I have an older CB OWB with no fan. It's the way it came and has worked fine now for over 10 years. Mine does smoke quite a bit on ramp up and have my temp range at 178 - 185. My wood is stored indoors after it is cut and usually has a minimum 5 years dry time. This year is different as I was cleaning my woods here at the house and put in standing dead ash. It has been dead at least 2 years. My home is on 100 acres so neighbors are that close and they have no problem as most of them burn/have burned. My boiler is inside a building and wood is in there with it so wood is always out of the weather. I'm going to buy a moisture meter shortly but here is what I have found.
My wood, even though it has been inside, under roof, on concrete, still sometimes sizzles. I get creosote like tar building up inside and on the outer edge of my flue where the warm air meets the cold. I notice more smoke, creosote when the air is filled with moisture and I think that is something that guys with indoor stoves do not have to contend with. Their incoming air is "dried" or less moisture ridden than what an outdoor stove deals with. Worst is in the springtime when snow is melting and air is really wet. The choking of a boiler is a big factor too but it's a catch 22 as I like the aspect of once a day loading as I do not have to be here to keep an even temp in the house and such. Not trying to start a shouting match here, just relaying what I have found over the years.
What I found interesting this year was the ash I'm burning now, with less dry time seems to smoke less on start up than the 8 year dry I have in the building there too. 8 year wood is mainly mulberry, hackberry, cherry and hard maple. Smaller sticks seem to smoke more than large splits as well. I know my stove is not the most efficient or clean burning but it has done what I wanted. I totally am against those who burn wet wood and do NOT agree with that. It's just that some of you might drive by at a certain time and think I was burning wet stuff when I am not. I do everything I can short of buying another stove to do it right. I see all the time people using snow covered wood or wood out in the weather and from my experience woods moisture level goes up and down from atmospheric conditions. I DO know for a fact that kiln dry lumber Moisture content RISES after is is brought in to normal elements.
Again, lets have a discussion here and not finger pointing as I'm interested in what others have found over the years.