Are you ready for the COLD weather coming?

[smokinj]

1/2 cord of hedge in the garage real wet here right everything starting to freeze now!Big chages come frist of the week!

 

[thejdman04]

Next week well get the cold snap

 

[beerman6]

I'm not ready for the weather today!!!! We are getting dumped on here in southern Mi. been down the long driveway 9x in the last 24 hrs. and my Harmon furnace is eating seasoned ash for breakfest just keeping the snow off my greenhouse!!! Yeah I know its always worse somewhere else like farther north of us my inlaws are in Baldwin they have some lake effect doozies up that way!! Everyone hang in there! irishcountry

My mom has a place in Baldwin.

 

[dwinch53]

Here in Michigan the cold temperatures are a coming. Early next week the day time highs will be in the single digits and night time lows -15f.

I usually dread the really cold temps but I am looking forward to this to see how my boiler is going to handle it. I am going to use 12 -14 inch maple and hopefully I can still get a 24 hr burn.

Do you guys usually turn up your water temperature when the weather gets colder?

November Wolf...I am down state from you a bit, I have plenty of dry ash maple and oak in the basement, I run a firechief wood/coal furnace works great....I AM READY...DW

 

[John D]

I'm running at 185 for now but I might move it up if I have to.

From what I understand with a hydronic system is the water to water heat exchanger will produce approx 20f less than the furnace water temp. So if the controllor on the OWB is set at 185 the inside boiler will maintain around 165. I have a 40 plate heat exchanger and see no difference between the OWB and inside which is a good thing because my house probably would not heat very good at 165.

Its supposed to get cold here as well ,my Shaver seems to run its best when its cold out,as the blower runs more,keeping the fire hotter,and boiler running cleaner. Lately it seems 5-6 rounds of dried locust about 9-11"and a few smaller sticks will get me thru 24 hrs of burning.My OWB is running better with each day passing,since the Ranco stat and blowr mod.I notice that if I have my OWB at 180,and no zones are calling the indoor boiler will hover right around 180 also,but if one zone calls,the indoor temps will sag about 5 degrees maybe a little more lower than OWB temps. If 2 zones are calling,it can drop 10-12 degrees,if 3 are calling,it will drop 12-15 or so.My worst case now is the OWB is at 174(the stats low setting,and 2 zones call,it can drop to 160 inside,until the blower gets the Shaver up to 179(its high shutoff).I have a 50 plate exchanger,and 105 ft of Pex,30 ft of which are in the attic,and running down the side of the house from the soffit to the ground.

 

[whiting-5]

gonna get in the teens here this week im all set worry a bit about my pops up in michagan though. hes as stubborn as his son tried gettin him set up with wood stove this summer would not here of it hes thinkin twice now if it gets to ugly he can go to his girlfreinds in town. he lives near mt pleasant .

 

[November Wolf]

Its supposed to get cold here as well ,my Shaver seems to run its best when its cold out,as the blower runs more,keeping the fire hotter,and boiler running cleaner. Lately it seems 5-6 rounds of dried locust about 9-11"and a few smaller sticks will get me thru 24 hrs of burning.My OWB is running better with each day passing,since the Ranco stat and blowr mod.I notice that if I have my OWB at 180,and no zones are calling the indoor boiler will hover right around 180 also,but if one zone calls,the indoor temps will sag about 5 degrees maybe a little more lower than OWB temps. If 2 zones are calling,it can drop 10-12 degrees,if 3 are calling,it will drop 12-15 or so.My worst case now is the OWB is at 174(the stats low setting,and 2 zones call,it can drop to 160 inside,until the blower gets the Shaver up to 179(its high shutoff).I have a 50 plate exchanger,and 105 ft of Pex,30 ft of which are in the attic,and running down the side of the house from the soffit to the ground.

The lowest I have seen my OWB is 175f and that is when the damper opens. Mine does not have a blower. Its a learning curve every day. I have been keeping track of the temperatures and how much I load and what is left in the fire box everyday so I will have a record in the future. I will probably stop that after this cold snap. I am glad to see your mods are working out for you. It sure is satisfying knowing we can heat our homes for practically nothing.

 

[November Wolf]

gonna get in the teens here this week im all set worry a bit about my pops up in michagan though. hes as stubborn as his son tried gettin him set up with wood stove this summer would not here of it hes thinkin twice now if it gets to ugly he can go to his girlfreinds in town. he lives near mt pleasant .

Mount Pleasant is 2 hrs south of here. I'm sure your pops will be ok. Its probably warmer at his girlfriends anyway.

