Print

[mw10737]

Ok so last night i cleaned ashes out of stove and loaded up like normal.  It was 15 degrees out last night ,  I left house thermostat at 75 and garage at 70.  Just like I normally do,  went out this morning and i could only get one small 3 inch round in stove,  I was very suprised.  I have seen post about pulling the coals forward when loading.... do you guys think due to the fact i had no coals under the wood that it likely burned feom the top down rather than bottom up?

.. and purtting one big log to one side or the other

 I would like to see what others stories how they load there stoves and how much wood each of you put in at night.  Still learning everyday with the stove.. but this morning i was very impressed with the little wood it burned with it being so cold out.  Let me know your thoughts 

Also looking for a Stihl  MS880 Guys..... anyone got one for sale...  Love my MS660 but want more power..... and yes i have some HUGE logs im cutting...

[walkerdogman85]

I load my hardy up like that and get 24+ hours out of it burning pine the weather here hasn't been too bad cold yet some days in the teens but it really doesn't make much difference in temp it burns about the same I have a ash box but rarely take ash out I am new to this also but so far very pleased with wood usage.

[dave_dj1]

I don't quite understand, was the firebox full of ash or coals? Is that the reason you could only get one 3 inch round in?
If the firebox was full of hot red coals I would say your draft never shut down.
I have a question for you, why in the world would you want your house at 75?  If my house was that warm I would never get anything done, I would be like a zombie.

[mw10737]

Very comfortable at 75,  very large older renovated farm home.  Its comfortable at us for this temp.  If your moving around and doing stuff we turn it down, , 

No i cleaned all the ash out last evening, it was still full of partial burned wood.  Not coals,, only very little white ash.  I dont ever fill stove up either,  if you fill it completely up you are wasting wood.  Only put in wood it takes to keep stove going,  otherwise your heating up excess wood and drying it out and burning it for nothing. 

[MattyNH]

 So i guess I assuming that what your said you didn't burn that much wood and only could fit a 3 inch round piece of wood in the morning....Your fire burned from the bottom.. Sounds like to me your burning some nice hardwood....Far as wood consumption.. It varies. Every situation is different. LIke me I live in the north I get a 12 hr burn out of pine but the the guy in the south gets a 24 hr burn out of pine for example..My house is set at 74 If i was burning oil it would be set at 60..Burn wood

[willieG]

My house is set at 74 If i was burning oil it would be set at 60..Burn wood

AMEN

[jerkash]

Not quite sure I understand either.  You are heating a older, large house and a garage and it is 15 degrees outside and you only had room to put in a 3 inch piece of wood in it after a 10 or so hour burn?

I must be doing something wrong! 

[mw10737]

usually it takes more than that. but after cleaning ashes out last evening and went 12 hrs and only could add one log.  really suprised me too!!! moved all my coals to the front by the door tonight and loaded normal again,, have to see what it look like in the morning.. If i was to guess it will be close to full again.. Burning a mix of harwoods and some soft maple,, ash,,etc,  but some walnut mixed in and hackberry.  Who knows guys just looking for opinions,, i have a ton of wood more than i could ever burn in 20-25  yrs.. but stove is burning too efficient now..LOL

[boilerman]

That's nothing. My OWF is so efficient, when I get home from work I take wood out of my furnace and sell it to my neighbor

[Pit Crew]

Boilerman...LOL     @ Matty, people ask  all the time,How long do you think it will take to recoup  the cost of the boiler. The house is 74, if burning fuel oil at 74 it wouldn`t take long at all...

[walkerdogman85]

Yeah the weather here in ohio has been warm . But sure is cold this morning. I am looking forward to some cold weather just to see how it all works this is my first season with it so take my opinion with a grain of salt lol.. I really enjoy this whole process and enjoy learning angry talking about it.  All by the way I keep my house at 73. The temp outside right now is 24 so not really that cold but after christmas it will get there. One thing I gave learned is lots if variables

[Roger2561]

For me to recoup my investment, it would have cost me over $5,000.00/yr to for heating oil.  The final tally for the OWB install was around $11,000.00.  Using my simple mathematical formula, that's a bit over 2 years to recoup my cost.  Not too shabby.  My fire wood for last year cost me $600.00.  It's a no brainer for me.  I keep my house at 70 degrees 24/7 with exception of my bedroom, it's at 65.  I would have to keep the house at 65 degrees using fuel oil - brrrrrr.  Roger

[fireboss]

I 2 keep my house @ 74 24/7.It took me only 1 year for me to pay for mine I also heated my pool till oct so we got our money back with the pool to  I load my wb once a day some days it uses more than others!

[jerkash]

I've been thinking about this all day.  Are you sure your "Home furnace" is not running?  This is almost unreal

[mw10737]

Nope my furnace is shut off, havent fired the gas furnace since last october...

Last night pulled all the hot coals forward and used same amount again,, well... maybe a 5 inch log this time..LOL.. but seriously, it is burning real well,,  it was 18 out this morning.. IM HAPPY...  What will i do with all this wood I got.........Been cutting logs in 8 ft pcs for the last 2 weeks and putting inside a building to keep out of weather...   im nly a 1/3 done...   Must have 30 semi loads left to move yet...  and already have 165 pickup  loads cut and stacked....  gotta go cut wood later guys