blakey
ArboristSite Operative
Yeah, I've burnt 10 cord already and we still have 2 more months to go.
You are done heating at the end of February?
Burn times in various OWB's
- Thread starter ngzcaz
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You are done heating at the end of February?
November Wolf
ArboristSite Operative
We have at least 5 more months here. I guess I need to move.
bowtechmadman
Addicted to ArboristSite
I've burnt 4 or 5 cord (yes full cord). First cord or two was total junk wood, some w/ some rot, birch, sassafras when it was fairly warm in oct., nov. Burning the good stuff since mid Nov.
Feeling pretty good have atleast another 8 cord of good seasoned hardwood.
Feeling pretty good have atleast another 8 cord of good seasoned hardwood.
I'm not an expert and don't even own a OWB (but I have seen one ) and I'm only repeating a rumor and second hand info about a few people in my area that have a boiler from the same manufacturer that pipe welder has and agree with him 100% that they are using a whole lot of wood (10+ cord per season) .
That being said , a retired blacksmith friend of mine built his own and says he chucks a bit of wood in the morning and the a bit of wood in the evening , only made steam once and didn't like it one bit .
From his wood piles I'd say about 4 to 5 cord of crap wood for his small 100 year old 3 level house on the atlantic coast .
That being said , a retired blacksmith friend of mine built his own and says he chucks a bit of wood in the morning and the a bit of wood in the evening , only made steam once and didn't like it one bit .
From his wood piles I'd say about 4 to 5 cord of crap wood for his small 100 year old 3 level house on the atlantic coast .
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KH-1958
ArboristSite Lurker
I too have been burning since the middle of October, I figure I have used 3 cord of wood and I have 10 cord of Ash/mixed ready to get me through the season. I think I will burn around 10-12 cord for the season. About what I expected, heating 2500 sq ft and poorly insulated house.
ngzcaz
ArboristSite Operative
Tough to calculate since I was cutting and burning junk pine down the back for the last month but I'd guess less than 2 cords. I just started burning the good stuff ( oak, maple, etc ) since the new year. A small 3 ft by 4 ft trailer load is lasting about 3 to 4 days depending on the temps.. Burn times are still roughly 12 hrs but its colder than with the junk stuff.
My only screw up was splitting the 2 to 3 cords of wood I cut into small pieces thinking I was going to modify my downstairs woodburner, cut some registers in the floor and mostly heat with that. Then oil went over $ 4 a gallon and I purchased the OWB. Now that wood is almost kindling ( 3 to 4 inches or so ) to the OWB. I cut another 8 cords barely splitting most of them.
:greenchainsaw:
My only screw up was splitting the 2 to 3 cords of wood I cut into small pieces thinking I was going to modify my downstairs woodburner, cut some registers in the floor and mostly heat with that. Then oil went over $ 4 a gallon and I purchased the OWB. Now that wood is almost kindling ( 3 to 4 inches or so ) to the OWB. I cut another 8 cords barely splitting most of them.
:greenchainsaw:
blakey
ArboristSite Operative
I got a load of basswood slabs one time by "mistake" one time for my owb. I was never so glad to get that used up, it just doesn't have enough btu's to run the owb properly (especially a bit green, it seems to hold water like a sponge). The guy at the sawmill told me it was ash and I didn't take a close look until I got home. The bark is pretty similar but l definitely can tell the difference now. If you need to do something with it anyway that's great but I now let it rot if it is in the bush.
modn
ArboristSite Operative
I know what you mean. I have some seasoned Basswood (why bother) that was a blowover on to my In-laws cottage (wouldn't cut it intentionally) It is like balsa wood now and I burn it up in the fireplace....free heat anyway. I bet if I packed it full in the OWB I would get 3-4 hours anyway!!!
I also can't wait to get rid of it, not much left now.
Biker Dude
Addicted to ArboristSite
I can dream, can't I?
I am definitely going to get my old farmhouse insulated and new windows as soon as I can and maybe next year I won't use so much wood. I use a pickup load stacked half way up the cab every 3 days or so. That should be half a cord, 10 pickup loads per month which equals 5 full cord. 10 full cord in 2 months. I don't blame the OWB though, when I used LP for heat I would burn through a 500 gallon tank in about 5 weeks and the house thermostat was set at 65F. Now my in-floor is set at 74F and my shop at 50F and the house is much more comfortable.
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blakey
ArboristSite Operative
I used to plan on running mine for 6 months but it is more like 7. I have an oil furnace but haven't bought oil for 7 years and it hasn't been inspected so they wouldn't fill me anyway. So this is my only source of heat, I lit it in early Oct this year but let it go out for a few days in early Nov when it got mild.
Laird
Nemo me impune lacessit
Vacation
Just got back from a week off somewhere warmer. Turned the thermostat down to 50° and had someone load for me while we were gone. Got (barely from what I hear) 24 hrs out of a loading with 30's during the day and 20's at night. I was hoping it would do 24hrs with no problem but it was close. I did notice that he burned some of my junk wood (poplar, sassafras) so that may have been part of the problem.
Just got back from a week off somewhere warmer. Turned the thermostat down to 50° and had someone load for me while we were gone. Got (barely from what I hear) 24 hrs out of a loading with 30's during the day and 20's at night. I was hoping it would do 24hrs with no problem but it was close. I did notice that he burned some of my junk wood (poplar, sassafras) so that may have been part of the problem.
Scootermsp
ArboristSite Guru
Sassafras
I like Sassafras, it's my best "junk" wood. The larger rounds mixed in with oak burn pretty well. I've been going through my hickory here the last few days, I've been getting 12+ hrs easy with highs in teens, lows around zero.
I like Sassafras, it's my best "junk" wood. The larger rounds mixed in with oak burn pretty well. I've been going through my hickory here the last few days, I've been getting 12+ hrs easy with highs in teens, lows around zero.
I burned out last night...was at my girlfriends with a sick dog for over 19 hours...came home to under 100 degree water and cool coals 
Should have ran home late last night and fed the beast....
5036 feeding a 2800sqft shop (heating to 50deg) and 1200+ft house
Should have ran home late last night and fed the beast....5036 feeding a 2800sqft shop (heating to 50deg) and 1200+ft house
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milkie62
ArboristSite Guru
What is the standard ?
I would still like to know how Central Boiler figured up to 72 Hr burn on my CL40. There should be some industry standard for indoor and outdoor temperature and amt of insulation in the house.If they can give an "up to" burn time they should also list the standard that they are using.
I would still like to know how Central Boiler figured up to 72 Hr burn on my CL40. There should be some industry standard for indoor and outdoor temperature and amt of insulation in the house.If they can give an "up to" burn time they should also list the standard that they are using.
