I'm back - final results for winter 2008-2009

[MrEd]

Hi all.

After a brief hiatus, I am back. If you remember I had installed a Tarm Solo 60 last September and just finished up my first year burng with my boiler. Even though I had my storage tank I never got it plumbed this first year so it has become a summer project which will be wrapped up by next winter.

All-in-all the season went great, though I did run out of wood by March 1st since I had not cut wood last year with the intention of hooking up a tarm - I had only cut enough for my woodstove, so I was thankful to have made it that far - at least thru the worst of the winter.

I had hoped to use zero gallons of oil, but I did end up purchasing 200 gallons to make it thru March - I still have some left but not sure how much. For the past 5 years, before installing the Tarm, I used 2000 gallons of oil +/- 50 gallons, so my first year savings I estimate at $4500, which is roughly 40% of the cost of my system. Just a bit over one more year of burning wood and then its all 'gravy'. (My wood is free).

Next year I plan on doing all the following:

1. A lot more wood. I don't want to run out and I want to even have enough for the following year started.
2. A lot more kindling - I hadn't accounted for the fact that I was going to be starting a new fire at least once a day, sometimes twice.
2a. A lot more newspapers. I don't subscribe so I kept running out. Junk mail just doesn't work as well as newspaper...
3. Get my storage on-line. Its only 500 gallons (pressurized), but I am sure it will help smooth out the hi/low cycles on the heat curve.
4. Add an indirect hot-water tank. Right now I am using electric, but that is next on my cost-savings agenda.
5. A lot more insulation in the attic. I burned a lot of wood and I am not getting any younger. 3 inches in the attic just doesn't cut it even when your wood is free!

I am sure I'll be around as I start plumbing up my storage with a few more questions.

 

[chuck172]

Hi Ed, I wondered where you went to. Glad to hear you did so well.
500 gallons is O.K, but you probably would be happier with 1000. No savings on wood but more convenient.
You're right about the kindling, I found that out too.
Interested in your piping design with storage. I'm revamping mine for next winter. Check into Tarm's DWG. PT1

 

[DBoon]

I would encourage you to add that attic insulation before the next heating season. When I bought my house, there was only 6" of fiberglass in the attic between the joists, and I added another 8" perpendicular to the joists. I estimate that it saved about 150-200 gallons out of 1000 gallons used. Make sure the attic hatch is well sealed also.

 

[Duetech]

If you own a chainsaw you don't need the newspaper. Instead of splitting all your wood to size cut it lengthwise (especially the monster rounds) and the long strands of shavings will pile up fast. Just don't be in a hurry cutting as you will plug up your saw. Let the long shavings dry a day for good measure then store in a gunny sack. Once dry the shavings can be moderately compressed for increased storage. The shavings ignite readily and are a better fire starter than news paper as they get hotter. Pile on your kindling as the fire permits and you'll be heating with wood.

 

[flyingcow]

I think you'll find once you get your storage in, you'll need to light fewer fires(hopefully less kindlin' and newspaper needed). Start fire and refill to recharge your storage. I'd start a fire about 3pm, this would bring house up to temp and i'd still have to refill(in the deep of winter) about 630/700pm to bring my storage to where I wanted it.

I also found that I didn't have enough newspaper. But I will stock pile it up this summer. As you pointed out, the inserts and fliers didin't work worth a sh!t.

500 gals does seem to be too small, but that's from the only experience I have, and that's all i know. I am lovin' my set up. Costly, but the comfort factor is great.

 

[jebatty]

From the surface planer in my woodworking, I gets lots of very dry wood shavings (not sawdust) that makes great starter, better than newspaper. My kindling are the bits and pieces left over from woodworking projects, plus edge trimmings from sawing some logs into lumber. I have more kindling and fire starter than I can use.

 

[MrEd]

I agree 1000 is better, but I have a single 500 gallon tank, and going to run with that unless another 500 becomes available cheap and local. I bought an expansion tank capable of handling 1000 gallons in case I ever go that route. Even the 500 takes up a lot of room, stacking 2 of them would seem huge..then again, the space above the one 500 gallon is pretty much wasted space...hmmmm.

 

[flyingcow]

Going to ask the newbie question, which i should remember from last fall. Will pressurized storage work better then unpressurized? i.e. need less gals? I went with unpressurized for a few reasons, one was it's supposed to be better in the summer for DHW? But I wanted to put it in my basement, and it needed to be a system that i could assemble in my basement.


Didn't mean to start an old thread discussion. My bad!

 

[chuck172]

You can heat pressurized storage up to the max. boiler temp.
In effect, you'll get more usable heat with less storage gallons of pressurized then you would with open storage.

 

[muncybob]

Ed, do you have an idea of how many cords you burned last year?