Secondary Burn

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woodchuck357

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If you are getting secondary burn and making a big bed of coals, you're starving your fire of oxygen.
 
If you are getting secondary burn and making a big bed of coals, you're starving your fire of oxygen.
I wouldn't go so far as to say the fire is starved for air but if draft air is allowed to pass over the bed of coals said coals will melt right down to ashes.Doesen't take but 30 or 40 minutes either.Been that way since man discovered fire and started building fires on the ground.
 
So… more heat from half the wood??
Let’s figure there’s 7000 BTUs in a pound of wood…

Let’s say, in 12 hours, I burn 100 pounds of it in my (supposedly) 55% efficient smoke dragon…
7000 × 100 × .55 ÷ 12 = 32083 BTU’s per hour (average).

Now let’s say, in 12 hours, you burn half that much wood in your (supposedly) 85% efficient elitist stove…
7000 × 50 × .85 ÷ 12 = 24791 BTU’s per hour (average).

Heck, even if we say the smoke dragon is only 50% efficient and the elitist stove is 90% efficient… it still comes up short…
7000 × 100 × .50 ÷ 12 = 29167 BTU’s per hour (average) for the smoke dragon.
7000 × 50 × .90 ÷ 12 = 26250 BTU’s per hour (average) for the elitist stove.

More likely the “real world” efficiency numbers are closer to 60% and 80%...
7000 × 100 × .60 ÷ 12 = 35000 BTU’s per hour (average) for the smoke dragon.
7000 × 50 × .80 ÷ 12 = 23333 BTU’s per hour (average) for the elitist stove.

More heat from half the wood??
Must be magic.
I don't believe in magic, so I don't believe claims of more heat from half the wood... actually I call BS‼

Now if the claim was the same amount of heat from 20% or 25% less wood I might buy that... maybe.
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I'll be the first to admit I'm no expert. I just know that the difference between then and now is significant in my situation both in terms of heat and quantity of wood burned. Is it possible that the secondary burn chamber in my stove creates more BTU's? My stove literally glows red inside and the flames create a spiral motion that is incredible. There are blue and white flames shooting down from the top with orange flames shooting up from the wood. I can't use a standard kettle for a steamer because it boils so hard that it throws water all over. My brother has a stove that has a secondary with tubes and it doesn't produce nearly the heat. Not all "elitist" stoves are created equal. That being said, not all "old stoves" are created equal either and it's very possible that my old stove was not a good performer. I can only draw on my own experiences.
 
More heat from ⅓ the wood?? :laugh:
Even Houdini couldn’t pull that one off‼ :laugh:

And 99.94% fewer emissions?? :laugh:
What?? You think you're a comedian Del_ ?? (I ain't laughin' at your words... I'm laughin' at you.)

By-the-way... I ain't tryin' to save the whales, I'm tryin' to heat my home.
"Emissions" ain't even a consideration... they ain't even on the list... I flat don't care sour owl crap about them.
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Is it possible that the secondary burn chamber in my stove creates more BTU's? ... Not all "elitist" stoves are created equal.
That being said, not all "old stoves" are created equal either and it's very possible that my old stove was not a good performer.
OK... maybe... but more heat from half the wood is still way out there in left field.
Let's say your elitist stove is exceptionally good, and your old smoke dragon was exceptionally bad... "real world" numbers of 45% and 90%.
7000 × 100 × .45 ÷ 12 = 26250 BTU’s per hour (average) for the smoke dragon.
7000 × 50 × .90 ÷ 12 = 26250 BTU’s per hour (average) for the elitist stove.

Ya' still ain't gettin' more heat‼

I don't buy into the term "elitist stoves".
You don't have to... it ain't about you Del_, get over it.
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I'm most definitely getting more heat with less wood. I think there are more factors at play than your simple math. IMHO. Like I said, my new stove cranks out heat far more than my previous stove. Another added benefit that doesn't go unnoticed is that my wife wears significantly less clothing in the house now than before and she's a very modest woman! :blob2:
 
Btw, I agree that "half" the wood is an exaggerated statement. But I do burn significantly less than before with better results.
 
Efficiancy definately has a lot to do with it. If you have a blue flame or a red flame we are speaking about two totally different temperature spectrums. If you have the possibility to store the energy then you definately have some savings. Of course the whole setup has to fit together, beginning at the insulation of your home and ending at the stove. If the whole system works out then you will reduce your consumption substantially. And we should not forget your firewood should be dry = stored split and stacked for at least two years or else a large part of the energy is used to vaporize the water in your damp wood.

So yes there are considerable savings to be had, but it isn't the stove alone that will make it happen.

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