Change of heating

[Waka]

Hi All

Just a quicky on the Hotspot wood burners, whats the flue smoke like?

I'm thinking of installing one before next winter but HID's thinks that it will produce to much smoke and upset the neighbours.

 

[ike]

whats the flue smoke like?

Smelly, usually contains highish level of phenols and tar. Whitish brownn or occasionally black depending on whether there's a concensus.

It rather depends on what your burning doesn't it?

cheers,

Ike

 

[syntec4]

Hi Waka
I've just put one in my new Workshop http://theguitardoctor.blogspot.com/2006/03/workshop-update.html

It works well, but I'm not sure I would have one at home if I had close neighbors. My workshop is on a farm so it doesn't matter. The flue already has black gunge running down it. The smoke can be pretty thick, especially if you put green wood on it. MDF/Chipboard etc is also very smoky. I think the smoke might stain paintwork etc if it was nearby. i.e. Window frames and suchlike. I bet UPVC would not cope very well with it either.

IF you need any more help just let me know.

Lee.

 

[mel]

hi waka
email sent
mel

 

[judder]

I've found mine only smokes when I abuse it - ie wet timber, too much timber, paper, rags. When it's on song there is just a little heat haze.

 

[AndyBoyd]

I've found mine only smokes when I abuse it - ie wet timber, too much timber, paper, rags. When it's on song there is just a little heat haze.

I concur mine does not smoke at all, mind you all the houses near me have real fireplaces so one more chimney did not matter

 

[trevtheturner]

Hi Waka,

I use the Hotspot and find it excellent for heating, with the added advantage that it gets rid of offcuts, shavings, dust and any other combustible rubbish. Downside is that it does take up a bit of space - but I wouldn't be without it.

As far as smoke is concerned, it generally only produces some on light up, which tends to be with dry wood or shavings so there is not a great deal of smoke, or if I put any damp logs on it - but that's down to me of course.

Cheers,

Trev.

 

[Waka]

All

Thanks for the advice, I'm still not to sure which way to go, I'll have to give it some more thought.

 

[cherilton]

In my workshop i made my own heater/burner out of an empty propane bottle. Cut the top off and welded a flat plate onto which i mounted a simple flue pipe, and also on that plate I made an opening which i sat a thick steel plate sealed with
fire rope . This is used for putting small pieces of wood etc in the burner. Then on the side near to the bottom i cut a neat opening which i mounted a sliding cover ( that i used from the previously cut top piece which retained the same curve ) In this opening i can load the burner with all kinds of workshop waste. It pumps out loads of heat and all it cost was time.

 

[Offcut]

I have a couple of woodburners in the house.
Usually when you first light them they will smoke a bit until the flue has warmed up sufficiently to stop the gasses condensing. So some smoke to begin with then no smoke at operating temp and as Judder suggested when you put in damp wood it gets a bit smokey. This can be a real fire risk if the chimney scales up with carbon due to excessive moisture. Best not to use damp wood.

Andy

 

[Jake]

In my workshop i made my own heater/burner out of an empty propane bottle. Cut the top off ...

How do you make sure the bottle is truly empty? Just curious as the thought of cutting one open would scare me to death.

 

[mel]

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:05 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

cherilton wrote:
In my workshop i made my own heater/burner out of an empty propane bottle. Cut the top off ...


How do you make sure the bottle is truly empty? Just curious as the thought of cutting one open would scare me to death.

the only safe way would be to empty the container completly , remove the valve {l/h thread} and fill with water .
not for the faint hearted

 

[Losos]

Hi Waka,
As people have said, there will be some smoke depending on what you burn. I put some wood from the demolished piggery in recently and that smelled horrible In Czechland they don't have a clue about environmental matters, nearly everyone has wood burning stoves, even in their houses, and many still have a stove in each room :shock:

Cherilton
My workshop stove is a bit like yours 'tho I didn't make it. The body is a steel tube about 2ft. diam. and about 1 metre long. I feed wood in one end and the gases go out the other and up the flue.

 

[cherilton]

To ensure the bottle was empty i fully opened the valve and lay it on its side out side overnight. There was still gas in it even then but not under any great pressure.