Energy prices.

[brewdexta]

Just looked them up... look interesting - I have access to a lot of wood in the form of logs.

I know its hard to quantify, but how much hassle is it to run on logs? How many times a day do you have to top it up etc?

It has been a while since I did it but it wasn't difficult, the hard part is getting the logs into the boiler room, but I can sort that. One full burn of decent logs will fill up the heat stores to a good temp, with a bit of head room, sufficient for a day. I need to give it a go soon and quantify how much logs per burn etc.

Just tried to get 8 stacked IBCs of logs. The company are making too much money out of selling logs in small nets and tonne bags at the moment so I may go back in a couple of months when the weather is better. Plus I have a couple of smaller arboriculturalists to talk to. I have a log splitter that fits on the bobcat so can take unsplit logs from them if the price is right. At some point, I may just buy a lorry load of timber in the round and log and split it, not this year though, too much on.

 

[reb78]

It has been a while since I did it but it wasn't difficult, the hard part is getting the logs into the boiler room, but I can sort that. One full burn of decent logs will fill up the heat stores to a good temp, with a bit of head room, sufficient for a day. I need to give it a go soon and quantify how much logs per burn etc.

Just tried to get 8 stacked IBCs of logs. The company are making too much money out of selling logs in small nets and tonne bags at the moment so I may go back in a couple of months when the weather is better. Plus I have a couple of smaller arboriculturalists to talk to. I have a log splitter that fits on the bobcat so can take unsplit logs from them if the price is right. At some point, I may just buy a lorry load of timber in the round and log and split it, not this year though, too much on.

Really interesting. I can see a replacement for our oil boiler in the future. With some careful thought to the installation, I can kind of see where we could fit this in and hook into the existing pipework. Can you run this alongside a traditional boiler? I.e. have them both plumbed into the heat stores?

 

[brewdexta]

Really interesting. I can see a replacement for our oil boiler in the future. With some careful thought to the installation, I can kind of see where we could fit this in and hook into the existing pipework. Can you run this alongside a traditional boiler? I.e. have them both plumbed into the heat stores?

I have a standby gas boiler that I can start up after swapping out about 10 valves. The Solar Focus has been reliable so far, but it a part goes that needs to be shipped then I can swing onto gas for a while. The standby boiler can't be seen to be part of day to day heating to satisfy for RHI and if I use it then I have to declare the use and my RHI is reduced. I don't get much RHI and I only have a couple of years left then I can do what I want, which will probably mean some solar to assist heating, and hopefully replace the need for the boiler for hot water in summer.

 

[reb78]

I have a standby gas boiler that I can start up after swapping out about 10 valves. The Solar Focus has been reliable so far, but it a part goes that needs to be shipped then I can swing onto gas for a while. The standby boiler can't be seen to be part of day to day heating to satisfy for RHI and if I use it then I have to declare the use and my RHI is reduced. I don't get much RHI and I only have a couple of years left then I can do what I want, which will probably mean some solar to assist heating, and hopefully replace the need for the boiler for hot water in summer.

Thanks - it looks like the RHI scheme closes at the end of this month, so anything I do will be too late for that anyway but it still looks like an appealing install given the amount of wood I have access to, especially if a second (and third i.e. solar) heat source can be added to the system for times when wood is not available or only a quick burn of something is needed (i.e. to heat a water tank in the summer - but then, solar powered immersion might be better to have for those times)

 

[fizzy]

Thanks - it looks like the RHI scheme closes at the end of this month, so anything I do will be too late for that anyway but it still looks like an appealing install given the amount of wood I have access to, especially if a second (and third i.e. solar) heat source can be added to the system for times when wood is not available or only a quick burn of something is needed (i.e. to heat a water tank in the summer - but then, solar powered immersion might be better to have for those times)

What a scam that was.
The derelict building behind my warehouse had a massive wood burner installed. Earning £100,000 a year for heating a building with no windows and nobody in it. A disgrace. Loads of pollution - took us ages to get it shut down. To burn waste wood you need a licence but due to RHI no planning needed
It brought the government down in Northern Ireland but exactly the same going on here.

 

[brewdexta]

What a scam that was.
The derelict building behind my warehouse had a massive wood burner installed. Earning £100,000 a year for heating a building with no windows and nobody in it. A disgrace. Loads of pollution - took us ages to get it shut down. To burn waste wood you need a licence but due to RHI no planning needed
It brought the government down in Northern Ireland but exactly the same going on here.

Since October 2015 you had to keep records that wood comes from an approved BSL source so it has gone from one extreme to another. If I want to burn logs from my own woods I have to get a BSL license....

 

[fizzy]

It has been a while since I did it but it wasn't difficult, the hard part is getting the logs into the boiler room, but I can sort that. One full burn of decent logs will fill up the heat stores to a good temp, with a bit of head room, sufficient for a day. I need to give it a go soon and quantify how much logs per burn etc.

Just tried to get 8 stacked IBCs of logs. The company are making too much money out of selling logs in small nets and tonne bags at the moment so I may go back in a couple of months when the weather is better. Plus I have a couple of smaller arboriculturalists to talk to. I have a log splitter that fits on the bobcat so can take unsplit logs from them if the price is right. At some point, I may just buy a lorry load of timber in the round and log and split it, not this year though, too much on.

