Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

Outdoor Furnaces - Manufacturers WITH EPA-Certified Models => Portage & Main => Topic started by: jreimer on September 04, 2013, 07:31:16 AM

Title: Burning spruce in my gasifier?
Post by: jreimer on September 04, 2013, 07:31:16 AM

Hi all,

It's getting to be wood cutting season again and I have been given access to a stand of Colorado spruce.  What are your thoughts on burning this in the Optimizer 250?  Does spruce coal well for good gasifier performance?  Will the tars and sap cause problems in the heat exchanger tubes?

Thanks!
James.

Title: Re: Burning spruce in my gasifier?
Post by: jrider on September 04, 2013, 03:12:30 PM

Last year I burned about 6-7 cords of yellow pine and had no issues at all.  Sure I had to throw more in at a time but I would do it again without thinking.

Title: Re: Burning spruce in my gasifier?
Post by: Scott7m on September 04, 2013, 03:35:07 PM

Varying species of pine are different, some leave absolutely no ash or coal bed and make re lighting a pain, just try it and see.  It just depends

Title: Re: Burning spruce in my gasifier?
Post by: slimjim on September 05, 2013, 04:42:25 AM

I can tell you that when I visited Brian last winter in Prince Albert that Spruce and Fir is exactly what he was burning along with a small percentage of Birch and Poplar and the boiler was doing a great job, Don't be skeeeeeered

Title: Re: Burning spruce in my gasifier?
Post by: johnybcold on September 05, 2013, 01:49:53 PM

I burn mostly pine but had some spruce it was ok, if I have hard wood I toss a piece on top in case the pile gets low I will have the nicer coals from the Hardwood

Title: Re: Burning spruce in my gasifier?
Post by: coolidge on September 05, 2013, 03:44:17 PM

I think my 250 burns better with softwood than with hard, my own opinion.

Title: Re: Burning spruce in my gasifier?
Post by: slimjim on September 06, 2013, 06:05:18 PM

My buddy Dave went 2 years on 80-90% dry hemlock and loves it, he now as an abundance of oak.