# So what burns longer, wood or charcoal?



## sawinredneck (Sep 2, 2015)

Another of my random thoughts tonight, so what say ye?


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 3, 2015)

Wood burns down to coals, last a long time. Charcoal is partially burnt wood, they burn hot and fast...JJ


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## mdboatbum (Sep 4, 2015)

It's an impossible question. What kind of wood, how well seasoned? What type of charcoal, what brand of that type? How is it ignited? What kind of smoker? 
I can get 10+ hours of 300° heat on 3lbs of charcoal on my smoker. My brother runs his stick burner on coals he pre burns in a fire pit from logs. He goes through a whole lot of wood in the same 10 hours.  I can dig a hole in the ground, line it with rocks, build a  wood fire, cover the whole thing with wet burlap and dirt and it'll stay hot for 15 hours. Does that count? A tiny tot marine stove will keep your boat warm all night on 5 or 6 briquettes.


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## gpb11 (Sep 4, 2015)

Which weighs more, lead or feathers?


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## crankybuzzard (Sep 4, 2015)

JJ nailed it.


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## noboundaries (Sep 5, 2015)

I saw the OP's post minutes after posted it. Been thinking on it since.  

Think about it by asking "what would burn longer to maintain a specific chamber temp, 20 lbs of wood or 20 lbs of charcoal?  Answer is 20 lbs of charcoal. 

It takes 80-100 lbs of wood to make 20 lbs of charcoal.  That is how much potential heat energy is in 20 lbs of charcoal.  20 lbs of wood would burn up in 1/5th to 1/4 the time.


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 5, 2015)

Noboundaries said:


> I saw the OP's post minutes after posted it. Been thinking on it since.
> 
> Think about it by asking "what would burn longer to maintain a specific chamber temp, 20 lbs of wood or 20 lbs of charcoal? Answer is 20 lbs of charcoal.
> 
> *It takes 80-100 lbs of wood to make 20 lbs of charcoal. That is how much potential heat energy is in 20 lbs of charcoal. 20 lbs of wood would burn up in 1/5th to 1/4 the time.*


I get where you are going, but I am not sure the theory is totally valid...Indulge my thougtht process...If this is so then there would have to be zero energy released in the process of making charcoal...All the potential energy of the wood would have to be stored in the charcoal. My understanding of the process, wood is burned in an Oxygen reduced atmosphere. Many of the components of wood are burned away reducing the mass. This mass, less water and a few other components, is being converted into energy, in the form of burning Methane and other Volatile Gasses, this is recycled to sustain the process, otherwise a continuous input of energy would be needed, not all that cost effective...While, " *Ounce for Ounce *" charcoal has more potential energy then wood, there is not really all the potential energy of wood. Yes, 20lbs of Charcoal last longer then 20lbs of Wood but the " same " as 80 to 100lbs of wood...

It is really the question of, " What do you want to store and handle? " A 100 pound Pile of Wood or a 20 pound Bag of Charcoal, both will get the job done equally well and essentially in the same time frame...A lot less tending with Charcoal...JJ


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## smokin phil (Sep 5, 2015)

gpb11 said:


> Which weighs more, lead or feathers?



An ounce of lead weighs more than an ounce of feathers. Why you ask? Lead is weighed in Troy ounces, feathers are weighed in avoirdupois. A troy ounce is about 32 grams. An avoirdupois  ounce is about 28 grams.


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## sawinredneck (Sep 5, 2015)

Man, wasn't trying to start a war! But as JJ stated, there is energy lost making charcoal. Where as, I'm basically burning oak to charcoal, then finishing the rest of the burn in my stick burner. As its basically a limited oxeygen environment to start with, correct?
I don't know, honestly, but thought this might be a fun discussion, nothing more.
You will come to find I have more time on my hands than is good for a person so I come up with some wild thoughts that occupy my time.


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## noboundaries (Sep 5, 2015)

Trust me, there's no war at all.  Just a fun thought experiment and friendly debate.


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## jp61 (Sep 5, 2015)

Good question..... I don't know. 

I'd also like to know... how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?


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## gpb11 (Sep 5, 2015)

Noboundaries said:


> It takes 80-100 lbs of wood to make 20 lbs of charcoal. That is how much potential heat energy is in 20 lbs of charcoal. 20 lbs of wood would burn up in 1/5th to 1/4 the time.


Following this thought path, we all need to be burning ash!  :)

A fair portion of the potential energy departs in the process of forming charcoal as I understand it.  There's still plenty left, but less than what it started with.  What you end up with is less weight and cleaner burning.

The original question what what burns longer, and was unanswerable due to the many undefined parameters such as: what they're burning in, quantity, temp, etc.


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## litterbug (Sep 5, 2015)

JP61 said:


> Thumbs Up  Good question..... I don't know.
> 
> I'd also like to know... how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?



A woodchuck would chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood!!!   Lol


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 5, 2015)

sawinredneck said:


> Man, wasn't trying to start a war! But as JJ stated, there is energy lost making charcoal. Where as, I'm basically burning oak to charcoal, then finishing the rest of the burn in my stick burner. As its basically a limited oxeygen environment to start with, correct?
> I don't know, honestly, but thought this might be a fun discussion, nothing more.
> You will come to find I have more time on my hands than is good for a person so I come up with some wild thoughts that occupy my time.





Noboundaries said:


> Trust me, there's no war at all.  Just a fun thought experiment and friendly debate.


Definately no war! This was an interesting question and led to a better understanding of wood and charcoal. It's all good...JJ


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