Here is the background for my situation, sorry if it's a little wordy. We built a 2600 SF 2x6 framed log cabin last year and this is our first full winter in it. Our property is 10 acres of mixed hardwood and our primary heat source is a Sequoyah E3300 gasification OWB with a fire box about 3'x3'x3' and an LP furnace for backup. I built a rack near the boiler that holds 8'x5.5'x18"of wood, or about 1.3 face cord. The garage isn't complelty insulated yet but I have a unit heater in there that keeps it around 35 most of the time. All inside PEX has pipe insulation, all outside PEX is insulated and buried (except last 15' not buried). The return pipe to the boiler is still pretty hot when it leaves the house so I don't think I am wasting heat anywhere.
I fill the firebox at 6 in the morning and 6 at night and barely have enough coals to rekindle a new fire and the water temp is already down to 70 degrees. If I did my math right I have gone through about 16 cords of wood since the last week in October because I am going through about a rack a week, a little more if the outside temp stays below 10 degrees. Needless to say I am out of cut wood already. I now know that my wood hasn't been properly seasoned but it was all downed dead wood to start with.
I have experimented with the set point sensor on the access door. But didn't notice any difference in wood consumption. Just a longer burn time to bring the water back up to 180. I noticed the cheap thermostat that the installer used for the boiler doesn't always cutoff at the desired temp (70). So I will have to see about getting a better t-stat. I have also experimented this week with burning wood but letting the LP t'stat control the house. My hope was if I burn a little gas with the wood I could stretch the rest of my wood some. I am still consuming the same amount of wood so that experiment didn't help much either.
Am I doing something wrong? Are there some adjustments on the boiler thatcan be made? Other suggestions?
Thanks
I fill the firebox at 6 in the morning and 6 at night and barely have enough coals to rekindle a new fire and the water temp is already down to 70 degrees. If I did my math right I have gone through about 16 cords of wood since the last week in October because I am going through about a rack a week, a little more if the outside temp stays below 10 degrees. Needless to say I am out of cut wood already. I now know that my wood hasn't been properly seasoned but it was all downed dead wood to start with.
I have experimented with the set point sensor on the access door. But didn't notice any difference in wood consumption. Just a longer burn time to bring the water back up to 180. I noticed the cheap thermostat that the installer used for the boiler doesn't always cutoff at the desired temp (70). So I will have to see about getting a better t-stat. I have also experimented this week with burning wood but letting the LP t'stat control the house. My hope was if I burn a little gas with the wood I could stretch the rest of my wood some. I am still consuming the same amount of wood so that experiment didn't help much either.
Am I doing something wrong? Are there some adjustments on the boiler thatcan be made? Other suggestions?
Thanks