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[tulenutn2o]

Splits definately burn faster. I have a mix of 2-3 year and last year cuts that I mix together. I now throw a couple splits in to keep good coal bed and load with rounds about 2/3 full. I have yet to stuff firebox though. I like the 2 times a day load rate for me. Easy schedule and I don't worry at all. Realistic burn times, I could probably get 18 -24 hrs. Lower #hrs at 2/3 fill, higher=stuffed. It was -12 here overnight and maybe -4 last I checked hour ago, but I noticed an interesting thing this morning.(wish I could have gotten pic but was gettin out of shower and unit kicked on before camera ready). Chimney cap was all frosty from the cold and moisture/steam from stove. ( of course that was in idle mode). It was a really unique effect.(I hate all the critics out there who want OWB banned. They seem to believe that steam trail is smoke and pollution. Stay warm and keep us posted.

[jackel440]

Well I just went out and filled mine up,and i had some pieces left over from just a few of the ones i threw in this morning at 5:30.I was quite surprised to have anything left in the fire box.I went ahead and filled it again.I know our temps are supposed to drop to the negatives tonigh and High of tomorrow around 10 I think.Splits do seem to burn quicker,but sure our easier to load

[tulenutn2o]

One observation I have made(100% unscientific) is that it seems that the colder it is, the better the furnace works(longer burns  I'm sure) and not as much ash to clean out of refractory tunnel. Low last night -3 high today supposed to reach dbl digits(10-15). The rounds that I have been burning are fairly small 8-12" dia. I did cut 30" pieces last year that are split down to manageable size but still big. Haven't burned on those yet. Trying to stick with a mix of small splits with the occasional  couple pieces that aren't seasoned the best. Got a call into the trimmers to bring wood at will so I can get a start on next years wood and beyond. If I get ambitious, I'll have to post more video sometime.

[tulenutn2o]

Been lazy the last week or so, so I have been stretching my burn times out to as much as 18 hours just to see how long I can go. Keep in mind I haven't yet crammed firebox full, so I feel 24 hr would be possible. My schedule likes the 2 load schedule the best. If I don't make it right out in a.m. some days, I just load a lighter load to get me to next load cycle. Works for me.

[jackel440]

Sounds like you are figuring out what she likes.I have been getting 24 hour burns for the last week and a half.So I am extremely happy with that.I just split and stacked 2 more pallets of wood tonight.Some of it has been laying in a pile on the ground for over 3yrs.Getting punky on a lot of it.I  split the rounds and stacked it up.Plan to see how long that lasts.It was stil wet from all the snow we have had.
I have been shoveling ash out of the burn chamber about once a week my self.

[tulenutn2o]

Sounds like you are figuring out what she likes.I have been getting 24 hour burns for the last week and a half.So I am extremely happy with that.I just split and stacked 2 more pallets of wood tonight.Some of it has been laying in a pile on the ground for over 3yrs.Getting punky on a lot of it.I  split the rounds and stacked it up.Plan to see how long that lasts.It was stil wet from all the snow we have had.
I have been shoveling ash out of the burn chamber about once a week my self.

Yeh, I burnt some punky wood when I first fired up, figure better to get some use out of it. I never throw anything to waste. I hope to get a nice concrete pad poured this year around boiler to put a wood shed around(lean to-not decided 100%). I like to take up the bark and twigs and burn that too. Threw in some very large oak splits yesterday, definately could get the longer burns out of those. I don't get a lot of that right now. I am not choosy since tree guy drops me wood. He did tell me a lot of burr oak is dying off due to fungus and should get a boat load of that wood this summer. I am licking chops over that notion.

[jackel440]

I was throwing the punky wood in too.I see no reason in not burning it.Hate to see it rot and not produce any heat.I have been digging into that old pile pretty good.Boy is it getting bad too.
I found a few oak rounds and split them up.Your right they sure do burn good.I too am not picky on what I get.Cut it,split it,and burn it.Any wood is better than no wood right?lol

[tulenutn2o]

Roger that! I am at 15 hr burn right now with overnight cold snap, full of good coals, gonna see how long she goes today/Coal bed about12" deep.

[tulenutn2o]

22hrs on that burn. Still learning.

[jackel440]

My coal bed is probably 12" deep also.I like to keep the ash from piling up in the back near my gas chamber ports.I had it try to plug up on me when I pushed a load of wood back there(which was my fault not the stoves).I ended up making me me a rake tool to reach back and clean my tunnels out.This soft punky wood is burning up faster than I thought it would.I did find that it likes to have a nice coal bed in it.

[tulenutn2o]

I got in the habit of laying the bottom layer of logs and then loading at will. I can't always see the ports, but it doesn't seem to matter. As long as I don't slide the bottom layer,I don't see too much coals or ash getting knocked into refractory tunnel. I picked up some more (2 s.b.ranger loads)punky wood today and figure it'll give me another 3-4 days of burn time, maybe more, depending on the forecast. I will load up the furnace a little fuller when burner this stuff. It does tend to "ash out" more(my terminology for big fluffy ash). After last weeks 68 deg weather, I have got spring fever BAD!!! Trying to get plants started for garden. Told the "little man" (all 5'9 at 12 yrs.) that we'll be puttin the vw back together to drive since $4-5 fuel is probably sooner than later. Busy summer.