Wheat in maxim

[vbgagnon]

Has anyone burnt wheat in their Maxim? I've been shopping for prices and they seem to be much lower then either corn or pellets. I've googled for btu's and they seem to be in the ballpark of pellets and corn.

So...has anybody used wheat or any other grain for that matter? how has it worked for you?

[sting]

[T_Hartigan]

Never burned any wheat. Around here right now wheat is very similar priced to corn.

I have burned a little bit of soy beans. They seemed to burn alright.

Tim
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3rd year with Central Boiler Maxim 175
100% corn first 2 years.
3rd year, Corn, Acorns, 1 ton wood pellets.

[vbgagnon]

The farmer Im going to deal with is going to sell to me by weight for $125 per ton, which is less then half of what corn/pellets are in my area. Ill check the wiki when I get to a computer, im on mycell. Thanks for the info.

[jdeere5220]

[vbgagnon]

The only corn around me is 250 a ton bagged, and 225 per ton bulk.

Northern Maine isn't the place for corn...its a place for Potatoes!

[jdeere5220]

If you do burn wheat, please post your results, as I (and probably other Maxim owners) would like to know how it works out. It's nice to have lots of options. You might also call Central Boiler directly and ask their advice.

Good luck!
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Maxim M250 outdoor corn/pellet burner
Old Beat-up Gravity Box
I support Global Warming

[pk]

I burned a bag of wheat in my Maxim and it seemed to burn well. I don't know what it would be like in bulk. It may or may not keep burning well on idle.

[Redngold]

Hello,

A neighbour of mine is burning wheat in his M175. He burnt wheat most of last winter and averaged 2.5 bushels per day. Similar btu's per bushel to corn.

He told me that the only change he made was to increase the fan/air speed by one setting over corn.

Hope this helps.

[vbgagnon]

I've been burning wheat now for about a week, and I seem to be burning 1.75 bushels a day. Its doing well, but it makes ALOT of ash. I'm filling the ash bin full in a 18-24 hour period.

I've got my auger settings as low as possible, and air settings high. It been burning well this way.

[sting]

Drop your combustion air slightly and note if you products of combustion temperature doesn't increase. If that happens -- drop your combustion air some more.

small changes 00 One change at a time 00 run for a day 00 test again before changing anything else.

If your fine dry powdery ash becomes stiff or sooty or begins to form a creosote of any type, or your combustion temps fall off. You have cut your combustion air too far.

Sort of like tuning the carb on you 57 Chevy NOT
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When you turn your boiler on -- Does it return the favor?
I am sorry - My responses are limited - You must ask the right question!

[vbgagnon]

Thanks for the info Sting. I'll start tweaking tonight.

[skymarc]

I burned wheat in my HS Tarm boiler, just dont burn as good as corn. Even if corn is more money I like the corn better as the wheat seems to be making big chunks and more ashes.
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GSI Maxi-Comfort 110 000 btu furnace.
Empire 650 SS OUTSIDE WOOD BOILER
HS Tarm Multi-Heat 4.0 boiler
CB Maxim 250 Boiler

Burning perfect good corn since Nov 2006.
We can grow it, might as well burn it !

[ayrporte]

vbgagnon how you making out with the wheat??

We found out last year that you need the air at almost maximum
We burnt about 8 tons
Makes a lot of ash as you have found out
Just becareful with the stirrator that the holes dont get plugged up
We blew the end out of one becasue of it
Just takes a little more maintenance with that hot of a fire

We are going to try some rye a little later this year

Ian