Danno77 said:
Do that. If it ain't damp then at least you'll know you sure got some nice, dense seasoned firewood there. Then you can do your own experiment with some wood you're sure ain't dry. Won't hurt a damn thing to try IMHO.
Does unseasoned wood still burn ok?
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Do that. If it ain't damp then at least you'll know you sure got some nice, dense seasoned firewood there. Then you can do your own experiment with some wood you're sure ain't dry. Won't hurt a damn thing to try IMHO.
The thing with the reburn stoves is the moisture escaping out of the wood kills the reburn at the top of the firebox. Someday BK will have something out of the boat anchor class and be able to see what is happening.
And as the burn progresses through the load different splits are giving it up at different times.
And as the burn progresses through the load different splits are giving it up at different times.
NATE379 said:
Well, I don't care how good your wood, how you burn it, or what kind of stove you burn it in. There is only "X" amount of heat energy in "N" cords, even at 100% heating efficiency. If your place loses more heat than that, you are screwed unless you add more.
My house is not only not anything special, it is very unspecial. Leaky, minimal insulation, single-pane windows with only air between the panes, and a basement install to boot. I heat the whole place to 70-72º depending on the wind and the outside temp, all with a single stove in the basement. And I need 5 cord to do it, with 99% of it good dry premium hardwood.
I put in what I need to to stay warm.
I'm not in a contest to have the cleanest flue, the least wood consumption, or the hottest hearth room. I share my experiences because they may help others. I expect no one to follow what I do or have done in the past, just trying to point out what can be done in a pinch to those who may be unaware.
BrowningBAR
Minister of Fire
Danno77 said:
And that's true. Throw in some wet wood, light some kindling, close the door, and you'll get a whole lot of nothing.
With wet wood you need a lot more kindling, you need to keep poking at the wood, you need to leave the door cracked open for a long time, you need to run the air controls differently, and you go through more wood. You also risk damaging the stove be forgetting the door is open and you end up with warped parts.
It sucks and it's a pain in the ass. But, if that's all you've got, you can make it work.
So, when a new poster comes on here saying their stove doesn't heat well, and their glass is black, it is because of wet wood. And the vast majority of the people burning do not have the patients, nor want to hear that they need to sit next to the stove and babysit it while you burn off the moisture.
And a modern stove is finicky when it comes to wet wood. There is a HUGE difference between using wet wood and dry wood in an EPA cat stove and non-cat stove. I really can not stress enough how much time and effort it takes to heat your home with wet wood.
But, it's not impossible.
BrowningBAR
Minister of Fire
BrotherBart said:
This is very, very true. The amount of secondaries that take place in a non-cat stove with dry wood vs. wet wood is night and day. Getting the stove up to temp is also way, way easier dry wood.
A year ago I told people on this forum that my wood was 2 to 3 years old and less than 20 % and still some questioned it. :roll:
BrotherBart said:
Hey... I'm crushed. I love my stove. :coolgrin:
The days of the Vig are numbered. When I get the closing date I'll start the countdown and then we will be leaving it behind for another lucky burner... who will probably kill it inside three years. :roll:
You know, I have burned reburn and cat stoves before, just never owned one. I know how they work and I'm sure I could perform all sorts of shenanigans with them and get good results. When and if the day comes that I actually have one to play with full time, I'll post the results here and the naysayers will have a great time finding holes in them. It don't really bother me, I know what I can and can't do, and I'm the one keeping me own arse warm, so if it works for me, it's all good.
BrowningBAR
Minister of Fire
oldspark said:
I am speaking from experience with wet wood since my experience is far more recent than most since I am only on my fourth year of burning. The first year was with totally unseasoned wood. Year two was much better, but I still had way too much sizzle. Last year my wood was respectable accept for a certain portion of it. This year my wood is in pretty good shape with only the rare split giving off a bit of a sizzle.
BrowningBAR said:
I imagine so. Dry wood outgases much more rapidly, so you get a lot more smoke at any given time to burn with that secondary air.
I guess when they dont have an answer they just go with the one that is most likely to the right one. :cheese:cptoneleg said:
Battenkiller said:
Roger that. And the unending mission to show us we don't know what the hell we are talking about is great theater. ;-)
Great example tonight. Got a night load in there that I only try a couple of nights a year. With large suspect oak slabs. Judging by the stove temp would tell me nothing about what is gonna happen with that load over the next few hours. Seeing what is going on lets me adjust for it.
tfdchief
Minister of Fire
Gee. I know this is a wood burners forum, and really, I do love all the discussion, different opinions, different experiences, convictions and loyalties, but there are many different stoves, chimneys, wood, techniques, and results. In the end, you have to figure out yours. I have burned wood for 40 years and I have ALWAYS known dry wood was easier to burn, but I didn't always have what I wanted. Not because I was lazy or didn't want it. Just couldn't. I got by. Know what you have and do what you have to do. ;-)
tfdchief
Minister of Fire
Burnt wood for 30 years in a stove with out a glass door, no back up just wood heat now how in the hell did I do that?BrotherBart said:
oldspark said:
I plowed with mules for a while too. I don't miss the mule farts. But the crops came up.
BrowningBAR
Minister of Fire
oldspark said:
I kind of disagree with that. Fact is, that the majority of the time it is the wood. Especially when it is a new poster or someone with a new stove. So, it is the obvious question. You have to get the obvious questions out of the way before you venture off into the possibilities that are far more rare.
And I do not remember your exact circumstance last year, but I do remember you had a big old Nashua. Now imagine if you did have wet wood, and instead of everyone saying you need dry wood to run an EPA stove properly, people went on a lengthy explanation that "you need to start with small splits and use a small mountain of kindling, leave the door cracked for 30 minutes to an hour, occasionally poke at the wood to get better air flow between the splits and slowly add more wood over the course of the next two hours and then adjust the air controls based on how the fire is acting."
You would have said "eff this, if that what's required to run a new stove I'm chucking this thing out the damn window."
Because that is what is required to burn wet wood and achieve high temperatures.
Browning I still see posts where people say the wood is at 20 % and they tell them the woods too wet, its obivious they dont read the post or they are in denial over wheather the MM works or not, and the other thing it does not take 3 years to dry wood. My post stated they went with the answer MOST likely to be right.
"Because that is what is required to burn wet wood and achieve high temperatures. " You know I have burnt wood for over 30 years and never have burnt wet wood, I tried some green elm once and said this sucks and went out and cut dead wood in knee deep snow.
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