What you are looking at is Relative Humidity - As the air heats up the humidity will drop even though the actual amount of water in the air does not change, as hot air can hold a lot more moisture than cool air (Thats why we get dew on the ground on cooler mornings). If you look at Absolute humidity, which is a tab on the screen, then that is the % of moisture in the air that it can hold relative to the temperature, so until the absolute humidity gets reasonably high, maybe 20-30%, you may not need the fan cutting in as the air has the ability to hold a lot more moisture as long as there is decent air circulation with the fan on the top of the container.
Might be worth asking your sparkie to add a remote start stop button for the hopper conveyor so you can have it near the bag and then the person at the bag end can control the flow easier
@@oakfarmfirewood I run a joinery shop and we have multiple controls on flying leads for the extractors and we simply Velcro them to the machines. Easier, safer and saves time
Here is something to think about for the future to reduce running costs. The technique is used in some static continuous corn dryers. The basic idea is that you use some of the heated dry air that is available end currently being exhausted to waste (especially when cooling a kiln) is to divert this air to prewarm and pickup a fresh load of surface moisture off wood in an adjacent kiln before it is eventually exhausted to atmosphere.
Do you ever look at the absolute humidity? Hot air can hold a lot more moisture than cold air so even if the absolute humidity is the same the relative humidity will always be lower when it is hot and higher when it is cold
@@oakfarmfirewoodyeah, I think you should check the absolute humidity option 20:17 , it will be far more useful to you. The relative humidity shoots up that high because the temperature drops so much. I think that if you switch to absolute you'll see it won't shoot up as much.
4-5 days is what I have been averaging in our firewood kiln. That's with 40cm long wood pieces that were split and stacked to air dry back in Jun/Jul 2023. The MC of these are averaging 35%. We target for 50ºC as well, but our heater is electric so it takes longer to achieve. Today we put a batch in and the temp of the wood and air going in was 6ºC, MC was 31.5%. It will take about 36 hours to reach 50ºC. When it reaches 50ºC I shut off the electric heat. There's enough residual heat coming from the dehumidifier compressor and the 3 overhead fans to keep the air temp at about 45ºC. And generally 3 days after that the MC average is at 20%, which is our target for home heating. Our kiln bldg is small, it can only hold 1 cu m in per crate (8 crates total). I used to monitor humidity in the beginning, now I don't. Doesn't matter anymore really. I've run enough cycles through that I know how the kiln behaves. Only suggestion I would offer is run an experiment using tarps to force the air to flow through the crates rather than around them. You will find quite a difference in how quickly your overall thermal mass will reach the 50ºC and in doing so, you will wick moisture quicker. That's just based on experiments I have run over the last couple of years.
Very interesting, yeah I know a few people that run skirts etc to help drive air through the cages but I think it would be a pain for loading/unloading
You dont say mate what temp. you set the boiler too when you finish for the day. Would it be better to set your over night too say 55- 60 degrees and keep some heat in the kiln. Ive been experimenting with larger hardwood waste which lasts alot longer overnight.
Hot air holds more moisture. So as soon as you start pumping hot air in the RELATIVE humidity drops. However there is still the same amount of moisture in there. And as soon as the temperature drops the RELATIVE humidity increases. This is exactly what you are seeing on your graph. You might need to look at ABSOLUTE humidify which is a measure of the actual amount of water vapor (moisture) in the air, regardless of the air's temperature
I spent the last few days drying timber on my stove. Throw a batch of clean wood on top does a great job any bugs try climbing upwards so I just throw them out as I see em. Can hear the wood crack but dirty firewood I won't bring indoors until burning it cos of bugs.
I’d suggest a remote switch for your rollers, so the man on the bags can control both the rollers and the conveyor belt. It’ll make it yet more efficient.
What you are looking at is Relative Humidity - As the air heats up the humidity will drop even though the actual amount of water in the air does not change, as hot air can hold a lot more moisture than cool air (Thats why we get dew on the ground on cooler mornings). If you look at Absolute humidity, which is a tab on the screen, then that is the % of moisture in the air that it can hold relative to the temperature, so until the absolute humidity gets reasonably high, maybe 20-30%, you may not need the fan cutting in as the air has the ability to hold a lot more moisture as long as there is decent air circulation with the fan on the top of the container.
Thank you very much
Might be worth asking your sparkie to add a remote start stop button for the hopper conveyor so you can have it near the bag and then the person at the bag end can control the flow easier
Good idea. Maybe just extend the lead and have it on a magnet
@@oakfarmfirewood I run a joinery shop and we have multiple controls on flying leads for the extractors and we simply Velcro them to the machines. Easier, safer and saves time
Here is something to think about for the future to reduce running costs. The technique is used in some static continuous corn dryers.
