A profile of a day's wood burning

[wg_bent]

Yesterday I decided to measure the weight of wood I burned throughout the day. Thought people might find this interesting.
For those who don't know my stove has a 1.8 cuft firebox and is heating 2200 sqft colonial.

(Yes, I am on vacation)

Tuesday evening:

LBS Time Comments
-------------------------------------------
18 10:30 pm Full stove load, Outside temp around 22

Wed Morning temp about 25. Livingroom temp was 75, kitchen 72, upstairs most remote bedroom 68

18 4:30 am Full Stove load
9 7:45 am Pine
4 8:30 am pine
3 11:00 am
3 11:30 am
5 1:00 pm
13 3:30 pm
6 5:30 pm Livingroom temp was about 82
7 7:00 pm
19 10:30 pm Load was all oak and elm

Thursday morning temp about 38.

8 7:30 am Cleaned out stove full of ashes from 3 days of burning. enough coals left in stove to ignite a half load of oak and maple.

 

[wg_bent]

Yesterday I decided to measure the weight of wood I burned throughout the day. Thought people might find this interesting.
For those who don't know my stove has a 1.8 cuft firebox and is heating 2200 sqft colonial.

(Yes, I am on vacation)

Tuesday evening:

LBS Time Comments
-------------------------------------------
18 10:30 pm Full stove load, Outside temp around 22

Wed Morning temp about 25. Livingroom temp was 75, kitchen 72, upstairs most remote bedroom 68

18 4:30 am Full Stove load
9 7:45 am Pine
4 8:30 am pine
3 11:00 am
3 11:30 am
5 1:00 pm
13 3:30 pm
6 5:30 pm Livingroom temp was about 82
7 7:00 pm
19 10:30 pm Load was all oak and elm

Thursday morning temp about 38.

8 7:30 am Cleaned out stove full of ashes from 3 days of burning. enough coals left in stove to ignite a half load of oak and maple.

Any clue why the spaces are removed from this post???

 

[Andre B.]

Any clue why the spaces are removed from this post???

That is common on a forum, they remove all extra white space for you. Gee thanks.

If you want to keep the formatting hit the CODE tag button and put the text between the tags.
And use the preview post because they use a different font in the editor then in the finished post.

See if this works.


Tuesday evening:

LBS          Time         Comments
-------------------------------------------
18          10:30 pm      Full stove load,  Outside temp around 22

Wed Morning temp about 25.  Livingroom temp was 75, kitchen 72, upstairs most remote bedroom 68

18           4:30 am      Full Stove load
 9           7:45 am      Pine
 4           8:30 am      pine
 3          11:00 am      
 3          11:30 am     
 5           1:00 pm      
13           3:30 pm  
 6           5:30 pm      Livingroom temp was about 82
 7           7:00 pm
19          10:30 pm      Load was all oak and elm

Thursday morning temp about 38. 

 8           7:30 am      Cleaned out stove full of ashes from 3 days of burning.  enough coals left in stove to ignite a half load of oak and     maple.[/quote]

 

[johnsopi]

So you burned @ 100lbs of in 24 hrs.

 

[Todd]

Seems a little high to me. When I have similiar outside temps I go through less than half that. But I don't burn any pine either, and only have 1800 sq ft to heat.

 

[Henz]

yes, those are interesting readings..what brand of stove do you have..I ahve the Avalon rainier with the exact same size firebox..I dont burn nearly that but am also heating like 1350 sqft, but a drafty old house..

 

[Corey]

Really interesting! The way I look at it, you burned 86 pounds to keep warm for 24 hours. I went from the 10:30pm load right up until the next 10:30pm load, but didn't include that second load - as you could say that is for the next days heat.

Just guessing at some numbers:

So 86 pounds seasoned wood @ 15%? moisture content = 73 pounds of bone dry wood

73 pounds * 8600 BTU/lb = 629,000 BTU developed in the stove

629,000 BTU * 65%? stove efficiency = 409,000 BTU in the living space

409,000 BTU / 24 hours = 17,000 BTU per hour

I would say that number is at least within reason. Basically like running a 5KW electric heater continuously.


I hope to have a chance to measure some wood weight consumption in my stove as well as it really cuts out a lot of variables.

Corey

 

[Henz]

excellent analysis...gald you know the equations though! huh..now, lets put that into a per piece..Roughly how many piees of wood did you burn to equal 86lbs in the 24 hour timeframe? many variables here but an average would suffice..

