Well my manual said that anything below 14% is too dry? Most kiln dried is below 10%?
Vermont casting dauntless
- Thread starter Jarch2202
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Okay.
That makes sense.
But no, most kiln dried wood is actually above 20%, i.e. too wet. Because it's kiln dried to kill bugs (and transport it legally without spreading invasive bugs), not to dry it.
That makes sense.
But no, most kiln dried wood is actually above 20%, i.e. too wet. Because it's kiln dried to kill bugs (and transport it legally without spreading invasive bugs), not to dry it.
This is news to me! I assumed it was put in a kiln to get rid of the moisture. I am learning so much here.
Correct, no warning about kiln dried wood. Unfortunately, it does exclude burning highly compressed sawdust products which I was going to suggest, but deleted it.
FYI, there are legitimate sellers of kiln dried wood that do more than just bug killing. They are ok with you bring your ax and testing the wood for MC. I know of a couple in mid NY state, not sure about VT.
FYI, there are legitimate sellers of kiln dried wood that do more than just bug killing. They are ok with you bring your ax and testing the wood for MC. I know of a couple in mid NY state, not sure about VT.
This place guarantees below 20% MC. Bring an axe and MC meter.
www.crosscutvermont.com
estimated 15% mc
risingsunvt.com
Not sure about this one:
www.vtwoodshed.net
Kiln-Dried Firewood - Crosscut Firewood Vermont
Firewood dried in a kiln with a moisture content of 5% No bugs or insects due to the high heat drying process Available Now!
www.crosscutvermont.com
Kiln-Dried Firewood — Rising Sun
risingsunvt.com
Kiln Dried Cord Wood
This price of $500 is for our standard 16 inch length firewood and does not include a 2.9% online processing fee. To pay just $500 a cord email us at [email protected] or call 802-899-2321. We offer non-standard lengths for an additional $25 per cord. Please take care to choose the...
www.vtwoodshed.net
Yeah but is that on a fresh split?
Anything that has been in a kiln will have sub10% on the outside...
We ve seen too many wood sellers advertising MC that turned out to be bogus.
Anything that has been in a kiln will have sub10% on the outside...
We ve seen too many wood sellers advertising MC that turned out to be bogus.
Amazing thank you!!This place guarantees below 20% MC. Bring an axe and MC meter.
estimated 15% mcKiln-Dried Firewood - Crosscut Firewood Vermont
Firewood dried in a kiln with a moisture content of 5% No bugs or insects due to the high heat drying process Available Now!
Not sure about this one:Kiln-Dried Firewood — Rising Sun
Kiln Dried Cord Wood
This price of $500 is for our standard 16 inch length firewood and does not include a 2.9% online processing fee. To pay just $500 a cord email us at [email protected] or call 802-899-2321. We offer non-standard lengths for an additional $25 per cord. Please take care to choose the...
I think you missed something. (The last readings - after the cross grain is shown and said it not the preferred method)
The 16.9 to 20.8 is demonstrated from the same parallel test spot and shows sinking the pins deeply was almost 4% difference in the reading.
It shows the readings rising from 16.9 to 20.7 as the pins go deeper and deeper.
The point of the video is to show that you need to sink the pins to get more accurate readings.
The cross grain was just to show it's not the preferable way to test, even though the readings were not to far off.
Fair enough. It's a good point. I'd like to find a video or image sequence that illustrates, step by step, the correct way to test wood moisture so that I don't have to create this from scratch for a sticky thread.
So I m curious why, I have been in the middle of hot burns, about an hour/ hour and a half after reloading, and my stove pipe temperature plummets. I am not even having my fan spin, it’s less than 300 degrees. All the while my stove top is still getting hotter, reaching 6-700 degrees. I will have to turn the air control back to keep the stove from getting too hot. I don’t understand how these two things are happening at once. Stove top temp rising, while stove pipe temperature plummets. To be clear, I had the stove pipe temperatures much hotter for the first 5-6 hours of the burn I started up tonight.
Stove pipe temp dropping while the stove top temp rises is an indication of internal secondary combustion occurring.
What is meant by the fan spin. Is this a stovetop fan?
What is meant by the fan spin. Is this a stovetop fan?
Okay, so that’s the goal right? Internal secondary combustion?
The fan is just my gauge, I have it mounted to the stove pipe to give me a general idea. I know VC just recommends the stove top thermometer so I typically go by that, but have been confused by the times when the pipe has been hot and when it hasn’t.
