Waldoboro, ME (Maine)
WebCam - Tides - Weather
Sampson Cove - Slaigo Brook - Thomas Hill - Lincoln County


Waldoboro Tide Prediction Data - Calculated
in Real Time - Updated every 5 minutes
(the "+" denotes the current point on the tidal wave, which
remains in a fixed center position on the graph & depicts the time at last calculation.
The tidal "wave" relative to it, moves from right to left over time. The white and
grey sky represent the periods between sunrise & sunset.
The red "tick marks" on the time line (if any), depict those periods where high
tides are predicted to be in excess of 10 feet
Tide information presented here must
NOT be relied on for
navigational purposes.
The database from which the calculations are derived, has not been certified. Thus
we make no representation as to the accuracy of the data.
Tide & weather data presented on this site is intended for general interest only.
Use entirely at your own risk !

(The Seasons countdown timer uses
JavaScript to perform the calculations. Users running Internet Explorer, must
allow Active-X controls to allow Java to run, which is safe to allow anywhere on
this site)
Standard time begins 2am local time Nov 2, 2008
(first Sunday in November)
(Spring forward - Fall backwards)
Wind gust as shown above, is based on the highest recorded wind over the
last 100 samples or approximately the past 24 minutes

Interpreting the graphs
Wind Gust Strip Chart and Average Wind Speed Chart

There is some confusion as to what the wind gust strip recorder
chart actually represents.
To the left are both the wind gust strip recorder chart
and the averaged wind speed as captured 3-28-2008. (Note: The wind
gust chart spans the past 72 hours and the average wind speed chart spans
only the last 90 minutes or so.)
At first glance, it would appear that looking at the wind
gust chart, the current average for the past 90 minutes should be about
8 or 9 mph, and that at no time does it appear to drop below 8 mph.
Yet the wind speed average chart just below it, clearly shows only a 5 mph
average wind speed. How could this be ???
The confusion comes about as to what data makes up the wind
gust strip chart and thus what the chart represents.
Each sample on the wind gust chart, represents not the instantaneous
wind speed at any particular moment, but rather ONLY the highest wind
speed as sampled in the past 10 minutes. Thus it is only a strip chart of
the max wind speeds detected over any 10 minute period.
By comparison, the average wind speed is the average of
each and every instantaneous wind speed and then averaged also over a 10
minute period. This plot takes in to account all recorded wind speeds -
even periods where the winds may have been dead calm.
* * * * * * *
To drive home the point even further, consider the following
hypothetical scenario where the wind speed is sampled once each second.
Over a 10 minute period (600 seconds), we will assume the wind remained
dead calm for 9 minutes and 59 seconds and then gusted to 9 mph for just
1 second.
The wind gust strip chart would Only have plotted a value
of 9 mph, since it only records the highest wind gust in any 10 minute period.
In contrast, the average wind speed would be only .015 mph
(The average being the sum of all elements (sampled wind speeds) divided
by the total number of elements (samples). = ∑S1 to
S600 / # of
total samples = 9/600 = .015 mph) ... A rather large difference
between the two in the values to be plotted, but it highlights the differences
in how the same data is presented in different ways.

... or for those that appreciate the elegance of calculus,
then the average value of
f between the limits a to b,
is the integral
where A=Sample Start Point, B=Sample End
Now you know !
Station Status - Last 5 events
Status: Up
3-22-2008
Down for maintenance 3:25pm to 4:40 pm
2-21-2008 Anemometer repaired
2-20-2008 Replaced battery in temp sensor. Anemometer
scheduled for repair
2-19-2008 Anemometer seized
2-18-2008 Temperature sensor failed

Temperature Conversions: Fahrenheit - Centigrade
- Celsius - Kelvin - Réaumur - Rankine
Values on initial page load are set to the freezing point of water. To find others,
enter a known value
in any field, then left click outside the text box or press "Tab" to calculate
for the other unknowns.
Fahrenheit
Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit
(1686-1736): the German physicist who
invented the alcohol thermometer in 1709, and
the mercury thermometer in 1714. In 1724, he
introduced the temperature scale that bears
his name.
The freezing point of water is 32 degrees
Fahrenheit (written "32 °F"), whereas the boiling
point is defined as 212 degrees. - How the seemingly
arbitrary zero point was determined, is still
open to debate.
Used primarily in the US.
Celsius
and Centigrade:
The Celsius scale, invented
by Swedish Astronomer Anders Celsius (1701-1744),
is also referred to as the Centigrade scale.
Centigrade means "consisting of or divided into
100".
Celsius (Centigrade) takes it's zero reference
as being the freezing point of water, whereas
100 deg C is set at the boiling point
of water. This equates to a temperature
span of 1 deg C & K, as being precisely
1 part in 273.15 parts the difference between
absolute zero and 0 deg C - or the freezing
point of water at 1 atmosphere pressure.
More conducive to the metric system, degrees
Celsius is more widely adopted in European countries,
Canada and in engineering.
Kelvin
Lord William Thomson Kelvin expanded on the
earlier work of Celsius and introduced the Kelvin Scale in 1848.
The Kelvin Scale measures the ultimate extremes of hot and cold.
-
Degrees Kelvin is the often preferred scientific notation
of measuring temperature. A temperature differential
of one degree Kelvin is the same temperature differential as
one degree Celsius . The only difference between Celsius and
Kelvin being that Kelvin uses 0 degrees to define Absolute Zero,
which is -273.15°C. (thus 273.15K = 0°C).
Degrees Kelvin is used almost strictly in engineering.
Rankine °R (or
°Ra).
William John Macquorn Rankine (1820-1872)
was a Scottish engineer, known for his Rankine temperature scale
& putting forth a thermodynamic theory stating the Law of Conservation
of Energy (1853).
As with the Kelvin scale (symbol: K), zero
on the Rankine scale is absolute zero, but the Rankine degree
is defined as equal to one degree Fahrenheit, rather than the
one degree Celsius as used by the Kelvin scale. Thus a temperature
of -459.67 °F is precisely equal to 0 °R.
Degrees Rankine is used primarily in engineering.
Réaumur
The Réaumur scale (°Ré) is a temperature scale named after
René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur, who first proposed it in
1731.
The freezing point of water is 0 degrees Réaumur, while the
boiling point of water is defined as 80 degrees Réaumur. Exactly
how René arrived at 80 as being the boiling point of water,
is open to some conjecture. It's is hypothesized that it was
chosen since the number 80 could be halved 4 times and still
be an integer (40, 20, 10, 5). By contrast, the number 100,
could only be halved twice and still remain an integer (50,
25). The other is that the volume of displacement
for each degree in his thermometer was to represent 1/1,000th
the volume of the bulb. Using that metric, water boiled at
80 °Ré. Whatever his logic, the scale is no
longer used, except in the traditional making of some Italian
Cheeses.

