Real world burn rate - splits per hour?

[Amin1992]

Thank you all! I'm going to monitor my burn rate a bit more based on what you all shared. I'm not interested in keeping track of this forever, I just wanted to make sure everything was going as it should and that I wasn't burning through too quickly. Also, I have less than a cord to last me the season so I'm rationing. Thanks again

 

[Amin1992]

So just wanted to share an update. Maybe my splits are really dry or light?

But anyway I measured my oak splits weights. They are all actually pretty consistent - range was between 2.5 and 4.2 lbs, and average was 3.5 lbs.

So I suppose if I'm burning 1.5 splits per hour give or take, that about equates to 5.25 lbs / hr. Which would put me about on par with you guys I think.

Does that sound right?

To test this out I started a fire today with 5 splits, totalling 16.9 lbs. If I want to get around 5 to 5.25 lbs / hr, then I should be down to coals in about 3.5 hrs... So we'll see!

 

[Dix]

Get yourself ahead, big time !

 

[Amin1992]

Wanted to post a late night update.

As I said, I started with 16.9 lbs of firewood in the form of 5 splits. The flame was out, with only coals remaining, at 8PM. That equates to 4.2 lbs/hr.

I let the heat radiate, then loaded up 4 more splits at about 10.3 lbs. That burned for approximately 3.75 hrs.

So, from 4pm to 11:45pm I burned through 27.2 lbs (9 splits), other than about 30 to 45 min of hot coals, which equates to about 3.5 lbs of wood per hour.

Apparently I'm not doing so badly when looking at it that way! Maybe my oak is just really light and fluffy haha.

Still concerned that even with the air dampened down all the way I've got big flames and temps above 700F but nothing else I can do i suppose.

Thanks all

 

[Nate R]

So, from 4pm to 11:45pm I burned through 27.2 lbs (9 splits), other than about 30 to 45 min of hot coals, which equates to about 3.5 lbs of wood per hour.

At what moisture level? If it's say, 18%, you really went through only 23 lbs of dry wood...Which is how it's measured for EPA tests, and the best way to figure out approximate BTUs your house is losing/hr, etc.

I know you said you have less than a cord....Not sure what kind of oak you have, and if all your wood is oak....
But say you have 0.8 cords. A cord is 128 CF, and generally you get about 86 CF of wood in a stacked cord. (GENERALLY, I know it varies.)
So 0.8*86 = 69 cubic feet of wood. Red Oak is about 39 lbs per cubic foot DRY weight. So 69*39= 2691 lbs of wood left. If you only do the 7-8 hour burn each day you did last night, you'll get 117 nights out of that wood, which gets you to mid April next year.

 

[Supersurvey]

I'm getting about 1 split per hour. I fit about 4-5 splits in my Hampton hi200 and go about 4 hours before reload.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Hey guys, curious on this one. It's my first year with a wood stove and now that we're into deep winter my draft is definitely stronger, and as a result I'm burning wood faster.

I know this varies all over the map. But even with different species, different outdoor temps, NS or EW placement, and different sizes of logs (from 2.5" to 6" diameter) I'm getting generally the same burn times.

Best case, I'm getting a burn rate of 0.8 splits per hour. Worst case, I'm at 1.5 splits per hour.

Either way this feels like it's too fast. Am I wrong or is this normal?

I'm starting the clock the moment I get the fire going with kindling, and stopping it when the flame disappears and I'm down to hot coals.

I'm calculating this by just dividing out the splits I throw in by the hours it burns (for example, burned 5 splits in 3 hours today, so 1.6 splits per hour).

Is that normal? This is with the air dampened all the way down, and no blower on.

I constantly hear of guys getting 8 to 10 hour burn times and I just don't get how that's possible!

