[Shelter] Heat - Wood (was Wood Stoves)

[dunewalker]

It has worked well for a couple of years now, but I am thinking of adding a ciculation pump between this storage tank that heats through thermosiphoning water from the wood furnace, and the existing propane water heater that the storage tank feeds into. A circulation pump that ran only when the storage tank was hotter than the propane heated tank would reduce our use of propane even more, I think. And then I need to figure out a place to mount some of my solar water heating panels close enough to the house to be practical, and far enough away to be out of the shade around the house.

I would suggest adjusting your hot water use instead of making your arrangement even more technically complicated. I have an arrangement roughly similar to yours except that mine has a copper coil inside the stovepipe, but otherwise it works the same way. During the cool months it makes way more hot water than necessary, but the tank helps heat the cabin if I don't use the water. In the summer I use a solar water heater of sorts, like you do. Maybe you have a large family? In any case, the key to the future is simplification, not complication...

[vtsnowedin]

I used a new electric water heater for our thermosiphon tank next to our wood furnace. The furnace has a loop of 1" (nominal size) iron pipe along one side of the firebox, and I connected it with 1" galvanized water pipe to the water heater tank. I removed the top electric element and ran the hot water pipe from the furnace loop to that opening, and connected the cool water connection to a tee that I installed at the drain at the very bottom of the tank. The way it all sits, it works out so the water heater cold connection is below the loop in the furnace, and the hot connection to the tank is above the furnace loop. It has worked well for a couple of years now, but I am thinking of adding a ciculation pump between this storage tank that heats through thermosiphoning water from the wood furnace, and the existing propane water heater that the storage tank feeds into. A circulation pump that ran only when the storage tank was hotter than the propane heated tank would reduce our use of propane even more, I think. And then I need to figure out a place to mount some of my solar water heating panels close enough to the house to be practical, and far enough away to be out of the shade around the house.

I have mine so that by opening one valve and closing another I can ethier have the wood fire preheat the water going into the propane water heater or shut off the propane tank and bypass it directly to the distrbution pipes using just the wood heat. I use the propane in the summer and when I have a lot of people in the house. 20 somethings use alot of hot water. If its just the two of us the wood furnace is all we need in winter. It sounds like your setup is just what i discribed above.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

BTW, you were right, my kitties totally love the wood stove.

[oxj]

Check out these - must be a supplier in the US somewhere

http://www.waterfordstoves.com/Wood/Stoves/

I looked at this link from madpaddy, and found a distributor near me, but found "Quadra-fire" stoves at the store, which reburn the exhaust gasses.

My wife has heard bad report about these stoves. Does anyone know about them?

Thanks.

[fireplaceguy]

Check out these - must be a supplier in the US somewhere

http://www.waterfordstoves.com/Wood/Stoves/

I looked at this link from madpaddy, and found a distributor near me, but found "Quadra-fire" stoves at the store, which reburn the exhaust gasses.

My wife has heard bad report about these stoves. Does anyone know about them?

Thanks.

Bad reports about which one??? Waterfords are cast-iron stoves that used to be imported by FPI - the parent company of Regency and Hampton stoves. The Hampton line is made by FPI and replaced Waterford a few years back. There's little if any North American support for Waterfords these days.

Sounds like your dealer defected from FPI to carry Quadrafire. Quadrafire stoves have been a good brand for years. They've had a few issues with their pellet stoves recently (too damn complex, tried making them in Mexico) but the wood stoves are fine. Price wise they're a bit on the high side, but they're made of thick welded steel plate and should last a looong time. (For longevity and low maintenance I prefer welded steel plate stoves to the cast iron ones.)

Exhaust gas reburn (called "secondary burn") is the most common way for manufacturers meet EPA requirements for low particulate emissions. In this design, most of the combustion air is introduced through perforated tubes near the top of the firebox. This fresh air reignites the smoke, burning away most of the particulates. By the time they're up to temp, the flue gases are nearly clear! This also yielded higher efficiency, and compared to the old stoves, EPA approved stoves give you equivalent heat for about 1/3 less wood.

Hope this helps...

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

So far this year we've lost power (aka heat) twice, or at least the neighbours did... The first time was for four hours and then yesterday for 1.5 hours. It sure was nice to light some candles, stoke up the wood stove and sit back comfy and secure in teh knowledge that we were fine and would be no matter how long the power was out.

Getting a wood stove was one of the best decisions I've made in a while.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

Has anyone got tips for starting fires when there is no more loose paper or newspaper to do the job?

[IslandCrow]

Has anyone got tips for starting fires when there is no more loose paper or newspaper to do the job?

Shave off little bits of wood from one of the split logs.

collect small twigs and/or moss (dry it first).

it seems before matches where common, people often 'banked' the fire, that is keeping some coals hot under the ash so they could use it to restart the fire in the morning. This might not work so well with my stove as the grating drops all the ash to a tray below, but it has worked at restarting the kitchen stove several hours after the last log was put in.

[vtsnowedin]

Has anyone got tips for starting fires when there is no more loose paper or newspaper to do the job?

Clean scrap boards cut into six inch lengths and split down to finger and pencil size make good kindling. My WW puts dryer lint into old egg cartons and pours melted parifin wax over it to make fire starters. Just tear off one or two eggs worth and pile on a handfull of kindling and light the torn edge of the egg carton. Works like a charm when you don't need fires going all day.