Note: The abnormal monthly rainfall for November, 2007
is the result of re-calibrating the rainfall rate to reflect the correct yearly
total.
Total annual 2008 Rainfall reset to zero 1-1-2008 -
2007 Total Rainfall was 51.31 inches
For even more info and this stations' historical data:

Forecast for Waldoboro at Weather Underground:
You will be then be leaving Video Interchange and be directed
to The Weather Underground ® that records & charts our historical data.
(Click "Back" or "Return" on your browser to return to this page)

* Cloud Base Measurements
We're often asked: How exactly do we determine the cloud base
? (height of the lowest part of the cloud (cloud base) compensated
for Mean Sea Level).
In days of old, cloud base was often determined by stereoscopic
instruments that used simple range finding techniques often performed by a technician,
or in other cases, reported via more direct means such as live pilot reports, known
as Pireps... Though reasonably accurate during daytime hours with adequate
light, night-time data was most accurately derived from pireps at most
major airports. In other words: cloud base (especially in reduced visibility)
was often determined when the approaching aircraft finally "broke out" of the slop
on an ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach to reveal either the "Rabbit" (sequenced
strobes leading the approaching aircraft on final, to the runway threshold) or the
runway marker lights themselves. Later optical rangefinder based systems were partially
automated, but accuracy left something to be desired and cloud base data was available
normally only at the major airports or Govt weather sites.
Today, such cloud base measurements have been replaced with LIDAR
(LIght
Detection And
Ranging) that emits a pulsed laser beam, and
measures the time it takes for any reflection from the cloud base to be returned.
Perhaps a bit over-simplified (ok... way over-simplified), but nothing more than
an over glorified laser pointer/cat laser toy, but aimed vertically.
Only real difference is that the laser is pulsed & the ceilometer microcode simply
measures the time it takes for any reflection off the cloud base to be returned.
Conceptually, the same as radar, but instead, uses light in the form of a pulsed
laser, instead of microwaves. Since the speed of light in our
atmosphere is known to a great deal of precision, the time it takes for any reflection
from the cloud base to be reflected back & reach the sensor, equates to a highly
accurate measurement. Cloud base measurements are now automatically determined,
often accurate to within +/- 14 feet, & up to a height of 60,0000 feet and
available 24/7. (the CL3 is only capable of up to 25,000 ft)....
Since the base of many cloud types are not well defined, the software averages the
past 20 samples to calculate the height of the lowest cloud layer. LIDAR technology
makes accurate cloud/ceiling measurements, affordable even to the private /personal
weather stations... The pulsed beam instead of being visible, operates at
a wavelength of 910nm which is solidly into the the infrared - just outside
the visible spectrum of from 380 to 750nm. The long wavelength, also is much better
able to penetrate and negate the effects of haze. Thus there
is no visible laser beam to draw attention or aggravate our neighbors !
(though much more powerful, it's visibly as innocuous as the laser "beam" emitted
by your TV remote control )... Perhaps no surprise, but LIDAR derived
data is what is used here to determine the cloud base.
http://www.vaisala.com/weather/products/weatherinstruments/ceilometers/cl31/
A visibility measuring device was also considered for this station,
however the WebCam image would seem to more than suffice for practical purposes
!

