I'm spoiled because the Equinox is large enough to allow a number of options when it comes to loading the firebox.....EW, NS, front door, side door, and combinations like EW and NS in the same load. Well now I've tried them all and I have some strange observations.
For cold nights, load NS thru the front door. For slower/lower fires load EW with big splits/rounds in the back. All burns were done with load charred high heat setting then full off at the air supply.
Here is what makes no sense to me. All overnight burning solutions, 4 splits NS or EW or 8 splits NS (full load) produce the same results......morning house temps of 72 degrees and a heap of coals on the floor of the box. During this last cold snap I have tried this same experiment from one night to the next and what I have found is 4-5 good sized splits in there gives the same result as a full load of wood. This makes me wonder where all those extra btu's went? Filling the box does not appear to make for a longer fire duration which suprises me. I'll believe a full load makes more heat and I can imagine that because I'm asleep I don't notice that at 2am my house is a little warmer than if I didn't pack the wood in to the gills.
So, what have I learned this week you ask? There is absolutely no reason to fill this thing chuck full every time I want a good cold weather overnight burn, thus cutting my wood consumption.
I've noticed a lot of posts lately on load size and suggest others experiment, if your box holds 4 sticks and thats full up, what do you have in the morning if you had left that last split out? Cold house and no coals with 75% full and warmer and more coals with 100% full? Try this, you may be suprised.
For cold nights, load NS thru the front door. For slower/lower fires load EW with big splits/rounds in the back. All burns were done with load charred high heat setting then full off at the air supply.
Here is what makes no sense to me. All overnight burning solutions, 4 splits NS or EW or 8 splits NS (full load) produce the same results......morning house temps of 72 degrees and a heap of coals on the floor of the box. During this last cold snap I have tried this same experiment from one night to the next and what I have found is 4-5 good sized splits in there gives the same result as a full load of wood. This makes me wonder where all those extra btu's went? Filling the box does not appear to make for a longer fire duration which suprises me. I'll believe a full load makes more heat and I can imagine that because I'm asleep I don't notice that at 2am my house is a little warmer than if I didn't pack the wood in to the gills.
So, what have I learned this week you ask? There is absolutely no reason to fill this thing chuck full every time I want a good cold weather overnight burn, thus cutting my wood consumption.
I've noticed a lot of posts lately on load size and suggest others experiment, if your box holds 4 sticks and thats full up, what do you have in the morning if you had left that last split out? Cold house and no coals with 75% full and warmer and more coals with 100% full? Try this, you may be suprised.