Question
Does anyone have an idea on how I can bump up my kiln heat about 15 or 20 degrees? The wood is dry, but I want to see if I can bump it up a little higher to kill any bugs that may or may not be present. I thought of some sort of electric heater, but most have a thermostat that would kick off way before 130. I am using a solar kiln and will add a second layer of solar panel after I empty the kiln of its load of tiger striped red oak. It will hit around 120 now, but I dont want to wait until July to see if it will hit 130+. I am hoping someone has crossed this bridge before and has an idea.
Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From contributor A:
I had the same problem with heaters kicking out. It must be a consumer products safety commission thing. Now I just use plain old incandescent light bulbs and hang a couple of trouble lights in there like they use down at the local garage. It works great.
Contributor A - Did you add this heat from a few light bulbs in a solar kiln? The heat losses are typically so large in a solar kiln that you need a huge amount of power.
The fan motor is a different story. I had to run the squirrel cage fan by belt and put the motor outside the kiln away from the heat to keep it from overheating and shutting off because of the thermal protection in the motor.
Common Lumber Name | A | B | C |
Hardwoods | |||
Alder, Red | 9.9 | 19.2 | 2506 |
Apple | 10.9 | 31.7 | 4132 |
Ash, Black | 9.3 | 23.4 | 4132 |
Ash, Green | 14.3 | 27.6 | 3590 |
Aspen, Bigtooth | 10.3 | 18.7 | 2439 |
Aspen, Quaking | 10.3 | 18.2 | 2373 |
Basswood | 6.2 | 16.6 | 2174 |
Beech, American | 8.9 | 29.1 | 3793 |
Birch, Paper | 8.8 | 25.0 | 3260 |
Birch, Sweet | 11.9 | 31.2 | 4065 |
Birch, Yellow | 9.2 | 28.6 | 3723 |
Buckeye | 8.9 | 17.2 | 2235 |
Butternut | 11.3 | 18.7 | 2440 |
Cherry | 13.8 | 24.4 | 3184 |
Chesnut, American | 11.6 | 20.8 | 2708 |
Cottonwood | 8.5 | 16.1 | 2102 |
Dogwood | 6.8 | 33.3 | 4331 |
Elm, American | 10.2 | 23.9 | 3116 |
Elm, Rock | 12.2 | 29.6 | 3860 |
Elm, slippery | 11.5 | 25.0 | 3251 |
Hackberry | 11.8 | 25.5 | 3319 |
Hickory, Bitternut (Pecan) | 14.7 | 31.2 | 4062 |
Hickory (True) | |||
Hickory, Mockernut | 9.1 | 33.3 | 4332 |
Hickory, Pignut | 9.3 | 34.3 | 4332 |
Hickory, Shagbark | 10.9 | 33.3 | 4333 |
Hickory, Shellbark | 6.6 | 32.2 | 4195 |
Holly, American | 8.3 | 26.0 | 3387 |
Hophornbeam, Eastern | 7.9 | 32.8 | 4266 |
Laurel, California | 15.1 | 26.5 | 3456 |
Locust, Black | 21.2 | 34.3 | 4470 |
Madrone, Pacific | 7.8 | 30.2 | 3925 |
Maple (Soft) | |||
Maple, Bigleaf | 12.8 | 22.9 | 2980 |
