Wood Stove BTU Rating

[Happy Stacker]

If you stumble on this thread in 2025, go rent "Ferris Beuller's Day Off". BKVP is our Ferris, he is a righteous dude, everybody loves him, the geeks, the motorheads, the jocks, the cheerleaders, the sluts, the nobodies, the band, the freaks..

I am fairly new to this site so could you PM me a list of the sluts...It would be greatly appreciated. I got a good idea on who the freak is tho

 

[95XL883]

Wow, maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. You all were having a deep discussion of stove btu ratings and then I opened my mouth about trying to apply that, instead of mfr claimed serves xx to xx sq ft.

To continue on my trying to apply btu ratings, first, I apologize that I had to work late last night and got only a little time to study btu loads. From what I did read, I quickly surmised that calculating an accurate btu load can be very complex and time-consuming. In the interest of avoiding analysis paralysis, I found a btu calculator (with who knows how many undisclosed computational assumptions) that gave btu loads for my small 14' x 18' cabin between 7,000 (40 degree difference) and 17,000 (80 degree difference). For my large possibility the range was from 17,000 to 37,000 btu's needed. The high end numbers would be occasional as in between 2 and 14 days per year with most of the winter about mid-way between the high and low needs.

I would probably only be there for 4 or 5 of those ultra-cold days. I've got nothing now so anything is an improvement. (Yes, I will sit in a pop-up blind in -5F weather waiting for a whitetail. I've got good gear so I can do it but nobody wants to join me at those temps.) To give a little more info, this will be in rural eastern KS, off-grid, that I will use between 1 and 3 days a week during hunting season. The rest of the year I and possibly my wife will use it 1 day a week. That use would generally be an overnight stay. I live only 50 miles away so I can always pack up and go home but it would be nice to sleep there the night before rather than getting up at 2:30 am and driving an hour trying to be in position an hour before sunrise.

Comparing the estimated btu needs to the ratings of the TN10 and Boxer 24, it looks like the TN10 would be at its max to heat my small option on those few days a year when temps are 0 or below. Most of the time it looks like it would do fine. I'm assuming that I would be burning properly dry high btu content wood like locust and/or hedge on those really cold days. If I go my large option, the TN10 is simply too small. The Boxer 24 certainly looks like it would fill those heating needs quite nicely.

So it looks like my general plan is still good and what I really need to decide is if I can really afford the larger option. Thank you in advance for any guidance, insight or comments anyone has.

 

[Marshy]

In post one this thread user @Happy Stacker referred to anonymous user "he" who apparently says BKVP said "there is no standard for determining BTU output so the numbers are basically bogus."

User "He" will now be beaten, deservedly, about the head and shoulders with my Oxford English Dictionary. Thankfully for He I own the compact edition that comes with a magnifying glass, not the full size version that compares favorably in weight to a leather bound set of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

At the very least "He" should learn correct use of the comma, it used to be taught to seven year olds in the second grade.

In the meantime, having been failed by either precision (likely) or the majestic power of the English language (unlikely), let us turn to the ultimate arbiter of the English language.

"not" is the ordinary adverb of negation dating in print to at least 1362.

"regulated" governed by rule, properly controlled or directed, adjusted to some standard, etc. Dates to 1641 in surviving printed material.

"bogus" an apparatus for counterfeit coining, dating to July 6, 1827, American, Painesville, Ohio "Telegraph" newspaper, likely an abbreviation of "bogus press" as used in the Philadelphia "Spirit of the Times" 12 October 1844.

The implication of the incorrect quote is that Chris has something negative to say about his competitors. In fact, "not regulated" carries no implication of negativity to his competitors and is merely a fact.

If you do not understand the difference I question your privileges of both voting and reproduction.

After reading your reply, this came to mind.

Just relax a little. Your not getting the entire picture. This thread was started because the mod pulled these posts from another thread. I don't think Its worth the time and frustration to go on a rant that large. Besides, it was previously addressed just didn't make it into this thread. I feel like you were being a little too presumptious.

 

[sutphenj]

I can't quite figure out why Alaska seems to be referenced as the gold standard when it comes to heating with wood....and of course BK's. It's just one small area of the world BK has cornered. I get it....its cold, many long required heating days etc etc. There are plenty of others places where its darn cold too and BK doesn't dominate the market.
Folks like to proudly say....hey I'm from Alaska and I have a BK so you should have one too....that's just nonesence.

