Fire won't stay lit

[lifeofpie]

Re: Fire won't stay lit

Really? Did you wonder why you couldnt find anything related on the internet?

The controller does operate the door correctly, time will tell whether or not it can actually control the temperature.

[shuboyje]

Re: Fire won't stay lit

I agree with everyone else, your issue is more then likely a combination of a wet oven and wet wood. My experience is good dry wood is next to impossible to find in Michigan, no matter how it is advertised.

I don't want to change the topic here, but I'm curious what you are trying to achieve with the PID controlled actuated door? I'm kinda thinking it is a solution to a perceived problem that doesn't actually exist.

Wood fired ovens have two places where they shine. One is high temperature cooking. They can operate at 1000F and do things you cannot do without that amount of heat. To get there you are basically going to run the oven full blast and would never want that door to close, and if it did close it would actually be an issue, things cook so fast you need full access to the oven at all times.

The other place wood fired ovens shine is retained heat cooking. With the fire removed and a closed door you end up with a chamber of even radiant and conductive heat that maintains a high humidity. Nothing else can cook like this and the results are incredible for everything from bread to roasts to poultry. In this situation there is no fire so the opening door will have no control over temperature and when it opens it will let all the moisture out ruining a big part of the equation.

Am I missing something?

[hodgey1]

Re: Fire won't stay lit

I agree with everyone else, your issue is more then likely a combination of a wet oven and wet wood. My experience is good dry wood is next to impossible to find in Michigan, no matter how it is advertised.

I don't want to change the topic here, but I'm curious what you are trying to achieve with the PID controlled actuated door? I'm kinda thinking it is a solution to a perceived problem that doesn't actually exist.

Wood fired ovens have two places where they shine. One is high temperature cooking. They can operate at 1000F and do things you cannot do without that amount of heat. To get there you are basically going to run the oven full blast and would never want that door to close, and if it did close it would actually be an issue, things cook so fast you need full access to the oven at all times.

The other place wood fired ovens shine is retained heat cooking. With the fire removed and a closed door you end up with a chamber of even radiant and conductive heat that maintains a high humidity. Nothing else can cook like this and the results are incredible for everything from bread to roasts to poultry. In this situation there is no fire so the opening door will have no control over temperature and when it opens it will let all the moisture out ruining a big part of the equation.

Am I missing something?

Shub,
I dont think anyone could have put the WFO mission statement any better!

On the wet wood in Mich, we have the same climate here in NW PA. If it has not been stored indoors dry for atleast 6 months its not cured. The wood I'm cutting now is my next winters fire wood and store it inside my barn untill then.

[lifeofpie]

Re: Fire won't stay lit

I agree with everyone else, your issue is more then likely a combination of a wet oven and wet wood. My experience is good dry wood is next to impossible to find in Michigan, no matter how it is advertised.

I don't want to change the topic here, but I'm curious what you are trying to achieve with the PID controlled actuated door? I'm kinda thinking it is a solution to a perceived problem that doesn't actually exist.

Wood fired ovens have two places where they shine. One is high temperature cooking. They can operate at 1000F and do things you cannot do without that amount of heat. To get there you are basically going to run the oven full blast and would never want that door to close, and if it did close it would actually be an issue, things cook so fast you need full access to the oven at all times.

The other place wood fired ovens shine is retained heat cooking. With the fire removed and a closed door you end up with a chamber of even radiant and conductive heat that maintains a high humidity. Nothing else can cook like this and the results are incredible for everything from bread to roasts to poultry. In this situation there is no fire so the opening door will have no control over temperature and when it opens it will let all the moisture out ruining a big part of the equation.

Am I missing something?

Oh boy, well I guess I may have been accused of over-engineering before, why would this time be any different? I suppose it's a good conversation starter though

[lifeofpie]

Re: Fire won't stay lit

Thanks for all the great advice, I have a really limited amount of time to work on it so it may a little while before I can give some updates, but I definitely will.

[GrahamG]

Re: Fire won't stay lit

If it is wet wood, I have found the best way around this is to put 3 pieces of split logs as a hearth, put around 8 pieces of scrunched up paper in the hearth, then put kindling on top of the paper balls with a light sprinkling of dry sawdust. Get some used tea bags and soak them in methylated spirits (it burns off in the oven and does not taint any food), then light the paper - it will light!

Then add 4 reasonable sized logs on the fire using gauntlets.

[michelevit]

Re: Fire won't stay lit

I've purchased one of these fire starters from Harbor Freight and it has made starting a fire super easy. I just make a nice stack of logs and place the torch dead in the middle. 1 beer later and you've got a legit fire.

No need for newspaper, kindling, and prayers.

Propane Torch

Just be sure not to leave it unattended. I've got it hooked up to a spare propane tank
and it seems to lasts forever.

[GrahamG]

Re: Fire won't stay lit

Man, that looks more like a flame thrower than a gas torch!

My son and I like making the fire together, so much so he went on a school camp and was the first one to have his tent pitched and fire going, when he had had a couple of sausages he helped others to put their tents up.

I don't think they would have allowed the gas torch on the camp...wish we had stuff like this in the UK.

I've purchased one of these fire starters from Harbor Freight and it has made starting a fire super easy. I just make a nice stack of logs and place the torch dead in the middle. 1 beer later and you've got a legit fire.

No need for newspaper, kindling, and prayers.

Propane Torch

Just be sure not to leave it unattended. I've got it hooked up to a spare propane tank
and it seems to lasts forever.

[michelevit]

Re: Fire won't stay lit

It is a flame thrower! When the trigger is pulled a giant scary flame of fire scares erupts scaring women and children. The key is just to have it idle with a small to medium small quiet flame. I think its originally designed as a roofing torch but many use it to burn weeds and melt snow. In the future is also cleans vermin from the wheel wells of your intergalactic space travel machine ala Fifth Element.

[lifeofpie]

Re: Fire won't stay lit

Thanks for all the replies. It looks like it was just a case of a new oven(lots of moisture), unseasoned wood and inexperience. I've got it down pretty good now. It heats up to 700?F in a few hours and makes great pizzas. I'll get a video up soon.