Help settling an owb argument

[Ck0461]

So my in laws (3 of them) have OWB. I heat with an indoor stove. I finished up my wood cutting around last part of June, cutting dead standing timber on my property so it has some time to season.

I was told by them at a family function how nice it was to have a outdoor stove since they don’t have to season the wood they burn. I had 3 on 1 that it made no difference if the wood was green, dead, or seasoned. I simply stated that they would burn less wood if what they burned was seasoned properly and kept covered. One even insists that green wood burns longer.

My reasoning is that BTU’s are lost with wet or green wood. (Up to 50% if my memory is correct) That would require the damper to open longer for the same amount of heat, burning up the wood faster. They stated that indoor stoves and boilers burn completely different. I can see what there saying if there is no demand on the boiler, but as soon as the furnace or hot water is used more BTU’s would be more efficient.

Feel free to tell me I’m right or wrong, I’m not going to argue with them if I’m correct, it’s not worth the wasted breath. I’m putting an OWB in when I build my new house and want to be informed.

 

[Del_]

You'd be far better to drop the debate than gathering more support for your view, even though you are right.

 

[Storm56]

Seasoned wood is the correct answer, and I do have an outdoor furnace!

 

[Cody]

There is no benefit to burning wet wood, under any circumstance, especially if it's being used to heat or cook. Maybe if you're wanting it to smoke more, or in some cases smell more. I suppose it might make sense to be more of a controlled/slower burn in an outside environment. Wood dries out for a reason IMO, it's not meant to be burned green.

 

[NSMaple1]

You are right - but that won't settle that argument.

How can throwing all that water into your fire do anything good?

 

[rancher2]

I run a Garn that I heat my house, domestic hot water and shop with I usually burn 15 cord in a year. I run it year around for my domestic. About five years ago I didn't get my locust wood cut and split in a timely manner and when Jan came and the heat was needed the most I was burning high moisture content wood. I more than doubled the amount of wood I normally burn between Jan and spring. It took a lot of BTU's of heat to draw that moisture out of the wood to get it to burn. This year is looking a little that way again as I have been fighting a shoulder problem and I haven't worked any wood yet but the logs are cut from a couple of year ago and I have some wood on hand from last year.

 

[Guswhit]

10 years ago, I got my first OWB and was very misinformed by a dealer. It wasn't until a couple of years into burning and doing some more research when I realized how wasteful I was burning. I cut my wood consumption almost 50% after burning seasoning all of my wood to 20% or less. That was with an old CB5036. I'm really looking forward to my latest endeavor with 1000 gallons of water storage and heated floors. I believe that I will cut my load even more.

 

[Ck0461]

Thanks for the info. I was pretty certain about my argument but since I don’t have experience with an outdoor stove, I wanted to check with people that do.
Just can’t figure why someone thinks that trying to burn soaking wet, or green wood is the same as seasoned.

 

[wrx-snowdrift]

Offer to take their seasoned wood so they don't waste their time burning it

 

[Guswhit]

It's not worth the breath it takes to argue your point though. You just can't convince some people of anything. After I had my old unit lined out with proper wood and was better educated, I tried to help a guy get his working better but all I did was frustrate myself! You just can't fix stupid sometimes!

 

[Ck0461]

They never have any. Shut their stoves down after the last stick gets tossed in.
I got enough to get me into February left over from last year. Cut enough now for the rest of the year and most of the next. I always worry we’ll have the worst winter on record and run out. I sure can’t afford to turn on the E-baseboard.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Season mine at least 3 years before going into my OWB. More heat, less moisture, less rust, less smoke and less creosote build up. They probably like burning garbage also?

 

[bowtechmadman]

I've been burning an OWB nearly 15 yrs...agreed seasoned wood will reduce the amount of wood you burn.

 

[Circle B MN]

You Sir are correct, all day long. CB5036 starts in October goes out May? Minnesota winters, maybe six cord per year, fill it once a day if needed.

Season the wood and learn how little you can burn.

 

[svk]

You are correct. Dry wood is much more efficient.

 

[Marley5]

Yep, seasoned wood in my Central boiler.

Now if they want to argue the conveniences of an OWB vs inside then they'd have the upper hand.

 

[Ck0461]

Yep, seasoned wood in my Central boiler.

Now if they want to argue the conveniences of an OWB vs inside then they'd have the upper hand.

No argument on the convenience. I love the heat and hate the mess. Only plus to an indoor is the lower amount of wood, but I like cutting wood anyway. My new place will have an OWB.

 

[lefturnfreek]

Whaaatt ... an ODB only burns wood ...??

Basiclly anything flammable goes through mine .... and yes, seasoned wood only ....

 

[Erik B]

You Sir are correct, all day long. CB5036 starts in October goes out May? Minnesota winters, maybe six cord per year, fill it once a day if needed.

Season the wood and learn how little you can burn.

@MNGuns Are you heating your DHW and any other buildings with your OWB?
I have a friend who goes thru 15 cords per year and he burns wet wood. He looks at the work required to get 3 years ahead and that scares him off. With some people, old habits die hard.

 

[rngrchad]

Owb’s beat indoor burners every day; toss tires, coal, oil, etc and watch the owb belch smoke like a coal locomotive running down the tracks!!! Who needs wood with an owb?