The Beauty of Heating With Wood

[katwillny]

Hey all,
hope everyone is staying warm today. Its been snowing here since about 5am and we have about 6 inches of snow and the temp is about 15. After spending a few hour shoveling i was ready for a nice cup of coffee by the stove. The house is at 76 all around though the stove room is at 83. Thats just perfect for me to sit and relax. Had to dial down the air going into the stove as it was a bit on the hot side. It usually hovers at 600 but this Locust, Cherry, Oak, Maple combo gets her hot.

Stay warm friends.

 

[mnowaczyk]

Nice. Now go back outside in your t-shirt for a few minutes and appreciate that cold.

 

[katwillny]

No thanks. I played HS football the days of being outside in a tshirt are over my friend.

 

[mass_burner]

83? That's warm. Around 75 is the most I can take.

 

[mnowaczyk]

No thanks. I played HS football the days of being outside in a tshirt are over my friend.

My wood is close to the house. Once I get the living room hot enough, I could go get a load of wood in my boxers and some slippers. The fire really makes me appreciate the cold. As long as you've got somewhere to go that will warm you to the bones, your core can handle a few minutes of cooling outside, and it really feels nice.

 

[katwillny]

83? That's warm. Around 75 is the most I can take

75 is on the colder side of comfortable for my wife and kids. They got used to the warm house. Hey I got about 5 cords ready to go so at 8 splits a day that will last a very long time. lol.

 

[mnowaczyk]

8 splits a day to keep your house that hot? Wow. It sounds hard to believe to me. Maybe 65 and 73, but 75 and 83 on 8 splits of wood, but I guess that's the difference between an insert and a real stove.

 

[mass_burner]

Sounds like all is well. Also watched the neighbor take 200 gals of oil this morning, hmm, 200 x 3.75 is uh...a crap load of money.

 

[HotCoals]

75 is on the colder side of comfortable for my wife and kids. They got used to the warm house. Hey I got about 5 cords ready to go so at 8 splits a day that will last a very long time. lol.

4 splits twice a day or 8 once a day?
Must be some big splits!

 

[katwillny]

Just to clarify on the 8 splits.. I load the stove in the early morning with 6 large splits and fill the gaps with small 1 to 2 inch branches and let her rip. It runs on average for 8 hours at 700, 650 to 400 degrees. Then My wife drops another large split and a few more smaller branches or large kindling . It helps that our house is very well insulated. The 8 varies depending on the specie and obviously size and how dry it is so sometimes its 10 or even 12. Dont want to sell any snakeoil or exaggerate. lol.

 

[Stax]

On my 3rd load of the day. Usually 5-6 decent sized splits. Just plugged the lights in. Yes in deed, 3rd cup of coffee for the day. Gotta run out to the store tonight. 3rd wave of snow in the last week and a half. Look at that…a lot of threes. Working at a school, we each sponsor a child for the Christmas season.

 

[katwillny]

Stax, I just added one more piece (usually my splits are 23 inches long and about 7 to 8 inches wide at times wider) and a about 4 two inch pieces or oak flooring scraps. The stove loves oak flooring scraps. Thats great on the Christmas sponsoring of a kid, nothing like seeing a kids face on Christmas morning opening a gift.

 

[dyerkutn]

t runs on average for 8 hours at 700, 650 to 400 degrees

are those stove top temps, and is 700 your start up and 400 your cruising?

 

[katwillny]

The average temps are at around 700 for the first 4 to 5 hours then it starts to decrease. I usually load early in the morning and at that time the temps are at around 350 and it creeps up to 700 really quick as the wood is really dry. Moisture content low teens. It took me a few seasons to get the air right as the amount of air is paramount to getting the proper secondaries to maintain. Initially Id only get secondary burn only when the stove was in the 750. I diddnt feel comfortable running the stove that high, 600 to 700 is usually where I try to keep it.

 

[lopiliberty]

I had 4 or 5 inches here (forgot to measure it before I started shoveling and blowing) went out blew out the driveway came back in to 85 degree living room loaded 3 large splits on a small coal bed and got the most amazing fire I have ever seen in the 4 years I have owned this liberty. It looked like a gas stove or fireplace burning. Only toped out at 550. Nothing better than cold and snow outside and a nice warm fire inside

 

[dyerkutn]

temps are at around 350 and it creeps up to 700 really quick

just to be clear---that is stove top, not flue?

 

[katwillny]

Yes stove tops. I have the Rutland stove top plus a IR and its pretty consistent. I dont have a blower on the stove. I have a fan across the room blowing into the stove room. That helps move the air around.

 

[BrotherBart]

Stax, I just added one more piece (usually my splits are 23 inches long and about 7 to 8 inches wide at times wider) and a about 4 two inch pieces or oak flooring scraps.

How are you getting 23 inch splits in a 20" firebox?

 

[Paulywalnut]

I never counted splits a day. I try to split mine 4 or 5 inch and 16 or 17 inches long.
I'll guess a cold Saturday or Sunday I use 15. I'm going to count tomorrow got me wondering now.

 

[katwillny]

How are you getting 23 inch splits in a 20" firebox?

Power of the X pal. Similar way that TV manufacturers sell at 50 diagonal inches instead of a 24 inch vertical. More than one way to skin the cat or split. something similar to the below pic. Started loading the stove like this earlier this year and it works well. saw it on another forum.

 

[BrotherBart]

Would love to see a pic of that load. Pal.

 

[katwillny]

sure, ill take a pic tomorrow am when i reload. Below is an illustration, Ill take pics of the actual stove tomorrow when I load it tomorrow.

 

[firefighterjake]

How are you getting 23 inch splits in a 20" firebox?

New Englander model . . . It's the TARDIS NCH 30.

 

[katwillny]

Doctor Who aint got nothing on me. lol

 

[firefighterjake]

So your woodstove is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.