burning smokless fuel and wood

Lotus-eater

I only burn wood, but a friend of mine burns smokeless fuel and wood at the same time.

I'm aware that wood has about half the calorific content of SF.

He thinks that the way the heat is radiated from SF, means it heats the stove and therefore the room, better than wood.
He thinks this is due to the way SF burns, it produces more radiated heat than wood. So presumably more wood heat goes up the chimney.

I'm not convinced, I thought all heat (bar the stuff that goes out through the glass) in a stove, went towards heating the body of it and then radiated into the room, therefore heat is heat.

But I welcome any other views, even if it makes me look an idiot.

crphillips

People have some strange theories on this. Basically it's not making full use of your wood burning it on top of smokeless fuel as SF burns much hotter and the majority of the wood goes up your chimney only partially burnt. Burn one or the other is the advise but i expect to be contradicted but the official advice is burn one or the other. As a chimney sweep the flues of peoples stoves who burn wood on top of coal are always a lot dirtier so that would stand up with the official theory. A lot of people chuck the odd log on to get a better flame effect. Also i find people who burn wood on top of SF generally have poor draw or wet wood and it's the only way they can get it to burn.

suki1964

I burn wood on top of the smokeless when the smokeless is nearly burned out. I have no intentions of keeping my stove in all night so the smokeless I loaded it with 4 hours ago is nearly on its last legs so Im just adding a log now and will do so till bed time


As for soot, we removed about half a cup when sweeping it last week after it being used for about 5 months this year

I also doubt the wood I use is fully seasoned, I have no idea what wood it is either, its just what i can get when I can get it

A._Badger

suki1964 wrote: »

I burn wood on top of the smokeless when the smokeless is nearly burned out. I have no intentions of keeping my stove in all night so the smokeless I loaded it with 4 hours ago is nearly on its last legs so Im just adding a log now and will do so till bed time

That's interesting - I occasionally do the same for the same reasons. It's not worth putting a huge amount of smokeless on at midnight - certainly not with a thumping great 14kw stove!

For the most part, though, I burn one or the other, which is one of the reasons why the locomotive rocking grate on my Hunter is so good - it's easy to switch between the wood and coal settings.

Aesthetically, I think wood looks nicer but when it gets really cold the output from a decent smokeless fuel is far greater, so I switch over to that.

No soot problems here, according to my sweep, but we do get it cleaned regularly.

suki1964

A._Badger wrote: »

That's interesting - I occasionally do the same for the same reasons. It's not worth putting a huge amount of smokeless on at midnight - certainly not with a thumping great 14kw stove!

For the most part, though, I burn one or the other, which is one of the reasons why the locomotive rocking grate on my Hunter is so good - it's easy to switch between the wood and coal settings.

Aesthetically, I think wood looks nicer but when it gets really cold the output from a decent smokeless fuel is far greater, so I switch over to that.

No soot problems here, according to my sweep, but we do get it cleaned regularly.

Funny cos when you have a good molten wood burn going it looks very similar to smokeless - well I think so anyway.

As for soot, we had a problem last week in that we were getting smoked out, no draw on the fire and smoke belching out. First thought - sweep. No sweep available for TWO weeks:eek: So hubby had to do the honours. One of the joys of having a through the roof flue - hubby just climbed on the roof and took it down section by section to clean

As it was it was good practice for him cos he was back out later raising the height of the flue. Funny we had no problems for near on a year, then last week as I said, no draw and being kippered. Adding an extra half metre has sorted it now. Perhaps the weather this time of year is unique ( we had the stove installed January)

beanrua

suki1964 wrote: »

I burn wood on top of the smokeless when the smokeless is nearly burned out. I have no intentions of keeping my stove in all night so the smokeless I loaded it with 4 hours ago is nearly on its last legs so Im just adding a log now and will do so till bed time


As for soot, we removed about half a cup when sweeping it last week after it being used for about 5 months this year

I also doubt the wood I use is fully seasoned, I have no idea what wood it is either, its just what i can get when I can get it

