Getting longer burn times...split arrangement

[Rank Bull]

Hello

I am sure other people do this but I was just really pleased with the burn times I have been getting with this arrangement. Much longer than I expected.

I have an Englander 17-VL which I use for supplementary heat and with Mesquite I have been able to get 10+ hour burn times. By this I mean in the morning the stove has big coals and still producing warmth.

I attached a sketch of what I do. The two rounds are about 5 inch diameter and the split on the bottom is about the same. All this placed on a good bed of coals. It seems to be like a time released arrangement since they don't all burn entirely at once.

Anyway this is my first wood stove and really enjoying it!

 

[mminor]

Thanks! It's always great to get new ideas from field tested innovations.

 

[Rank Bull]

I think so. It is not a super hot burn so I may throw in some more smaller pieces for more heat. I really only need about 8 hours.

 

[blacktail]

You could fit a lot more wood in there.

 

[Poindexter]

You could fit a lot more wood in there.

Yup, but he has mesquite.

When I was building experimental rocket stoves a couple years ago I was looking for max BTU's per cubic centimeter. I bought a bag of mesquite chunks for the grill, set them up on my drill press and then strung them together on bamboo skewers to make mesquite-kabobs.

Mesquite has a shockingly high number of BTUs per cord ;-)

 

[Rank Bull]

Yup, but he has mesquite.

When I was building experimental rocket stoves a couple years ago I was looking for max BTU's per cubic centimeter. I bought a bag of mesquite chunks for the grill, set them up on my drill press and then strung them together on bamboo skewers to make mesquite-kabobs.

Mesquite has a shockingly high number of BTUs per cord ;-)

Yes Mesquite is great! It is amazingly dense and has been curing on my farm for years now.

I always like to pick up a piece and tell someone, "imagine how much you think this weighs."

Then I hand it to them. They are always surprised. lol

I wil add a bit more as I get a feel for the stove though. Still learning.

 

[FPX Dude]

You get AM started on an over night fire so I think you're doing fine. My setup is more of a "lincoln log" load at 45 degree angle all packed in and then I'm good thru the next day.

 

[blacktail]

If you're getting 10 hours out of three pieces of wood, I'm curious what temp your stove is running at, and if you have any visible smoke out of your stack.

 

[Rank Bull]

If you're getting 10 hours out of three pieces of wood, I'm curious what temp your stove is running at, and if you have any visible smoke out of your stack.

The temperature was hovering around 350. I didn't 't see smoke coming out. I do wonder if it gets too low in the night? But it was very warm in the morning.

It was 3 good sized logs but that was on a big fresh bed of coals.

 

[Rank Bull]

You get AM started on an over night fire so I think you're doing fine. My setup is more of a "lincoln log" load at 45 degree angle all packed in and then I'm good thru the next day.

Do you have this stove also? It definitely seems to burn on the tamer side.

 

[blacktail]

I just looked at the specs for that stove. At 1.1 cubic feet, I guess you won't be fitting that much more wood in it. Sounds like that high powered wood will make the most of the stove though.

 

[Rank Bull]

I just looked at the specs for that stove. At 1.1 cubic feet, I guess you won't be fitting that much more wood in it. Sounds like that high powered wood will make the most of the stove though.

Yes it is pretty tiny in there. It is tall but super shallow. I also have a lot of oak around here but it doesn't seem nearly as dense.