If forced to burn 20% wood...

[murphyslaw1978]

For what it's worth, I just bought a meter and the 21% red oak I have doesn't burn well. The 14% white oak burns fine. The moisture meter not only displays the percentage, but also will show either 1 drop, 2 drops, or 3 drops of water on the display. Anything over 19% is considered 'wet'

 

[Wood Duck]

If I had a Cat stove and wood that was a little too moist, I think I'd start each load with the air wide opena nd the cat bypass on for half and hour until the fire was really going well. I would even leave the door cracked to get extra air. Once the fire is hot, I'd close the bypass and use the stove as normal. I think most cat stove owners probably burn wood over 20% MC most of the time and they are OK. I don't think a little extra water vapor in the cat will damage it. There is always some water vapor going into the catalytic combuster.

 

[VCBurner]

I think there's something wrong with the moisture meter. 8% is just too dry for wood that is dried outside. Add 10 to whatever your meter says and you may get the correct reading. If the wood bubbles at the ends it is not 20%!

Burning wet wood can damage a catalytic converter due to thermal shock. They are meant to last about six years under normal conditions. If you have really dry wood, you'll get more, really wet wood it'll burn out quicker. A cat in good condition=less wood consumed for the same amount of heat. Any EPA rated stove will burn better with good quality wood. If you have to throw it in your stove, try putting the wood in a heated are or near the stove (within clearance.) After loading burn with the damper open for a while untill the wood is dry. It'll be wasting a lot of heat trying to dry up, but will get your house warmer than the fireplace!
What kind of stove are you getting?

 

[PapaDave]

I pulled this from a site a while back, can't remember which one.

"The right band of firewood moisture is between 15 and 20%. When you get much over 20% you start to see symptoms of sluggish ignition and the inability to turn down the air without extinguishing the flames. Towards 30% the wood sizzles and fires are very sluggish and it is hard to get a clean burn until the wood is almost to the charcoal stage. Above 30% water bubbles from the end grain when the wood is heated and it is very hard to burn at all. Species like poplar/aspen, which have very high native moisture content are virtually non-combustible when not adequately seasoned."

Sounds like my first year escapades in wood burning.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Oh the trials of buying firewood....