AIM
Addicted to ArboristSite
What are the rest of you having for cubic ft.? It seems my GREAT home brew boiler may not be what I had hoped for. (I'm happy with it but tweeking it is fun and building a version 2 would be fun as well)
24 hour burn!
- Thread starter HD-tech-NH
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What are the rest of you having for cubic ft.? It seems my GREAT home brew boiler may not be what I had hoped for. (I'm happy with it but tweeking it is fun and building a version 2 would be fun as well)
modn
ArboristSite Operative
There are alot of factors in burn times. My greatest one is a new built two story. 672 sq feet per level and the upper level gets residual heat as it rises. I would guess that would cut my second story heat requierment in half. So for me I am heating a 1000 sq. ft. with a 5000 sq. ft. burner= long burn times.
Does this sound right?
Does this sound right?
Lugnutz
ArboristSite Operative
Homemade heat is COOOOOL!!
I made a wood furnace for our home this past fall. Its pretty basic and has tons of room for improvement ( aka fun experimentation ) I can load it up around 9-10pm and have enuff coals at 6 am that all I have to do is load it again and off it goes. It was designed with the thought that it would help cut down on LP use, it has almost replaced it except on those 0 to -10 degree nights where I run the furnace to help keep the under side of our double wide warm for the water lines. I can keep it around 69-72 degrees in the living room and kitchen and in the bed room it stays about 65 or so for good sleeping!! I plan on getting some pictures together with a better write up soon.
Rick
I made a wood furnace for our home this past fall. Its pretty basic and has tons of room for improvement ( aka fun experimentation ) I can load it up around 9-10pm and have enuff coals at 6 am that all I have to do is load it again and off it goes. It was designed with the thought that it would help cut down on LP use, it has almost replaced it except on those 0 to -10 degree nights where I run the furnace to help keep the under side of our double wide warm for the water lines. I can keep it around 69-72 degrees in the living room and kitchen and in the bed room it stays about 65 or so for good sleeping!! I plan on getting some pictures together with a better write up soon.
Rick
modn
ArboristSite Operative
Homemade heat is COOOOOL!!
I made a wood furnace for our home this past fall. Its pretty basic and has tons of room for improvement ( aka fun experimentation ) I can load it up around 9-10pm and have enuff coals at 6 am that all I have to do is load it again and off it goes. It was designed with the thought that it would help cut down on LP use, it has almost replaced it except on those 0 to -10 degree nights where I run the furnace to help keep the under side of our double wide warm for the water lines. I can keep it around 69-72 degrees in the living room and kitchen and in the bed room it stays about 65 or so for good sleeping!! I plan on getting some pictures together with a better write up soon.
Rick
Is that a contender in your pic?
Lugnutz
ArboristSite Operative
Close enuff 
its actually an Encore. I have a link to my pictures in another post in the Chainsaw forum if you wanna look.
its actually an Encore. I have a link to my pictures in another post in the Chainsaw forum if you wanna look.
HD-tech-NH
ArboristSite Operative
Wow and here I thought this thread was dead. This morning 6AM I loaded the stove. Home at 6PM still 3/4 full! Conditions at the house were in the teens, poorly, very poorly insulated home with pregnant wife all day! I love my boiler and cant wait to see what it does when I insulate the attic!
Scootermsp
ArboristSite Guru
Insulate now
Put as much as you can afford up there! I put 4 big shagbark hickory rounds in the dog around 9PM. I stuffed the rest of it with red oak. It's 3F here now with 35-45MPH winds...will adivise in AM how it did as far as hours. I'm hoping for 12-14, we'll see. Happy New Year!
Put as much as you can afford up there! I put 4 big shagbark hickory rounds in the dog around 9PM. I stuffed the rest of it with red oak. It's 3F here now with 35-45MPH winds...will adivise in AM how it did as far as hours. I'm hoping for 12-14, we'll see. Happy New Year!
