Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
Outdoor Furnaces - Manufacturers WITH EPA-Certified Models => Central Boiler => Topic started by: Ridgekid on October 21, 2011, 09:43:40 AM
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Fired up the Green Dragon again. I have a funny feeling this will be for the season.
BTW: I have two cameras at my house. I finally figured out how to share the one for the backyard for view of our CB5036. Instructions are in my signature.
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Glad to see you are smokin'...
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So here's my count so far in 4 days.
10 pieces to start it Oct 20th 4:44 pm
8 pieces to restock Oct 21st 10 pm
6 pieces to restock Oct 23rd 8 am
So that averages to 6 pieces a day. We are still on a learning curve.
Wife used a lot of hot water the last two days catching up with laundry, taking her baths and the dishwasher use.
I find the Green Dragon smokes a lot less if I allow her to burn what I fed her first. It's also easier to stir the ashes when she's almost done "eating".
When I stock, I stack it like a pyramid in front of the door although she has ample room for more.
We'll see how she does when the snow starts flying.......
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I can't count that high. I feed mine a few small limbs/branches that litter my property and then throw in three or four blocks about 20" long and 6" in diameter...that gets me through
A 24 hr time in moderate temps between mid 30's at night and mid 60's during the day. We are expecting snow on Wednesday so I expect my consumption to increase
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I've been stirring my ashes and coals around, then pulling them to the front. Then I load the new stuff on the backside of the coals.
I guess it's ok to burn pallets with nails in there too. I had some old pallets laying around and decided to get rid of them...suppose I need to collect the nails on my next cleaning...
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I don't think the nails will hurt anything. Some of my kindling has nails in it. Never thought about it hurting anything.
As far as wood count, I'm keeping a journal. I will calculate my daily wood usage average and I might be able to figure how many pieces in a cord. OK, it won't be accurate, but at least I can see if my estimate of using 8 cords this winter will be close. So far I seem to be on track, but winter really hasn't arrived yet.
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Yesterday, I put a stump from a pinion pine into my OWB. I had to rotate is several times to get it all the way in the door, but finally got it in there before the snow started. I should have taken a picture of it before putting it in because it was so gnarly with roots and limbs sticking out this way and that. That is the beauty of an OWB though, because it can take something like this and use it as fuel. And believe me when I tell you that a pinion pine stump is great fuel since it has lots of resin.
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We'll get a good test in the next 48 hours. "Wintery mix" in the forecast.
Thus far still averaging 6 pieces every 24 hours. It could probably last longer but the wife couldn't miss her hot baths when they are free!
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Well, with temps that dropped to 7 degrees last night, I found I didn't quite have enough wood loaded in the OWB. My indoor furnace kicked on this morning around 6:15. I looked at the indoor supply line thermometer and it was showing 145 degrees, so I went outside and my OWB was at 151 with just a few embers.
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Stump was gone too? You must get serious burn times!
I put 4 pieces in yesterday morning at 6AM and went out at 10Am this morning and I was down to pretty much ambers. Temps have been dropping all morning so I put 12 pieces of wood in. We'll see how long that carries us.
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Nothing but ash and a few nails from the pallet...when it's 7 degrees, that OWB is puffing. Looks like you're in for it tonight with snow moving in. You might want to stoke it up a bit more than you've been doing for the past couple of weeks.
BTW, are you getting a lot of smoke out of the door on yours? Mine smokes alot...to the point that I am getting smoke residue on the panels above my door. I just wonder if this is common or does it have a relationship with the restrictor I have in the exhaust pipe?
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Nothing is coming from the door on ours. Her whispers of smoke are larger now that its down to 34F. (You can tell it's running in the camera now) I don't think it will all burn up overnight (or at least I hope not) but I want to see how long 12 pieces carry me. I'll be up around 6am to check it out.
If you have smoke coming out door, my prediction is the small pine pieces get so hot that the restrictor plate can't get the smoke out fast enough. I think I would stick with lager pieces. That should be good news. No more splitting.
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Does yours smoke out the door before a burn? For instance, if your are in temp range and you open the door, do you have smoke coming out of the door while you are loading?
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Oh yes...it smokes when the door is open. I try to open the door right before a burn, less smoke. In fact no matter when I open it, I step back and let the smoke clear before sticking my face anywhere near the opening.
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Nothing but ash and a few nails from the pallet...when it's 7 degrees, that OWB is puffing. Looks like you're in for it tonight with snow moving in. You might want to stoke it up a bit more than you've been doing for the past couple of weeks.
BTW, are you getting a lot of smoke out of the door on yours? Mine smokes alot...to the point that I am getting smoke residue on the panels above my door. I just wonder if this is common or does it have a relationship with the restrictor I have in the exhaust pipe?
Isn't it great to be able to burn wood the size "that fits through the door"! It makes my wood prep so much easier. All the uglies, y's, stump ends.......all easily burnt!
As far as the smoke and smoke stain, and I'm guessing you mean it smokes out the door....when you open it ::)....that is absolutely normal. I have 3 friends and family members with CB's and there are several around my area and ALL of them that have been in service for a year or longer all have the "smokey" stain above the door. I agree with Ridge, if you can fill just before a burn cycle, you get much less when you open the door.
