Woodburning efficiency in a multi-fuel stove.

[rjc4687]

I'm looking around for a small (

[Grunff]

We have a Morso Squirrel - very pleased with it so far.

I'm not aware of any significant efficiency differences - would be interested to hear if there are any.

[mcbrien410]

I have a Bont ESSE Model Four solid fuel stove of about 12kWatts rating. I do burn wood during the warmer months but use Anthracite (actually Chinacite) during the winter months. That's Aberdeenshire winter.

My stove has sliding bars under the fire which can be shaken to allow the ash to fall through. Apparently pure wood burners have a flat plain bottom to the fire so that the wood burns in its own ash which keeps the heat in. If the fire does got out then this would have to be shoveled out before relighting. This also makes the draughting different. With solid fuel it is from underneath whereas with a wood burner it would be from the front or sides.

Chris. PS.. We have ALL lost a lot of basic knowledge about how to keep warm.

[Andy Dingley]

wood burner?

Often, yes.

The draughting is different - wood doesn't need a grate, just a pan. A "drop in" pan is a good fix for this - trying to light wood on narrow open bars can be a pain to get going.

The efficiency mainly depends on your timber. If it's softwood and resinous, then you have even more need than usual of the real difference in a wood burner - a long combustion path past baffles, so as to burn the producer gas coming off the heated timber. If you only burn hardwoods, then this is less important.

You can make a good multi-fuel stove - but most of them are really just wood-safe coal or coke stoves.

[Chris Selwyn-Smith]

Our Aarow.

has two settings on the grate one for coal which leaves gaps in the grate and the other closing up the grate for wood one also removes a bar from the front for wood use.

Chris