Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Can anyone tell me which type of logs are the best to use for heat output, and also supplies of logs, thanks.

olive and carob best output and most expensive.suppliers?

05428579360. He has all sorts of logs. Only Olive & Carob dry at the moment. From Yesiltepe.

The following URL's are handy if you are really interested in wood as a heat source for your home. Lots of reading required and some work on your part to get the best out of your wood and your wood stove. A log burner is not central heating that you turn on and off at the click of a switch, it requires you to apply yourself to the task - it is not hard work (although if you choose to cut your own logs to your required size, build your own log store, maintain a rotation of wood and enter into the whole process of keeping warm, it can become hard work) and it is enjoyable and will help you keep fit - it also gives you great satisfaction!!

As a point of interest, eucalyptus is not a popular wood for burning in Cyprus - I have no idea why - and is cheap to buy but very dense and hard to chop once it becomes dry. See the following chart: http://firewoodresource.com/firewood-btu-ratings/

Some good information from the UK Forestry Commision: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/eng-wood ... lguide.pdf

And then of course there are the "Fake Logs" and the case for using them: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/greene ... -logs.html

Next season I will have a brand new "cast iron" (cast iron wood stoves are much better at holding the heat than steel ones) wood stove in my house and I am going to try a month of burning "Fake Logs" instead of real wood - I am getting old now and the joy of chopping is becoming a chore - but I promise to post a report around December this year and let you all know what the difference's in consumption, cost and heat were.

Stay warm!!

basically you can say that it does not make a difference which kind of wood you burn, as one ton of pine wood contents as much energy as 1 ton of olive. you can calculate approx 4,5 to 5 kWh per kilogramm.
but, eg, olive is more dense as pine.
so, one qubic meter of olive contents more energy as one m³ of pine. but if you pay half for the pine only, i would go for the pine.
question is : is the wood fresh or dry?
because, fresh wood can easily content 50% of water. (wood moisture = 100%)
= in a 10 kg log can be 5 kg of water and only 5 kg of wood.
while burning, you need approx 0,65 kWh/kg water to dry the wood.
5kg wood x 5 kWh energy content are 25 only and from that you need 5 x 0,65 kWh = 3,25 kWh to dry the wood. left are only 21,75 kWh.
if the wood would be dry at approx 20% residual moisute, then you easily double to triple the energy harvest (per kg of wood)

so, at the end you can say:
- if you "buy and use immediately", do not wonder that your wood "does not burn properly"
- you may make a better deal to buy cheaper (dry) pine wood instead of more expensive (fresh) olive.
- if you have time, dry your wood for at least one hot summer.
to my experience: start with pine, it gives quick heat, then put a nice log of olive or eucalyptus on top.