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Hey Ridge,
Been away for 2 weeks and home now for a week. Fired her up, soon as we got home. Installed Erie 3 way valve to stop the convection/gravity feeding that was happening before. Works to perfection and all thermostats in house accurate and holding set temps.!!
The mrs. won't allow anymore than 68deg settings, which is OK. Plenty of hot water for baths, etc.
Weather changing fast and snow for tomorrow??? Never been more ready for winter!
My wood consumption was very similar to yours, up to yesterday, when temps really dipped. Few more splits added.
Bill
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BillG-
I was thinking the same thing. Being ready!! And it's so darn easy to operate! Should of got this years ago!
Wife and I concluded that 72F was the best temp. Not too cold, not too hot. Even then, she's at that "age" where her internal thermostat can't decide what she wants. I tell her to take a walk if it's too hot and put a afghan on when she's cold, but DON"T touch the thermostat. (She can sweat me out sometimes!)
Those 12 pieces I put in 24 hours ago must still be good. The Green Dragon ran right back up to 185F on her last burn.
We will get around 3" Saturday night. I think your getting more. Have fun!
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Ridge,
Had er' set for 175 off/on @ 165. Today was quite mild and with just a few pieces left and coals, she darn near went out, well not dead out, just took quite awhile for fire to catch up when blower started. I added more wood and made slight adjustment to 177 off/169 on. Thinking I need it to fire more often. 8 deg dif. I'd guess you would say. Just toying around for the current conditions.
All in all, thrilled with the completion of this project. Like you, I should have done this 11 yrs back when building house. I sure wanted to, just didn't have the coin at the time. Better late than never, and with the current prices of any other type fuel, very pleased to finally have it on line and working.
Time for a cold one, and watch game 7....
Stay in touch.
Bill
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Bill G-
Cardinals win! What a World Series!
Woke up this morning to 2" inches of snow. The CB must be well insulated as only the snow accumulated around the vent has melted on the roof of the Green Dragon. Water temp is still 185F so I guess I can delay my trip outside to restock.
My biggest worry will be loss of power. I can start my Honda up to keep the pump going, but have no way to turn the house fan on. We'll see what happens.
Get ready.... it's coming your way!
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Ridge,
Winds howling and snowing sideways! The oaks still got a lot of leaves and a wet, sticky snow don't make for a good combination.
Restock firebox an hour ago and very pleased with 14 hr burn on 6 oak splits. Timed it right and down to nice hot bed of coals with water temp at 176.
1st day of rabbit hunting today and the beagles are all still in lock-down! I absolutely don't care for hunting in high winds. Just can't hear the dogs well and they can't hear me too well either. Soooo....we'll get out hopefully during the week, on a better day. Coming off of 2 weeks of snowshoe hare hunting up Maine, and we all could use a day off anyways.
Actually looking forward to getting started on next years wood supply. Still have 20 lengths of oak, 15 or so feet each, waiting for saw and split. Bark falling off and should be grade A for next year. Will get another truck load when thats cut/split/stacked.
Bill
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Bill
Put ten more pieces in at 9:30. Should be good for another 24 hours.
Lost power one time already for two minutes. Most of our trees are bare. Don't expect too much damage.
Will buy another truck load of timber in a week or so. Then won't need any until the fall of 2013.
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My average wood usage increased to 8.5 pieces/day for the last 10 days. Probably due to the colder weather. If it wasn't for the Plate heater for the HW I would hardly be using any wood. Not complaining mind you, since it been so nice to have HW always available and it's costing me nothing to make it! So I'm glad I added it after the initial install.
The wife commented this weekend on the following:
1. The house temp is better controlled. Before we stocked our indoor furnace and we couldn't control it other than opening windows. (yeah even in winter)
2. The house is cleaner, no more ash dust.
3. She doesn't smell smoke.
4. I pointed out she doesn't have her "winter" cough. So it's healthier too!
I'm still thinking out a previous subject: The Electric Dryer. I wanted to run PEX lines to a heater core on existing dryer using a three way valve, so when the dryer is running hot water would be diverted from OWB return line through heater core. The water would be at least 175F. (How hot does a dryer run?) I would have to find a circuit to open that valve. Not sure if I would need to disable the heating element or if the temp sensor would keep the heating elements from coming on. Still thinking this one out.
Then again, not sure it would be worth the investment since we are empty nesters and the wife only does laundry once a week. Decisions, decisions.
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Thanks for that confirmation on the smoke stain. One of the things I realized is that my stove is facing down wind the majority of time, so when the door is open, the wind is blowing it my way, most of the time. I do like being able to put in those wooley pieces and let 'er burn.
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I made a baffle and installed it. I do notice more smoke than I used to .Its been so mild this year that Im still burning pine slab wood so that could be part of the smoke problem but I do think Im burning less that before.I do need to keep track of wood cunsumpion better.However the stuff I burn is very inconstant in size and type.Im still working on the house and fell behind on my wood gathering this year.I have about 7 cord and will be cutting more over the next month.I guess if I cut a cord a week untill snow comes Ill be good to go.