I've been burning wrong all along....?

[bfunk13]

Wow, did i open a can of worms.

All i know is for a few days now we have not used the blower,
and have been warmer while using less wood.
We have a fairly big hearth and brick fireplace/chimney.
I know the extra heat radiating from here is part of the extra warmth.
Thanks for all the replies.

Brad

 

[bokehman]

All i know is for a few days now we have not used the blower, and have been warmer while using less wood.

So you put less BTU's in (wood) and you get more BTU's out (heat), how is that possible? You used to put more BTU's in (wood) and you used get less BTU's out (heat). Where were those missing BTU's going?

 

[LLigetfa]

Where were those missing BTU's going?

Lower combustion temperatures result in incomplete combustion so the answer would be "up the chimney".

 

[jdurando]

Wow, did i open a can of worms.

All i know is for a few days now we have not used the blower,
and have been warmer while using less wood.
We have a fairly big hearth and brick fireplace/chimney.
I know the extra heat radiating from here is part of the extra warmth.
Thanks for all the replies.

Brad

I think this is the point everyone is getting confused about. There has to be a variable missing . if 10 splits have 10000 BTU weather you burn them in 2hrs. or 3hrs it’s still 10,000 btu so the longer burn should make the house colder not warmer, lower BTU per hour. Could your blower be drawing in cold air from the chimney instead of house air lowering your efficiency? with the blower off the chimney air would warm up and be drawn up and not enter the house.

 

[bfunk13]

 

[North of 60]

Wow, did i open a can of worms.

All i know is for a few days now we have not used the blower,
and have been warmer while using less wood.
We have a fairly big hearth and brick fireplace/chimney.
I know the extra heat radiating from here is part of the extra warmth.
Thanks for all the replies.

Brad

I think this is the point everyone is getting confused about. There has to be a variable missing . if 10 splits have 10000 BTU weather you burn them in 2hrs. or 3hrs it’s still 10,000 btu so the longer burn should make the house colder not warmer, lower BTU per hour. Could your blower be drawing in cold air from the chimney instead of house air lowering your efficiency? with the blower off the chimney air would warm up and be drawn up and not enter the house.

Bfunk has a CAT. For the first 3hrs +- having the stove turned down will produce more smoke inside the stove witch is more fuel for the cat. Therfore more heat. If the blower is on and the return air is cool this will still open up the damper and feed more air which will shorten the burn time. Bfunk may be getting not all return air from his space. It may be coming from his old ash clean out IF his fire place had one and putting more of a load on the stove with the fan on. :-/

 

[67ref]

hmmm great discussion, good information,
something for me to work with when I get mine going.

thank you to all.

 

[jdurando]

Wow, did i open a can of worms.

All i know is for a few days now we have not used the blower,
and have been warmer while using less wood.
We have a fairly big hearth and brick fireplace/chimney.
I know the extra heat radiating from here is part of the extra warmth.
Thanks for all the replies.

Brad

I think this is the point everyone is getting confused about. There has to be a variable missing . if 10 splits have 10000 BTU weather you burn them in 2hrs. or 3hrs it’s still 10,000 btu so the longer burn should make the house colder not warmer, lower BTU per hour. Could your blower be drawing in cold air from the chimney instead of house air lowering your efficiency? with the blower off the chimney air would warm up and be drawn up and not enter the house.

Bfunk has a CAT. For the first 3hrs +- having the stove turned down will produce more smoke inside the stove witch is more fuel for the cat. Therfore more heat. If the blower is on and the return air is cool this will still open up the damper and feed more air which will shorten the burn time. Bfunk may be getting not all return air from his space. It may be coming from his old ash clean out IF his fire place had one and putting more of a load on the stove with the fan on. :-/

Bfunk next time the stove is cold try turning the blower on and let it run for a few min check the temp of the air coming out with NO fire burning compared to the temp in the house the temp should be close. also it would be best the do this on a cold day when the temp outside is well under the temp inside. you could also check in the summer if the blower produces a temp change without a fire in the box you are likely getting outside air entering the blower and the house.

 

[VTSR5]

All i know is for a few days now we have not used the blower, and have been warmer while using less wood.

So you put less BTU's in (wood) and you get more BTU's out (heat), how is that possible? You used to put more BTU's in (wood) and you used get less BTU's out (heat). Where were those missing BTU's going?

Architecture and perceived warmth can explain this. OP has essentially "converted" his insert from a predominantly convective heater to a radiative heater by disabling the blower. It could be that his architecture (or personality) favors radiative heat and penalizes convective heat. Think cathedral ceiling.

 

[buckeye]

?

 

[buckeye]

So, if i have a fan across the room and turn it on low, and don't use a blower will I use the same amount of wood as if I were using the blower? If I use the fan and the blower will I get 1/2 as much burn time? :coolsmirk:

 

[Jaackil]

I think there is something to this. I am new to this and havent been getting as much heat as I thought I should be getting out of my insert. I had been leaving my blower on AUTO. I read a post here last week that said the poster was not turning on their blower until their unit got up to temp. I tried that and heat output increased as did my burn times. I think the burn time is related to the stove heating up faster with the blower off so I am able to turn the air down sooner. I am going to try running with out the blower and see what effect that has if any.
Thanks

 

[RobinJoe]

I think I need a reostat...lol

I bought a fan control rheostat (dimmer) for my circulator fan. The fan died in about 2 days. I replaced the fan and connected it to a standard switch and the new fan is still going strong 2 months later.

The fan was an in-line duct fan from Home Depot. The rheostat was designed for ceiling fans, also from Home Depot.

I wonder if some fans will burn out faster when connected to a rheostat. Even a rheostat designed for fans. Does anyone know if this is the case? I'd hate to have someone attach a rheostat to their blower and cause it to burn out as a result.