Thanks all

My stove is a cat stove. I dont go by splits per hour. I do a burn time. This was last night using all oak. My box is 2.3cuft I added 5 splits and that filled the box. I loaded it for over night at 8pm and woke up at 6am .. at the 10 hour mark my stove was at 425 degrees (first pic) and this is what was left in the box after the 10 hours.. 2nd pic.. it was 10 degrees out this morning 3rd pic.. my home stayed at 68 degrees 4th pic.. It was like 70 in the stove room

 

[agonyzhou]

My stove is a cat stove. I dont go by splits per hour. I do a burn time. This was last night using all oak. My box is 2.3cuft I added 5 splits and that filled the box. I loaded it for over night at 8pm and woke up at 6am .. at the 10 hour mark my stove was at 425 degrees (first pic) and this is what was left in the box after the 10 hours.. 2nd pic.. it was 10 degrees out this morning 3rd pic.. my home stayed at 68 degrees 4th pic.. It was like 70 in the stove room

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Your split is likely much larger than @Amin1992 's split though. He has small splits averaging 3.5lb per split. A good fat red oak split (22'' long, 6'' across, 20% MC) I have weight about 12 lb. My guess is your fill last night is 40lb plus. Your stove has very impressive performance but from a purely burn rate point of view, it is not that different from @Amin1992 's

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Your split is likely much larger than @Amin1992 's split though. He has small splits averaging 3.5lb per split. A good fat red oak split (22'' long, 6'' across, 20% MC) I have weight about 12 lb. My guess is your fill last night is 40lb plus. Your stove has very impressive performance but from a purely burn rate point of view, it is not that different from @Amin1992 's

I would say that your correct in the amount of wood being over 40lbs. The splits are very large as I split specifically for overnight. My splits for overnight are split square to rectangle.. so I can pack the box. I split specifically for overnight for this reason, long burn times. My stove also has the ability of burning low without being a creosote factory. I know I'm burning clean.. I woke up 4 hours after I turned it all the way down to go to the bathroom.. STT was 550... Cat temp was 1446 degrees...

 

[begreen]

My noncat 3.5 CF stove can burn a full load of 10 or so splits in 3 hours, load after load. However, if I let those little coals dwindle down to near nothing it might be 5 hours which is a significant difference.

That same stove can easily do 10+ hrs with plenty of coals for a relight. Not everyone runs it like a shop furnace.

 

[Highbeam]

That same stove can easily do 10+ hrs with plenty of coals for a relight. Not everyone runs it like a shop furnace.

That’s why I said “can” burn that fast. I actually own the stove and in the coldest part of the winter so run it on the hot side but I have also done plenty of burns trying to just burn clean and long. It’s especially fun with fancy flue temperature meters. With fir it’s very difficult to relight on coals after 7 or 8 hours.

This is not a fancy PE stove. The nc30 likes to burn.

 

[begreen]

I have done plenty of burns trying to just burn clean and long. It’s especially fun with fancy flue temperature meters. With fir it’s very difficult to relight on coals after 7 or 8 hours.

This is not a fancy PE stove. The nc30 likes to burn.

I haven't run one so I have to rely on those that have, including Brother Bart that was the first here to report heating with one. It's got a big belly, so I would try turning down the air sooner. Burning big splits, 10 hrs should be a piece of cake in milder weather.

 

[Highbeam]

I haven't run one so I have to rely on those that have, including Brother Bart that was the first here to report heating with one. It's got a big belly, so I would try turning down the air sooner. Burning big splits, 10 hrs should be a piece of cake in milder weather.

In my experience, not with fir. Maybe a bit longer with our hardwoods due to ash cover. Would me much easier with eastern hardwoods like BB was probably using.

The nc30 really does not like to run slow without smoking and sooting up the glass. It does higher temperatures very well.

Who knows. Maybe my draft is over spec. It is very easy to snuff though. Dang it, maybe I should buy a manometer and damper! This performance optimization is getting out of hand. So much fun.

We’re probably all being “burned” by various definitions of burn time.

 

[Dix]

*Goes into stealth mode, considering I have a PE, and an Englander*

This thread just turned hilarious

 

[Highbeam]

*Goes into stealth mode, considering I have a PE, and an Englander*

This thread just turned hilarious

If I had to buy a noncat for the house I’m pretty sure it would be a PE.

I wasn’t trying to be hilarious. I don’t think the nc30 design lends itself to the lower output range as well as the PE design. Their control of secondary air and that stainless baffle board are strong points for a daily burner.