Does 15+25/2=20? (Moisture Content)

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Heartwood

New Member
Sep 30, 2007
38
N Central PA
If I load my stove with a mix of oak splits at 15% moisture and oak splits of 25% moisture, do the experts out there consider that this averages out to the same as burning wood of overall 20% moisture content?
 
Ummm, not really. I imagine it would work BETTER than burning a full load of 25% moisture, but I still don't think its equivalent to 20%. Might be close in performance though, since these are low moisture levels.

I suspect that algorithm wouldn't work well as moisture content climbs, but I don't truly know. Best thing to do would be to have all wood at 15%, but I know that's tough, I'm in the same boat you are. I think you'll get reasonable results using that mix. You could always start the layered load with some SUPER dry kindling, then the 15% and then the 25%. That's basically what I've been doing.
 
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