I bought 2x full loads - 26 tons each - mixed hard and softwoods. Cut it all up myself with 18" Stihl chainsaw. Some of the logs were 36" diameter.
Split them all with a Clarke log splitter.
Burnt the lot in 1 year
I am very lucky to get nice chunky pallet bearers. Cut them either into 2 or 3 pieces so very easy. Also bone dry. Unlimited supply.
When I move I will build my own woodburner. It will be big enough to take the pallet bearers in 1 piece no cutting. Also a flush door so I can just rake out the nails and ash into a wheelbarrow!
I will connect to a big heat store like you have.

On a rare day when I had some help! And yes My little Clarke log buster split everything!

 

[prepman]

I bought 2x full loads - 26 tons each - mixed hard and softwoods. Cut it all up myself with 18" Stihl chainsaw. Some of the logs were 36" diameter.
Split them all with a Clarke log splitter.
Burnt the lot in 1 year
I am very lucky to get nice chunky pallet bearers. Cut them either into 2 or 3 pieces so very easy. Also bone dry. Unlimited supply.
When I move I will build my own woodburner. It will be big enough to take the pallet bearers in 1 piece no cutting. Also a flush door so I can just rake out the nails and ash into a wheelbarrow!
I will connect to a big heat store like you have.

On a rare day when I had some help! And yes My little Clarke log buster split everything!

Damn those nails!

 

[fizzy]

Damn those nails!

Yup the only drawback.
I empty my woodburner perhaps once a week. Get about 20kg of nails out - hardly any ash!
Saving them up to weigh in - have about 200kg so far.
Hardly worth it but metal really is worth recycling - I don't fall for the rest of it!

 

[prepman]

Damn those nails!

My log splitter uses the tractor hydraulics so it's a bit inconvenient. In the process of making one for digger. It already has the thumb. Fitted that wayback. INCREDIBLY useful. So now just need to make a blade. That's my barrel tipping quad trailer also.

 

[addjunkie]

My log splitter uses the tractor hydraulics so it's a bit inconvenient. In the process of making one for digger. It already has the thumb. Fitted that wayback. INCREDIBLY useful. So now just need to make a blade. That's my barrel tipping quad trailer also.


View attachment 337565

I used to just run my log splitter from the pecker connections on the digger boom. Have a suitably sized piece of 2x1 for the pedal.
As for buying a logging wagon load…..have you seen the price these days. Im updated most Sunday lunch times at the Sunday Gentlmens club. The cheaper ones dont come with RHI paperwork either.

 

[dobbslc]

I bought 2x full loads - 26 tons each - mixed hard and softwoods. Cut it all up myself with 18" Stihl chainsaw. Some of the logs were 36" diameter.
Split them all with a Clarke log splitter.
Burnt the lot in 1 year
I am very lucky to get nice chunky pallet bearers. Cut them either into 2 or 3 pieces so very easy. Also bone dry. Unlimited supply.
When I move I will build my own woodburner. It will be big enough to take the pallet bearers in 1 piece no cutting. Also a flush door so I can just rake out the nails and ash into a wheelbarrow!
I will connect to a big heat store like you have.

On a rare day when I had some help! And yes My little Clarke log buster split everything!

Jeez @fizzy I can see the teeth flying off that saw from here!

 

[fizzy]

I used to just run my log splitter from the pecker connections on the digger boom. Have a suitably sized piece of 2x1 for the pedal.
As for buying a logging wagon load…..have you seen the price these days. Im updated most Sunday lunch times at the Sunday Gentlmens club. The cheaper ones dont come with RHI paperwork either.

I paid £825 a load back in 2016 I think.
How much these days?
I much prefer my free wood - far less work as well

 

[prepman]

I used to just run my log splitter from the pecker connections on the digger boom. Have a suitably sized piece of 2x1 for the pedal.
As for buying a logging wagon load…..have you seen the price these days. Im updated most Sunday lunch times at the Sunday Gentlmens club. The cheaper ones dont come with RHI paperwork either.

Please educate me on the this 'RHI'...... I is only a country yokel. The digger has only recently (5yrs) had the very expensive live change connects changed to poormans quick connects.

 

[fizzy]

Looks like fuel prices might start dropping down again now. Hope so. Will take quite a while to get to a sensible level though.

 

[Lewis_RX8]

Looks like fuel prices might start dropping down again now. Hope so. Will take quite a while to get to a sensible level though.

Wholesale diesel and petrol down 10p IIRC , Not sure when that will come to the pumps?

Drop in wholesale fuel costs gives hope to drivers of pump price relief

The AA said latest trade figures show fuel wholesale costs have slumped since the start of the week.

www.independent.co.uk

 

[addjunkie]

Please educate me on the this 'RHI'...... I is only a country yokel. The digger has only recently (5yrs) had the very expensive live change connects changed to poormans quick connects.

Google Renewable Heat Incentive…..was good if you could qualify as commercial….paid for 20 years.

Price of timber like all commodities goes up and down. I shall ask the right man next Sunday.

 

[Onoff]

NZ government have just taken 25C tax off the oil price "to calm things down". That from my Kiwi mate there just now.

 

[prepman]

Google Renewable Heat Incentive…..was good if you could qualify as commercial….paid for 20 years.

Price of timber like all commodities goes up and down. I shall ask the right man next Sunday.

Ah! It won't affect me as a private non-commercial.

 

[prepman]

I used to just run my log splitter from the pecker connections on the digger boom. Have a suitably sized piece of 2x1 for the pedal.
As for buying a logging wagon load…..have you seen the price these days. Im updated most Sunday lunch times at the Sunday Gentlmens club. The cheaper ones dont come with RHI paperwork either.

The Kubota doesn't like static load on that pedal, I found out the hard way. It dead ends the pump. I then realised this was why it had a safety cover. Drives my cement mixer fine.
This is what I'd go for making.....