The new weather software and weather server went on line 11-7-2007.
Location: Sampson Cove - Waldoboro, Maine
Registered ID: KMEWALDO3
44.0675316 N -69.3476257 W
Weather Station: Oregon Scientific WMR-918
Weather Software: Virtual Weather Station Version 13.01
LIDAR: Vaisala - CL31 located on rear deck
Anemometer is mounted to a steel antenna mast that extends 7 ft above
the north peak of the garage roof.
Rain Gauge is mounted in the open, atop a pasture fence post approx 150 ft from
the house.
Outside Air Temp/humidity gauge is mounted under the overhanging eaves of the
garage roof facing North to negate the effects of solar loading.
WMR-918 Data (depending on the sensor) is sampled & processed on average, once
every 30 sec.
Processed Weather Data & WebCam images are uploaded to our server approximately
once every 5 minutes...
LIDAR data is sampled once every 10 minutes from a Vaisala CL31
Weather Data & Webcam images are hosted locally by our own server
running Apache 2.2 which is operational 24/7 with the exception of when down
for routine maintenance, upgrades or at the approach of a severe thunderstorm.
(Our WebCam/Weather/Tides server has been assigned its' own static ip & is not
part of our other internal networks)
We are also part of the Weather Exchange and Weather Underground
®. http://www.ambientweather.com/
Our station ID is: KMEWALDO3 (the letter O)
About
The WebCam
BLACK - NO IMAGE
The webcam occasionally goes off line at random
times, where all that's viewable is a black jpg image. Turns out the kittens
just love playing with the cables, and so far, no amount of other cat toy diversions
or serious discussions with them on the matter, has had the least effect
(like most other discussions, coming to think of it).... Short of
running all the cables in metal conduit and enclosing the camera in an explosion
proof steel housing (both impractical), no other solution comes quickly to mind.
So, I know when I'm beat.
Until they outgrow their boundless energy, or
replace the webcam with something better on their long list of other fun things
to trash, expect a black webcam screen from time to time !
Kishka's kittens usually operate in roving gangs
of from 3 to 5 of em at once. It often amounts to a highly efficient coordinated
assault that would do any military General proud. So whenever you see a black
webcam image, just imagine the mayhem and destructive forces at play going on
behind the scenes ! Whatever you can imagine (and it will probably
be quite a bit) will probably pale in comparison to the reality !
Images are captured & transferred
directly to our local server once every 5 minutes depending on our "mood" -
between the hours of sunrise and sunset using a "retired" Olympus C-730 "Ultra Zoom"
3 MP digital Camera. Images are uploaded at a reduced resolution of 1024x768, which
seems to be a reasonable compromise between those
with dial-up and broadband connections. Even so, a broadband connection makes for
a far better experience.
From time to time, we create time
lapse Quick Time Movie files of the tides & "goings on" in the cove.
On days we intend to update the time lapse movie files, captures are scheduled every
1 or 2 minutes.
During the hours of darkness, the
WebCam is not active. However the last image of the day is normally left on our
server until webcam operation resumes the next morning. From time to time, we make
changes to the camera zoom and view of the cove, or (truth be known) when we accidently
bump into the camera !
The camera is controlled by Pine Tree Computing's
Camera Controller:
http://www.pinetreecomputing.com/camctl.asp
For lists of other webcams:
Webcam
Index - Live Webcams
Webcam World
- Live Webcams

For a Quick Time Movie Time
Lapse view of the cove at 640x480 Click
Here
File Size: approx 8.3mb - broadband connection
recommended !
For a Quick Time Movie Time-lapse
view of the cove at 320x240
Click Here
File Size: approx 2.4mb
(To view the movies, you will
need Quick Time Player installed on your system)
Get it free, directly from Apple Computer
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/
(Click return on your browser
after viewing the movies, to return to this page)

