To split or not

[taxidermist]

I am looking at the EKO 40 and the Tarm 30, tarm shows loading split wood and I have not seen any pictures or info on the eko if you have to split wood or use blocks. I know the greenwood says to use blocks of wood no need to split??? This is a great site thank you.



Rob

 

[antos_ketcham]

Hi Rob -

I own a Greenwood 100. It is true, the unit runs best on unsplit rounds - the bigger the better. I get my cleanest and longest burns with rounds rather than splits. Big labor savor.

Pete

 

[Eric Johnson]

Welcome to the Boiler Room, Rob.

The EKO and Greenwood are totally different designs. My EKO requires very dry wood to work right, so splitting is a good idea--although any dry wood will work, split or unsplit.

 

[taxidermist]

Welcome to the Boiler Room, Rob.

The EKO and Greenwood are totally different designs. My EKO requires very dry wood to work right, so splitting is a good idea--although any dry wood will work, split or unsplit.

Eric,
Thank you for the welcome, I know the units are different and was just wondering that if the GW with natural draft likes rounds then I would think with a forced down draft like tarm and Orlan eko it would get a longer burn with rounds.

Rob

 

[antos_ketcham]

I wouldn't suggest burning green wood in any unit.

I had a couple pieces of not green but not dry wood I put in the Greenwood and the result was that the moisture condensed and dripped out and stained the concrete floor below the furnace. The exhaust is so much cooler and the downdraft design is what causes this from what I can tell. So dry well seasoned wood is the way to go.

Pete

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

To split or not


Is this Mrs Spitzer's Esquire, soliciting opinions on whether to dump the 25-second chump??

 

[taxidermist]

I would not burn/smolder green wood in anything I am just saying seasoned blocks unsplit

 

[jebatty]

I have the Tarm 40, very similar to 30, and wood that works best is about 4-5" diameter, in other words, split. 4-5" rounds seems almost perfect, if you have the small stuff. Big splits/chunks tends to cause some bridging, the pieces lock together, bottom burns out, and gasifying is impeded, until bridge collapses. Seems OK to put big pieces on top, smaller pieces on bottom, then big are last to burn. Dry wood for sure, at least one season, probably 2, depending on size of splits.

 

[hkobus]

Second that Jebatty, I have started to split the big rounds to smaller 4 or 5" splits. If there are no small rounds I find it critical to get 3 or 4 per layer wide and smaller in the bottom so it will colapse easier.
I also find that when I want more heat the smaller pieces will sure make that work and the weight from some bigger chunks will help the burn to continue ( well most times).

Henk.

 

[sixroses]

The only wood I split is to big to go in the door. :coolsmile:Sure makes for faster wood processing.
All of my wood is either birch, spruce or poplar.
How much wood is in a cord of split vs unsplit wood??
Steve