Shorter than Max. Split Length For Gassifier?

[velvetfoot]

I'm thinking about getting a gassifier boiler. I have an insert and LOTS of 16" firewood. The boilers I've seen so far are considerably deeper. Could I burn this size wood without issue? Would it essentially derate the boiler, and should I get the next larger size, ie, 40kw vs. 25kw?

 

[bmblank]

Don't worry about the split length to much. You may need to feed it ever so slightly more often, not worth a difference in boilers if you ask me.

 

[kopeck]

I burn nothing but 16" in my Solo 30.

I'm setup for 16" and that's what my wood stove uses, no sense is cutting longer and shorter chunks.

K

 

[timberr]

I burn nothing but 16", my wood shed, and wood storage in the basement are setup for 16" and my wood stove likes 16" and guess what/ My Eko likes it jsut fine, at over 50 I have decided lighter is better. So I handle a few more pices of wood at least my back doesn't ache.

Good luck

 

[velvetfoot]

I burn nothing but 16", my wood shed, and wood storage in the basement are setup for 16" and my wood stove likes 16" and guess what/ My Eko likes it jsut fine, at over 50 I have decided lighter is better. So I handle a few more pices of wood at least my back doesn't ache.

Good luck

How is that boiler/storage combo working out for you? If you had to do it over, would you go a little bigger, or do you use the wood stove all winter in combo with the boiler? Thanks.

 

[timberr]

I am liking my system, it has been online since 2008, I have things tweaked pretty well at this point. Typically I am gone for 12 hrs. during the day and when I come home I have enough (temps in the 150-170's) storage that I can get the boiler going and it isn't hard to get back ahead. For our home the system is a good size, I wouldn't give up any more space fr additional storage. You do learn how much energy it takes to heat DHW with this setup. The wood stove is only used when we get below 0 which happened 14 times in January. When we get well below 0 with wind I keep the boiler burning and accept idling. My first year I didn't do that and at times it was difficult to get ahead on storage. It also helped that I replaced my baseboards with high output so I could use a boiler re-set control and run water down to 140*.

Good luck

 

[velvetfoot]

Hey, that's great! I'd also be interested in high output baseboard, if and if you'd have any advice on that, it'd be great.

 

[timberr]

I used Slantfin Ultra Pack 80 base board. I replaced old base board foot for foot and it really helped utilize storage since the temp in storage drops over the course of the day.

 

[bennersaw]

timberr, How many sq ft are you heating? I am thinking of a similar set up as you. I will be heating about 1850 sqft.

 

[timberr]

Hey Ben,

Like your Yellow Lab, I have 2 myself! Our house is 1,800 sq. ft., I only run heat upsairs 2 hrs/day (progrmable thermostat) but I do heat a hot tub that is out side. This time of the year my system manages the load just fine with 2 burns/day. I did add a programable thermostat to my DHW Aquastat. It always seemed in the evening just as I was starting up the boiler I was having to heat a 60 gal. SuperStore, so I have the thermostat set to prevent this from happening. Not that the system can't handle the heat demand but I was trying to cut down on the time circulator is running. When storage is down in the 150's and you are trying to heat the DHW to 140* it can take a while.

 

[bennersaw]

She's a hot babe! I also have 2 (male and female). If you had it to do over again, would you go next size up? From what I have been gathering, the price difference is about 600 bucks...

 

[timberr]

No I wouldn't go bigger, the 25 does fine, not a lot of idle time. When the temps get well into the negative numbers I do keep wood in the boiler and let idling happen. It is easier to stay ahead then get behind when it is really. cold. Do a heat loss calculation and figure out what you need, mine came in around 50,000 btu/hr. The guy I bought my boiler from helped with that detail.

 

[DBoon]

I performed some BTU calcs a while back while I was doing some boiler and storage size planning. The smallest boiler (5 cubic foot firebox) even if assumed to be filled only half full with wood (i.e. 16" lengths, with normal air gaps between splits) would still generate enough BTUs to heat ~800 gallons of storage by 70 degrees or so. Calcs:

2.5 cubic feet x 40 lbs/cubic foot x 6000 BTUs/lb x 80% efficiency = 480,000 BTUs delivered.
800 gallons = ~6000 lbs., and an 80 degree temp rise = 480,000 BTUs absorbed.

If you burn pine, then maybe you would want the longer splits. Otherwise, one load on the smallest boiler using 16" splits will pretty much charge a good sized storage.

 

[Clarkbug]

I'm thinking about getting a gassifier boiler. I have an insert and LOTS of 16" firewood. The boilers I've seen so far are considerably deeper. Could I burn this size wood without issue? Would it essentially derate the boiler, and should I get the next larger size, ie, 40kw vs. 25kw?

The first year I had my boiler, the only wood I had I bought cut/split, and it was 16". The boiler output isnt derated, but you do have to fill it more often, since it consumes the fuel faster. When I started to be able to cut my own, I try for 18" or so (boiler takes up to 20") to give me a little bit of wiggle room for the end of the log or in case my calibrated eyeball is a little off.

 

[velvetfoot]

The boiler output isnt derated, but you do have to fill it more often,

Sounds like derated to me.

 

[Clarkbug]

Sounds like derated to me.

Well, it outputs the rated BTU/hr, just not for as many hours