Wood Burning Questions

[rfisher2]

Hello all!

I am a part of a student research team at the University of Maryland and we are trying to better understand the needs and concerns of users who heat with wood. We are in the beginning phases of performing research to improve wood burning technology. We are looking for wood stove users, salespersons, or enthusiasts, who are interested in sharing their story and insights. If you'd like to talk to us, we'd love to set up a 10-15 minute phone call to pick your brain.

Please private message me and we can set up a phone call or an in person meeting to discuss your experience with wood stoves, pellet stoves, or fireplaces, and your thoughts and concerns about where wood heat is heading.

Thanks for your time!

Ryan

 

[BrotherBart]

This whole board is made up of people's experiences with wood stoves, pellet stoves and fireplaces including where it is headed. Feel free to mine the info and best wishes with the project.

 

[Dix]

Best wishes with the project, but it's a life style choice, way more involved than a phone call. PM me for more info.

 

[fossil]

Welcome Ryan, and have fun. Also among our membership are a sprinkling of industry folks...so we've got a zillion users and a few manufacturers & service providers. Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

Welcome Ryan, and have fun. Also among our membership are a sprinkling of industry folks...so we've got a zillion users and a few manufacturers & service providers. Rick

And we all agree on every facet of wood burning. Not.

 

[fossil]

And we all agree on every facet of wood burning. Not.

I'm trying to think of one. I'll get back to you.

 

[begreen]

Welcome Ryan. Did you work on the Mulciber project? That was an impressive first effort. Is this phase two of that research?

 

[rfisher2]

Thank you all for your responses thus far.

Yes, our group did work on the Mulciber project. We are looking to perform some more research at our labs at UMD. We are not selling a product, but are focused on performing some research to improve wood stove technologies. We are looking for honest feedback from all of you who are knowledgeable on the topic of wood burning and wood stoves. We would love the opportunity to speak with any of who are able to spend some time on the phone with us!

 

[fossil]

Well...be a bit careful, because you might find among our membership some folks who are eager to spend time talking on the phone with you, but are not particularly knowledgeable about what they're talking about. Watch out for personal agendas, too.

 

[rfisher2]

Anyone with a wood stove who is willing to share their story with us is just fine

 

[webby3650]

Well...be a bit careful, because you might find among our membership some folks who are eager to spend time talking on the phone with you, but are not particularly knowledgeable about what they're talking about. Watch out for personal agendas, too.

That's right. Many have experience with only one brand. Or a bad experience with a particular brand, and that's all they know. Just make sure all experiences are unbiased. Some people have an uncanny way of becoming attached to a stove that is less than stellar.

 

[HotCoals]

Well for me I like the constant heat of a wood stove without it relying on blowers,pumps or electricty. I like that it cost maybe only a 1/3 of what it would cost to heat with electricity which is my only backup and I would not be as warm. I went from burning 5 cords of wood to around 3 -3.5 by buying a epa cat stove compared to my old smoke dragon. Would be great if you could take another cord off that but there are only just so many btu's in a pound of wood.
But good luck!
EDIT:
This stove was 3200 bucks so it would actually be kinda hard to get me to buy another one at that price just to save a cord if it was even possible,which I doubt.

 

[Kosmik]

I'm trying to think of one. I'll get back to you.

Don't burn pine!

 

[Kosmik]

I'll answer a questionnaire. I don't like talking on the phone.

But what are you trying to do, reduce emissions per Mulciber? (http://www.fpe.umd.edu/news/news_story.php?id=7769)

Biggest thing I noticed is you have fuel standards for other fuels. Granted wood has less refinement needed, but since 90% of peoples problems in the real world have to do with poor fuel, that would seem the weak link in the chain.
EDIT: I see you are looking at making the stove automatically adjust for varying wood conditions. That would be one way to solve it, probably the most American friendly way.

 

[Kosmik]

Interesting.
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/wood-stove-decathlon-umd-vin
http://www.popularmechanics.com/hom...inalist-university-of-maryland-stove-16057699

 

[BrotherBart]

The UMD folks got the award at the Decathlon for lowest emissions. Fun meeting them and seeing their stove.

The Hearth.com crew at the Decathlon. And some old fool with the mike.

 

[fossil]

Or is it four old fools with the Holton?

 

[BrotherBart]

Needed a filler. I couldn't be the center with only four.

 

[rideau]

I would suggest that you could do the most good by concentrating on designing a really easy to build, inexpensive and thoroughly effective solar kiln/storage rack combination to market at a minimal cost along with any wood stove. You'd probably do the most good in terms of both wood conservation and clean burning by doing that, since several companies have already come pretty far in the building of efficient and clean burning stoves. I'm sure poorly seasoned wood is a far greater problem than the stoves at this time. Education about the need for and efficacy of dry wood, as well as a reasonable plan for the achievement of same by all, including those living on smaller urban and suburban plots, would probably be the most impactful step at this time.

 

[Huntindog1]

I would suggest maybe for your team to get involved in the political aspect to get people better incentives to upgrade to an economical clean burning stoves. As looking at the big picture its not as big of an issue that we need a cleaner burning stove but that we need to get those majority stove owners still burning smoke dragons to upgrade to an economical clean burning stove. You accomplish this you will clean the air way more than making a new stove that burns maybe only slightly more efficient.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Why not just post a questionnaire?

 

[HotCoals]

I would suggest maybe for your team to get involved in the political aspect to get people better incentives to upgrade to an economical clean burning stoves. As looking at the big picture its not as big of an issue that we need a cleaner burning stove but that we need to get those majority stove owners still burning smoke dragons to upgrade to an economical clean burning stove. You accomplish this you will clean the air way more than making a new stove that burns maybe only slightly more efficient.

I concur with all that . The fed incentive was the only reason that i did update. That was the only time I got a kickback from them I think!
I never used to believe in looking at the gov for anything but in this case it did payoff for me and maybe my neighbors also!

 

[fossil]

I would suggest maybe for your team to get involved in the political aspect to get people better incentives to upgrade to an economical clean burning stoves. As looking at the big picture its not as big of an issue that we need a cleaner burning stove but that we need to get those majority stove owners still burning smoke dragons to upgrade to an economical clean burning stove. You accomplish this you will clean the air way more than making a new stove that burns maybe only slightly more efficient.

These folks are Engineering students. What you're suggesting is a terrific idea...just for a different audience.

 

[Huntindog1]

We will just call it Enviromental Engineering solving the problem from different angles. Think outside the box.

But I know what you mean.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Figuring out a better way to do something (engineering) is hard. Making some do something (politics) is easy.