Waldoboro Tides
The average 10 foot tidal swings, makes clearing a fouled wheel
a "piece of cake" without having to spend a dime to have it towed and hauled or
having to dive over the side.
Just "run er' ashore", prop er' up and wait ! - -
- - - Mother Natures' very own dry-dock !
Maybe not everyone's "cup of tea", but a great way to spend a day !
Though not in the same league as the Bay of Fundy with 50 to 60
foot tidal swings, the Midcoast and especially the northern Maine shoreline, marks
in a sense the entrance to it. 10 foot tide swings are the average in these parts,
but 14 foot swings are the norm around the period of a full moon.
Why does Minas Basin - Truro, Nova
Scotia experience the worlds highest tides ? (Typically 50 to
60 feet !)
Many factors working in harmony can result in high tidal swings,
but the Bay of Fundy is somewhat unique. What accounts for these almost unbelievable
tides seems to overshadow all other influences combined. Yet in fact,
it's dictated by the same lunar/solar influences other places worldwide also
experience. What makes the Bay of Fundy unique, is that the effects are
greatly amplified by the bottom topography of the Bay of Fundy and to a lesser
degree the Gulf of Maine, in achieving a harmonic tidal resonance.
So what exactly is "Harmonic Tidal Resonance" you're probably asking ?
First of all, think of an incoming or outgoing tide as a wave
(especially since it is one !)..... Like any other periodic
wave, it has a peaks and troughs and moves at a certain speed. Generally,
the speed of a wave in open water is approximated by it being the square root
of G*H G=gravitational constant & H being the depth of the water.
( √GH). We could quickly turn this into an excellent example of a practical
use of calculus which excels at anything that changes over time (like how the
tides are calculated here), but to put it simply as possible; the shallower
the water, the slower will be the speed of the wave.
Consider the Bay of Fundy gradually narrows & becomes shallower
all the way from the Gulf of Maine to Truro, NS. Because of the contours
of the Bay, it would take an open ocean wave approximately 6 1/2 hours to reach
Truro, and consequently, another 6 1/2 hours for it to reflect back, or a total
of 13 hours. That 13 hours is defined as being the Bay's Natural Period....
It's no coincidence that it is very close to the 12 hours 25 minute cycle of
the open Atlantic Ocean tide and daily lunar cycle. So close in fact,
that it sets up a harmonic tidal resonance; not unlike one pushing their child
on a swing just at the right time in "harmony" or resonance with the swing's
natural period... Likewise, if open ocean tides ebb and flow in resonance
with the natural period of the Bay, it will take very little solar/lunar gravitational
energy to achieve & maintain some spectacular tidal swings.
Perhaps much easier to demonstrate the principals , & best way
to do that is to build an observable model to observe the same effects. Only
in this case, you won't have to even build anything !
Equipment Required:
-
Dishpan
-
Water (That's it !)
With only these two commonplace items, you can build and
model your very own micro "Bay of Fundy" ! Within one minute,
you'll fully grasp the entire concept without even knowing the difference
between an integral or a derivative !
Simply fill the basin half way with water. As simple as this
is, we just created and modeled a very simplistic "Tidal Basin". (Our very own
micro Bay of Fundy if you will....) Our "Micro" basin has its' own natural
period... that is: the time it normally would take for a wave to propagate
from one end to the other. (Simply make a wave with you hand and time
its' period (The time for your wave to propagate from one end to the other and
then reflect back). Depending on the size of your basin, It will probably be
on the order of about a second. To simulate an incoming/outgoing tide,
simply tilt the basin slightly to generate a "Tidal Wave". When tilted
at too low or too high a frequency, only a small wave effect will be observed.
However, start the reverse tilt just as the wave approaches max at either end,
and you'll have matched your tidal basins' natural period and thus achieving
a harmonic tidal resonance- just like giving your child that slight push
at the top of his or her swing on a swing set. Your kitchen "tidal basin"
operates no different than the Bay of Fundy - - just on a much smaller scale.
When you "hit" close to the resonant frequency, very little tilt (tidal influence)
will result in some very large waves being generated to the point of sloshing
over the ends.
The abnormal high tides in the Bay of Fundy and to a lesser
degree; the Gulf of Maine, are nothing but the very same "sloshing" effect.
In the case of the Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy, instead of asking someone
when "High Tide" is, it might be far more accurate to ask them the time of the
next "High Slosh"...
What can also greatly affect the tidal swing, is the contour
& depth of the water. The Gulf Coast of the US has very little in the way of
tides (typically 1 to 2 feet). The entire Gulf of Mexico owing to its' shape
and depth, has been effectively "baffled off" from the open Atlantic.
(The same as placing baffles in tanker trucks to keep the liquids from sloshing
on cornering or braking. Without internal baffles, 25 tons of water or other
liquid sloshing about could easily tip the trailer). You can simulate
the very same by placing a brick in your "tidal basin" and observe the effect.
Though there is some influence because it acts as a breakwater, if you continue
to maintain your tilting at the same frequency as before, the brick has now
dramatically increased the natural period by restricting the flow & decreasing
the depth. You can also simply remove some water so as to reduce the depth directly
and observe the slower wave propagation. Either way; the resonant frequency
has now been changed. The same exact amount of tilting at the previous
resonant frequency that gave you waves sloshing over the sides before, now gives
far less spectacular results. A lot of other dynamics at play in the real
world, but that's the simple gist of it !
The Midcoast area of Maine's tidal basin has a shorter
natural period and thus this areas natural period is somewhat "out of sync"
with the tidal cycle, owing to its' closer proximity to the open Atlantic and
Continental Shelf drop-off. (Our natural period is a bit shorter). Though
a bit out of sync here, it's still close enough to yield 10 to 12 foot
tides.
Some locations' natural periods are so far out of sync with
the tidal period, that few tides at all are observed. Florida averages
3 feet & most ports on the Gulf Coast average just over 1 ft..
Theoretical tide in the open ocean assuming a smooth bottom
is only 54cm or about 21 inches. Interesting to note that Hawaii (effectively
right in the middle of open ocean deep water) averages 2 ft tides.
- - - What a coincidence !
Read more on Tidal influences and terminology at the following
sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tides
http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/MStide/tideglos.htm


