Turning point in moisture content.

[ckarotka]

Do you guys think or have experienced a mid season improvement in burning. It's hard to explain without righting a book but here go's.

I've been using the same wood all season, all species were c/s/s at the same time in groups. Oak, Cherry, Maple, Cottonwood. It seems as though the wood started burning hotter and better all of a sudden. The outside temps have been consistent. It just seems like the MC reached a turning point and the wood starts easier and burns hotter. Can you reach a lower MC mid season that "breaks the camel's back" so to speak. Can there be a big difference in performance between, let's say 20% and 17-18%?? I'm not sure what the MC is now but it sure seems better than in November.

 

[Jags]

The difference in burn from 18 to 20% MC might be slightly noticeable but probably not book worthy. Is there a possibility that draft has changed? There is a difference between 20F and heavy air or 20F and dry as a feather.

 

[Battenkiller]

I've noticed the same thing, but I don't think it's moisture related, at least not in my case. The reason why in that my driest wood is stuff leftover from the year before that sat drying in the basement for weeks before I took it back outside for the season in the spring. We had an unusually hot and dry summer here last year and some of wood got down to the 12-14% MC range. That's what I started the season with, and went right through the coldest weather in December with.

I can guess that the weather (outside temps?) may be partially responsible, but you are saying this is happening at similar temps as earlier in the season. Jags has a valid point, except dry air is heavier than moist air in reality. This is because water molecules (H20) are lighter than nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2) molecules, so the higher the percentage of lighter molecules in the air at the same temperature, the lighter the air becomes.

I hope someone can provide an answer to this, because I really have noticed it before and I am clueless as to why I see it.

 

[Jags]

Jags has a valid point, except dry air is heavier than moist air in reality.

I never said which one was better, just different. ;-P

 

[begreen]

About mid-season you can get a combined effect of slightly drier wood and much improved draft due to the drop in outdoor temps. Or you might be going through a different tree now that dried out better.

 

[Battenkiller]

Jags has a valid point, except dry air is heavier than moist air in reality.

I never said which one was better, just different. ;-P

Ha, ha! Good save, man. ;-)

 

[ckarotka]

Been away from the computer for a bit.

Jags, I didn't track any weather info per say, but we've had a large range of temps and humidity like normal throughout the heating season thus far, even a thaw or two.

I'm not sure what the cause because all the wood is was processed (by species) at the same time, in the same drying spot and so on. It just seems to be burning better. The oak I burned in December is from the same tree and drying stack as the oak I'm using now, same for the cherry etc. I'm just getting great burns and heat output, better than early Dec. when the weather changed to more steady cold and snow.

Here's an example. Loaded with oak and cherry at 1130pm, slept in to find plenty of coals to start a full load at 930am. No black glass, when I went to bed the stove was around 550-600. Now granted it wasn't putting out any usable heat much past 0230-0300 but the house was still in the mid 60's when I woke.

Either way I'll take it.

 

[madison]

How about location of the wood within the stacks? Is the stuff you are using now more "exposed" to the sun and wind vs the stuff earlier in the season? Bottom of the pile or top etc?

 

[k9brain]

How long have you been burning?
I've only been burning for a few weeks now and can see my fires are getting started quicker and burning better. Maybe you're just getting good with this wood.

 

[Jags]

Dunno CK - I find the opposite on rare occasion. Wood is in good shape, burns well, then all of a sudden I will get a stove load that wants to be a PIA. I think sometimes the fires Gods are just messing with us.

 

[BrotherBart]

Dunno CK - I find the opposite on rare occasion. Wood is in good shape, burns well, then all of a sudden I will get a stove load that wants to be a PIA. I think sometimes the fires Gods are just messing with us.

And it always happens right about the time you need to leave to go somewhere or around bedtime.

 

[Jags]

And it always happens right about the time you need to leave to go somewhere or around bedtime.

I can see that you have been there before. :lol:

 

[JustWood]

Steady breeze cuz lake is froze over. Less wind resistance from waves. MayB!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Lee, it gets rather windy around this forum from time to time. Maybe that helps too?!

 

[Troutchaser]

I restacked all of my wood under a covered porch in September/October. The stuff just looked and felt drier after about a month up there. Maybe just the new surfaces being exposed, better air circulation, and a complete lack of moisture. I don't know, but I do think my wood has gotten drier since early fall.