Wood Burning Stoves - Heating Radiator Etc

[KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN]

We are thinking of installing a wood burning stove that would be capable of running about 8 radiators.

Someone told mu husband that his stove shuts down once heaters are up to temperature but opens up again once the temperature drops.

Anyone any suggestions or recommendations?

Our idea is to keep the oil boiler as back up.

Cheers

[_Ju_]

I can only imagine they will be as much of a hassle as coal burning closed fires. Taking out the ashes twice a day is not so bad, but there is dust everywhere all the time! And then you have to take the ashes out: even with a slight breeze and in an only half full bucket, they still fly into the air and almost invariably blow back through the open door you are trying to get out of. I don't know if modern enclosed fires are different, but with the one I have there is no temperature control. You either roast or freeze. They are lovely to look at on a long winter night, but closed fires are alot of work!

[rum rat]

If you get a power cut when using one then you are in trouble - there is no method of getting the heat away. A standby generator is a must to provide a power supply to the central heating pump.

[bekisman]

If you get a power cut when using one then you are in trouble - there is no method of getting the heat away. A standby generator is a must to provide a power supply to the central heating pump.

You are right there rum rat - when we had solid fuel - Rayburn Nouvelle burning coal/anthracite - and the power went down, it very quickly 'over heated', the heat-leak rad did a bit, but then the ultra hot water would start spurting back into the header tank.. Shutting the damper did not help, we would sometimes resort to putting sand into the fire box, and would worry what would have happened if we had not been at home..

So we got a 2.7kw generator as back up - all done properly with a mains transfer switch - just a couple of minutes to get out to the shed, pull the starter, come back in and switch from 'off' to 'Generator' which would sort it ou -, mind you there was super-heated water in the rads for a bit.
Anyway got rid of the Rayburn - an earlier poster pointed out the annoyances of emptying the ash - especially up here with the wind..
Now we're on Oil -just push a button and bask in the heat, power goes down; so what, no danger, just start the gennie and the boiler pump carries on.. lovely! ;)

[KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN]

I can only imagine they will be as much of a hassle as coal burning closed fires. Taking out the ashes twice a day is not so bad, but there is dust everywhere all the time! And then you have to take the ashes out: even with a slight breeze and in an only half full bucket, they still fly into the air and almost invariably blow back through the open door you are trying to get out of. I don't know if modern enclosed fires are different, but with the one I have there is no temperature control. You either roast or freeze. They are lovely to look at on a long winter night, but closed fires are alot of work!

No worried if they are more hassle - I have an open fire the now in current house and certainly no worried for the work involved. Have also had enclosed fires in past just looking for recommendations from anyone - but thanks for that.

PS - what on earth are you doing faffing about taking ashed outside in an open bucket ? that's mental ??

[KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN]

If you get a power cut when using one then you are in trouble - there is no method of getting the heat away. A standby generator is a must to provide a power supply to the central heating pump.

so just same as our open fire ? just have to let the water run to let it circulate the system?

Aye no probs though we have a generator - thanks though.

[KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN]

Also for further posts - what we want to know is anyone who has an enslosed system which has a thermostat or some thing in the stove itself which works draft or whatever to shut down the burning a little when the radiators are at temp - then fires back up say through night or whatever when it cools down ?

[Better Out Than In]

A few years ago I replace our open fire with a multi-fuel stove and we exclusively burn wood. I kept the main boiler and fitted two pumps. So we can still use the timer and boiler and use the wood stove, or both together. Fitting the stove also blocked up the open chimney - so stopped that howling gale.

We bought a stove with a a water jacket all round so does not get roasting externally. It is tremendously efficient and heats all our hot water and radiators. Would not do with out it - especially as our main boiler is bottled gas. Carbon neutral too.

If there is a power cut you just set the thermostat low, usually there is enough natural circulation to keep most of radiators warm. The hot water is natural circulation anyway with a separate connection so if stove sounds like it is getting too hot you can just run off a bit of hot water.

[Headwark]

I have a multi fuel stove for my heating ,if you need further info please get in touch.

[Errogie]

With this number of radiators there is a risk that too much heat is drawn off by the water jacket and you end up with poor combustion and little heat from the stove itself. To get the most out of wood particularly if it is anything above 30% water content you have to burn it hot otherwise you can end up with horrendous tar in your chimmney and worse from what has sometimes been described as the "trendy" pollutant. The best combustion is acheived from a heavy freestanding cast iron stove with a straight run flue and air intake and no radiators or waterheating taken from it apart from a large kettle on top.

Neighbours of mine have been through this recently and had to take the unit out again because it simply was not performing to spec. When it comes to blown ash nothing can match peat ash for blowback. Check the wind before going out and cover with something before you spill it out.

[david]

We are thinking of installing a wood burning stove that would be capable of running about 8 radiators.

Someone told mu husband that his stove shuts down once heaters are up to temperature but opens up again once the temperature drops.

Anyone any suggestions or recommendations?

Our idea is to keep the oil boiler as back up.

Cheers

You don't need to clean a wooburner out every day at all. Wood burns best on a bed of ash. You only need to clean it out when the ash pan gets near full to the fire irons. We burn daily and only need clean out fortnightly as the wood burning efficiently will produce very little ash.

Hope this helps

[changilass]

We have a hunter herald with a back boiler, heats up to 12 radiators.

To be honest we just let the fire die at night and the heat in the house does us till morning meaning no messing with hot ashes. I can't stand being too hot at night, so this suits us.

If I can't be bothered first thing to light it, I just put the halogen heater on for a wee while.

Have to say I love the stove, but if I was to have one again I don't think I would have one with a back boiler.

Its nice to light a 'real' fire when you want it, rather than because you need it.

[Dog-eared]

These are good for emptying the fire ash into-
http://www.tippyash.co.uk/

[captain chaos]

KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN

Speak to Derek Sutherland from Forss Engineering as I have been looking at this as well. I want to replace my oil boiler with a wood burner. You dont need to be so worried about power cuts if you have a "heat store" as this will take the heat from the boiler.

Derek has fitted many wood burning systems and is very knowlegable and helpful about them
Tel: 01847 861317

Have a look at this thread
http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?t=102778&

[rum rat]

If you fit a "Heatstore" it has to be sited higher than the burner with an upward running "hot" leg in order for the thermosyphonic action to take place. If you neglect to fit the storage unit correctly or lose circulation water will start to boil in the water jacket, then you are in real trouble.
Mine has no water jacket and it heats the whole house and you can slow cook a meal in a cast iron pot on top of it. Half a gallon of water in a kettle will boil in about 20 minutes. The burner has an output equivalent to 11 kilowats.