 

[Highbeam]

I am fairly new to this site so could you PM me a list of the sluts...It would be greatly appreciated. I got a good idea on who the freak is tho

Dude, you totally got me in trouble with the late night Alaskan poster. I don’t know who that is so I’ll just call him “he”!

 

[Marshy]

I can't quite figure out why Alaska seems to be referenced as the gold standard when it comes to heating with wood....and of course BK's. It's just one small area of the world BK has cornered. I get it....its cold, many long required heating days etc etc. There are plenty of others places where its darn cold too and BK doesn't dominate the market.
Folks like to proudly say....hey I'm from Alaska and I have a BK so you should have one too....that's just nonesence.

My guess is it's related to the strict control of air pollution from wood combustors.

 

[BKVP]

Maybe I can clarify...you see most of the interior of AK sees subzero temps many, many times each winter. They also have 9 months of cold weather.

When outside temps drop, draft increases substantially. The colder, more draft...stack effect.

In even the most robust buildt wood stoves, the minimum air inlet being closed to absolute low, air flow increases as does c.f.m. Stoves are then subjected to incredible temps.

In ours, the thermostat shuts down, resulting in more control, no over firing. So, yes this happens in the lower 48, just not nearly as frequently.

Add in the dealers in the interior are superb retailers and know there stuff.

 

[Marshy]

Maybe I can clarify...you see most of the interior of AK sees subzero temps many, many times each winter. They also have 9 months of cold weather.

When outside temps drop, draft increases substantially. The colder, more draft...stack effect.

In even the most robust buildt wood stoves, the minimum air inlet being closed to absolute low, air flow increases as does c.f.m. Stoves are then subjected to incredible temps.

In ours, the thermostat shuts down, resulting in more control, no over firing. So, yes this happens in the lower 48, just not nearly as frequently.

Add in the dealers in the interior are superb retailers and know there stuff.

That's the exact reason I love the old Shenandoah wood stoves, the thermostatic air damper. They are dirty rotten wood hogs though. Only stove that I know of that had that technology at the time though.

 

[Cast Iron]

Maybe I can clarify...you see most of the interior of AK sees subzero temps many, many times each winter. They also have 9 months of cold weather.
When outside temps drop, draft increases substantially. The colder, more draft...stack effect.
In even the most robust buildt wood stoves, the minimum air inlet being closed to absolute low, air flow increases as does c.f.m. Stoves are then subjected to incredible temps.
In ours, the thermostat shuts down, resulting in more control, no over firing. So, yes this happens in the lower 48, just not nearly as frequently.
Add in the dealers in the interior are superb retailers and know there stuff.

BKVP needs the spelling police ( chop busting time ).
The usual excellent post by the man (where are all the other makers posting ? ).
BUT: the Vermont Castings Flexburn 2in1 Defiant and Encore also have "thermostatic primary air ", and top loading, and pretty enamel colors.
Just thot you'd like to know.

 

[bholler]

BKVP needs the spelling police ( chop busting time ).
The usual excellent post by the man (where are all the other makers posting ? ).
BUT: the Vermont Castings Flexburn 2in1 Defiant and Encore also have "thermostatic primary air ", and top loading, and pretty enamel colors.
Just thot you'd like to know.

Yeah but bks work correctly and dont need parts other than a cat every few years.

 

[Happy Stacker]

BKVP needs the spelling police ( chop busting time ).
The usual excellent post by the man (where are all the other makers posting ? ).
BUT: the Vermont Castings Flexburn 2in1 Defiant and Encore also have "thermostatic primary air ", and top loading, and pretty enamel colors.
Just thot you'd like to know.

Speaking of spelling police...

 

[Cast Iron]

Speaking of spelling police...

I beg your pardon. "Thot" is an approved abbreviation for "thought" . Approved by the poster.
Kindly take notice. And besides, you spell color with a U .

 

[BKVP]

BKVP needs the spelling police ( chop busting time ).
The usual excellent post by the man (where are all the other makers posting ? ).
BUT: the Vermont Castings Flexburn 2in1 Defiant and Encore also have "thermostatic primary air ", and top loading, and pretty enamel colors.
Just thot you'd like to know.

You try using a phone to type at 30k'!
Tiny little buttons....their, there, they're..all I gots to say.