View
If you ever wondered where your
vintage transfers are being done, this is the View
looking south from our "sunroom", of Sampson Cove in Waldoboro, Maine.
This side of the cove come summertime,
is a prime clamming mudflat at low tide.
The small tree'd island to the far left in the background, is Havener Island Ledges
2.9 miles distant. Directly behind
Havener Ledges is Pemaquid Point Light
17.8 miles to the south - just hidden by the northern tip of Loud's
Island
7.8 miles in the distance.
The closest opposite shore is
1.8 miles distant.
Beyond the islands & out of view, is Muscongus Bay .
Tides in Sampson Cove typically
range from 8.5 to 12 feet.
Local
Climate
Since most of our weather here
on the coast comes in from the south, it's always interesting
to observe the precipitation advancing up the cove ! The weather here is primarily
influenced
by the ocean, and may be quite different only a few miles inland. Thus a clear
sunny summers'
day can be turned into a thick fog - sometimes within a minute, should the wind
shift off the
cool ocean waters. Summer temperatures rarely exceed 95 deg, and even a slight wind
shift out of the southeast can drop temperatures as much as 15 to 20 degrees in
a matter of minutes.
Winter temperatures are moderated
by the warmer ocean waters. Inland, "dead of winter"
night time temperatures often plummet to minus 35 deg f , while here on the coast,
rarely does
get much colder than 15 below... 22 below being the coldest
observed in 2004 .
Average rainfall in the Midcoast area, averages 47 inches per
year with 52 inches being the norm, right along the immediate coast.
The cove freezes over solid
come winter. Normally "ice out" occurs at the very end of March.
The winter of 2005 was especially mild here on the coast, and the cove never completely
froze over.
2008 Seasons
Spring March 20 1:48 AM EDT
Summer June 20 7:59 PM EDT
Fall Sept 22 11:44 AM EDT
Winter Dec 21 7:04 AM EST
Spring
Come the first of April, the
ice is usually out, and with feeding access to the shoreline, the Gulls and other
shoreline feeders slowly start making their re-appearance in the cove. Being
so far north, forsythia and many other deciduous
plants, don't bloom until mid May.
The first hummingbirds normally appear May 11th each year. Since keeping
records for the past 5 years, their arrival always has been within one day of the
11th. Right on cue, May 11, 2006 & May 10, 2007 marked
the feeder's first guest.... (How do they know ???)
Mud Season in Maine is a local
phenomenon that has to be experienced to be fully appreciated !
First Peepers in the Farm Pond were heard: April 11th 2008
Summer
It doesn't really start to feel like summer until about the 2nd
week in June. Cool sea breezes of the still cold waters of Muscongus Bay
hold temperatures below what can be found only several more miles inland.
Summer is short, but sweet ! By most peoples' standards, we only have
what many would consider only 2 months of real summer.
Rarely however, do temperatures exceed 95 deg.
Fall
Come the 2nd week in August however, one starts to sense the changing
season. Days are still quite warm and "summer like", but
evenings start to border on a bit chilly. Not much in the way of spectacular
foliage in this area, but what there is of it, normally
peaks about the 2nd week in October. By mid November, most of the leaves are down,
lawns have stopped growing, and pastures
take on a "tawny - straw" color. The only color that remains are some exceptionally
hardy Maine Dandelions that will continue to bloom all winter long.....
.... even under the snow and ice !
Standing outside water is usually found frozen
the next morning by the start of November. First accumulating snow usually
arrives right around Thanksgiving.
Winter
Very little in the way of wildlife
in the cove during the winter. The gulls (both Herring and Great Black Wing)
as
well as Guillemots, Common Golden Eye & Bufflehead require easy access to their
prime food source (urchins and mussels). Since the cove freezes solid
during the months of mid December to late March, few Gulls or other wildlife are
present in the cove. Most winter
out closer to unfrozen waters such as Port Clyde or the open ocean.
Snow amounts in the local area,
can vary widely from year to year. Generally, 70 to 80 inches annually is
the
norm here on the Midcoast. But so much depends on the storm track and direction
of the wind... A good
Nor'easter will pull in moisture from the Gulf of Maine and dump it in copious amounts
! A slight wind shift to the
South or Southeast, and it will more likely be rain.
January is normally the coldest month, with daily highs averaging about 25 deg &
evening temps normally dropping into the single digits.
1 and 2 week cold spells where the daytime high never gets above Zero deg f., are
common.
If you love cold and ice, you'll think you died and went to heaven ! - - -
- (at least til the first heating bill arrives !)
Though still technically winter, by the 2nd week in February,
one starts to first sense a change. The color changes
ever so slightly but yet perceptible, to a warmer yellow. Though the air remains
cold, where the suns beats down,
surface temperatures on darker areas start to feel quite warm. The first omen
of another re-birth....
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Summer
- wide view
|
Winter - extreme wide view |
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Slaigo Brook |
View to rear & pasture |
Local History
8,500 BC The fist Native Americans arrive
at Thomas Hill. Paleo Indians and their successors, the Abenaki,
summer at the mouth of the Slaigo Brook, fishing and farming
the meadows created by abandoned beaver dams. - (Interesting
to note that beavers continue to build dams today in the same
location ! )
1736 – Samuel Waldo receives title to 10,000
acres from the King of England, and immediately creates 20 lots.
A family named Little leases lot number 15, the present location
of Thomas Hill Farm, and likely started clearing the land.
1760s – A tavern is built on the summit of Thomas
Hill. The current farmhouse is likely built on the former site
of the tavern.
Little
would anyone today ever suspect that Sampson Cove in Waldoboro,
Maine and the Webcam image you're looking at, was once a major
East Coast shipping port !
Origin of the Customs House *
One of the first
tasks of the new Congress was to ease the tax on American vessels
while increasing the tax or duty to foreign shipping so as to
protect US manufacturing.
(Today, exactly
the opposite policy has been adopted (with arguably disastrous
consequences) - US Manufacturer's are penalized while foreign
manufacturers' are rewarded)....
American vessels
now paid a tax of 6 cents/ton while foreign vessels were required
to pay a duty of 50 cents/ton. To collect the funds, the Congress
set up a system of customs districts. Sampson Cove in
Waldoboro was the site of Waldoboro's first Customs House.
When
a ship - foreign or domestic - entered Maine waters heading
for a port to unload its cargo or to pick up Maine cargo destined
for New York, the captain would sail either to the official
port of entry and register there, or if that were inconvenient
often due to inclement weather or sea conditions, he could sail
to a nearby harbor such as Waldoboro..... Waldoboro
as it turns out, was a popular port - due in part to its' location
being well protected by the numerous islands in Muscongus Bay,
as well has having been endowed with a wealth of forest products
in demand by a rapidly growing new country.
The Midcoast area
& Monhegan Island at the southern entrance of Muscongas Bay,
was usually the first American landfall for European vessels
destined for America. So popular was this shipping lane,
that the very first lighthouse commissioned in the United States
was Franklin Light (still in operation today & named after Benjamin
Franklin who personally commissioned it in 1805) which lies
at the approach to the southern entrance of the Medomak River
and 12 miles to our south.
The
first Customs House site was Sampson Cove which comprised the
area of Slaigo Brook and Thomas Hill,
(we are located near the top of Thomas
Hill overlooking Sampson Cove and the Slaigo Brook which abuts
the northern end of our property boundary)
where a settlement had been started on
Sampson's Cove. Here there were lumber yards, a gristmill, tannery,
storehouses, homes, and a ferry service for the bay. The first
Customs House was built on the "East side of Slaigo Brook and
at the foot of Thomas Hill" who's site is "guessed-imated"
as being the location of where the picture of where the Slaigo
Brook was taken above and abuts our property line.
Ships regularly arrived to take away wood, hides, grain, & fish
destined for Boston. (The view
at the very bottom of the WebCam is where it all happened !
)
By
1799, the Customs House site was transferred to Waldoboro Village
with its deeper water. The new Custom's House was heavily
built since the ship captains usually paid the duty in Gold
Bullion ! Shipbuilding and commerce flourished in
Waldoboro's customs district which extended from Bristol to
Thomaston. By 1850 tonnage produced in this area exceeded all
other districts excepting Bath's.

