Wood burner for old pallets?

[jammie*dodger]

Hi, i'm new here. Moving to a new house in Cambs and one of the first jobs is to install some form of log burner. I have a fairly large supply of free wood pallets and will ideally burn them. Has anyone burnt these before? I was looking at a very efficient Jydepejsen stove but it appears that these burn at very intense heats and may not appreciate being fed with old pallet wood. We'd like something just for heating around about 8Kw output.

Any advice will be good. Cheers, JD

[Annpan]

Pallets are great for burning but you do get a very hot heat from them.

Make sure you get a stove thermometer to make sure that you don't get so hot that you damage your flue and it wood be good to get a hold of some other wood perhaps too - pine burns much cooler so that might be an option to get the balance right.

There are so many great woodstoves on the market these days - we have a clearview and it is fab.

[jammie*dodger]

Thanks for the reply. I think i'll be supplementing the pallets with whatever else I can get hold off. The thermometer sounds good.

Has anyone used a soapstone clad stove? I like the idea of it acting like a big space heater long after the fire has gone out.

JD

[ENIGMA]

Hi Jd,Ive burnt old pallets in different woodburners.The only problem is that they burn fast.So you are constantly feeding them.A throat restricter helps.
Woodburners are very cheap in France,10 years ago I bought a large one with a glass front for around a 100 pounds.

[Annpan]

Has anyone used a soapstone clad stove? I like the idea of it acting like a big space heater long after the fire has gone out.

JD

The 'heavy steel' or cast iron, depending on which brand you go for acts as a really great heat sink anyway, I am not sure if soap stone would make much of a difference. Also, think of your fire surround and hearth, if these are stone they will hold an immense amount of heat... Our sandstone ingle nook is still warm 24hours after the fire has gone out.

Hi Jd,Ive burnt old pallets in different woodburners.The only problem is that they burn fast.So you are constantly feeding them.A throat restricter helps.
Woodburners are very cheap in France,10 years ago I bought a large one with a glass front for around a 100 pounds.

IMO there are good stoves and cheap stoves. Ours (we invested in a top-range model) is air tight (for want of a better phrase) and has valves for exactly how much oxygen you want to reach the fire and from where. Yes the pallets still burn faster than, say oak, but still burn well, I wouldn't say they burn too quickly, and any wood burner needs a certain amount of regular attention.



I would also suggest that (if you are yet to decide on a model) that you go for one with a hot plate for a stove top kettle, or a casserole to sit on.

[red]

yep agree with Ann that a flat top is a must, you can cdook chestnuts there, and mull wine!


we have been burning pallets and any old scrap wood for years. it does burn fast, so you have to feed it more constantly, but it works. we tend to use it more to get a fire started, and then mix it up with slower burning stuff.

[Odsox]

IMO there are good stoves and cheap stoves

Yes, I would agree with Ann on this too.

I am paying the cost of being a cheapskate this week.
I bought a "cheap" woodburner on a well known auction site and although I got what was described it is totally uncontrollable as the draught is 'controlled' with a sloppy fitting shutter in the door.
On a windy day it was either roaring up the chimney or roaring half way up the chimney.
I have just had a replacement delivered (a Waterford) and it cost me twice as much as it would have 2 years ago.

[jammie*dodger]

Thanks for the help. I think we've now settled on a broseley asia. Gives us the soapstone we want (aesthetics mostly) at a fairly sensible price. It's just the fitting price that's really going to hurt.

JD

[ENIGMA]

Odsox,you know you could make your self a "throat restricter" with a little imagination,(I have in the past) this will seriously slow down the rate your fuel burns.Although,it's a shame you have gone out and bought another wood burner.

Drill a hole through the flue above the wood burner,to take a rod approx,quarter inch dia'. push through hole and bend at a right angle.Cut a disk slightly smaller then the inside of the flue.cut a bit of the disc (maybe 1 inch) so the smoke can still pass when closed(more can be cut of if the wood burner smokes)
Drill 2 small holes in the disc through the rod to take self tapping screws and then assemble.
I've always used these devices on wood burners and found them to be very efficient.
Please ask,if you need me to explain more.

If you use a throat restricter give the wood burner a good blast occasionally,as tar builds up in the chimney, it's better to have a small chimney fire then a big one and have to call the fire brigade out.

JD, I've always fitted my own wood burners even in vans and caravans and found it easy to do.Make sure your chimney is swept first.If you have a fireplace its more efficient to blank the fireplace of with non combustible material and run the flue from the back of the wood burner ,straight into the blanked of fireplace (rather then stand it in the fireplace ) or if thats not possible from the top with an angled flue.
Any questions,please don't hesitate to ask.

[Odsox]

Thanks for the tip Enigma but it wouldn't work in my situation as the flue comes out of the back of the stove and straight into the chimney wall. I have it standing in front of my old fireplace which I then built up with blocks. No other way of doing it and it looks neat.
I'm not sure the throat restricter would have been the whole answer anyway. I live on a hill overlooking the Atlantic and the gale force winds blowing across the top of my chimney create an unbelievable amount of suction. I have a baffled cowl on the chimney pot and it still produces so much suction that it's a job to hear the TV in the same room when it's stormy.
So now I have a stove with a spin disk damper that will seal totally if necessary and should make it controllable and make life a bit more pleasant.