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[glock_556]

Ok, I set my water thermostat at 180* with a 10* window (comes on at 170*) and have noticed that my wood consumption has gone down and that the stove doesn't work as hard to keep the temp.

The set point was at 165* with a 5* differential

How did changing the set point and differential effect the stove's efficiency?

[Pointblank]

Just a guess here, but with a 5 degree window, I'll bet your stove would just barely get into a good high burn cycle  before the stove reaches its set point and shuts it down.  A 10 degree window gives it more time running when its burning its hottest and most efficient.

[kommandokenny]

For me, wood consumption, goes up and down with the outside temps.
This winter has been all over the map from -45c to +10 c
One morning I'll have nothing but ash, next morning, I don't add wood for the whole day.

Can't add much to the technical end,,, and surprised none of the pro's have replied?

[RSI]

If it made that much difference, I would try 15 and then 20 degrees differential and see if it improves more. Then set it at what runs most efficient.

[glock_556]

Just a guess here, but with a 5 degree window, I'll bet your stove would just barely get into a good high burn cycle  before the stove reaches its set point and shuts it down.  A 10 degree window gives it more time running when its burning its hottest and most efficient.

That makes sense

[cartod]

It got up in the 50's today and I changed my diff to 3*.  I have found that much more than that will put out the fire.  A 10* diff in a warm spell means dead fire here.  My home is very well insulated and we don't use much hot water. 

[schoppy]

Pointblank is correct about the best efficiency when you have longer run times. Any piece of HVAC equipment's efficiency is always rated at steady state or running efficiency. Any time a wood burner is off and idling or smoldering is it's most inefficient time. Sure it still transfers heat but the fuel source can't be removed like other fossil fuel equipment does so it sits there burning less efficiently. The key is finding the balance of the proper amount of wood to load, the set temps, the differential and of course the size of the unit relative to the load and climate your in.

Sure sounds too complicated for burning wood doesn't it? 

[mlappin]

Also depends a lot on your other equipment.

I tried 180-190 on my old one, took a LOT more wood to maintain it 10 degrees warmer than normal, but I also had crappy underground lines.