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Rob_the_Sparky

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Everything posted by Rob_the_Sparky

  1. Rob_the_Sparky
    Not done it but solar thermal is going to be much cheaper than solar cells, and all the equipment required to feed power into the mains. One of the reasons for not doing it is that many UK solar hot water systems rely on a mains powered pump and I have never been shown evidence that it would not boil the primary circuit should the pump fail to run (e.g. power cut). If you have the right locations then the system does not need to be pumped (thermo-syphon instead) so I think this is a safer set-up.
  2. Rob_the_Sparky
    Looks like you have a small amount of wood in a large building so you maybe getting away with it. Drying outside is fine, put some pallets on the floor to lift them off the ground and cover with a sheet (only the top, leave the sides open) and they will dry nicely.
  3. Rob_the_Sparky
    Softwood cut and split like that can dry remarkably quickly. I had a stack I split back end of last year, since then it has been cold and wet up to the point I tested it and readings were ~15%. The stuff I dried over summer and put in the garage (but have almost run out of) ~12%, a couple of logs from each load split and measured in the middle.
  4. Rob_the_Sparky
    If you can't get any more air through the room then the only choice I see is to run a de-humidifier to remove the water. Not sure what the running cost would be though versus the income generated. Possibly not economic.
  5. Rob_the_Sparky
    If you do something like then then just have to make sure the air flow passes through the pile and not just out the sides of the pallets. I.e. you need some sort of sealing to ensure you don't waste much of your air flow. Note: at the same temperature damp air is lighter (more accurately less dense) than dry air so naturally rises.
  6. Rob_the_Sparky
    That is how I would read it. We are still working in the office, all be it as few people as possible coming in, but it is not a case of shut down the business. The guys that can't work without coming in are in, but shifts are also in place to further minimise contact. If you can keep your distance from each other and clients I see no reason for you all to stop work.
  7. Rob_the_Sparky
    I am, when I'm at home I can keep the fire in so use more wood and less gas. As above though the weather is bringing consumption down at the same time. Certainly not using 50% more and not in danger of running out.
  8. Rob_the_Sparky
    A couple of years old but this review might help: Best Battery-Powered Chainsaw Shootout | Pro Tool Reviews WWW.PROTOOLREVIEWS.COM Looking for the best battery-powered chainsaw under $400(ish)? We've got a breakdown of the best options currently on the market!
  9. Rob_the_Sparky
    IsoProp is great for removing tree sap but not sure why I'd bother with it to clean the glass when water does a good job.
  10. Rob_the_Sparky
    Love the way it automatically generates the hyper link from the words tip site
  11. Rob_the_Sparky
    or look in tip site link for someone local to take them?
  12. Rob_the_Sparky
    You can try registering on the tip site linked from the top of this forum. I got a local supply by e-mailing local tree surgeons direct and now have a supply set-up before I was aware of the tip site link...
  13. Rob_the_Sparky
    Sounds like you are not giving it enough air. Too little air and you don't burn everything so as well as soot you yet tars in the chimney, which is why it is not recommended to run them shut down too much. You need to add enough air to get a complete burn, but that is the tricky bit as it will vary depending on the burn rate (or more accurately the rate at which gas is being generated from the wood) so it is very much a learnt thing for your stove with your wood.
  14. Rob_the_Sparky
    I just get a grey buildup over time that is mildly annoying to look at but seems to have no effect on anything apart from looks. It reaches a level and then remains like that if you don't clean it. Occasionally I get a burst of enthusiasm and clean it off with a damp bit of kitchen roll. No effort required it more or less wipes off but needs a few pieces to get it clean as I leave it a long time between cleans.
  15. Rob_the_Sparky
    Fire box unknown as they have photo-shopped flames onto the image. How to tell if something is good or not just from a photo?
  16. Rob_the_Sparky
    Yes, the water is breaking down so it releases the right ratios for a big boom. From the photos I'd guess that most of the boom came from gas inside the battery so may well happen even with good ventilation.
  17. Rob_the_Sparky
    Maybe get these power stations to dry the wood first so generating more power from the same amount of wood?
  18. Rob_the_Sparky
    Not only that, gas, electric and water do not need carrying into the house and the stoves don't need loading manually.
  19. Rob_the_Sparky
    Add your self to the tip site list that Steve provided a link for. It is there just for that purpose...
  20. Rob_the_Sparky
    Is there still time to get it changed to 25% or is it already a done deal? What numbers are used in other countries? I thought that Scandinavian countries also have limits for moisture content of firewood.
  21. Rob_the_Sparky
    They are just selling what there is demand for. Same effort to go to the woods and get hardwood as softwood, pretty much the same effort to cut and split and you can sell hardwood for more money so if you can get hardwood to sell why wouldn't you if there is more profit in hardwood? Then as you say there is the demand problem for softwood. All of this is good news for those of us happy to process our own logs and happy to burn softwood.
  22. Rob_the_Sparky
    Use the meter to take a moisture measurement before putting in the oven. Then weigh the wood. Put wood in the oven to dry it out and weigh again at the enf. This gives you the dry weight and wet weight of the wood so you can calculate the moisture % of the wood before it went in the oven to compare with your meter measured value.
  23. Rob_the_Sparky
    I think the point is measure it before going in the oven, then calculate the real percentage from the weight before and after drying. Then compare the two...
  24. Rob_the_Sparky
    I have a clearview Pioneer 400, if I have the door not quite fully closed then I get a blast furnace type effect, which sounds something like what you are describing. As above I'd guess you have a minor air leak in the door seal.
  25. Rob_the_Sparky
    Similarly I offered my supplier cash but he prefers the odd bottle of red. Oh and you are lucky... Never added myself to the tip site as I get as much as I need already.

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