Though
once a major East Coast shipping port, Waldoboro was mostly
famously known as a major ship building center, with over 14
major shipyards that came and went over the years. From the
late 1700's
to the early 1900's, over 600 large commercial sailing vessels
were constructed in town. There were undoubtedly more, however
a combination of poor record keeping and lost files makes the
exact count unknown. Thus the actual number of vessels built
is probably significantly more. From the records that
survive however, the confirmed vessels totaled:
**
300 Three Masted
Schooners
120 Brigs
61 Barks
10 Barkentine's
32 Sloops
76 Fully Rigged Ships
Waldoboro was most famous, for being the first port to construct
a 5 Masted Schooner - The "Governor Ames" - 1764 tons - launched
December 1, 1888. Constructed by the Storer Shipyard, the vessel
was 265 ft in length overall - 49.6 ft beam and fully loaded
with 3000 tons of coal, would draw 20 ft of water.
Hundreds of people came from near & far to witness the Saturday
morning launching, and at 8am, the huge vessel slipped gracefully
down the ways into it's natural element...
Today, the former
Storer Shipyard is now Storer Lumber - still owned and operated
by the family descendents. Some of the original buildings
survive to this day ! For those aware of the history, a trip
to Storer Lumber to see the remaining structures, is a mini
journey back in time.

The WebCam is aimed at where the Slaigo
Brook (which abuts the back pasture
here) empties into the head of
Sampson Cove. The faint remnants of the old piers where ships
from Europe would unload their goods destined for Boston or
pick up additional cargo bound for New York, are still visible
today at a low spring tide. No trace of the old gristmill, tannery
Customs House or business center still remains, though the spillway
for the gristmill is thought to be the foundation for the bridge
where Rt 220 crosses over the Slaigo Brook. Interesting
to note that some 215 years ago, the webcam image you're viewing
today, would have been filled with tall sailing vessels having
arrived from Europe as well as a multitude of coastal schooners.
Several ships would commonly be seen at anchor, waiting for
dock space to open up... A bustling community of warehouses,
piers & a tannery would be evident at the bottom of the picture.
Few folks would ever suspect that the current Webcam view was
once a major East Coast shipping port !
-------
Today, all that
is gone..... Sampson Cove has long since reverted back
to nature.... with Osprey, gulls, Guillemots (an
ocean duck), Terns, Herons and an occasional Eagle, now making
it their home.
The innermost parts
of the cove today, are a prime clamming flat exposed at low
tide. Once the ice is out, it's never long before the "clammers"
can be seen on the webcam with lobster boats traversing the
cove. Most "clammers" launch their skiffs at Dutch Neck Cove
on the far shore, where there are usually some lobster boats
moored during the summer months.
Sampson Cove is
also on the East coast migratory flyway of the Canadian Geese.
Though called Canadian Geese by many, they have now been renamed
"Canada Geese" by the international community, so as to remain
politically correct & not imply that Canada somehow owns them.
Although some winter in Southern Canada, the majority
migrate to the southern states or Mexico. Since Canadian winters
are long & cold, most of their lives are spent outside Canada.....
I suppose it could be successfully argued they should have been
called "Mexican Geese" ! (that's probably coming next...)
Anyways, come late August, the first of many great "V"
formations of "Geese" heading south become commonplace.
-------
References - Credits
- Recommended Reading - Places to visit
*
Parts of
the local history were excepted from the Lincoln County News
www.mainelincolncountynews.com
**
To learn more of Waldoboro's
Shipbuilding days, I recommend reading "Merchant of the Medomak"
- Stories from Waldoboro's Golden Years by Mark W. Biscoe.
The 8 ½x11 soft cover book totals
322 pages with 100's of photo's, maps and stories of shipbuilding
life, spanning the years 1860 to 1910. It makes for fascinating
reading - even if you're not from Waldoboro ! The book
is available from
the Waldoboro Historical Society,
Route 220 South PO Box 110, Waldoboro, ME 04572, The Waldoboro
Town Offices, as well as the
Maine Maritime Museum Bookstore
in Bath Maine. It would be a valuable historical addition to
any library.
The Waldoboro
Historic Society operates the local museum, that in addition
to two other buildings, also has a one room schoolhouse complete
with many original documents. The museum is a wealth of period
photographs, clothing fashions from the 1800's, pump organs,
tools and almost anything else you could imagine ! Plan
on spending several hours - there's a LOT to see ! ......
The museum is located several hundred yards on the right side
of Rt 220 South - just off route 1 and a "stone's throw" from
the world famous "Moody's Diner" !
- - - Definitely worth a visit !
Though not
related to the shipbuilding in Waldoboro, "The Tancook Schooners"
by Wayne M. O'Leary, is another fascinating book on the shipbuilding
that took place on Tancook Island in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.
Perhaps a biased opinion, since many of the builders in Mahone
Bay Nova Scotia are my relatives, but think you'll find The
Tancook Schooners another fascinating book documenting the life
styles & history of shipbuilding in the Maritimes.

