Success--finally--with new EPA stove thanks to y'all on this forum

[liston]

Early last fall I replaced my old firebox (burnt-out cat stove with no cat) with a soapstone EPA stove. I use no other heat, and the ranch-style house is 2400 sq ft. I don't mind it a little chilly. But I could not get that thing up over 400 degrees. In fact, I had trouble getting it going good at all. I turned to this forum, searched and read, tried things.

Thanks to the Fire Gods, Pyro Kings, Archdukes of Ash, Overlords of Oak! I got a cheap moisture meter as you recommended, and guess what? the wood was too wet. I could burn anything (sweet gum, anyone?) in the old firebox, but the EPA stoves are more like thoroughbreds--gotta have seasoned. As you recommended, I chopped the stacked cords I had into "kitchen splits" and moved it from under the tarp to the front porch (a week's worth), then brought in a days-worth at a time to dry out further. It worked!

Again on your recommendation, I got a stove thermometer, which takes a lot of the fear out of temps too low or too high. I also learned on this forum about the EPA stoves' liking for cycling -- letting the house get a little cool before stuffing it full of wood again. That has solved the coals problem.

I haven't posted much on the forum because I was a learner. But I wanted to just say thanks. I'm warm and happy, and love my new stove. Absolutely could NOT have done it without y'all.
casey

 

[shawneyboy]

Congrats on success, now hang out, and pass all that you learned to the next newbie in line.

Shawn

 

[GAMMA RAY]

I was afraid to post too because I felt that I knew nothing so I lurked and spent many many hours reading this forum. We got the moisture meter too and now have thermometers on stove top and flue. I think thermometers are good for newbies because if you did not grow up burning, you are not quite sure what you are going for. (I know it's heat you are going for), but the thermometers help out so you can heat efficiently. I find myself not looking at the thermometers as much because I can judge by glancing at the fire, so I guess I am learning. Good luck on the new stove.

 

[summit]

good lesson learned!
I run into this frustration with many of my customers who replace the "old iron box" with a new EPA stove. Initially, they get a little frustrated. It is a learning curve to understand how these stoves work, but once they get the hang of it, they tend to be the most ardent supporters of the new technology. Good job, and keep on burning!

 

[Renovation]

I got a cheap moisture meter as you recommended, and guess what? the wood was too wet.

Thanks for giving back, Liston--you're helping the next folks in line.

Too give others a little more benefit from your experience, can you remember what your "too wet" wood read on your meter?

Congrats, and thanks!

 

[liston]

Using the cheap firewood meter I got off amazon.com, anything 25% or more is too wet. I just aim for the teens. Split the test wood in half, stick the pins in going with the grain, read it, and weep.

For my Hearthstone, anything under 25% will burn pretty good. I'm talking about oak, hickory, and ash.

 

[Loco Gringo]

Good stuff, thanks for sharing liston.

 

[Lighting Up]

aged wood is like aged wine or aged alcohol...you can drink it early and it will taste rough or you can let it age and it taste smooth. I like mine aged....solute!
md

 

[Renovation]

Using the cheap firewood meter I got off amazon.com, anything 25% or more is too wet. I just aim for the teens. Split the test wood in half, stick the pins in going with the grain, read it, and weep.

For my Hearthstone, anything under 25% will burn pretty good. I'm talking about oak, hickory, and ash.

To clarify, moisture meters read dry-basis moisture. 25% dry-basis converts to 20% wet basis--the point at which Liston's wood was too wet to burn well.

Many thanks, Liston! By giving back, you'll help other folks learn to burn their EPA stoves. Happy burning!

 

[WoodpileOCD]

Using the cheap firewood meter I got off amazon.com, anything 25% or more is too wet. I just aim for the teens. Split the test wood in half, stick the pins in going with the grain, read it, and weep.

For my Hearthstone, anything under 25% will burn pretty good. I'm talking about oak, hickory, and ash.

To clarify, moisture meters read dry-basis moisture. 25% dry-basis converts to 20% wet basis--the point at which Liston's wood was too wet to burn well.
!

?? ??

Dry basis, wet basis? I haven't seen those terms before so you haven't really clarified anything for me. Are all of the discussions of wood moisture measurements on here in dry basis or wet basis? My understanding is that whichever 'basis' it is the moisture meter should read abut 20 or less for good burning.

 

[Renovation]

Using the cheap firewood meter I got off amazon.com, anything 25% or more is too wet. I just aim for the teens. Split the test wood in half, stick the pins in going with the grain, read it, and weep.

For my Hearthstone, anything under 25% will burn pretty good. I'm talking about oak, hickory, and ash.

To clarify, moisture meters read dry-basis moisture. 25% dry-basis converts to 20% wet basis--the point at which Liston's wood was too wet to burn well.

?? ??

Dry basis, wet basis? I haven't seen those terms before so you haven't really clarified anything for me. Are all of the discussions of wood moisture measurements on here in dry basis or wet basis? My understanding is that whichever 'basis' it is the moisture meter should read abut 20 or less for good burning.

Sorry to confuse you. If someone mentions % moisture here, they're almost always talking dry basis, like Liston and you. But the EPA uses wet-basis, and that can indeed be confusing, so it is important to keep them straight.

But you have it right. Moisture meters read in dry-basis, the rule of thumb is 20% (though some can burn wetter), and Liston reported that wood reading 25% was too wet for him.

 

[firefighterjake]

I was afraid to post too because I felt that I knew nothing so I lurked and spent many many hours reading this forum. We got the moisture meter too and now have thermometers on stove top and flue. I think thermometers are good for newbies because if you did not grow up burning, you are not quite sure what you are going for. (I know it's heat you are going for), but the thermometers help out so you can heat efficiently. I find myself not looking at the thermometers as much because I can judge by glancing at the fire, so I guess I am learning. Good luck on the new stove.

I personally think thermometers are good for newbies and "veterans" alike . . . after awhile you can get good at guessing where your stove is running . . . but it's nice to have the visual confirmation as well since every once in a while I get fooled by a fire that looks hotter than it actually is or vice versa.

And for you and other members . . . feel free to post . . . we're all still learning . . . it's why I stick around . . . well that and I have made it my mission to convince Backwoods that splitting wood horizontally is the best way to split wood with a hydraulic splitter . . . I'm pretty sure this may take me a long time since Dennis seems pretty set in his belief that splitting wood vertically is best.