[wisconsin_cur]

When it is available I will cut some birch and let it dry for a year. At that point the bark will burn like paper. I just throw small logs on the coals from the previous night's fire and leave the door open a crack to get a good draft. By the time the coffee is done brewing things are usually going pretty strong.

[patience]

Any resinous wood split into thin pieces works fine for starting a fire. We have a lot of Eastern Red Cedar here, so we use that. The papery bark from that, shaved into fine fluff will work for tinder and start from a spark, if it is good and dry. Pitch pine is great, too.

[Boris555]

Has anyone got tips for starting fires when there is no more loose paper or newspaper to do the job?

I always use tree bark. Don't know what you have but juniper bark burns like gasoline. A little wad of that will set damn near anything on fire.

Smells nice, too.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

I have a fair amount of bark I'm not doing anything with. I think its birch.

I found a "recipe" for firestarters on the net. they use sawdust in a muffin pan and covered with parafin wax .

I was thinking that I could I use a chipper on my bark and shred it up, and add sawdust (which I can get for free at the local building supply) and put in it a muffin pan with parafin wax.

the wax part was on the net recipe. but is there something else I can use? I am trying to make this as cheaply and locally as I can.

[Tanada]

I have a fair amount of bark I'm not doing anything with. I think its birch.

I found a "recipe" for firestarters on the net. they use sawdust in a muffin pan and covered with parafin wax .

I was thinking that I could I use a chipper on my bark and shred it up, and add sawdust (which I can get for free at the local building supply) and put in it a muffin pan with parafin wax.

the wax part was on the net recipe. but is there something else I can use? I am trying to make this as cheaply and locally as I can.

If you want wax to burn I suggest going to your local craft store, you can buy 3 pound blocks of parafin wax cheap, they store forever without maintenance and if you make your own candles (as I do on occasion) you need them anyhow. Also any old candles you have that burn out, scrap out the wax or keep the stub and melt them down into your own supply blocks, just remember to use low heat or you can cause a fire. Candle making if you have craft store wicks and wax is incredibly easy, though there is a learning curve just like every endevour.

[vtsnowedin]

I have a fair amount of bark I'm not doing anything with. I think its birch.

I found a "recipe" for firestarters on the net. they use sawdust in a muffin pan and covered with parafin wax .

I was thinking that I could I use a chipper on my bark and shred it up, and add sawdust (which I can get for free at the local building supply) and put in it a muffin pan with parafin wax.

the wax part was on the net recipe. but is there something else I can use? I am trying to make this as cheaply and locally as I can.

Parafin wax is the cleanest and stores without mess or hazard. you can use things like bacon grease, used motor oil, lamp oil or kerosene but all have draw backs. My father used kerosene on a daily basis pouring a quarter cup on his kindling then putting a match to it. At least once there were a few live coals under the kindling that boiled some of the kerosene to fumes and when he threw in the match the wrrooomph lifted all six lids about three inches up out of their sockets. It dose a great job singeing off eyebrows and forearm hair. Take care.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

Well, see I don't think I want anything that dangerous around.. what with cats and kids etc. I think these fire starters will do good, I was just surprised as I didn't think the wax was flammable.

Did your dad loose his eyebrows enough times to decide maybe that wasn't a good thing for his health anymore? or does he still use it?

I almost lost all my hair once to a propane barbecue. No one told me I should only turn one burner on half way and I turned them both on full. I lost my eyebrows and bangs. It scared the hell out of all the adults, to see a big fire ball go up from our camp site. Still love playing with fire, and have lost some hair since then, but its best to keep that kind of thing to a minimum eh?

[topcat]

Here is an idea someone posted way back regarding emergency fire starters: Vasoline on cotton balls. (Petroleum jelly, eh???)

No, it is not sustainable but is sure seems safe to have around the house. We have some in the bath cabinet and a large container in the work shop. Just keep tehm seperate.

[vtsnowedin]

Well, see I don't think I want anything that dangerous around.. what with cats and kids etc. I think these fire starters will do good, I was just surprised as I didn't think the wax was flammable.

Did your dad loose his eyebrows enough times to decide maybe that wasn't a good thing for his health anymore? or does he still use it?

He's been gone for twenty five years now. Born in 1896 he lived to be 88. Too old to learn new tricks when he did that. He knew better but just got careless. When not in a hurry he would tear open an empty waxed paper milk carton and light one of the torn edges Before sticking it into the fire box.Then pile on the kindling and pour the kerosene on last so any fumes would light as fast as they were created and not accumulate. It would take him less then ten minutes to have the tea kettle whistling.

[PeakOiler]

Has anyone got tips for starting fires when there is no more loose paper or newspaper to do the job?

One needs the sun too.

Always save some of that junk mail so you never run out of paper.

Get an old metal ashtray or something equivalent. I used one square of TP under the toothpick-sized oak slivers. Have your woodstove ready with small kindling too. Use the junk mail envelope to transfer the fire from the ashtray to the woodstove.

[PeakOiler]

So I took the ashtray, magnifying glass, and micro-kindling out onto the front porch. The sun was out briefly, and if one looks closely for the orange spot, one can see the solar-started fire:



The picture was taken about 8am and it was about 40F outside.

If I already didn't have a fire going in the woodstove overnight, I could have started one by quickly carrying the ashtray inside to the woodstove and start tending the micro-kindling there.

Perhaps not that convenient, but it can be done.