Wood too dry?

[fishunt1]

I have worked very hard the past 2 years to get a few years ahead on my wood supply. Now it seems as if my wood is too dry and tries to turn my insert into a rocket ship(Napoleon 1101 15 foot insulated liner). My wood is mostly lodge pole pine, tamarack and red fir. I have done a multiple checks and have not found any air leaks on my stove.

I live in what would be considered a desert climate, we had multiple days this summer with temps above 110 and Humidity below 7%. Average temps for the summer would be mid 90's with single digit RH. On a fresh split face, most of my wood is between 5.8%-8.2% on my handheld moisture meter.

Any ideas on how to slow it down? All my wood is split already so bigger splits are not an option. Should I go cut some "new" wood that would be around 13%-18% Moisture( all wood is standing dead beetle kill from the mountains). I have around 9 cords of wood saved up and worry all my hard work may go for nothing.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thank you

 

[Smoked]

I'd say mix in some bigger splits of newer wood if you can. 15 ft is not real tall for an over draft but my draft is way better with high pressure and low dew points so maybe a damper is in order with your climate? I worked a couple of weeks in ID a few years ago and tried to run while there. Felt like my lungs were bleeding with that arid air

 

[electrathon]

Put less wood in the stove at a time.

 

[jb6l6gc]

Damn thats some dry stuff

 

[fire_man]

Have you run the stove successfully in the past using wood that was less dry so this is a new problem?

Smoked has the right idea - mix in newer splits that are not as dry. How have you checked for leaks - Flashlight, match flame, etc?

 

[fishunt1]

In the past I have burned it with 10-15% wood that I cut, split and stacked that spring. This wood was CSS in the spring of 14 so it has had 2 summers to cure in our dry climate. I have checked the stove for air leaks and not found any. I did the flashlight test, match test as well as a dollar bill test. I am thinking about selling a cord or 2 of my wood and buying a cord or 2 from a local fire wood guy who sells hardwood that I know is not nearly as dry and mixing it in with my other wood. I can still burn my stove as of now, but soon as I get a flame from a reload I have to shut the air all the way down. the stove creeps up to around 700 and settles in there. I just worry that outside temps right now are in the high 30's to mid 40's what it will do when it is 10-20 degrees outside.

 

[Nick Mystic]

It seems like a proper burning stove should be capable of burning very dry wood without over firing. As to your question of what you can do with such dry wood, here is a suggestion. If you want a higher moisture content why not pile some wood off to the side in the shade and give it a good soaking with a hose. Then cover it with a plastic tarp and leave it there for a time to absorb some of the water. Myself, I would burn the dry wood, but if you believe you need higher moisture content it might be worth a try.

 

[jatoxico]

I think you're on track with your assessment, not in overfire territory @ 700 but right to to be keeping your eye on it. Other thoughts; How are you loading N/S, E/W? If loading N/S try an E/W load so incoming air has a tougher time penetrating through the load. This can slow things down.

Also are you raking coals forward. Raking the coals into a consolidated row (typically across the front) can give a "cigar" burn, keeping the whole load from going off to quick.

 

[nellraq]

It seems like a proper burning stove should be capable of burning very dry wood without over firing. As to your question of what you can do with such dry wood, here is a suggestion. If you want a higher moisture content why not pile some wood off to the side in the shade and give it a good soaking with a hose. Then cover it with a plastic tarp and leave it there for a time to absorb some of the water. Myself, I would burn the dry wood, but if you believe you need higher moisture content it might be worth a try.

95% of the wood I burn is a combo of fir and larch--split "on the small side". It was css about 8 years ago and is on top covered pallets. Burns great and is completely controllable. MC is similiar to fishhunt1's. I also live in a dry, warm climate
IMHO, I don't think there is such a thing as firewood that is too dry.

 

[iamlucky13]

Try stacking your splits really tight together so they act like larger splits. This should help slow the burn a bit by reducing the accessible surface area.

Jatoxico's idea about raking coals sounds worth trying, too.

 

[Seanm]

We burn the same kind of wood. Lots of good suggestions here. Rake your coals forward so that there are only coals in the very front of your stove. When stacking in the firebox expose as little surface area to flame as possible. Also turning down your air a bit earlier will help as well. I burn lodgepole and fir during the day and will only load it 3/4 full. With larch I will fill the firebox and then split some smaller pieces to fill in the holes when I'm shooting for overnight burns. PE stoves burn hot but I often end up peaking around 700-725 before settling down in the 600s and that doesn't concern me to much but I wouldn't want to go much higher either (all stoves are different). If it bothers you then I like your suggestion of going out and getting some more lodgepole to mix in before the weather closes you in. With the wind storm that you and I both experienced a couple of days ago I noticed a huge lodgepole that fell over so I'm thinking of going to get it. Its nice it was standing last week and I don't have to worry about dropping it. FYI moisture meters are calibrated to doug fir at 70 degrees so your lodgepole is likely 5% " wetter" than your meter is showing. I have no doubt it is very, very dry though.

 

[byQ]

I'm in the same area, too. I sold a guy some lodgepole pine. He called and said, "Have you got any Cottonwood?"

I asked, "Why do you want Cottonwood - Lodgepole is a better firewood?" He says, "That pine burns really hot and fast. If I mix the cottonwood in with it, it slows things down and burns longer, too."

Me - "....okay, how about 2 cords?" Him - "Sounds good., when you get it to me?"

I was surprised. I didn't know lowly cottonwood could be so valuable to someone.

 

[Jags]

Being an insert a Key damper is out of the question so you will have to work with technique and fuel. Mixing with less dry wood is an option, or loading smaller loads, stacking tighter are all good options.

To note: Yes - wood can be TOO dry for a phase two EPA stove. The problem arises when wood off gasses at a rate that is greater than the tubes or cat can consume. Not only can the tubes or cat get into inferno territory, but the excess gasses that are not being burned up escape out the stack and can actually lead to a dirty burn.

It would be interesting to know if you have any visual exhaust when you are at peak burn. At 700F I don't think you are there (exceeding the stoves ability to burn the gasses), but it would be interesting to confirm you still have a clean burn.

 

[Seanm]

To note: Yes - wood can be TOO dry for a phase two EPA stove. The problem arises when wood off gasses at a rate that is greater than the tubes or cat can consume. Not only can the tubes or cat get into inferno territory, but the excess gasses that are not being burned up escape out the stack and can actually lead to a dirty burn.

Yes good point! Ive mentioned this a few times on hearth as well. 3 years ago I purchased some pine on the cheap from a vacant house across the street from me. The owner said it had been in the garage for over 6 years. I started burning it and found that large strings of creo would dance around the fire box, then the fire box went black including the glass and the chimney belched black smoke! Was not a nice experience. I had plenty of other wood so I kept that stuff for my kindling wood.

 

[fishunt1]

Thank you all. I am going to build a coal rake to rake all of the coals forward. I do it some now, but it is just a half way attempt. We are going to get some cold temps this week(lows into the teens) so we will see how it does. During the day I like the idea of only loading it 1/2-3/4 full and adding as I need it. Seanm you are correct on that wind we got, lots of wood down. Until it stops snowing though I cant get up to where I like to cut my wood! I herd a big red fir I have had my eye on blew down and is waiting for me to come get it!