Some ideas for Wood Stove Mods...

[westernmdlawn]

Okay, first let me say that I realize these ideas may be unsafe and dangerous. I have not attempted any of them yet, but am just pondering their possibilities.

1.) I noticed that OWB use a fan and forced air induction to get the combustion chamber way up when there is a call for heat. Could controlled forced induction be used on a wood stove to help with: a.) getting fire started.... b.) producing more heat...... c.) help to burn greener wood more efficiently?

2.) Why should I not burn coal in my wood stove for a longer burn time? Seems like I only 2-4 hours max now, which stinks.


Just food for thought here, thought some of you guru's might have good reasons for me to drop these ideas.

 

[avalancher]

Okay, first let me say that I realize these ideas may be unsafe and dangerous. I have not attempted any of them yet, but am just pondering their possibilities.

1.) I noticed that OWB use a fan and forced air induction to get the combustion chamber way up when there is a call for heat. Could controlled forced induction be used on a wood stove to help with: a.) getting fire started.... b.) producing more heat...... c.) help to burn greener wood more efficiently?

2.) Why should I not burn coal in my wood stove for a longer burn time? Seems like I only 2-4 hours max now, which stinks.


Just food for thought here, thought some of you guru's might have good reasons for me to drop these ideas.

I use a forced air system in my woodstove parked in the shop. I first rigged up something really simple using a hair dryer with the heating element burned out to pump the air through a piece of flexible steel tubing. Cut a hole in the side and pumped the air to it. Worked great for a fast build up of heat. Later found a old blower at a garage sale for a foundry and did the rigging up right.

As far as coal goes, unless your stove is designed to burn it, forget it. Coal burns a whole lot hotter than wood, and you could damage your stove. Coal also requires air from below, you would need some type of grate to hold the coal off of the bottom of the stove.
If you are getting only a 3-4 hour burn time, find where the air is leaking.A leaky stove will cut down on your burn time.If its not an air leak, consider the type of wood that you are burning. The good hardwoods like oak, hickory, etc will give you the long burn times.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

OWB's also tend to have shorter stacks so they dont develope as much draft. Once a good draft is developed there is little need IMO for a blower.

More air + fuel = faster fuel consumption and more heat. Seems like opening up a lot of air to the firebox sends a lot of heat up the flue so more heat means more wasted heat, sometimes.

If you are only getting 2-4 hours from good hard wood consider stacking and lighting the wood differently. Even with fast burning softer woods any change in method that does help, helps.

I get 8 -14 hours burn time depending on the type of wood and its orientation in the chamber.

That's 8 hours with Ash or Hackberry 10-12 hours with Mullbery or Oak and 14 + hours with Osage Orange (Hedge) when I light the fire in the back of the stove and stack the wood on end. It burns from back to front and only consumes the wood as it is able to draw air and slowly progresses through the stack towards the air supply. I get a very hot , small fire that burns at an even rate as it burns the fuel load.

I can mix green wood in there after the first full row. It has to be alternated between seasoned and green or it won't stay lit. I heat exclusively with wood and like for the house to be warm in the morning or when the kids come home from school so I don't mix in green wood unless I am going to be there to tend it.

The firebox is 25" deep 14" tall and upto 12" wide, when I have several long pieces that won't stand up in there I will start a fire in the very back or rake the coals to the back and put it in normally but still burn it from back to front. It isnt quite as even of a burn and doesnt last as long but does produce more heat for sub-zero days and still lasts 2x as long as it did burning front to back without the huge spike in heat from all of the wood turning to char at once.

Works for me, YMMV.