Apparently logs can be too dry

[openspaceman]

 

Perhaps that idea might have been of use with those smokey glen farrow boilers talked about on here a while back, I know they wouldn't believe it but I think we both thought some of their problem was too cold a return/chamber cooling the burn.

 

Yes didn't the boiler form part of the combustion chamber?

[neiln]

The need for good high temps for a clean burn is clear and although I am not a supporter of wet wood I'd like to point out that other things affect the burn rate and hence stove temp. My other half just said, ' Running the stove a bit low tonight? I'm cold.'. Glancing at the flue thermometer it read 180C and the firebox contents were coaling hardwood. I opened all 3 air inlets and looked at the Fireside log store, then selected 2 short and middling diameter soft wood splits. 3 mins later the flue thermometer reads 340C and judging by the nuclear inferno in the firebox, still climbing. Clearly soft woods burn hot, and small splits burn hot too.

[openspaceman]

The need for good high temps for a clean burn is clear and although I am not a supporter of wet wood I'd like to point out that other things affect the burn rate and hence stove temp. My other half just said, ' Running the stove a bit low tonight? I'm cold.'. Glancing at the flue thermometer it read 180C and the firebox contents were coaling hardwood. I opened all 3 air inlets and looked at the Fireside log store, then selected 2 short and middling diameter soft wood splits. 3 mins later the flue thermometer reads 340C and judging by the nuclear inferno in the firebox, still climbing. Clearly soft woods burn hot, and small splits burn hot too.

 

This is largely because you exposed more fuel surface area as well as increasing the air supply.

 

Sending flue gas up the chimney at 340C seems a bit wasteful

 

Softwoods tend to have more calories for the same weight but also, along with any less dense wood) the surface heats up quicker so they ignite more easily.

[neiln]

I hadn't intended to get that hot, the speed of the rise took me by surprise! However I have read, and do practice, regular short excursions to high temps are good for keeping the flue clean. Judging by the 'tinkle Tinkle's sound I had, a fair bit of soot or cresote got dislodged and fell back into the stove, so it served some purpose. Anyway.... What price a warm and therefore happy other half