Please define what "gassing off" means...

[Bigsby]

I've heard this phrase used here many times when a new load of wood is set fire and just wanted to clarify. Is this be the time from when the wood begins to burn to the the time it becomes charred? Charred being the splits have started to whiten with ash?

 

[begreen]

Yes. It can also mean that time when your uncle has had too many beers and nachos.

 

[Bigsby]

Yes. It can also mean that time when your uncle has had too many beers and nachos.

Lol. Knew someone would go there, didn't think you'd be the first.

 

[pdxdave]

I've heard this phrase used here many times when a new load of wood is set fire and just wanted to clarify. Is this be the time from when the wood begins to burn to the the time it becomes charred? Charred being the splits have started to whiten with ash?

My understanding is it's any time the wood is putting off flammable gasses. So just being charred on the outside doesn't mean it's stopped off gassing, but more like when you have a stove full of hot coals that don't emit significant flames even when given plenty of air. In a non-cat stove the off gassing phase is obvious because its just defined by whenever there are flames while in a cat stove you'll have a black box but still be off gassing with the cat doing the burning, then slowly transition to coaling phase but tougher to tell when this really occurs.

 

[begreen]

Lol. Knew someone would go there, didn't think you'd be the first.

First hand experience. My older son loves beer and nachos.

 

[Bigsby]

My understanding is it's any time the wood is putting off flammable gasses. So just being charred on the outside doesn't mean it's stopped off gassing, but more like when you have a stove full of hot coals that don't emit significant flames even when given plenty of air. In a non-cat stove the off gassing phase is obvious because its just defined by whenever there are flames while in a cat stove you'll have a black box but still be off gassing with the cat doing the burning, then slowly transition to coaling phase but tougher to tell when this really occurs.

Ok but say in a non-cat stove, flame or no flame, wouldn't the coals be off gassing too since they're still emitting CO? I've heard stories on here about people setting off their CO detectors or even worse by not realizing there were hot coals mixed in with the ash in their ash container.

 

[Deano31]

That is why you never leave a ash can in the house empty your stove and cover your can then bring outside someplace safe and leave alone.

 

[quotejso]

The wood puts out gasses hence secondary burn technology and catalytic converter to burn the gas. Not sure on the specifics but I have had my progress open to clean the cat with a bed of coals that was enough to start a new fire but had no smell or smoke. Of course I belive CO is odorless so be carefull.

 

[OhioBurner©]

Off gassing just means giving off gasses. When we are talking about off gassing of firewood, we are usually referring to the flammable gasses that are a byproduct of burning the wood, and what a secondary burn or catalyst burns for higher efficiency than pre-epa stoves. When your well into the coaling phase, there is little off gassing of flammable gasses so secondary burn dies back and so does a catalytic burner. Sure, coals are still burning and off gassing CO2, CO, etc, just not as many flammable gasses.