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[mlappin]

Actually Apple, Locust, Ironwood, Osange Orange, and Hickory all have more BTU's per dry cord than either red or white oak.

Cottonwood, Basswood and surprise surprise willow are among the lowest.


http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wood-combustion-heat-d_372.html

[Log hog]

Actually Apple, Locust, Ironwood, Osange Orange, and Hickory all have more BTU's per dry cord than either red or white oak.

Cottonwood, Basswood and surprise surprise willow are among the lowest.


http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wood-combustion-heat-d_372.html

This is true. In our area oak and maple are the most prevalent of the higher BTU wood. Ironwood never gets big enough here. 4 to 5 inches. That's inside wood. We do have a lot of dead apple orchards but sure seems like a lot of work with all those stiff branches for not a lot of wood???

[aries9245]

Like the others said ur burning green wood if it were well seasoned it's doubtful that you would have had any issues . Actually woken up to a bed of coals and a warm house over night here is 16deg filled up at 4:30 last night just went out to fill back up this morning 6am.

[mlappin]

Actually Apple, Locust, Ironwood, Osange Orange, and Hickory all have more BTU's per dry cord than either red or white oak.

Cottonwood, Basswood and surprise surprise willow are among the lowest.


http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wood-combustion-heat-d_372.html

This is true. In our area oak and maple are the most prevalent of the higher BTU wood. Ironwood never gets big enough here. 4 to 5 inches. That's inside wood. We do have a lot of dead apple orchards but sure seems like a lot of work with all those stiff branches for not a lot of wood???

I hear yah on the apple, pain in the butt to cut up, thats true with about any fruit tree.

We actually had a ironwood that was large enough to get a few boards out of, local sawmill bought it as they wanted to cut a few boards out of it for display purposes, wouldn't have let em have it just because it was the biggest ironwood I've ever seen but it was starting to die anyways.

[Big Wood]

Gather pallets cut them up and mix it in with your wood you will get better burns about 3 cut up pallets per full load of wood

[aries9245]

Did you have any success figuring out the problem?

[dabears1980]

thanks to you all.  still no real reason why it dropped so low, but has been working nicely since then.  We have a mix of seasoned wood and green wood.  Burning all seasoned it just burns up so fast.  Burning all green is the opposite.  Trying to find a nice mix of each...I am glad to have all the extra inputs from you "seasoned" pros

[aries9245]

Glad to hear !

[MTJAG]

I had trouble over the Christmas holidays with temps below zero for several days and the boiler just wouldn't hold temp.  It would smolder all night and never get back up in range between 175-185.  Got the chimney brush out and cleaned it out, which took quite a bit of effort as it was at least half closed at the top.  Now, it's like a new boiler even with temps -12 below last night.  Holds temp now and burns down to ash.

[aries9245]

MT it was that bad how often do u brush it out?

[MTJAG]

New to running a OWB, so still trying to learn the art (or science) of getting it right.

We have a 2007 6048.  Had it set around 175 I think, and temps dropped below zero overnight.  Woke up to a freezing house, checked the burner, and it was at 116, but with nearly a full load of wood still in there, burning and smoking.  Pushed wood around a bit, added a bit more, and cranked it up to 185.  Temp is back on the rise, up to 150 in 2 hours, but what could have caused this...?  We are burning oak, some of which is green I would imagine.

Our boiler line runs into the house through a gas forced exchanger in a traditional furnace, water heater exchanger, and also radiant heat throughout an addition to the house. 

thanks in advance!

check your smoke stack and make certain it is not clogged at the top.  Even if it is partially closed, your draft won't work and your wood will smolder all night and never reach temp

[MTJAG]

MT it was that bad how often do u brush it out?

I cleaned out the vent tube regularly, but had never cleaned out the stack...in over three years.  I took my cell phone and stuck it in the clean out and took a picture.  It was about half way closed.  Bought a brush and used it, but it took me putting a joint of conduit to bust off the creosote in chunks to get it mostly clear. At this point it is mostly open, but I will need to take it down this summer and finish the job.  I can tell you this, it is burning like it was brand new. I struggled with it for about three weeks with it never getting to temperature range (175-185) if the outside temperature was in the teens or lower. 

[woodywoodchucker]

I put a fan on mine this year(5036) Its like a dif. bolier. I really like it

   Patton.
 I put a fan on mine and seems to be too much air.I put a switch on it and drilled 5, 1 " hole across the bottom of the fan housing. That gives it draft when the fan is off. When trying to start wet wood or if im gone too long and come back to a bed of coals,about 14 hours in sub zero weather, then I use the fan for recovery. How far open is your draft door? and what are you see for improvements? less wood and longer burns?

[aries9245]

I put a fan on mine this year(5036) Its like a dif. bolier. I really like it

   Patton.
 I put a fan on mine and seems to be too much air.I put a switch on it and drilled 5, 1 " hole across the bottom of the fan housing. That gives it draft when the fan is off. When trying to start wet wood or if im gone too long and come back to a bed of coals,about 14 hours in sub zero weather, then I use the fan for recovery. How far open is your draft door? and what are you see for improvements? less wood and longer burns?

Does the fan have its own draft flap? Is that we're you drilled your holes does it connect to existing wiring

[Big Wood]

When you buy the fan kit from CB it comes with instructions you take your small cover of the door you will see the selonoid that opens the damperit gets its power from there on the side of the fan is a round disc to a just the air