Manufactured wood / Firelogs

[olddawgsrule]

Been a while since I've been active here and been a while since I tested firelogs.
They've come a long way since I did this last (6yrs ago).

For the last two years the cost of cordwood has gone through the roof and I just will not pay it. Curious again how firedogs have come around and if any sort of savings..

Hence, my testing again.

First up is EZ Firelog. http://www.ezfirelogs.com
This is a local guy to me and if his product is good, I will support him wholeheartedly. True believer in buying and supporting local!

First off, buying a sample pack from him directly would have cost $20 for 10 logs. He sent me to a closer place the sells his logs and the same pack cost me $10. I bought two to give it a good run.

Results forthcoming.

 

[olddawgsrule]

I have to ask those that do burn these a question: What I'm reading is get a burn happening, then don't push for flame, yet let them work as charcoal would. Let them just red up.

Do you folks agree with this?

 

[begreen]

A good brand will burn much like a dense hardwood but with flames perhaps a bit longer, creating little ash. A cheap log will burn like a combo of a cigar and one of those trick expanding snake pellets and will create a fair amount of ash. The same brands I tested over a decade ago are still considered the best. Northern Idaho Energy Logs and Homefire Prest Logs. They are very high density. Since then however, there have been a lot more showing up on the market. In brick form too.

 

[olddawgsrule]

The EZ Firelog.

Package in plastic bags, 8 logs to a bag. Nice for storage.
Already broken to halves. Like this as they do expand and easy placement.
The heat output seems to be as described, Nice heat once going.

Took quite a bit to get them going from a cold stove. 2hrs till good output.
Wasn't sure if I should wafer them done to start, yes do so. Smoky if you don't.
I thought they burned kinda quick.. 8hrs from start, 6hrs of heat, 8 logs (16 halves).
Still had some heat from ash next day (little but some.. no where near enough to re-start another).

Opinion without comparing to others:
Nice yet fairly expensive for results. Bought by the pallet, $5 a bag (my pellet stove surpasses).
Start from cold was tough, but once going burned very nicely.

One down, North Idaho comes next.

 

[olddawgsrule]

begreen: Let me ask you since you've burned these. Burn as coal or with a flame? I'm on the North Idaho now and it seems they like to burn as coal. Am I not burning them right? I'm 2hrs into a startup and yet to close the door and have flame.

 

[begreen]

They will flame pretty intensely once burning and a blue flame later on. They need a starter to get them going or a few wafers sliced off as kindling. I used a chunk of super cedar.
http://www.northidahoenergylogs.com/lighting.php

https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/Northern_Idaho_Energy_Logs/

 

[olddawgsrule]

The North Idaho's are up right now.

Wow, I thought the others were tough to start from cold.. 2 1/2hrs in and barely anything coming from it.
Started from wafers, nice flame with no smoke.
Kept the door open til I had something decent going (at least from a cordwood stance of things).
Down to small flame and portions glowing like coals.

I'll check back in later. The door is closed and flue draft wide open.
I'm hoping for some great results...

 

[weatherguy]

Begreen do you know of another product that's similar or do you think NIEL's are still the best?

 

[begreen]

NIELs are exceptionally dense. They were were putting out good heat and strongly burning in 25 minutes in my test. They're so dense they sink in water. Home Fires Prest Logs was the next best from my old tests.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/home-fire-prest-logs/

 

[olddawgsrule]

NIELs are exceptionally dense. They were were putting out good heat and strongly burning in 25 minutes in my test. They're so dense they sink in water. Home Fires Prest Logs was the next best from my old tests.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/home-fire-prest-logs/

Having a tough time getting them going.. I'm 2 1/2hrs into start.. Think I finally have them going. Hope I do..

Back to the other question: What does Niel mean?

 

[olddawgsrule]

Talk to me.. What does NIEL mean?

 

[olddawgsrule]

I am 3 hrs in and see a fire I am happy with. Not up to temp yet, yet can damper down to 75% and climb. That's a fire!

Finally! WHOA!

1 1/2 logs on, let's see where this goes.

This is a flame I want to see in a hot stove, That burn would be an over-nighter and warm right now. The stove is approaching the correct temp slowly. Not much product is gone, thankfully.

I have hopes...

 

[Riverside_eng]

Been a while since I've been active here and been a while since I tested firelogs.
They've come a long way since I did this last (6yrs ago).

For the last two years the cost of cordwood has gone through the roof and I just will not pay it. Curious again how firedogs have come around and if any sort of savings..

Hence, my testing again.

First up is EZ Firelog. http://www.ezfirelogs.com
This is a local guy to me and if his product is good, I will support him wholeheartedly. True believer in buying and supporting local!

First off, buying a sample pack from him directly would have cost $20 for 10 logs. He sent me to a closer place the sells his logs and the same pack cost me $10. I bought two to give it a good run.

Results forthcoming.

Just wondering, where did he send you to buy them?

Thinking I might try them out and maybe the store would be close enough for me where I am just south of NH in MA.

 

[weatherguy]

Talk to me.. What does NIEL mean?

