Just to prove it to myself, I did a test yesterday with 18% wood vs. 24% wood. I took 4 large birch splits that I re-split into 8 pieces that measured 18%, and 4 large birch splits that I re-split into 8 pieces that measured 24%, and ran them back to back, trying to keep all other variables as equal as possible, stove temp at re-load, coal bed, loading strategy, etc...this was in my 30nc. With the 18% wood, I was able to close off the air sooner and completely, with the 24% wood I could not close off the air completely and maintain secondary flames, and it took longer to get the stove to a point where it was "settled in". The 18% wood gave rolling secondaries for about 3 hours vs. 2 hours for the 24% wood. The max stove top temp was 750 vs 600, and the 18% wood held the stove temp for about an hour longer, the surface flue temp was 350 for the 18% and 400 for the 24%. At the coaling stage things equaled out, the stove temp and length of coaling stage was about the same for both loads. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but I just had to prove it to myself.
"the surface flue temp was 350 for the 18% and 400 for the 24%." I understand all but this^^^^^^ Why are the flue temps hotter with the higher moisture content? Humor me here. I'm new to all of this
that's a good test to run and nice to see the actual results that came out of it. Dry wood is def preached a lot here but I haven't seen any posts with as much info as what you have in here. Good post.
It is in your numbers, but another thing I see is that the burn cycles might be of the same length overall but you end up having to burn hotter earlier in the burn with not so dry wood. This means bigger swings in heat production which makes the natural decline in output from a wood burn cycle even worse. I think this is where not so dry burners get into trouble as they then throw more wood on to get the heat production up...a few cycles of this and they have a full firebox and no heat.
Bingo S&W. Also, once that wood does dry, it goes into overdrive. Now, you've got too much wood in the stove and it's melting your face. Ask me how I know. Ok, don't, but trust me on this.
I think everyone who decides that having 3 years of wood piled out back is worth the effort has come to this conclusion one way or another. Anyone who hasn't decided to pile 3 years of wood out back is in denial
It's one of those things you have to experience to believe. There's a big difference between 1 year seasoned birch & 2 year seasoned birch. And There's a difference between shed covered 2 years seasoned & 3 year seasoned. The biggest difference is between the 1 & 2 years seasoned. Dry wood for the cat stoves is "the key" to them operating properly. Dry is key for all stoves, but for the cats more so.
That is exactly what I was using. 18% is two year, 24% is one year, both top covered for the whole time
Not with spruce It dries faster, the 2 year stuff seems to perform the same as the 3 year stuff. I don't have lots of spruce any more, but the 1 year performed pretty good & 2 year burned noticeably cleaner & hotter. I became a wood snob, I only have about 1-1/2 cords of spruce. Didn't burn any in the stove this season. (Mostly fire pit wood now) Only cut about 1/2 a cord this year, an easy to get to scrounge. Do notice when I get a heavy pitch filled piece, it gets the stove hot fast. I used most of it up as kindling & shoulder fires 1-1/2 years ago.