The basic idea is that you use some of the heated dry air that is available end currently being exhausted to waste (especially when cooling a kiln) is to divert this air to prewarm and pickup a fresh load of surface moisture off wood in an adjacent kiln before it is eventually exhausted to atmosphere.
True but at the start of the batch you are venting off very wet air don’t think it would do much drying
Do you ever look at the absolute humidity? Hot air can hold a lot more moisture than cold air so even if the absolute humidity is the same the relative humidity will always be lower when it is hot and higher when it is cold
I’ll check it out thanks
@@oakfarmfirewoodyeah, I think you should check the absolute humidity option 20:17 , it will be far more useful to you.
The relative humidity shoots up that high because the temperature drops so much. I think that if you switch to absolute you'll see it won't shoot up as much.
4-5 days is what I have been averaging in our firewood kiln. That's with 40cm long wood pieces that were split and stacked to air dry back in Jun/Jul 2023. The MC of these are averaging 35%. We target for 50ºC as well, but our heater is electric so it takes longer to achieve. Today we put a batch in and the temp of the wood and air going in was 6ºC, MC was 31.5%. It will take about 36 hours to reach 50ºC. When it reaches 50ºC I shut off the electric heat. There's enough residual heat coming from the dehumidifier compressor and the 3 overhead fans to keep the air temp at about 45ºC. And generally 3 days after that the MC average is at 20%, which is our target for home heating. Our kiln bldg is small, it can only hold 1 cu m in per crate (8 crates total). I used to monitor humidity in the beginning, now I don't. Doesn't matter anymore really. I've run enough cycles through that I know how the kiln behaves. Only suggestion I would offer is run an experiment using tarps to force the air to flow through the crates rather than around them. You will find quite a difference in how quickly your overall thermal mass will reach the 50ºC and in doing so, you will wick moisture quicker. That's just based on experiments I have run over the last couple of years.
Very interesting, yeah I know a few people that run skirts etc to help drive air through the cages but I think it would be a pain for loading/unloading
That was a great video lots information. I like how you're setting up to optimize your kiln runs.
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks
Great setup. What fans are you using for circulation? I’m having a hard time finding some
What brand & model are those temp/humidity sensors? Great Operation
SwitchBot
What app are you using to get that information
You dont say mate what temp. you set the boiler too when you finish for the day. Would it be better to set your over night too say 55- 60 degrees and keep some heat in the kiln.
Ive been experimenting with larger hardwood waste which lasts alot longer overnight.
Yes I normally set to 90 but Keith I’ll try 70
Those graphs are fascinating! Thanks.
Glad you like them!
Another informative video. What would be the maximum heat in C that the kiln needs to be for drying in a 7/10 days inside the kiln
Thanks it’s not all about heat but it definitely helps. Towards the end of the batch you can see 70-80c
Hot air holds more moisture. So as soon as you start pumping hot air in the RELATIVE humidity drops. However there is still the same amount of moisture in there. And as soon as the temperature drops the RELATIVE humidity increases. This is exactly what you are seeing on your graph.
You might need to look at ABSOLUTE humidify which is a measure of the actual amount of water vapor (moisture) in the air, regardless of the air's temperature
Interesting, ok thanks
Not at all your pumping the videos, dont be worrying!!
Whats the brand of new humidity reader?
Thanks as always getting so so much from you 🙏
No problem, they are called switchbot I got them off Amazon
I spent the last few days drying timber on my stove. Throw a batch of clean wood on top does a great job any bugs try climbing upwards so I just throw them out as I see em. Can hear the wood crack but dirty firewood I won't bring indoors until burning it cos of bugs.
See when you dry timber and then store inside a shed it takes back some moisture from the atmosphere, what's your take on that ?
Yeah it definitely does from ambient air moisture
Dont be sorry fore honest work , the youtube dont pay your bills yet.. keep up the good work 🙂 all the best from NorthNorway
Thanks!
I’d suggest a remote switch for your rollers, so the man on the bags can control both the rollers and the conveyor belt. It’ll make it yet more efficient.
Yes great idea 👍🏼
I've seen this pop up as I was just heading out to my woodyard. I guess it can wait another 20 minutes 😂
Everyday is a school day.
Super 🙂🙂🙂
It seems you guys got a monster storm coming in or hitting you now. Stay safe.
Yes rain rain rain. Views are about 10 days behind
Ooooh 1$t like...whaaaat