I see your from Tennessee. My brother lives in Dunlap. It sure is a pretty state down there. I always said I was going to live there when I was a kid but I moved north instead. Had to go where the job was. Maybe for retirement, but that is a long ways off.

 

[Blazin]

I'm running at 185 for now but I might move it up if I have to.

From what I understand with a hydronic system is the water to water heat exchanger will produce approx 20f less than the furnace water temp. So if the controllor on the OWB is set at 185 the inside boiler will maintain around 165. I have a 40 plate heat exchanger and see no difference between the OWB and inside which is a good thing because my house probably would not heat very good at 165.

What kind of Exchanger does your mom have?

I wound up using a 60 plate, a touch overkill but I got a screamin deal on it. No difference in temps on this system either from outside to inside boiler. It just takes a little longer to bring the temp up in the house with the lower water temp from what I've found, and like KH-1958 mentioned also.

 

[farmking]

I cut two loads of seasoned oak yesterday to get ready for this Arctic cold snap. Nothing quite like oak for longer burn times!

 

[whiting-5]

hey wolf im just up the mountain from dunlap about 25 miles i have family in the u.p. there up in lake linden area and are old family farm is up in cheboygen im next in line to get it but dont think i could ever live where its that cold.

 

[ericjeeper]

I cut two loads of seasoned oak yesterday to get ready for this Arctic cold snap. Nothing quite like oak for longer burn times!

I have never in my life seen seasoned oak in the log.. Must be nice to find it like that by you.. Here oak lying in the woods for 2 years is still green as a gourd. Even if it is up in the air.

 

[loknlod]

How much wood will you burn in a year?Type?
Sure wish we could share some of our hardwoods with those of you who sound like you could use them.Stay warm.

I believe most people use 6 to 8 cord a year up here. Birch and spruce in interior Alaska.

 

[dingeryote]

Been running 3-4 arm loads a day for the last two weeks, but moved half a truck load of oak and some Sassafrass to the "On deck" lean to for the next week.

The wife started grumbling a bit yesterday about the cherry burning too fast to make it through a whole night, and the house dropping to 65 by morning LOL!! A couple sticks of Sassafrass first thing gets the house heated up quick!!

Filled the Propane tank(165 gal.) in September. It's still at 65% Am going for another one fill year!!

As for the cold snap coming, I put another drop light under the tarp that covers my Ag Chemicals in the Chem.barn, and put a space heater next to the tractor(Insulated barn) so I can clear all the lake effect slop we are gonna get.

Speaking of lake effect, I shoveled a foot out of the truck bed two days ago, and almost a foot out again this morning, and it still hasn't stopped snowing.
I can't wait for the lake to freeze all the way over...

Stay safe!!
Dingeryote

 

[dingeryote]

I have never in my life seen seasoned oak in the log.. Must be nice to find it like that by you.. Here oak lying in the woods for 2 years is still green as a gourd. Even if it is up in the air.

Same here.

Dropped several 30" red Oaks clearing for this house 3 years ago.

Got to cutting them finally this fall. Still get drops of water squishing out when splitting!!

Some folks have all the luck!!
Dingeryote

 

[coog]

I believe most people use 6 to 8 cord a year up here. Birch and spruce in interior Alaska.

I would have guessed a lot more.In MN, I used to burn at least 10 cords/year of 90% Oak.

 

[John D]

I have never in my life seen seasoned oak in the log.. Must be nice to find it like that by you.. Here oak lying in the woods for 2 years is still green as a gourd. Even if it is up in the air.

I just scored some nice blown down locust,down about 4yrs,but not on the ground,hung in other trees,and by the limbs,bark fell off already:greenchainsaw: they are perfectly seasoned,I got 5 nice trees,i like burning locust better than oak,oak takes forever to season like you mentioned.that locust has been great in the owb,no smoke at all when its in there,just a ripple in the air when the fans on,and a tiny smoke ripple with the dampers shut.

 

[farmking]

I have more dead seasoned oak and elm around the edges of my fields that I cant keep up with it, if you guys lived closer we could have a chain sawing party!:greenchainsaw:

 

[Blazin]

I have never in my life seen seasoned oak in the log.. Must be nice to find it like that by you.. Here oak lying in the woods for 2 years is still green as a gourd. Even if it is up in the air.

Ha! I hear that! If I was to find one I'd still burn it seasoned or not.

 

[November Wolf]

I think I will stoke it up real good tonight. We are supposed to get high winds, cold temps and 4-5 inches of snow tonight. Bring it on.