Just looked over my materials and install paperwork. The warning about kiln dried wood is actually on the paperwork from the installer not the owner’s manual so I was mistaken. They mention several dos and don’ts regarding fuel. Now I’m curious so I’ll reach out to them.
Hello! Curious, when you close the bypass damper does the secondary combustor make a noticeable noise?? If the secondary combustor lit there should be zero smoke out of the chimney. If the secondary combuster did not light or stalled it will smoke like mad. It will be obvious!! I have found that if the combustor is lit, it rumbles. Silence=smoke. I run sans cat as well. I don't have any temperature monitoring other than stove top with a surface thermometer.
A side note on surface thermometers, they are garbage. Mine reads ~150* too high at boiling or in the oven. The oven isn't perfect but I KNOW it doesn't run that hot. As soon as I get a chance I need a real thermometer. This thermometer error made running mine harder than it should have been. With that sort of error I had been trying to keep it at what amounts to be the minimum temperature thinking I was running over 600* on stove top. A real thermometer is a must.
When the manual describes pushing the coals back, they mean it. I found it necessary to really pile the coals against the back and stack the wood at the back. Less than that and the combustor wont light or stalls. The smoke out of the pipe tells it all. I have double wall pipe and no temp probe yet but I don't know that I would call the stack temps low with the combustor lit. If I can get it lit off the stove top creeps up throughout the burn with not a lot of fire in the fire box. Its really interesting how it does it. Also noteworthy is for me keeping some flame in the firebox is a mandate. If the fire goes out, its an invitation to back puffing, the most irritating feature. That works out to be ~ 5 clicks or so closed from open. Depends on stove and install.
Unfortunately these stoves are hard to run. A cat may make them better, but that's a whole other beast I personally want to avoid, which is part of why this model of stove. I think no matter what, downdraft stoves will be finicky. These things certainly are. Other manufactures have tried and mostly failed with them. The Lopi Lyden at the time was no better. GOOD LUCK
!!
A side note on surface thermometers, they are garbage. Mine reads ~150* too high at boiling or in the oven. The oven isn't perfect but I KNOW it doesn't run that hot. As soon as I get a chance I need a real thermometer. This thermometer error made running mine harder than it should have been. With that sort of error I had been trying to keep it at what amounts to be the minimum temperature thinking I was running over 600* on stove top. A real thermometer is a must.
When the manual describes pushing the coals back, they mean it. I found it necessary to really pile the coals against the back and stack the wood at the back. Less than that and the combustor wont light or stalls. The smoke out of the pipe tells it all. I have double wall pipe and no temp probe yet but I don't know that I would call the stack temps low with the combustor lit. If I can get it lit off the stove top creeps up throughout the burn with not a lot of fire in the fire box. Its really interesting how it does it. Also noteworthy is for me keeping some flame in the firebox is a mandate. If the fire goes out, its an invitation to back puffing, the most irritating feature. That works out to be ~ 5 clicks or so closed from open. Depends on stove and install.
Unfortunately these stoves are hard to run. A cat may make them better, but that's a whole other beast I personally want to avoid, which is part of why this model of stove. I think no matter what, downdraft stoves will be finicky. These things certainly are. Other manufactures have tried and mostly failed with them. The Lopi Lyden at the time was no better. GOOD LUCK
!!
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
Just skimming through this thread. Honestly Most stoves will struggle with sub par wood and minimal height with 2 90s on it.
Your stove will run waayyy better with the catalyst in it and dry wood. You dont need to go through the expense of purchasing Kiln dried wood as this is easily done yourself. Wood burning like anything else is challenging at first but you will learn and it will become so much easier.
Draft is what operates the stove. Wood is the fuel you put in it. My wood is roughly 16%MC yours looks on the average of 26% or more. that is more then 10% of mine. 26% MC wood looks like this. For every cord of wood you burn your putting 750 lbs of water vaper up your stovepipe or roughly 93 gallons of water. That 93 gallons of water is cooling your stovepipe and killing your draft. No stove will run consistently well like this.
Id work on your wood supply wnd get ahead, wood storage for anyone who burns is essential. Id install the catalyst. the catalyst helps keep your draft up by burning the smoke and keeping the stovepipe warm and keeping draft up. Id work on the chimney setup. Warm air want to go straight up .. going horizontal is difficult
You can look in my signature for an easy how to build your own solar kiln and have completely dry wood for next year
When you purchase wood...its NEVER truly seasonef. A good hardwood will take a minimum of 16 months to season id really good conditions
Similar threads
