Burn times in various OWB's

[ngzcaz]

Aim... well, that answers my question why I couldn't figure out the chimney setup when you first posted it. I absolutely love it.. Sometimes common sense is better than " qualifications " . A " rat bike " is a motorcycle that is deliberately made to look as terrible as possible but functions just fine, they have contests and winners are held in high esteem. You my friend, are held in high esteem at least from where I sit.


:jawdrop:

 

[bowtechmadman]

Aim...love it man...ingenuity at it's finest.
Pipewelder...no qualifications here to speak of when it comes to HVAC, other than my house is 73 and I've only put wood in once today.
I have an oil burner that is like new if you care to trade for that POS woodmaster you have. Oil burner is like new (hasn't been used in 5yrs) used extensively to heat the home it's first three years. Be advised it likes to burn alot of oil.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

I don't think he's interested in figuring out the cause of the problem. He'll spend more time complaining than coming up with a constructive solution to the problem.

its a shame.. there seem to be a lot of good ideas about possible problems...

BTW the 441 is a nice saw

 

[pipe welder]

Can't sit here at the computer all day. I was going back clear out but when someone ask me a question with out trying to chest thump me and insinuate that I don't know my business after 40 yrs it's real easy to take offense. I have probably worked on more heating equipment than the collective membership of this forum and when someone try's to tell me I didn't cover all the bases and wants to put the blame on me because they don't something I said about their beloved boiler, then I take offense. This was my life's work, how would one of you like it if I told you that you did a lousy job at your profession when I don't even know you? Now to the question, to check all the insulation I would have to remove all the sheet metal, yes it can be done and there is insulation on the back in the access panel can't tell you about any where else. To the guy who accused me of complaining , no less than 3 times I have stated that I am not complaining just stating my facts and at no time did I ask you or any other member for any help, go back and read the whole thread. Have any of you ever owned a car that you were soured on, well same thing here!

 

[Jkebxjunke]

Can't sit here at the computer all day. I was going back clear out but when someone ask me a question with out trying to chest thump me and insinuate that I don't know my business after 40 yrs it's real easy to take offense. I have probably worked on more heating equipment than the collective membership of this forum and when someone try's to tell me I didn't cover all the bases and wants to put the blame on me because they don't something I said about their beloved boiler, then I take offense. This was my life's work, how would one of you like it if I told you that you did a lousy job at your profession when I don't even know you? Now to the question, to check all the insulation I would have to remove all the sheet metal, yes it can be done and there is insulation on the back in the access panel can't tell you about any where else. To the guy who accused me of complaining , no less than 3 times I have stated that I am not complaining just stating my facts and at no time did I ask you or any other member for any help, go back and read the whole thread. Have any of you ever owned a car that you were soured on, well same thing here!

there is a simple way to test that... with the unit fired up and running at operating temp... feel the side panels and the top if you can... if they are too hot to touch then I would guess that the insulation is either missing or faulty.. other than that it must being going up the flue. besides I don't have that unit you talk of. jut trying to throw a different light on things.. i mean isn't that why we post on here maybe someone can give insight or direction into where to check next? and on using metal pipes.. whats wrong with that? if its that close to the house then why bother digging? and the expense of the pex when your materials cost are next to nil. to me I believe alot of pipe fitting with iron pipe is going to become a lost art with all the new materials out there... or reserved for industrial jobs.

 

[Scootermsp]

28 hour burn

Today @ 57F. Boy it's nice to just let the coals burn down and restock the wood pile in short sleeves. Winter will be back soon enough. I was just going to watch football until I logged in and got the idea to move wood on a nice day......oh well

 

[modn]

Have any of you ever owned a car that you were soured on, well same thing here!

Sure have....that thing went down the road real quick. Of course when people asked what was wrong with it I gave them little tiny tidbits at a time and didn't answer their questions directly as they were trying to put the blame on me!!! I showed them!! Of course I had a wife for 10 years and she wasn't performing well so I got rid of her too. I'm happy with my 2nd though, so maybe I'm not the best person to listen to.........Oh I forgot, you won't do that.

 

[windthrown]

I have the Central Boiler CL 40. They claim up to a 72 hr burn.They must mean at 70 degrees in the summer.Best I can do is about 12 hrs on a half -3/4 load and using poplar.To be honest have yet to use good seasoned hardwood in it and it is a 1993 model.I usually sell the good stuff and burn the junk stuff myself.May upgrade next year if anyone in Albany NY area is looking for a furnace.No leaks yet.

Poplar? I would not even bother to cut that up to heat with. That is about as bad a wood as you can burn. Do not judge an OWB burn time based on that kind of crappy firewood. Madrone and oak have twice the heat value as that stuff per unit volume. As for the 72 hour claims, I do not know of any real situation OWBs that go more than 24 hours on a load under freezing temps.

As others have said here, we would fill our '04 model CB-4436 boiler based on the temps. Milder temps, fill the boiler 1/3 to 1/2 full two times a day. Freezing? Fill it 1/2 to 3/4 full. Into the teens? Cram it full, topping it up twice a day. The ex would fill it in the morning and I would fill it at night. If you overload an OWB all you will do is make charcoal out of the top wood while the damper is closed. So the fuller it is, the less efficient they tend to become. In mild temps, you can get long burns times by stuffing it full, but you burn a lot more wood that way.

