Does Burning Green Wood In Broiler Work?

[StihlRockin']

What is your first-hand experience with burning green firewood in your outdoor furnace?

I've gone to the internet and read some stuff on the topic and talked to a few people, but wanted to really hear about people's personal experience rather what they've become to understand. I'm talking the outdoor type furnaces that heat water and the heat is brought out via a heat exchanger. There would be a fan behind the exchanger in the house and another fan on the door of the furnace.

I've heard many different percentage statistics on the loss of energy via steam and all that stuff. However, have you or do you burn green wood? If so, how do you do it? Is there a trick or way to get it to burn enough to make it worthwhile?

Thanks,

StihlRockin'

 

[Circle B MN]

About as good as burning wet sponges....

It really does not take much effort at all to burn seasoned wood. Not sure where there is a question in regards to the matter.

 

[H-Ranch]

No. From first-hand experience.

The best way to make green wood worthwhile is to let it sit for another year. If you try to burn green wood you may have trouble keeping a fire going during idle times (there was a recent thread on this.) It will smoke more. It will take more wood to create the same amount of heat. There is no trick to make it as good as seasoned wood.

There are species that naturally have a lower moisture content and some species that dry more quickly than others. Generally, standing dead will have a lower moisture content especially the upper/smaller portion of the tree. Now if you're running out of wood you can mix green with your seasoned wood to extend your supply - not saying it's good, but you do what you have to just to get by. If things are that bad you should probably also turn down the thermostat, double check for insulation and air leaks, and get to cutting for next year already!

 

[brenndatomu]

Can you, yes, should you, OH HECK NO!

 

[Poston5]

I have a wood boiler and it burns green wood with no problems. I can literally cut is down today and burn it tomorrow and really not notice a difference in the burn itself. It obviously won't last as long but oh well. Now when it turns to warmer weather you will need to tend to it a little more. I have tried to burn my wet wood when it is cold and my dry stuff when its warm. But you can burn wet wood anytime you just need to put less in the firebox at times to keep it burning smaller amounts. Owb's make it really nice because you can cut and burn and don't have to handle the wood multiple times during the drying process. Just don't make your neighbors mad from the smoke.

 

[Cheesecutter]

Yes, you can burn green wood. It will use a lot more wood, smoke like a steam locomotive, and create a crap-load of creosote. I've heard of guys that get it bad enough it oozes down from the chimney to the ground around the boiler like tar. Chimney fires are common as they 'self clean". It is harder to maintain steady water jacket temps which can produce condensation and shorten boiler life. The old mentality(and selling point) was to oversize your boiler, firebox and door so it could keep up during higher heat demand, but you could burn "anything you could fit through the door". It is definitely better to burn seasoned wood.

 

[Cerran]

Take a look at it this way:

Green wood freshly cut has a moisture content depending on species and type usually between 45 and 55%.

If you take a cord of wood green that weighs 5500 pounds green and 50% moisture than means literally half of the weight of the wood is water.

If you assume the wood has a energy content of around 23 million Btu per cord and you assume you burn it green, the energy lost is going to be:

2750*1250 Btu = 3.8437 MMbtu

if you season the wood, the losses are less than half of that number, plus you get cleaner combustion. If you were to account for the cleaner combustion green versus seasoned I would likely tack another 30-50% losses onto that 2.8 MMBtu meaning 20-25% of your potential heat from a cord is lost instead of around 6%.

 

[Joesell]

You can burn tires and trash in your owb, but that's dumb too! Season your wood.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

You guys are something else. Talking about burning green wood like its the devil.

StihlRockin, I burn nothing but green wood. And by green wood I mean wood that I cut, split, and stacked less than 6 months ago. Heck sometimes it gets thrown out of my truck into a pile next to my owb and I burn it that week. I've got an ash I'm doing that to right now. People say how it steams like a train or smokes so bad blah blah blah, but from my own experience I've yet to see that.

Basic math says it burns less efficiently, we all know that, but the fact is you can burn green wood. No special ways needed to do it either. I'm sure ill get flamed hard over this but its what I do.

 

[bert the turtle]

Sure you can burn it. I have a neighbor who does so. I know when he is doing it by the layer of smoke that goes at least a quarter mile down the road. I'm very happy that the prevailing wind doesn't blow towards my house.

Feel free to do it if you absolutely do not give a damn about anyone but yourself. When the wood burning appliance ban hits your neighborhood please don't ***** about the government intruding on your freedom. Freedom comes with responsibility. Get yourself together and let it season a while before you burn it.

 

[mainewoods]

Why do you ask? Do you plan on making a habit of it, or are you just out of seasoned?

 

[danl]

I think it depends on the boiler, From what I understand some of the new gassifiers won't work with green wood.

On the other hand my H4 Hardy burns it and does pretty good. There is no comparison between burning green wood and well seasoned dry wood. It takes less wood burns hotter and cleaner. \
That being said I am burning some pretty green wood right now simply because I underestimated Winter 2014, caught me completeley off guard, that and my wife broke her ankle and had surgery and I haven't been able to get to the woods where I have quite a bit of well seasoned wood laying down just waiting for me to haul it in. That and the mud is about 2 feet deep...

Also I have very little smoke with my Hardy, even with green wood. When I burn the good stuff there is no smoke I can only see the heat signature coming out of the stack.

I wish I knew why some of them smoke so bad.

 

[djones]

Can you ?? Yes. If you have nothing else ?? Yes. But plan better for next season. Estimate your yearly needs and add another 20% for winters like this one. If I run out and have nothing else, Oh well, it's green time, or pallets or scrap lumber, whatever is handy to keep us warm, but then I kick myself for not planning for a better supply. This year I won't run out, may burn more pine, but it's seasoned or long dead.