Northern Idaho Energy Logs

 

[weatherguy]

NIELs are exceptionally dense. They were were putting out good heat and strongly burning in 25 minutes in my test. They're so dense they sink in water. Home Fires Prest Logs was the next best from my old tests.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/home-fire-prest-logs/

I've read that and burned a few pallets of NIEL's, you mentioned some were getting better, thought you might have something specific. Pallets direct has a product called Tennessee hardwood bricks, from the size and weight they sounded similar to NEIL's. I've called the company a few times and always get a recording, I dont trust a company that doesnt answer the phone. So haven't tried them yet.

 

[olddawgsrule]

http://www.fallonshomeandhearth.com

 

[olddawgsrule]

The Home Fire Prest Log is sold here: http://www.hearthwise.com/home.html
Would like to try them as well.

 

[olddawgsrule]

Run complete with the North Idaho's (NIEL).

I had a hard time starting from a cold stove, maybe just me.. Just over 3 1/2hrs and I have very nice heat and dampened down the stove. Eight hours into the burn I opened the damper halfway an added the last half-log and went to bed.

Somewhere around 2am I had to turn on my fan in the bedroom to cool it off (upstairs). This morning I have residual heat in the stove, not enough to re-start another fire without using more fire-starter.

Conclusions:

Had heat producing over 10hrs with only 2 logs (4 halves).
I saw little to no expansion of the log, wafered out but no real expansion.
Burns very nicely in my stove without much attention (stirred it up/move around twice).
Great heat production!

Don't like how they package them. Pallet load is stacked pieces exposed.. Wish they wrapped them in even 4 log bags to help keep them dry.
I had quite the time starting them in a cold stove. Over 3hrs start to heat


$1.67 a log by the pallet. My fire cost for 8hrs heat production: $2.49 (1.5 logs)
Compared to EZ Firelog:
$.70 each by pallet. Cost for 8hrs heat $4.20 (6 logs)

 

[olddawgsrule]

begreen: I just caught up to what you did for testing on the WIKI portion of this site. I always forget to search there as well..

Awesome job recording the info! I do concur with you readings on the NIEL's. If your finding on the Home Fire's are as good, I think those may be my choice in fuel.

I made contact with the supplier of the HF's and they are great folks to work with! Being an hour's drive (one way) and their hours being a bit strange, they are going to leave 8 pieces out for me to test in a weather tight box. Have a feeling they do this a bit.. LOL
I will pick them up on Sunday and give them a run.

What I see is they will be less expensive than the NIEL's, mainly due to how many logs you get. Now if they burn the same, log for log..

 

[olddawgsrule]

While I go through all this.. Is there a block that burns as well I should try?

 

[Riverside_eng]

http://www.fallonshomeandhearth.com

Thanks for the tip on where to find them. Those were the Northern Idaho Energy Logs, correct? (Just going based on the weight and number that would be in a pallet) (8 lbs per)

 

[weatherguy]

begreen: I just caught up to what you did for testing on the WIKI portion of this site. I always forget to search there as well..

Awesome job recording the info! I do concur with you readings on the NIEL's. If your finding on the Home Fire's are as good, I think those may be my choice in fuel.

I made contact with the supplier of the HF's and they are great folks to work with! Being an hour's drive (one way) and their hours being a bit strange, they are going to leave 8 pieces out for me to test in a weather tight box. Have a feeling they do this a bit.. LOL
I will pick them up on Sunday and give them a run.

What I see is they will be less expensive than the NIEL's, mainly due to how many logs you get. Now if they burn the same, log for log..

You going to a place in northern Mass? They have weird hours but at least they answer the phone.

 

[weatherguy]

begreen: I just caught up to what you did for testing on the WIKI portion of this site. I always forget to search there as well..

Awesome job recording the info! I do concur with you readings on the NIEL's. If your finding on the Home Fire's are as good, I think those may be my choice in fuel.

I made contact with the supplier of the HF's and they are great folks to work with! Being an hour's drive (one way) and their hours being a bit strange, they are going to leave 8 pieces out for me to test in a weather tight box. Have a feeling they do this a bit.. LOL
I will pick them up on Sunday and give them a run.

What I see is they will be less expensive than the NIEL's, mainly due to how many logs you get. Now if they burn the same, log for log..

You get more logs but they're smaller. I think the NIELs cost .21 per pound and the presto logs are .26 per pound in my area by the pallet.

 

[olddawgsrule]

WG: I have two numbers right now on the HF's for BTU/Lb. Trying to confirm which is true..

First is: 8730btu/1lb
Second is: 8126btu/1lb

The first outs them on par with Niel's (actually tips the scale slightly in their favor).
The second puts them about 15.5 logs short of par..

BG's write up has them very close to on par.

And yes, the folks in Northern Ma. Looking forward to trying them!

 

[weatherguy]

WG: I have two numbers right now on the HF's for BTU/Lb. Trying to confirm which is true..

First is: 8730btu/1lb
Second is: 8126btu/1lb

The first outs them on par with Niel's (actually tips the scale slightly in their favor).
The second puts them about 15.5 logs short of par..

BG's write up has them very close to on par.

And yes, the folks in Northern Ma. Looking forward to trying them!

I'd like to try them too, I'm going to call this week and see if I can buy a small amount, I'm a little under an hour away in the opposite direction of you.