(Not sure where to put all this, so for lack
of a better place, it ends up here !)
The indoor temperature in the winter months
(usually over 80) is not an error. We heat entirely
in the winter via a Harman Coal Stove located in the Sunroom,
capable of outputting 92,000 BTU when running at max...
This is more than enough to heat the entire structure - even
with outside temperatures approaching -20 deg f.
The building faces directly south and captures
the sun reflecting off the waters of the cove in the mid afternoon
winter sun. With large amounts of glass on our southern
exposure, it's an ideal setup for passive solar. Even during
the coldest winter days with the coal stove "throttled back"
as much as possible, sunroom temperatures can easily soar to
over 90 degrees f. with the sun "pounding in" off the water.....
Even at sub-zero temperatures, a sunny day will necessitate
opening a window or two, lest we get "roasted out"....
Even here in frigid Maine, with passive solar
- coal heat - a well insulated structure with few infiltration
losses, last year we consumed only 2.3 tons of coal or about
$700 in annual heating costs based on current 2007 coal prices.
(and that's with keeping the interior at a toasty
80 + degrees !). Today, just a single 250 gallon tank
of oil that lasts but perhaps 6 weeks here in Maine in the dead
of winter, runs that.
A lot to be said for passive solar...
but in the Northern Hemisphere, one needs a house with an unobstructed
southern exposure. Unfortunately, most structures were
(and still are) built & designed with no consideration as to
the sighting benefits of passive solar heating. What amplifies
the solar loading here even more so, is the sun also reflecting
off the waters of the cove, which comes close to almost doubling
the solar loading for about 2 hours each sunny winter day.


