It has been a while..but I am finally back, with a question about eco logs!

[Swedishchef]

Hey guys

Long time no post. Quick question: anyone ever burn eco logs such as these?
http://www.bmr.co/en/heating/eco-friendly-log-bmr.html
They are on sale for $5 a box (which contains 9 logs) and I figure I would get a few to give them a try. In the past years I have read all the posts about not putting more than 2-3 in your EPA stove at a time. I simply figured it would give me a bit of a wood break since I have built a garage that I plan to heat with wood when needed.

Thanks for the feedback!

Andrew

 

[begreen]

Welcome back Andrew. I moved this to the hearth forum so that you will get a more targeted response.

I haven't burned these logs, but I'm skeptical of the mfg's claims: BMR densified logs for eco-friendly heating. 100% hardwood with no additive, wax or paraffin. "13 boxes cotaining 9 densified logs equal 1 cord of traditional wood."

Oh really? Can't say for sure, but these look like medium density logs. If so how many btus are there per log? Let's be generous and give them 32,000 btus/log. That means 13 x 9 x 32,000 =3,744,000 btus. Considering a decent hardwood has around 25,000,000 btus per cord, I think they need to check their math. There isn't even the equivalent energy of a face cord in that amount. Heck, even hemlock is 15,000,000 btus/cord.

Before buying in bulk I would try a box and see what you think. In testing compressed logs I was not impressed with the medium density logs. They burned off quickly, expanding like a cigar and made a lot of ash. On the other hand, high density compressed logs are a whole different animal and very good fuel producing long burns with little ash. According to their website, you can get Homefires at:

EcoLogic
40 rue du Pacifique est
Bromont, Quebec J2L 1J5
866.880.5647

Note that they may be selling as Hearthwise brand logs on the east coast. It's the same product.
http://www.homefirelogs.com/

 

[Pallet Pete]

We burned a bunch of eco logs last winter after seeing a great deal and not being able to pass it up. This is the conclusion I came to they are good for extending burns mixed with wood. We burned 100% hardwood logs ( there claim ) they are very good if your in a pinch I would think but boy they burn hot if you use too many and they really do have almost no moister content in them. There needs to be some moister for wood to burn properly! With firewood you don't need to worry because there is moister in the air and it will not allow the wood to get to dry. Eco logs are kiln dried and heat pressed which is a good idea however in order to stay together they can't have moister or they crumble into saw dust as we experienced. The average log had around 4 to 6% moister when I reaserched local sources.

Pete

 

[Swedishchef]

Thanks for the welcome back BeGreen! It has been quite a while and I sure did miss Hearth.com

I will give them a try. I think when they attempt to compare to a cord of wood, it may in fact be 1/3 of a cord or a face cord. Would that make more sense? Maybe not...bad math!

I will look into those logs on that link you sent me..seems very interesting!

Thanks again!

Andrew

 

[begreen]

My review of the Homefires is here:

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Home_Fire_Prest_Logs/

 

[Corny]

These logs will be on sale tomorrow (Aug 29) for 4 days at BMR stores for $CAN 4.54 per box of 9 logs. 13 boxes are purported to be equivalent to 1 "standard cord of wood." I found them in the local BMR store today. Each box weighs 27 lb and I found that the boxes were approximately 11" x 8.5" x 8.5" = 0.46 cu. ft. each. There is also a claim that they provide "40% more heat than regular logs." I learned that they are manufactured by Granules LG in the Lac St. Jean region of Quebec. (More on that below)

Even on the basis of a 16" wide face cord, I can't make their claim pencil out. For comparison, a 16" wide face cord of white ash weighs approx 1162 lb at 20% moisture, and it generates approximately 7,200,000 BTU (i.e., one third of 21.6 MBTU for a full 4' wide bush cord) http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm . The manufacturer's premium wood pellets are rated at 8500 BTU/lb. The BTU/lb rating of their densified logs is unknown, but if it is anywhere close to 8500, then I'd expect each box of logs to weigh in the order of 7,200,000 / 8500 / 13 = 65 lb if 13 boxes are indeed equivalent in energy output to a (16" wide) cord of (white ash) wood.

Even if we allow for a lower moisture content in the manufactured logs, it wouldn't come close to bridging the gap between the required 65 lb vs the actual 27 lb for a box of the product; or is there something that I am missing? I am wondering if their "40%" claim pertains to a volume basis and that it was misapplied to their calculations on a mass basis.