 

[wg_bent]

excellent analysis...gald you know the equations though! huh..now, lets put that into a per piece..Roughly how many piees of wood did you burn to equal 86lbs in the 24 hour timeframe? many variables here but an average would suffice..

No clue. I did it specifically by weight since I burned some oak some pine, something unidentifiable that was light in weight, some ash, some elm... the two loads that were the biggest were about 5-7 peices of hardwood, some of the lighter loads like a couple in the morning that were spaced apart by less than an hour were single splits of pine that were quite large in size. (See Kevins post on needing to split some of these for his Morso) I split some woods to fit the stove and be as large as possible especially very light woods like pine. Keeps me from feeding the stove too often when the demand for heat only requires a single split at a time.

 

[Henz]

I have one of the medium wood rings in the house..I think its the 30" or so?? I basically will burn one ring per day (24hours)

 

[wg_bent]

I have one of the medium wood rings in the house..I think its the 30" or so?? I basically will burn one ring per day (24hours)

I have similar ring...burn about 1/3 of one, plus a few peices of Pine.
1 ring holds 2.5 large wheelborrow fulls.

 

[Henz]

thats it! 1/3 of one ring in 24 hours? thats like 5 pieces

 

[wg_bent]

thats it! 1/3 of one ring in 24 hours? thats like 5 pieces

Must be a different ring.

 

[Henz]

yeah..Your probably thinking of the lasrger 60" ring..

 

[detmurds]

Seems a little high to me. When I have similiar outside temps I go through less than half that. But I don't burn any pine either, and only have 1800 sq ft to heat.

Note that he does keep things pretty warm though. Maybe that is why is seems a little high? I try to stay around the 70 degree mark myself, but we don't have that cold of weather in the NW for the most part.

 

[Martin Strand III]

I know this isn't "fair" (but the real world isn't either) as I'm going to show the ease and convenience of burning wood for a day in a masonry heater compared to its metal cousin.

Outside conditions 700 AM: Windy, rainy, melting 16" snow base, 37* F
Inside conditions 700 AM: 2200 SF main floor and loft, 68* F

Load 50 lbs seasoned wood "top down" style in 3.5 CF (17.5"x19"x18") firebox and enjoy 2 cups of coffee for a spectacular 1 1/2 - 2 hour fire while reading "The Varieties of Scientific Experience" by Carl Sagan. No ash fiddlin', no reloadin'. Coffee stays "just right" on the tile mantle below the bake oven.

Outside conditions 1000 AM: Windy, rainy, melting 16" snow base, 38* F
Inside conditions 1000 AM: 2200 SF main floor and loft, 69* F

Take my two Newfies for a stroll in the woods.
Deliver canned goods to the Church food drive.

Outside conditions 1200 N: Windy, rainy, melting 15" snow base, 39* F
Inside conditions 1200 N: 2200 SF main floor and loft, 70* F

Shop for Christmas presents in Town.
Meet a friend for lunch.

Outside conditions 1000 PM: Windy, rainy, melting 10" snow base, 35* F
Inside conditions 1000 PM: 2200 SF main floor and loft, 70* F

Enjoy a toddy and retire.

Outside conditions 700 AM: Windy, rainy, melting 3" snow base, 37* F
Inside conditions 700 AM: 2200 SF main floor and loft, 69* F

Load 40 lbs seasoned wood "top down" style.... (it was a little warm for me yesterday)....

Aye,
Marty

Grandma used to say, "The best revenge is living well."

 

[suematteva]

I know this isn't "fair" (but the real world isn't either) as I'm going to show the ease and convenience of burning wood for a day in a masonry heater compared to its metal cousin.

Outside conditions 700 AM: Windy, rainy, melting 16" snow base, 37* F
Inside conditions 700 AM: 2200 SF main floor and loft, 68* F

Load 50 lbs seasoned wood "top down" style in 3.5 CF (17.5"x19"x18") firebox and enjoy 2 cups of coffee for a spectacular 1 1/2 - 2 hour fire while reading "The Varieties of Scientific Experience" by Carl Sagan. No ash fiddlin', no reloadin'. Coffee stays "just right" on the tile mantle below the bake oven.

Outside conditions 1000 AM: Windy, rainy, melting 16" snow base, 38* F
Inside conditions 1000 AM: 2200 SF main floor and loft, 69* F

Take my two Newfies for a stroll in the woods.
Deliver canned goods to the Church food drive.

