"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message ...

I burned wood for 20 years. I find it much easier these days to just
turn the dial on the wall. It does have advantages, but it was a lot of
work.

I spent a couple of years logging and selling firewood. Then moved to a
different place that had a wood stove. Did fire wood/coal for a bit. After
I moved out, my mother (yes, this was while I was young) got a pellet stove.
She sure didn't do firewood. LOL!

Yes, the dial is a convenience that I currently, sort of, miss. I have my
furnace on manual. I light rag of alcohol, insert into hole, turn ball valve.
Voila, heat. It is not that easy, but it works. My furnace is a PITA to work
on and the guts are only accessible from down below. I should go back to a
standing pilot, but I kind of got attached to my electronic Honeywell valve.
Too bad the pilot needs some work, and maybe some McGyvering.

I have half a mind to get some second hand Fireye equipment and custom install
my own burner control system. Primarily because it would be something to build
and tinker with. Secondarily because I do not like repetitive on/off cycles
via the thermostat. Thermostat on until room temp is reached, system in standby
until my set point is reached and the cycle repeats.

When it is really cold, the damned thing will turn on for 8 minutes, off for
10, then on, then off (ad infin). Damn that. On until 78, off until 68. Then
when it is time for sleep, off until it gets down till 45, on till 65...repeat until
wake-up call.

I guess I will have another project, too. Now. that I have evicted a raccoon, I
need to blow in some insulation to cover up the blown in insulation that the
raccoon messed up. Maybe I should move. This place is nothing but projects
that I really don't want to do. Though, the burner control stuff would be a
hobby type of project.