Solar Kiln performance

[wkf94025]

Here is temperature and RH data this past week for my two solar kilns, baking Redwood, a mix of 1x8, 2x6 and 6x6.  Interesting to see the wetter cooler Kiln 1 catch up with Kiln 2 over the past week.  The sawtooth events are programmed venting 5 minutes each half hour during the afternoon.  "Peak shaving" if you will.  It's been a sunnier than average week in Norther Santa Cruz County.  Perfect baking weather.  Both loads building "thermal momentum" as days get warmer and RH drops.  Target MC% is 10%.  Destination of the end product is Boulder, CO, dry high altitude climate.

This is our fourth major baking session since constructing the kilns a year ago.  Getting smarter about not over-packing the kilns, refining baffling and recirculation, and programming in the peak shaving.  Given spaciousness of these loads (circa 1,000bf each), I predict they'll be at 10% MC in a few more weeks, except for the 6x6's.

Thanks to AmbientWeather for the sensor data, Emporia for the smart switch control and programming, Honeywell for the cheap DH units, Lucas for the ingenious mill, and mother nature for the lightning strike that got me into this business, and sourced the redwood victims for my mill.  Thanks also to the milling and drying veterans on this Forum, who have taught me 90+% of what I know today.

[YellowHammer]

Interesting data.  Thanks.