Outside conditions 1200 N: Windy, rainy, melting 15" snow base, 39* F
Inside conditions 1200 N: 2200 SF main floor and loft, 70* F

Shop for Christmas presents in Town.
Meet a friend for lunch.

Outside conditions 1000 PM: Windy, rainy, melting 10" snow base, 35* F
Inside conditions 1000 PM: 2200 SF main floor and loft, 70* F

Enjoy a toddy and retire.

Outside conditions 700 AM: Windy, rainy, melting 3" snow base, 37* F
Inside conditions 700 AM: 2200 SF main floor and loft, 69* F

Load 40 lbs seasoned wood "top down" style.... (it was a little warm for me yesterday)....

Aye,
Marty

Grandma used to say, "The best revenge is living well."

Marty,

The newfies must love that thing..What general area are you in?

 

[Martin Strand III]

I'm Latitude 45* in NW lower MI and lovin' it.

Aye,
Marty

 

[Todd]

Got a love those masonary heaters!

This week the outside temps have been around 40. So when I get home from work I just have to burn one big load in the stove and I'm set til the next day. Last 2 days I maybe went through 50-60lbs of wood. The week before when it was windy and cold single digit temps, I had to refuel 3 times per day. I don't like it real hot, maybe around 72 upstairs, 75 downstairs. I know some of you (and I use to be one to) firebugs think you have to keep a blazing fire going and get it as hot as you can. If you have good insulation and a fairly tight house, the heat will hold longer than you think on these mild days. I've gotten to the point where I try to save as much fire wood as I can. So far this year I just went over the 1 full cord mark. Last year at this time I burned 1.5.

 

[wg_bent]

Yup, that's the kid of thing I hear about the masonry heaters. Loooowww effort. Great heat. Some people seem to thing that a modern soapstone stove is an equal, marty has both. Look which one he is using.

Of course the heater cost him 20 grand and the stove around 2500, but what's a ten fold cost differential among friends.

If i had the bucks I'd put in a masonry heater in a heart beat.

 

[BrotherBart]

Marty S. built a masonary heater that just happens to have a house around it.

Todd is right. With the new stove I can fire it once in the morning and between the heat stored in the masonary around it, the heat retention in the stove and the coals it keeps the place nice and steady with the fan running for hours after the fire dies down.

In fact I banked a nice load of coals in it after the fire burned down the other day and the fan ran for six hours before the stove cooled off enough for the fan thermostat to shut it off. And kept the house nice and warm. After that I spread the coals and ashes and had enough coals to light off a fresh burn.

 

[Martin Strand III]

Costs of a masonry heater are relative. And, it's for essential home heat.

Over a ten year period, add up what you spend on non-essentials such as:

Oil, NG or LPG, electric for heat (my LPG last year was $375. and, OK, these are essential)
Purchased cordwood (I have my own woodlot)
Your second or third vehicle (I have one)
Your boat (I have three and I admit it's a weakness, sorry)
Your "hunting cabin" or second home (I have one home)
Tobacco (a vice that's not nice)
Ethanol (wine, beer, booze)
Your mistress (Been thar, done that - a real waste)
Eating at restaurants (I do this modestly)
Hunting and fishing trips (I quit killin' things long ago)
Blown pocket money (Everyone does this)
ATM withdrawls (I don't use'em)
"Stuff" you bought but haven't used in at least a year (It adds up)
A divorce or two (see a few lines up;no comment)
Yada, Yada, Yada

and the cost, ease, safety, effectiveness, eco-friendlyness and convenience of a big hot rock (aka masonry heater) in your home doesn't seem so out of the question.

Aye,
Marty

Grandma used to say, "Sometimes less is more."

 

[BrotherBart]

No question about it Marty. Green with envy of that heater. In fact from the pictures, for the rest of the house too.

But I ain't giving up the smokes or the booze.

 

[begreen]

No question about it Marty. Green with envy of that heater. In fact from the pictures, for the rest of the house too.

But I ain't giving up the smokes or the booze.

My BIL emailed me the other day. He and my sister were talking about living wills. He wrote:

While watching the NFL games this weekend, wife and I
got into a conversation about life and death, and the need for living
wills.

During the course of the conversation I told her that I never wanted
to exist in a vegetative state, dependent on some Machine and taking
fluids from a bottle.

She got up, unplugged the TV and threw out all my vodka.

Sometimes it's tough being married to a smart ass.

 

[Martin Strand III]

BroBart:

See, there you go. It's all about choices.

That could explain the difference between "the Haves" and "The Have Nots".

Aye,
Marty