November Wolf
ArboristSite Operative
I'm real happy with my boiler so far. I have been loading it every 18-19 hours and that is not a full load. It has only been in operation since monday but I am really impressed so far. Happy New Year.
modn
ArboristSite Operative
I'm real happy with my boiler so far. I have been loading it every 18-19 hours and that is not a full load. It has only been in operation since monday but I am really impressed so far. Happy New Year.
I'm, with ya on that!! I loaded my boiler (normal load) yesterday @5:30pm, it is/was 0° out. Just a few minutes ago I looked out and no smoke coming out of the chimney....Uh-oh, did I push it too far? I went out (7:45am), the boiler was sitting there idling happy as can be at 176°. I opened the door and it had at least 8" of super hot red coals evenly spread out on the bottom with just a little wood left, perfect! All in all I'm super happy to get over 14 hours with a regular load of white pine & maple in this weather. I sure am learning this boiler as we go along. It sure is predictable for the most part. I've had no negative surprises yet, just positive.
AIM
Addicted to ArboristSite
version 2 is gonna look something like this.
Except the chimney will go out the back instead of the top.
Except the chimney will go out the back instead of the top.
bowtechmadman
Addicted to ArboristSite
Heating about 3800 sq. ft and DHW no problem getting 12-14hrs w/ about half load no matter what the temps are. Woodmaster5500
bowtechmadman
Addicted to ArboristSite
Re-read your post Aim...here is the size of the bioler I'm running.
5500 specifications
Fire Box 50" x 56"
Door Size 27" x 27"
Thickness 1/4" Fire Drum & Water Jacket
Draft Control Fan
Overall Size 6' x 7' x 8'6"
Water Capacity 194 gallons
Heating Area 10,000 sq. ft.
5500 specifications
Fire Box 50" x 56"
Door Size 27" x 27"
Thickness 1/4" Fire Drum & Water Jacket
Draft Control Fan
Overall Size 6' x 7' x 8'6"
Water Capacity 194 gallons
Heating Area 10,000 sq. ft.
Lugnutz
ArboristSite Operative
boilers are something new to me what are you using for a heat transfer?
are you using a pump on the water supply or is the water moving on its own thru the system via hot water rising cold water sinking concept?
are you using a pump on the water supply or is the water moving on its own thru the system via hot water rising cold water sinking concept?
HD-tech-NH
ArboristSite Operative
I use a heat exchanger with a pump to circulate thru the boiler.
HD-tech-NH
ArboristSite Operative
Heat Exchanger...
November Wolf
ArboristSite Operative
Nice looking job there!
bowtechmadman
Addicted to ArboristSite
Same as HD...pump for the loop coming from the boiler...heat plate to exchange the heat to the inside loop.
HD-tech-NH
ArboristSite Operative
oneoldbanjo
Addicted to ArboristSite
Aim:
You might get a little better efficiency if you extend the flue entering the back of the burn chamber up to about 1/3rd of the way to the front of the burn chamber. You would operate it by pulling the coals up to the front of the firebox and loading new wood toward the back. My Woodmaster is built this way and when the air enters at the front it goes back and feeds the fire and the flame must travel back up to the front to exit. The Woodmaster also has several rows of square tubing that is filled with water along the top that helps to pull as much heat as possible before the heat leaves the burner. My Woodmaster has a sliding door in the vent that when open allows the smoke to go out the back to help cut down on smoke while you are loading the OWB.
You might get a little better efficiency if you extend the flue entering the back of the burn chamber up to about 1/3rd of the way to the front of the burn chamber. You would operate it by pulling the coals up to the front of the firebox and loading new wood toward the back. My Woodmaster is built this way and when the air enters at the front it goes back and feeds the fire and the flame must travel back up to the front to exit. The Woodmaster also has several rows of square tubing that is filled with water along the top that helps to pull as much heat as possible before the heat leaves the burner. My Woodmaster has a sliding door in the vent that when open allows the smoke to go out the back to help cut down on smoke while you are loading the OWB.