 

[andydodgegeek]

I basically burn just red oak. I have burned 2 year dry wood and I have burned wood that I cut, split and throw in and I don't see a difference in the amount of smoke coming out my boiler. Yes the dry wood does burn cleaner and more completely but my house stays 72 degrees either way. Some of you seem to get down right mad at people for burning green wood and I just don't get it. I suppose your mad I also enjoy driving my old polluting dodges when I could be in a prius. There just seems to be other things to be more upset about than someone burning some unseasoned wood. Carry on.

 

[Jon B.]

I have - and do - burned unseasoned, green, wet stuff in my boiler. As has been said, it still heats the water that heats my house. Nearly everything I've burned this season was harvested last summer; mostly ash but some elm and walnut. The walnut is from late in 2012, so was a year old going into this heating season.

Chimney fire in an outdoor boiler? Who cares? The stack is only 8 feet tall, there's no structure around it, and it's made of stainless steel. Yes, there's black crap on it, and slowly migrating down the outside. The nature of boilers is that, no matter what you burn, the firebox an never get really, really hot. It's surrounded by water, so can't get beyond the water temperature. It will condense the by-products of combustion. Always. Even with really dry wood.

If all you have is green wood, burn it. My neighbor generally heats his place with green cottonwood. It burns. Is it the most bestest there is? Nope. But it'll do in a pinch.

Jon

 

[firebrick43]

Does burning green wood in a Outside boiler work?

YES

It works to piss your neighbors off. I know, some of you are such wonderful neighbors and care. Would you care if your neighbors blasted music a 3 in the morning? Would you care if you need help immediately and your neighbors hearts are so hardened that they tell you to pound sand when you ask for help?

It works to help cause draconian regulation by the EPA. Yes I know you again don't care that everyone else won't be able to buy their stove/owb because you already have yours. What happens when yours rust out? EPA regulation is coming due to the smoke these things put out.

It works at lightening your pocket book.
You still have to transport wood and saw it. Surprising how many see this part as low cost but do the math sometime on what a pickup load of wood cost and you would be surprised. Why do more. It cost money. Owb already use more wood than other means. Most use 14 cords a year around here of dry wood. Why do another 30 percent. Don't forget your back. Gentleman at work is alwayspaying the chiropractor due to wrestling large wet rounds into the boilers door.

I basically burn just red oak. I have burned 2 year dry wood and I have burned wood that I cut, split and throw in and I don't see a difference in the amount of smoke coming out my boiler. Yes the dry wood does burn cleaner and more completely but my house stays 72 degrees either way. Some of you seem to get down right mad at people for burning green wood and I just don't get it. I suppose your mad I also enjoy driving my old polluting dodges when I could be in a prius. There just seems to be other things to be more upset about than someone burning some unseasoned wood. Carry on.

Because most boilers smoke worse than than anything else when burned with green wood. Does yours? I don't know but I can show you half a dozen that do. One so badly that it's dangerous to drive by as the smoke makes vision on the road nil with the prevailing winds. I think part of the problem however to is the chimney height or lack of, the ones that I see smoking owners don't care to add any chimney either.

 

[Jon B.]

Firebrick43 said:
"Because most boilers smoke worse than than anything else when burned with green wood. Does yours? I don't know but I can show you half a dozen that do. One so badly that it's dangerous to drive by as the smoke makes vision on the road nil with the prevailing winds. I think part of the problem however to is the chimney height or lack of, the ones that I see smoking owners don't care to add any chimney either."

Exaggerate much? "...makes the vision on the road nil..." Puh-leeze. I gotta say that I've read some ridiculous statements on here but this one is in the running for the most. Can you see my eyes rolling?

Your whole "Holier Than Thou" attitude leaps off the screen. Please get a grip before your blood pressure causes a stroke.

Jon

 

[Poston5]

Everybody that is finally sticking up for people that burn wet wood.....thanks. Some of us work full time jobs and have owbs that can and will burn wet wet. We don't enjoy splitting and stacking. We enjoy cutting and pitching it in the boiler to stay warm. Burn whatever wood you please and by the way some of live in the county not in the city where smoke could be an issue. Read the original post the originator was asking will they burn wet wood and we have come to the consensus that an owb will. Burn on with wet wood if that is what you have. Gotta go ....can't see through the smoke while passing a house with an owb burning wet wood....what a joke.

 

[greendohn]

I have burned poorly seasoned wood in my owb and the smoke was severe for the 1st couple cycles.
Not really wet wood, so to speak, 'cause most everything I process is deadfalls, not well seasoned, but I'm not pulling leaves off of it before loading the stove...get it?
Well seasoned firewood will smoke as well when 1st loaded, just not as bad or as long.
Well seasoned firewood is your friend.
I also have my stack approx. 23 feet in the air and split my wood smaller. I rarely throw a full load in the beast.
Well seasoned firewood is your friend. Cutting deadfalls/blow downs can help with seasoning times.

 

[hupte]

I've had good luck burning green wood in early fall and spring. when the boiler isn't calling for heat the green wood almost stops burning. so it seems to last longer when you don't need as much heat. I threw in some big rounds of green cottonwood on a 60 degree day and 45 degree night and those 4 rounds were still visible 24 hours later. I've thrown in a couple pieces of hedge in the same type of weather and it was burned down to coals in 12 hrs. on a really cold day I don't burn green wood cause it wont bring the water temp back up... I know a guy with a heatmore with 2 blowers on it and he only burns soft, green wood. he says its the only stuff that lasts. I think he just has too much oxygen going into the fire.

so the best thing I can figure out is it all depends on: your heating needs, the ambient temp, the kind of wood, and the blower speed, and your location.