http://www.commercial-news.com/news...cle_5cc987cc-abb2-11e4-ae5d-0f5c571e2b85.html I am not posting this to start a war. Just posting so we can all stay up with what's happening. So if you live in Illinois and in or around Vermilion County, you might want to read the article. Smoke from "comfort heating" is a problem.
That's my take on it Drvn4wood. Especially when they are referring to the short chimneys. I remember years ago when they started coming out and many in our area really sucked them up. The smoke was one of my fears then and now we are seeing the backlash begin. People who don't care about neighbors are the ones causing the problems. And I've also always wondered about those short chimneys. Also have wondered why none have caps. There are a couple I see that does cover the chimney when it is not in use and that would seem to be a no-brainer. Not good for rainwater to be running inside that thing.
I can't see why they can't make the OWB units more efficient?? At some point the manufacturers will be forced to make them cleaner because of complaints and new regulations to that will come from it. They changed woodstoves to be EPS compliant why not the OWB?
What is considered a short chimney vs. a long one? Are some then proposing a chimney that is taller than a 2 story house? What if a guy burns his indoor wood stove and has a ranch home when the neighbors have a 2 story. Should the ranch home owner then be required to raise his chimney height over the next doors neighbors house? I'm glad I bought my OWB when I did as I foresee some trouble down the road. Luckily for me, I have no neighbors and produce little smoke the vast majority of the time.
Because the majority of these OWB's are sold on the premise that they can burn green wood, according to the distributors. They pitch the line "load it up at supper time and early in the morning, lasts all day"........and its BS. So people believe, right from the get-go, that it's fine and dandy burning green wood..... Not to mention that an OWB is burned by opening and closing a damper when the unit calls for heat. Even when burning seasoned wood, if you constantly douse the air from the fire it will smolder and smoke....they just aren't going to ever be a truly "air friendly" device.......
How much smoke from an OWB is consider acceptable to most? Currently, there isn't any more smoke coming from mine as there is when I burn 2 year CSS cherry in the Encore in the house. After a discussion on another thread of the same topic, I started paying attention to the wood burners in the area. Of the two OWB's I know of, I bet I spotted at least 8 chimneys that were admitting more smoke than both OWB's did. When I bought my OWB, the manufacturer advised never to burn green wood. They also advised to be cognoscente of the neighbors and chimney height. Not all OWB Co's advise or suggest green wood as responsible fuel. For what's it worth anyway.
When burned properly I'm sure an OWB can be pretty clean, but I have a hard time believing they'll ever burn as clean as a good secondary burn or catalytic stove. I know for a fact that 99% of the guys in our area burn green wood......and when you talk with them, it's the same answer. ..."The dealer told me it's best to burn green wood, it'll hold a longer fire"... Eats my craw, I tell ya.....
Would it be reasonable to assume an OWB can be operated with same level of smoke output as a non-cat stove? I think the answer is without a doubt, yes. I look at irresponsible manufacturers and owners the same way. Ultimately, and just like any other thing in life, those who choose to be irresponsible tend to ruin it for all the others.
Unfortunately, until they come up with the same conditions and requirements as woodstove manufacturers have to follow they advertise the OWB as being able to burn green wood. Whats funny is the EPA also controls the levels of smoke output of trash to energy plants, we have one near me in MA. The scrubbers and filters remove alot of the hazardous materials in the smoke for the system to work. Why can't they incorporate some of that technology into the OWB, with of course a regiment of dry wood instead of green.
Well, if I was an OWB manufacturer, you would bet I'd be looking to make my product as clean as possible. Self preservation and expected profit margins would make that effort a no-brainer. But, I would bet a crisp new $100 bill that it cannot be cost effective to produce. What are the terms and requirements of a non-cat wood stove to operate? I don't seem them being any different / more efficient than an OWB. Lots of educated members here, so I'm looking to be schooled - Isn't an OWB just a big non-cat stove?
These guys make a nice gasifying OWB. Wish I could justify the coin for one. http://www.portageandmainboilers.com/
Vermilion County, Illinois is the next county East of Champaign County, where the "University of Illinois" is located. Not intentionally getting political here; but, there tend to be a lot of "progressive types" that live there and commute to U of I to work. Otherwise, this is wide open, flat, rich black dirt farm country..................where most folks mind their own business. I know, I graduated from U of I a long, long time ago!!!!!
If I can find the information then I will post it. But to answer your question, no, an OWB is not just a big non-cat stove. Does yours have a secondary burn? A cat? Anything that will burn the bad stuff. To know exactly, one could do some testing on the stove like they did in Washington DC a year ago. There, 10 stoves were selected and they did either 3 or 4 tests on each stove. Below is one of the postings after one round of testing. These were very controlled tests and the judges selected the wood for each stove making sure that each stove had the same amount of fuel. Then they had probes in the chimneys. It was interesting watching them do it. Another thing that was interesting was to be outdoors and have 2 stoves just starting the test. Quite naturally and expected, there was smoke from the chimneys. I don't remember the timing but after a few minutes, the secondaries would take over that the smoke simply disappeared. Now with the comments I just made about the smoke and then no smoke, what do you suppose an anti would be thinking when he saw all that smoke? Of course they would like everyone to believe that is the way the entire burn was. Of course, that is simply not the case. Again, I'll try to find the information but make no promises. Probably won't get a chance to look until tomorrow or the weekend.
