Is This Normal??

[dorkweed]

Just got back from a short hunting trip early this AM. It's been raining here for almost a day now; and none of my outside wood is covered, so I dipped into my oak that's in my shed.

Here's my question........................I'm on the 3rd reload of oak now since I got home. Is it normal for oak to have higher flue temps than my ash and box elder when at a steady cruise??? Also, the oak seems easier to control...............sometimes the ash/box elder will be just coasting, and 3 minutes later, the stove top and flue are quite a bit hotter. The oak seems more "stable" as far as burning goes.

Does the less dense ash and box elder "off gas" faster once it starts "off gassing"???? IOW, does the oak off gas at a steadier rate regardless of temp??

Am I making sense???

 

[btuser]

Oak takes a long time to dry out, so I find the "longer burn times" are really just extra water regulating my burn temps.

 

[ScotO]

I think that would be possible. Ash and elder aren't quite as dense as the oak. Seems to me that oak is easier to control, but I've never done any 'redneck' testing with it yet in regards to other woods in that sense. We'll wait for some of the more scientific members to chime in here...

 

[ScotO]

Oak takes a long time to dry out, so I find the "longer burn times" are really just extra water regulating my burn temps.

That could very well be, BTUser. Where the heck have you been?

 

[corey21]

Oak is a denser wood.

 

[dorkweed]

Oak takes a long time to dry out, so I find the "longer burn times" are really just extra water regulating my burn temps.

This oak is 3 year CSS.

 

[corey21]

This oak is 3 year CSS.

Because it is denser it takes longer to break down during a burn cycle.

 

[ScotO]

This oak is 3 year CSS.

You should be good to go as far as moisture. I think it has a lot to do with the density of the wood.
Seems to me that locust acts the same as the oak in my stove. It doesn't turn into a raging fire, it kinda 'lazes' for a while, but the temps are still very high in the stove. Seems to outgas almost right off of the reload, and it'll cruise all night long.....in the morning there is a heap of glowing red coals in the stove, and that puppy is STILL pounding out the heat.

 

[jeff_t]

I think it makes sense. I can't make any scientific comment though, 'cause my stove is different.

 

[btuser]

Oak (especially white oak) will hold moisture for a long, long time.

That could very well be, BTUser. Where the heck have you been?

Work is nuts. Almost every year it's a cycle of "no money till next quarter". This is the first time in a long time we've seen "Spend it now before they take it away". I told my wife to get a 2nd husband so I could split the bills and semi-retire.

She responded "What makes you think I want ANOTHER one of you?"

 

[dorkweed]

You should be good to go as far as moisture. I think it has a lot to do with the density of the wood.
Seems to me that locust acts the same as the oak in my stove. It doesn't turn into a raging fire, it kinda 'lazes' for a while, but the temps are still very high in the stove. Seems to outgas almost right off of the reload, and it'll cruise all night long.....in the morning there is a heap of glowing red coals in the stove, and that puppy is STILL pounding out the heat.

That is almost exactly what I see...............................the coals from the oak almost seem to last indefinitely And they're "HOT" also! At least that's what my thermometers say Thanks

 

[oldspark]

The wood is denser period, so its heavier so the same amount of wood size wise will have more btu's, and 15% moisture is 15% no matter what type of wood it is and at three years it is probably between 15 and 20%. Good stuff to say the least.