I invited the local BMR store manager to explain the calculations. He didn't know nor cared to know. He sent me to the manufacturer's website http://www.granuleslg.com/buches.php# . This site is mainly in French, and it provides little data of substance other than what's mentioned above in addition to the claim that no additives are used; the binder is the heated lignin that is naturally present in the product. This implies that there are no oils or other accellerants that could boost the BTU/lb much outside of the typical 6500 - 8500 range for seasoned wood fibre. I sent an email to the company, in French, asking for the tested BTUs per log and for their moisture content.

I will share here any information received; and if I'm off the mark, above, I'd be grateful to be set straight. Meanwhile, I'm not buying.

Thanks,
Corny

 

[Swedishchef]

Very nice article Corny. I didn't get the new BMR flyer so I did not know that. I may get a case or two to try them out and see how they make out....$5 a case isn't a big loss if they are dissapointing....

Andrew

 

[BrowningBAR]

Note that they may be selling as Hearthwise brand logs on the east coast. It's the same product.
http://www.homefirelogs.com/

The equivalent of a cord will run you over $400 based on the pricing I found.

 

[begreen]

Very nice article Corny. I didn't get the new BMR flyer so I did not know that. I may get a case or two to try them out and see how they make out....$5 a case isn't a big loss if they are dissapointing....

Compare them over a few nights with the EcoLogic (HomeFire) logs and let us know what you think.

 

[Jimmcg]

Hey guys

Long time no post. Quick question: anyone ever burn eco logs such as these?
http://www.bmr.co/en/heating/eco-friendly-log-bmr.html
They are on sale for $5 a box (which contains 9 logs) and I figure I would get a few to give them a try. In the past years I have read all the posts about not putting more than 2-3 in your EPA stove at a time. I simply figured it would give me a bit of a wood break since I have built a garage that I plan to heat with wood when needed.

Thanks for the feedback!

Andrew

I burned a few (some bought at HD and some bought at Lowes so different brands) last year as a test. The one major factor I found was that they burned completely. Very little ash with also means that no embers left the next morning to start the stove up again. Which means starting from scratch to get he stove going. I also found that the stove was much cooler almost cold then with an all hardwood burn. Normally I would sift through the ash, clean it out gather the coals and embers together, a bit of kindling and away we go.

Jim

 

[FyreBug]

This is what we put in all our manuals now

"Do not burn manufactured logs made of wax impregnated sawdust or logs with any chemical
additives. Manufactured logs made of 100% compressed sawdust can be burned, but use caution
in the number of these logs burned at one time. Start with one manufactured log and see how the
insert reacts. Never use more than two manufactured logs."

 

[Treacherous]

You really need to try Home Fire Prest Logs or North Idaho Energy Logs.

You will have plenty to get a fire going again.

I burned a few (some bought at HD and some bought at Lowes so different brands) last year as a test. The one major factor I found was that they burned completely. Very little ash with also means that no embers left the next morning to start the stove up again. Which means starting from scratch to get he stove going. I also found that the stove was much cooler almost cold then with an all hardwood burn. Normally I would sift through the ash, clean it out gather the coals and embers together, a bit of kindling and away we go.

Jim

 

[Corny]

These logs will be on sale tomorrow (Aug 29) for 4 days at BMR stores for $CAN 4.54 per box of 9 logs. 13 boxes are purported to be equivalent to 1 "standard cord of wood." I found them in the local BMR store today. Each box weighs 27 lb and I found that the boxes were approximately 11" x 8.5" x 8.5" = 0.46 cu. ft. each. There is also a claim that they provide "40% more heat than regular logs." I learned that they are manufactured by Granules LG in the Lac St. Jean region of Quebec. (More on that below)

Even on the basis of a 16" wide face cord, I can't make their claim pencil out. For comparison, a 16" wide face cord of white ash weighs approx 1162 lb at 20% moisture, and it generates approximately 7,200,000 BTU (i.e., one third of 21.6 MBTU for a full 4' wide bush cord) http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm . The manufacturer's premium wood pellets are rated at 8500 BTU/lb. The BTU/lb rating of their densified logs is unknown, but if it is anywhere close to 8500, then I'd expect each box of logs to weigh in the order of 7,200,000 / 8500 / 13 = 65 lb if 13 boxes are indeed equivalent in energy output to a (16" wide) cord of (white ash) wood.

Even if we allow for a lower moisture content in the manufactured logs, it wouldn't come close to bridging the gap between the required 65 lb vs the actual 27 lb for a box of the product; or is there something that I am missing? I am wondering if their "40%" claim pertains to a volume basis and that it was misapplied to their calculations on a mass basis.

