In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Great for drying wood

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by jrider, Jul 17, 2019.

  1. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2015
    Messages:
    22,291
    Likes Received:
    134,672
    Location:
    Country life, Ga
    I hope y'all stay safe. I was looking at the radar for your area earlier.
     
  2. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    43,287
    Likes Received:
    267,941
    Location:
    Central MI
    Had one big wind gust then rain. Just some distant thunder. A severe warning around Saginaw but we are good. The storm is already breaking up, as usual. Not much rain has fell but there are still a couple waves coming at us.
     
  3. Erik B

    Erik B

    Joined:
    May 12, 2015
    Messages:
    4,886
    Likes Received:
    32,900
    Location:
    Western Wisconsin
    Rain for today was just over eight tenths of an inch.
     
  4. sawset

    sawset

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2019
    Messages:
    40
    Likes Received:
    217
    Location:
    Palmyra, WI
    Perrot state park. Visiting friends. Rare weather pattern - extremly hot humid, then torrential down bursts, 4-5" rain, now almost jacket weather. Visited Winona, north by a few miles.
     
  5. Erik B

    Erik B

    Joined:
    May 12, 2015
    Messages:
    4,886
    Likes Received:
    32,900
    Location:
    Western Wisconsin
    I was up in Trempealeau Friday morning doing some weed whacking for a friend. It was hot. How long are you going to be there? Sending you a PM.
     
  6. stuckinthemuck

    stuckinthemuck

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    3,089
    Likes Received:
    14,315
    Location:
    Wandering around in the NH woods.
    Forgive me for doubting this but a 91 F dry bulb temp and 61 F wet bulb results in 14% relative humidity and a dew point of 35 F. Tried this with numerous calculators and came up with the same results. I’d say those conditions are pretty darn good for drying wood anywhere outside of the desert Southwest. The overnight temp of the stack will depend on how it is constructed and exposure to sunlight during the day. The mass will have a temperature inertia that will lag the outside temp. I agree that condensation or dew can form on the stack but with a little air flow, that condensation will be evaporated rather quickly and before a significant amount can be absorbed back into the wood. Stack temp can easily exceed the outside air temperature if it is in a sunny location. The below pic was taken on an 83 degree day. I did not take a reading on the shady side of the stack but it would be interesting to see how it compared to the OAT. This is just my opinion based on experience and a little reading.

    This is the Rh calculator I used.

    Online Humidity Calculator

    A31DF367-FE14-4811-9816-992492BE4986.jpeg
     
  7. billb3

    billb3

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2013
    Messages:
    9,799
    Likes Received:
    50,302
    Location:
    SE Mass
    Call me a luddite, I'll stick to using my sling psychrometer for calculating rH.
     
  8. sawset

    sawset

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2019
    Messages:
    40
    Likes Received:
    217
    Location:
    Palmyra, WI
    Just like everything else on the old radioshack ad pages, there is probably a wifi app and sensor for that too.
     
  9. basod

    basod

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2013
    Messages:
    5,032
    Likes Received:
    20,683
    Location:
    Mount Cheaha AL
    Dew point and wet bulb are essentially the same or for laymen I consider them the same less latent heat of evaporation.
    The Op actually had 96db/69dp with an RH of 41%.
    Barometric pressure factors into the calculation as well but not a big factor unless at high altitude or a front is moving through.

    When wet bulb temps are at their lowest moisture will move from wood(think cold sublimation) I hate to talk in “relative” humidity because it’s relative to dry bulb which fluctuates greatly throughout the day- maybe 4-6hrs a day of low RH and 18-20 of high RH

    If you can heat the stack with sun or kiln to above wetbulb and maintain airflow the wood will dry. Once wood temps drop below or wetbulb temp increases due to surrounding air mass cooling the wood can no longer sweat or evaporate and drying will cease.