I recently bought a buderus logano g201 interior wood non gasification boiler and I am having issues with it and I am looking for advice. This boiler drafts poorly and the burn time is only at best 3 hours. I also have constant smoke odor and creosote build after a month of burning good dry oak. My question is,is this just this boilers flaws or am I doing somthing wrong?
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DBoon
Minister of Fire
You will likely be bombarded soon with many messages from those questioning whether your oak moisture content is really under 10%, and with additional questions regarding how you measured that value. What measurement tools did you use, and what process did you follow to get this reading?
The wood has been cut, split and stacked since July and store under cover. I used a a moisture meter I don't remember the brand but most of the wood was under 10% but few pieces were in the 14% area.
The moisture meter is a A W Perkins fire wood moisture meter. Most of the fire wood is stored out side but I keep the wood in my basement for a week before it gets burned.
huffdawg
Minister of Fire
If the wood was cut down in July, I would think your moisture meter isn't giving you a correct reading. Unless you have been kiln drying it.
Fred61
Minister of Fire
If the wood was split in July there is no way that it would be down to 10% moisture today, especially oak. There could be a chance that if it was split in July of 2013 that it could be at 10% today if it was split small enough. Are you splitting the piece and testing the newly exposed surface. Poor draft and fast burnout don't usually go in the same sentence.
The wood was cut down in May June and I finished cutting and splitting in July. By all question about my fuel am I to take it that fuel is the source my problem? As for the moisture content, this meter only test the surface and I am sure that being stored for a week in side 8' from the boiler dries out the surface of the wood. That being said I am sure the the center is around the 15-20% range?
I can fit 5-6 4"-6" logs in it and it will burn for 3 hours tops but when I open the door to reload I get face full of smoke. I even tried opening the basement door to the outside to cancel any negative pressure in the house but still it bellows right out. This does not make my wife happy!
maple1
Minister of Fire
There is no way your wood is dry enough.
It is also highly unlikely you could get oak down to 10% without the use of a kiln, no matter how much air drying time it has. I would be quite surprised if it was below 30% since it has only been split for 5 months - I suspect it would need at least 2 full years of drying after splitting where you are at.
Aside from the wood - is your chimney draft in spec?
It is also highly unlikely you could get oak down to 10% without the use of a kiln, no matter how much air drying time it has. I would be quite surprised if it was below 30% since it has only been split for 5 months - I suspect it would need at least 2 full years of drying after splitting where you are at.
Aside from the wood - is your chimney draft in spec?
The chimney is 15 years old and I had it cleaned and inspected before I started using it. It is a interior masonry chimney in a two story center hall colonial and the boiler is in the basement. Spec? not sure if that answer your question?
Fred61
Minister of Fire
That would make the chimney 30+ feet tall. Mine were 34 feet on my old colonial and thy would almost suck the wood out of the stove. Are there any obstructions close by like trees or hills that could be causing a downdraft?
Red oak split in June of 2013, stacked off the ground, under a carport, just checked it by splitting one down the middle, got 24% on both my meters.
maybe something amiss with your mc meter.
split some in half the size, keep indoors for a week and then load in.
or better yet, get some dry ash, maple or cherry and give that a spin.oak can be very long in drying out.
good luck
Scott
maybe something amiss with your mc meter.
split some in half the size, keep indoors for a week and then load in.
or better yet, get some dry ash, maple or cherry and give that a spin.oak can be very long in drying out.
good luck
Scott
Thanks for the info what kind of meters do you have? I guess my meter must be off, even though it's brand new. I'll have to split some and check the inside when I ge home.
maple1
Minister of Fire
"The chimney is 15 years old and I had it cleaned and inspected before I started using it. It is a interior masonry chimney in a two story center hall colonial and the boiler is in the basement. Spec? not sure if that answer your question?"
I was speaking of actual draft. Measured. Every boiler usually has it specified in a manual. Mine specs 0.1", but that is higher than most.
I was speaking of actual draft. Measured. Every boiler usually has it specified in a manual. Mine specs 0.1", but that is higher than most.
DBoon
Minister of Fire
Oak is a very dense wood with a unique grain structure. I would not trust a reading for oak made with a $20 moisture meter. You will likely get a more accurate reading by using a multi-meter and a lookup table. Read through this thread for some good tips on how to do that. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/using-a-multimeter-to-measure-wood-moisture-level.40033/
If you can determine your wood moisture content with some degree of accuracy, then you can narrow down whether you might have a wood problem, a chimney draft problem, or both.
If you can determine your wood moisture content with some degree of accuracy, then you can narrow down whether you might have a wood problem, a chimney draft problem, or both.
heaterman
Minister of Fire
No way in the world oak cut and split in June/July can be under 30% MC. Open the door about a half hour after you load and see if you have sap/moisture hissing out the ends of your splits.
As to draft/smoke issues.........is there anything else vented into the chimney? Also, if your wood is not good and dry you could have it partially plugged off already. Better have a look.
As to draft/smoke issues.........is there anything else vented into the chimney? Also, if your wood is not good and dry you could have it partially plugged off already. Better have a look.
flyingcow
Minister of Fire
You need to split the wood and check the inside of splits for moisture. Hold unit tight.
Ok it seems like everyone is in agreement that my fire wood is not seasoned enough causing my smoky boiler. Through some further research I found the manufacturer says to expect only 2to 4 hours burn time. Not good enough for me. So I guess now I am looking for recommendations on what to go with that all give me at least 8 hour burn time for 3600 sqf. Colonial?
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