I invited the local BMR store manager to explain the calculations. He didn't know nor cared to know. He sent me to the manufacturer's website http://www.granuleslg.com/buches.php# . This site is mainly in French, and it provides little data of substance other than what's mentioned above in addition to the claim that no additives are used; the binder is the heated lignin that is naturally present in the product. This implies that there are no oils or other accellerants that could boost the BTU/lb much outside of the typical 6500 - 8500 range for seasoned wood fibre. I sent an email to the company, in French, asking for the tested BTUs per log and for their moisture content.

I will share here any information received; and if I'm off the mark, above, I'd be grateful to be set straight. Meanwhile, I'm not buying.

Thanks,
Corny

Update: My email to the manufacturer was read within a few business hours but it was not responded to. Still not buying.

 

[nate379]

There is a guy that sells them here and I had done some figuring as well and I came to around that price. To heat with wood it costs me about $500 a winter. If those "logs" were used it would cost me $1600!

The equivalent of a cord will run you over $400 based on the pricing I found.

 

[Swedishchef]

I guess they simply are a help if you're in a pinch. For the sake of $125, 26 boxes with 9 logs each, I will see what happens. I will certainly get back to you all.

Andrew

 

[begreen]

I would only get a box at first. My results were somewhat craptacular with anything but the highly compressed log products previously mentioned. They burn up too quickly.

 

[10-cc]

Hi Andrew,
I have experimented with the BMR/RenoD/Rona logs . I was unable to compare it to maple as it does not burn the same way and very hard to measure their heat output. One thing I notice, that for a full load, it is better to always mix real wood logs with the echo ones because only echo logs will produce too much heat.

 

[Swedishchef]

BeGreen: I am certainly not expecting miracles. If it was that great of a deal, everyone would buy them! lol. ANd I gotta say, I picked them up today. Of the 26 I purchased, my friend took 13 of them. He wants to burn a fire now and again in his stove (for ambiance) but doesn't have much wood.

10-cc: HOw are things in St Bruno? Quite an election night last night??!! I have no intentions on loading a stove full of those logs. I think I will add 1-2 now and again with some softwood to see how they work. I will measure burn time (visible flame) as well as different results for different methods of loading. It's nice to see someone else from Eastern Canada on the forums!

I gotta admit, the boxes were damn small. 27 pounds each box, 3lbs per log. $4.54 a box.

I will add pictures later.

Andrew

 

[Treacherous]

Anyone tried these?

http://thepowerlog.com/

" How would you like your fire logs to last up to 10 Hours ? (actual burn duration is 15 ½ hours at Omni Labs)"

"made from 100% natural flax straw biomass material"

 

[Swedishchef]

Never tried them..they look quite interesting! What are the costs? I am guessing that any biomass compressed into a log could burn well...even dry dung! lol

A

 

[Treacherous]

I know the long burns I get with Home Fire Prest and North Idaho Energy Logs. Somebody may have commented and I missed it but I've always wondered what someone would get in a Blaze King using these highly compressed logs.

 

[milleo]

I know the long burns I get with Home Fire Prest and North Idaho Energy Logs. Somebody may have commented and I missed it but I've always wondered what someone would get in a Blaze King using these highly compressed logs.

Lol....Probably like 18 days or somthing....

 

[BKVP]

Blaze King has received samples over the years from log manufacturers. (not all) Blaze King has sent the logs off to a lab and had them analyzed. Of the logs we have had tested, the North Idaho Energy logs were 100% organic and had trace elements that were discovered to be vegetable oil. When we asked the folks at North Idaho Energy Logs Company, they say they use vegetable to lubricate the extrusion machinery.

As far as using them in your home, I use these logs with great success. With 7% moisture content, they burn very hot. Typically, when I plan on being away for a full weekend, the King gets loaded to the brim with Tamarack and I place 2 logs in each of the top two corners. By the time the Tamarack burns down, the logs get going and keeps the heat output steady.

The most I have placed into the King and burned at one time was four logs and they performed nicely. Glass stayed cleaner and after a full season of use my chimney was a tad bit cleaner.

We just received samples of bricks made by Malheur Lumber Company John Day Oregon. They were shipped off to be tested at the lab and I will let all of you know the results when we get them.

Our combustor supplier will back with full warranty for North Idaho Logs users as they reviewed the test results.

Before using any processed logs in a Blaze King, we would like to see them tested.

Thank you
Chris

 

[begreen]

Thanks for that update Chris, good info. Have you been in touch with Virginia at HomeFire? I'm sure they can get some logs to you for testing. They're in Ferndale, WA and have a good product too.

 

[Treacherous]

Here is info on the Malheur Lumber bricks Chris says they have sent off for testing.