Maple, Red | 13.1 | 25.5 | 3318 |
Maple, Silver | 12.4 | 22.9 | 2981 |
Maple (Hard) | |||
Maple, Black | 12.3 | 27.0 | 3523 |
Maple, Sugar | 12.3 | 29.1 | 3793 |
Oak (Red) | |||
Oak, Black | 11.7 | 29.1 | 3792 |
Oak, California black | 16.4 | 26.5 | 3455 |
Oak, Laurel | 6.3 | 29.1 | 3791 |
Oak, Northern red | 13.6 | 29.1 | 3793 |
Oak, Pin | 13.0 | 30.2 | 3928 |
Oak, Scarlet | 13.2 | 31.2 | 4065 |
Oak, Southern red | 9.6 | 27.0 | 3520 |
Oak, Water | 10.4 | 29.1 | 3793 |
Oak, Willow | 6.4 | 29.1 | 3790 |
Oak (White) | |||
Oak, Bur | 15.4 | 30.2 | 3928 |
Oak, Chestnut | 10.1 | 29.6 | 3858 |
Oak, Live | 17.5 | 41.6 | 5417 |
Oak, Overcup | 10.7 | 29.6 | 3860 |
Oak, Post | 11.0 | 31.2 | 4063 |
Oak, Swamp chestnut | 10.7 | 31.2 | 4063 |
Oak, White | 10.8 | 31.2 | 4062 |
Persimmon | 7.0 | 33.3 | 4332 |
Sweetgum | 8.9 | 23.9 | 3115 |
Sycamore | 10.7 | 23.9 | 3115 |
Tanoak | 9.0 | 30.2 | 3926 |
Tupelo, Black | 10.4 | 23.9 | 3116 |
Tupelo, Water | 12.4 | 23.9 | 3115 |
Walnut | 13.4 | 26.5 | 3454 |
Willow, Black | 8.6 | 18.7 | 2438 |
Yellow-poplar | 10.6 | 20.8 | 2708 |
Common Lumber Name | A | B | C |
Softwoods | |||
Baldcypress | 13.2 | 21.9 | 2844 |
Cedar, Alaska | 14.4 | 21.9 | 2844 |
Cedar, Atlantic white | 10.9 | 16.1 | 2100 |
Cedar, eastern red | 16.4 | 22.9 | 2981 |
Cedar, Incense | 13.1 | 18.2 | 2371 |
Cedar, Northern white | 11.1 | 15.1 | 1964 |
Cedar, Port-Orford | 12.6 | 20.2 | 2641 |
Cedar, Western red | 12.2 | 16.1 | 2100 |
Douglas-fir, Coast type | 12.3 | 23.4 | 3049 |
Douglas-fir, Interior west | 13.2 | 23.9 | 3116 |
Douglas-fir, Interior north | 14.0 | 23.4 | 3048 |
Fir, Balsam | 9.9 | 17.2 | 2236 |
Fir, California red | 10.6 | 18.7 | 2437 |
Fir, Grand | 10.7 | 18.2 | 2371 |
Fir, Noble | 10.1 | 19.2 | 2507 |
Fir, Pacific silver | 10.4 | 20.8 | 2711 |
Fir, Subalpine | 10.5 | 16.1 | 2101 |
Fir, White | 12.2 | 19.2 | 2506 |
Hemlock, Eastern | 12.6 | 19.8 | 2573 |
Hemlock, Western | 11.5 | 21.8 | 2847 |
Larch, Western | 11.3 | 25.0 | 3251 |
Pine, Eastern white | 12.3 | 17.7 | 2303 |
Pine, Lodgepole | 11.5 | 19.8 | 2576 |
Pine, Ponderosa | 12.6 | 19.8 | 2573 |
Pine, Red | 12.2 | 21.3 | 2777 |
Southern yellow group | |||
Pine, Loblolly | 12.9 | 24.4 | 3183 |
Pine, Longleaf | 15.0 | 28.1 | 3658 |
Pine, Shortleaf | 12.9 | 24.4 | 3183 |
Pine, Sugar | 12.6 | 17.7 | 2302 |
Pine, Western white | 10.0 | 18.2 | 2370 |
Redwood, Old growth | 14.9 | 19.8 | 2573 |
Redwood, Second growth | 13.2 | 17.7 | 2302 |
Spruce, Black | 11.3 | 19.8 | 2575 |
Spruce, Engelmann | 10.0 | 17.2 | 2234 |
Spruce, Red | 10.6 | 19.2 | 2506 |
Spruce, Sitka | 10.8 | 19.2 | 2506 |
Tamarack | 12.0 | 25.5 | 3318 |