logwood gasifying boiler or woodchip boiler?

[difflock]

I too saw an architect designed from scratch/no expense spared installation Hoval pellet burner in a very new, i.e about 3 year old high spec new build.

Get ripped out and replaced by an oil boiler.

About 5 year ago.

So probably better to stick with the Froling T4 gasifying Logwood option.

sigh.

[openspaceman]

I too saw an architect designed from scratch/no expense spared installation Hoval pellet burner in a very new, i.e about 3 year old high spec new build.

Get ripped out and replaced by an oil boiler.

About 5 year ago.

So probably better to stick with the Froling T4 gasifying Logwood option.

sigh.

 

The Kob I quoted cost £300k plus quite a lot of snagging to rectify feed problems. It had a 10k replacement sweep auger 6 months before the system was sold.

 

BTW as my chip stoker has not enough load I just fill it with a broken pallet and some arb waste logs, that heats the 3tonnes of water up to 80C in 2-3 hours .

[StephF]

Find out how easy it will be for you to sustain a dry supply of 25+ tonnes of firewood a year for next 10-20? years before you worry about anything else, for the boiler, dont know much about chips, but look at how easy it is to get a reliable source. dont forget if its you doing the cutting etc what happens if you get injury or sick? you need a massive store of dry wood to keep a boiler going, and it is not getting any cheaper to come by.

[difflock]

A fair point for a grumpy 54 year old to consider.

I probably have 3 years put by at the moment, and would hope to keep this "buffer" in place as I roll forward.

I have also attempted to avoid multiple manual handling for this very reason.

But "logging" is the only exercise, other than dog walking, that I get, so I had better stick at it.

cheers

m

[codlasher]

The KISS principal is very important with these pieces of machinery.

 

@StephF is right too in injury, but there is also AGE too! Unless you have a huge yard, a loader to fill your hopper (see picture, excuse the dirty windscreen!)) for the next week and understand your boiler completely, avoid anything with too much 'tek' as you will have to pay the specialists considerable sums to 'fix' the silly niggling problems.

 

A friend and I tried chipping dry arb arisings that had been stockpiled for 18 months and I wouldn't want to try that again! The poor chap operating the crane feeding the Heizohak couldn't see most of the time and he was wearing BA too.

 

Arisings are the best way but you need quite an area of concrete in the summer and quite a storage area under cover to put the dried chip too with grain drying ventilators to keep the air moving through.

 

I think the heat meter is the recognised way to claim any tariff but I'm not up to speed on that yet.

codlasher

[aspen]

I had considered a wood chip installation back about 8 years ago before I choose to install the logwood gasifier.

I have "unlimited" "free" wood so it would not make sense to buy chip.

I reckon if I either set the smaller dia logs aside for chipping, or split the larger to size to suit a smaller chipper, I could either preferably hire, or reluctantly buy a tractor powered 2nd hand chipper.

I do rather fancy the "automatic" nature of the chip system, even if I had to transfer chip from a bulk store to a hopper, say on a weekly basis.

The auto lighting system is a big attraction.

I would also retain my 2000litre accumulator tank.

However

I understand these chip systems are better suited to larger, more commercial sized systems.

For domestic use, it all seems to have swung to pellet systems.

Must have a prowl on the greenbuilding forum

cheers

m

 

Im sure you wouldnt have to buy woodchip, most tree guys are happy to give it away. It would be a lot less handling compared to log chipping.

All you are doing is drying it and burning it.

[farmer rod]

I too saw an architect designed from scratch/no expense spared installation Hoval pellet burner in a very new, i.e about 3 year old high spec new build.

Get ripped out and replaced by an oil boiler.

About 5 year ago.

So probably better to stick with the Froling T4 gasifying Logwood option.

sigh.

 

Our Eta was commissioned a year ago today, it has run very well with only very minor cause intervention. I have just added up the costs of the wood, the machine thinks it got through 46 tonnes of chip, I thought 'I had a big pile of wood, the day the chipper came he had shredded it by lunchtime, and to get to the end of the year I had to buy three 8 wheeler loads.

 

So the cost works out at between 2.4 and 3.2 p/kWh which about the same as gas and half the price of oil.

 

I have been collecting wood since last aug, and the chipper came on Monday last, again the shed is stacked, but i have spent quite a bit of time and effort and some money getting all these bits of timber back here.

 

I wish I had a trailer crane like your difflock that would make the whole thing a lot easier

 

Ive tried drying woodchips and its quite possible, but not easy to achieve without spending even more money.

[difflock]

I do keep telling anyone who asks (or can be persuaded to listen)

(i) Insulate, insulate, insulate.

(ii) Make sure your boiler, plumbing and controls are working correctly.

(iii)Turn the thermostat back to 18 deg downstairs.

(iv) Limit the running hours of the boiler forby, i.e. do NOT leave it stat controlled

(v)Consider putting a logburner ( NOT plumbed in) in the living room.

AND

Finally do not EVEN consider replacing an oil boiler with a wood boiler.

UNLESS

One has an unlimited supply of free wood.

[openspaceman]

 

So the cost works out at between 2.4 and 3.2 p/kWh which about the same as gas and half the price of oil.

 

How have you calculated this? Capital plus O&M plus cost of wood?

 

 

I wish I had a trailer crane like your difflock that would make the whole thing a lot easier

 

Do you mean for travelling on the road with timber or on your own land?

 

50 tonne/annum work would keep an old County from rusting up.

[codlasher]

I do keep telling anyone who asks (or can be persuaded to listen)

(i) Insulate, insulate, insulate.

(ii) Make sure your boiler, plumbing and controls are working correctly.

(iii)Turn the thermostat back to 18 deg downstairs.

(iv) Limit the running hours of the boiler forby, i.e. do NOT leave it stat controlled

(v)Consider putting a logburner ( NOT plumbed in) in the living room.

AND

Finally do not EVEN consider replacing an oil boiler with a wood boiler.

UNLESS

One has an unlimited supply of free wood.

 

Agreed! Particularly with No1. Keeping the heat IN the house and in winter a ROOM is paramount.

codlasher