Suki - how much did you load it with? i.e. a bucket full or a scuttle full? How long would a 50K bag of smokeless last? am looking for tips to try and get max warmth and usage out of my stove. Thanks

suki1964

beanrua wrote: »

Suki - how much did you load it with? i.e. a bucket full or a scuttle full? How long would a 50K bag of smokeless last? am looking for tips to try and get max warmth and usage out of my stove. Thanks

I use a bucket a day on average - today I lit it at about 11ish and still have half a bucket left - this size I think http://www.thefiresideshop.co.uk//category-6429/product-4973//Thirlmere-coal-hod.html

This is my stove http://www.direct-fireplaces.com/p/88173/tiger-stove-a-multi-fuel-stovein-stock-for-immediate-dispatch.html

I load enough to fill the grate - about quarter a bucket and leave the vents open to get it all burning, when all red and flames, I shut all the vents and leave it. Prolly give a wee top up every few hours - and I mean a wee amount - to keep it going through the day. When it gets colder at the night I add another good load and open it up again to get it really hot before shutting it down and letting it glow.

If I feel like the rooms are getting too cold late evening - thats when I use the logs - just to keep the fire pumping away.

I dont know how long the bag lasts as I order two sacks every fortnight and a sack of anthracite about once a month but as I never let the bunker go empty I couldnt say how much I use as there would have been a pile left over from last winter. And thats for two stoves

The anthracite I get in because although its a !!!!!! to burn in a stove, it works just like slack and keeps the fire in nicely when Im away out to work. I never try to keep it in all night though, I prefer to start a clean fire in the morning ( although the stove is often still warm to touch)

Hope thats helpful. It is all trial and error and this is what I have found works for me

beanrua

Suki - Thanks for taking the time to give such a detailed reply - I really appreciate that. I know what you mean by trial and error. I have had my charnwood stove for just under a year and we are just getting nicely acquainted now. I guess I am doing things quite similar to yourself but just like to check that I am not missing out on any tips in getting the fire to stay in for longer. Thanks again - hope you are warm and cosy.

welda

First time since having stove I am at this moment burning "Surefire Ovoids", 3 bags @ 25kg's = £26.50, I nearly died :eek: and there goes Mrs W's Christmas :rotfl:up the lum!!

Well timed with your informative post Suki, I have now opened all vents, stove flaring off like a banshee, I'll throttle back after coals have a good glow, I must have put in a couple of average shovelfull @ 16.15, I'll see how long this lasts, I also noted yours & Mr B's advice about using logs at latter end of the night.

Rrrrrrrrrrrright, where did I leave the marshmallows :doh:

:beer:

suki1964

welda wrote: »

First time since having stove I am at this moment burning "Surefire Ovoids", 3 bags @ 25kg's = £26.50, I nearly died :eek: and there goes Mrs W's Christmas :rotfl:up the lum!!

Well timed with your informative post Suki, I have now opened all vents, stove flaring off like a banshee, I'll throttle back after coals have a good glow, I must have put in a couple of average shovelfull @ 16.15, I'll see how long this lasts, I also noted yours & Mr B's advice about using logs at latter end of the night.

Rrrrrrrrrrrright, where did I leave the marshmallows :doh:

:beer:

Lordy - thats dear :eek:

Do you not have a coalman or somewhere you can store a large delivery? We were so lucky that my husband found a tonne sized bunker left out at the recycling centre, only needed a lid and a catch. Makes buying fuel a lot cheaper in the long run - and saves my back

welda

suki1964 wrote: »

Lordy - thats dear :eek:

Do you not have a coalman or somewhere you can store a large delivery? We were so lucky that my husband found a tonne sized bunker left out at the recycling centre, only needed a lid and a catch. Makes buying fuel a lot cheaper in the long run - and saves my back

It is from the coalman Suki, I'm really just experimenting at the moment, if it looks a goer, I'll look for larger storage capacity. I also have mains NG, so a case of weighing up one against the other?

Coals been on for an hour now, last time I felt this hot, my flameproof overalls were on fire :j

Bet you were waiting to read something else eh