 

[ngzcaz]

Imagine..60 degrees and I'm out buying a snowblower to put on an old Bolens tractor. Today was the day to load up the trailer to the Bolens and haul a load or two down to the stove. Hmm.... leave it on the trailer, park the trailer by the OWB and when its gone fill her up again. No unloading except right in the OWB. And if it snows just blow the snow out of the way. Hmm.......

 

[pipe welder]

Give it rest modn, everybody's tired of it, that includes me.

 

[milkie62]

Windthrowin.........

I only use poplar because it is FREE #1 because the town road crew drops it off to me and it keeps me from cutting alot of wood from my woodlot.But that is kinda the purpose of an OWB.You can use punky,ant infested semi or even junk wood without worrying about a chimney fire in the house.I use to heat my original 1500 sq ft house with my Vermont castings Defiant stove on 3 cord of seasoned hardwood.Now at 2600 sq ft I use 9-10 cord of mostly pine and poplar but wet.I am hoping to get next years supply done during late winter and early spring to see what seasoned wood will do.

 

[milkie62]

But I do remember the brochure for my 1993 CB CL40 model stated up to a 72 hr burn time.That must be dead of summer and only heating the domestic hot water.My cut for a year unsplit wet poplar requires a partial load at 7am and again at 6 pm.Need a wood shed desperately.

 

[AIM]

I think you should call it the BUB brand... "Big Ugly Beast" but as long as it works and it looks like you had fun doing it... plus you probably don't have alot really invested in it $$$ wise... but seriously... nice work

Now it's just a big "KIND OF AN UGLY BEAST".
Levels of efficiency 5 or 6 out of ten
Levels of attractiveness 3
Levels of conversation piece 9
Levels of coolness 7

I'd like to bring levels of coolness up to a 8.5 or better but that may be a stretch!
The rest of the levels I can live with

 

[windthrown]

I only use poplar because it is FREE #1 because the town road crew drops it off to me and it keeps me from cutting alot of wood from my woodlot.But that is kinda the purpose of an OWB.You can use punky,ant infested semi or even junk wood without worrying about a chimney fire in the house.I use to heat my original 1500 sq ft house with my Vermont castings Defiant stove on 3 cord of seasoned hardwood.Now at 2600 sq ft I use 9-10 cord of mostly pine and poplar but wet.I am hoping to get next years supply done during late winter and early spring to see what seasoned wood will do.

Well, if it is free... still, it takes up room on the wood racks, and hauling it and throwing it into the fire and all. I burned cottonwood one year, and sycamore, and pine, and grand fir. And even willow. All lousey firewoods. You are doing well if you are using only 10 cords of crap wood in VT! We typically burned 10 cords of mixed sedasoned doug fir/oak/alder/madrone in an OWB heating a 2,000 sq ft house in mild winter OR. Though it had vaulted ceilings, and massive amounts of skylights and windows. And it has been colder than normal here the last 4 years. We kept the place at 70 degrees 24/7, as well as the DHW nice and hot.

Seasoned hardwood will get you 2-3x the energy as wet poplar and pine. Seasoning the poplar and pine will probably double your heat output. But it will burn REALLY fast!

 

[modn]

I burn Poplar and basswood in my fireplace. I figure since the beaver took it down I might as well use it rather than leave it to rot. It has been seasoned and it burns up pretty much like paper, but it's free heat and I'm getting rid of it. Actually the basswood has a very nice smell to it, but doesn't last long.

They are both great firestarters.

 

[Biker Dude]

I'm pretty pleased with my Taylor lately. We have been having daytime temps in the 30s and 20s overnight and my wood usage has dropped dramatically. After a full load overnight there are still half a dozen sticks and lots of coals in the morning. I just rake the coals to the front and throw 10 sticks in and it is good until afternoon. Both the house and the shop hold temp nicely and the boiler idles most of the time. This confirms my suspicion that my wood usage which is usually a cord every 5 days is due to a horrid lack of insulation in my house and shop. The OWB just has to work too hard when it's cold in order to compensate for the poor insulation. I guess I know what my next project is going to be and it's going to get itchy!

 

[milkie62]

windthrowin

Oh I am glad you mentioned it.I am probably doing a little bit better than I think with burn times.1500 sq ft of my house has 22 ft vaulted ceilings so basically I need to add another 1500 sq ft to my original 2600 sq ft house heating needs.So now I am up to 4100 sq ft.Wow I guess 10 cord ain't to bad then in my case..........

 

[Biker Dude]

Yeah, I've burnt 10 cord already and we still have 2 more months to go.

 

[modn]

Yeah, I've burnt 10 cord already and we still have 2 more months to go.

10 as in a full cord? If so...damn!! Better get to work on the insulation. Money very well spent.

 

[windthrown]

Insulation is the first thing to do on any house. Regardless of what you have to heat with, that is going to have the fastest payback in the shortest amount of time. If your house is mildly insulated, insulate it some more.