Still Learning

[flyingcow]

Twice in the last week, I've loaded up system with a little too much wood. This shoulder season routine, just trying to burn efficiently. Not a big deal, just idling off and on a couple of more hours than I need to. Still haven't done a complete year burning. Started last jan. It was sub zero for a long time and was easy to learn for that weather. Have noticed the obvious when having mixed hardwoods, this makes a noticable diff if trying to be picky with efficiency. Be a lot easier once I get into the rock maple and beech.

 

[DaveBP]

You could try weighing the charge of wood you put in to be more consistent loading. The weight of an armload of mixed species can vary and make it more difficult to guess how much fuel you're loading in there.

Don't tell your wife you're weighing the wood. That might seem a little around the bend to those not similarly afflicted.

 

[flyingcow]

My wife was giving me grief about buying a moisture-meter. Actually, it wasn't grief, maybe a little chuckle....but still hurt my feelings. ;-P But the weighing thing, she'll be grumbling because I got way too much to do around here, I have not took care of the honey-doo list from 2007. Still trying to find the time/ambition to do the spring cleaning from '06.
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But I think I'm getting better, today my fire burned out about when I thought it would. It's getting way too cold outside! I'd think about moving to florida, but my Innova won't go with me. :coolsmile: Can take my tank and use it for solar DHW. :coolsmile:

 

[Hydronics]

Flyingcow,
Funny how that honeydew list isn't something you really want to work on. More fun playing with your wood......uh, boiler that is.
Why is it that we don't get to make a list for them???
Seriously though, looks like you have your system set up well being able to burn once a day at max. heat load, congrats. You guys get some cold weather up there, we just dropped below 50 here in CT last night.

 

[flyingcow]

Flyingcow,
Funny how that honeydew list isn't something you really want to work on. More fun playing with your wood......uh, boiler that is.
Why is it that we don't get to make a list for them???
Seriously though, looks like you have your system set up well being able to burn once a day at max. heat load, congrats. You guys get some cold weather up there, we just dropped below 50 here in CT last night.

Just got back to this. When I sized the unit out, I basically winged it. Just figured I got a 80,000btu OIL boiler w/boilermate that's heated the house well. Seemed to cycle well( no short cycling) 90% of the year and the few weeks of seriously sub-zero weather, the oil unit did pound away pretty steadily, but kept up. My limited knowledge, and a little experience has always told me not to oversize a heating unit. Generally a waste of money and effiency. So that's how I came up with trying to put a 100,000 btu wood boiler in. I knew I was going to do storage, so that helps a lot in "getting it close" type of sizing. The tank i got is 820 gals. This amount of gallons is more about liking Toms' tank and HX design, than it was figuring what I needed for gallons of storage. The 820 was what he had ready to go, a 600 gal size was what I thought I needed. And Voila, the system performs very well. I kept fighting the urge to go to 150,000 btu. Thinking,"I'm spending this much $$$'s, whats another $800". But what's really nice is when I do my DHW in the summer. When the tank is ready for another charge, one fire, no reloading. This will bring the tank back to the 165ish region. Taking the tank to 180 in the summer seems to loose that top 20 degrees very quickly. Which is what I would be doing with a 150,000btu unit with this sized tank. Just my thoughts and .02

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

I know nothing from experiance when it comes to storage, but . . .

why are you idiling with storage? Are you starting the fire too soon? Is it the second load that goes into idle?

 

[flyingcow]

Only idle when the tanks are getting up to the top of heat. Occasionally when the Innovas' really screaming along it'll do it. But it's only for a few minutes towards the end. A few minutes here and there is not a problem, but it'll be over a couple hours of time, maybe do it 3 or 4 times?. The Innova is designed to have storage.
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We had cool days and nights and I would start the fire a little to early, thinking the house would use more btu's, but house warmed up quicker than expected. Keep in mind when the Innova got up to temp and runs 180/190 degree water into house, the termovar valve sends some of that to satisfy the house, my baseboard was designed for about 160. The room heats up a lot quicker with 180/190 running thru it. Still learning.