]

ito...never thought of putting my old home made on the "pill" before...i dont like to split them rounds either. i usually cut them about 16 inches and roll them in...but i like the "pill" idea...if i go out for more wood this winter and come across a big trunk im gonna give it a whirl...thanks for  the idea

[slimjim]

Caution, I've tried those pills and they don't do well in our gassers, anybody else try it with a gasser?

[beeman]

i think our stoves are like cars, trucks, tractors and girls they all run a little diffrent start diffrent but the end gole is get them hot

[pointer80]

I usually throw a good mixture in when burning big rounds.  I throw in some split wood then some big wood on top.  Also a good idea to watch the temps at night and if it is going to get real cold then do not throw in just big rounds.  Maybe do that during the day when you can keep your eye on your stove more