We use a Harman Mark III to heat the entire house & have
fallen in love with it !
Note: Picture is from Harman's Brochure for the Mark III
http://www.harmanstoves.com/Default.asp
(Don't expect your viewing window to ever remain this clean
- it's not "gonna happen !)
Coal also makes for a nice toasty convective
as well as even radiant heat. (Sensing a good thing, our
Company cats all "swarm" around it come winter - even with inside
temps approaching 80 !)... "Missing" kittens are
often found in "kitten mounds" beside it and some who really
want to stay toasty, directly underneath it, soaking up the
radiant energy.
There are some major benefits to burning Anthracite
Coal....
-
Plenty of Even - Dry - Steady
- Radiant Heat. If you contract the
flu or a bad cold, both you and that stove will quickly
become the best of close "Pals". Snuggle up close
to "ole Bessie" (you'll probably give her a name, since
the bond will become so strong) and the strong radiant
heat will permeate your bones & bake the infection right
out of you ! In my personal opinion, antibiotics
can't compete with the curative powers of a radiant
coal or wood stove !
-
Burns clean (for coal anyways)
- When burning Anthracite, no trace of black smoke
will emanate from your chimney once up to operating
temperature.
-
Compared to wood, coal stoves are very
efficient. Stack temperatures average well below
those of wood stoves (typically here: only 250 to 275
deg f even when putting out full 92,000 BTU's) per hour.
In other words, most of the heat goes to heating the
building interior, rather than up the chimney !)
-
Though recommended to be shaken down
twice daily, unlike wood stoves that must be constantly
stoked and banked for the night, most air tight coal
stoves will easily run 24 to 30 hours without being
re-fueled. (You will awake to a warm toasty house with
the stove still outputting full BTU's!)
-
No Creosote buildup. Unlike
wood based fuel products, there is no creosote build
up, and thus little risk of a chimney fire. (Far fewer
chimney cleaning tasks - though you're still going to
want to check it).
-
Since there's no creosote buildup, roofing
shingles will not become stained.
-
Coal stoves by default, will also happily
and successfully burn wood, which makes them very versatile
in a pinch ! (Note: a wood stove will
not be able to burn coal.)
-
Unlike a pellet stove, non self-stoker
models are not dependent on electric power. You
may not have the electric blower when the AC goes out,
but it will still most likely "roast you out !)
-
Coal is still reasonably cheap - half
to one third the cost of heating with oil & about half
the cost of wood.
Coal heat is not for everyone however....
before rushing right out to buy one, first consider the downsides
which many folks would never tolerate.
-
Ashes must be shaken down twice daily
& emptied (depending on the size of the ash pan)
once per day. Your stove may be different, but
that's the "norm"... (A pain in the "butt"
and you'll need insulated welders gloves or equivalent
to transfer the hot ashes outside to dump in a galvanized
steel can)
-
Be willing to accept in a few months,
everything in your home being covered in a splendid
"patina" of fine coal ash.... A good standalone
Hepa Filter helps a lot (plus as a major side benefit,
also circulates the warm air), but does not completely
eliminate the ash dust. (We use a Whirlpool AP510
available at Sear & Roebuck)... If your house
must always pass the "White Glove Test" (or even Grey
Glove Test for that matter) then don't even consider
burning coal (or even wood for that matter)....
Just grin and bear your outrageously high priced oil,
gas or electric bills ! No matter what the ads
proclaim (or avoid), the reality is that a coal stove
is for those who value it's even, low cost radiant heat
far above any minor dust/ash concerns.
Put another way: If a toasty 80 degree house in the
dead of winter is your primary focus, then by all means
get a coal stove. If a clean dust (ash) free house is
mandatory requirement & you love the convenience of
a "set it & forget it" thermostat, then stay with
gas, oil or electric. Personally after outside
in sub-freezing weather, I want to come in to a toasty
house !.... and don't want to have to put up with having
to wear heavy clothing inside just to survive another
Maine winter ! (at least without having to go
broke)...
-
Coal stoves take a long time to get
up to temperature and a long time to cool. Unlike
a pellet stove, they cannot be "throttled back" nearly
as much or instantly "switched off".
-
You'll need a safe place to dump the
ash or bag the cold ashes after they've cooled for several
days, for local trash pickup. (another chore added to
your list)
-
Similar to the requirements of a wood
stove, you will need a well designed chimney with a
good draft.
-
In high wind conditions, expect an occasional
back-draft. (Where the winds swirl outside in
such a way as to blow back DOWN the chimney & out the
stove). Even with a good chimney,
it's a rare but "memorable" event the first time you
experience it ! - - - A simple chimney cap
will negate much of this effect.
-
Coal stoves by their very nature are
HEAVY (figure about 600 lbs when loaded with coal)...
Then add another 1,000 lbs or so for a good brick/slate
base plus backing on which to sight it.
Your floor structure must be able to easily support
the total load.
-
Coal stoves must NEVER be left running
unattended for more than several hours.
You must religiously remember to constantly check the
position of the air regulator when getting it started....
If there is no one living at home to attend and monitor
it, then a coal stove is not for you..
-
Our Garage coal stove and the one aboard
the boat have thermostatically controlled air regulators
(The Harman that heats the house, does not)
Getting coal started requires quite a bit of oxygen,
so even on those, one MUST remember to re-set the thermostat
once it's up to temperature &burning normally
-
Unlike a wood stove, getting a coal
stove started is a pain.... Figure on 3 to 5 hours
to get it fully up to outputting full BTU's with
a good bed of coals. Then figure
another 6 to 8 hours just to shut it down (though you'll
probably never want to do that til spring)....
-
Operating a coal stove is much like
driving a car, in the sense it requires common sense
to safely operate..... Running it "Cherry Red"
or even hotter, will result in a warped grate/damaged
stove at best, or a devastating house or chimney fire
at worst. You must know it's quirks,
and monitor it at all times. There are no built in alarms,
auto-shutdown or runaway safety features of any kind.
YOU alone are its' primary safety feature !
To put it rather bluntly: they are NOT "idiot
proof"...
With that said: Our ancestors as well as successful
coal/wood burners today, had/have no trouble...
Generations of families where knowledge of how to safely
operate them was passed down from generation to generation
- all without incident... All my Grandmother's
kids swapped weekly chores of taking care of the
central heat coal stove (and they were 8 years of age
at the time when first assigned the chore). It's not
"Rocket Science" & all it takes is some very basic common
sense. However; It is NOT merely setting
a wall thermostat & forgetting about it...
Don't even consider a coal stove unless you intend to
understand their individual quirks , and in a sense
"bond" with it. The air regulator on a coal
stove is like the accelerator on your car ( I keep on
using the "car analogy") If used correctly,
it will safely get you to where you want to be (like:
toasty warm !). Ignore its' "throttle" setting,
and it can result in severe damage !
If operated within its' parameters, it will provide
you an inexpensive source of cozy, convective and "therapeutic"
radiant heat unsurpassed by any other heating methodology.
For those that live near the ocean, the analogy is
this: Similar to the ocean, we love it's
constant radiant heat. But like the ocean, it is not
wise to turn your back to it for too long...
With that said, once up to temperature, little further
adjust is usually required !
-
You will have to get to know your stove.
I have 3 of them (1 on the boat - a Gi-normous Hitzer
that heats the garage, and the Harman heats the entire
house). All of them behave slightly differently....
-
Once every 6 weeks or so when burning
24/7, you'll have to shut it down and let it cool to
remove the unburned "chinks" of coal that sometimes
builds up to the point of blocking the airflow and sometimes
even losing the fire. (another task)
-
Unlike a wood stove, a coal stove cannot
be "throttled back" nearly as much. Coal likes to burn
over a narrow temperature range. Though you can
vary its' output a bit, it's most efficient when burning
hot. (When properly burning, nearly all the coal
will be reduced to a very fine ash, with few unburned
chinks.) Thus on warmer days (temps above 30 deg f.)
you'll probably have to "crack" some windows to keep
from being roasted out.
-
And if all this hasn't dissuaded you,
beware that Anthracite Coal is not readily available
in many parts of the country !
Anyways, if "Ole Bessie" should "give
up the ghost" here tomorrow beyond any hope of repair,
then before the end of the day, I'd have a new one on order.
 |
|
The Hitzer 82 is designed to burn either Coal or
wood. I've had it since 1992 and performs as new,
pumping out 92,000 BTU's. What's unique & a very
desirable feature, is the thermostatically controlled
primary airflow regulator.
http://www.hitzer.com/heaters.html
|
Tips on Purchasing
a Coal Stove
Having grown up with them, I figure that
makes me somewhat of another self proclaimed expert ...
(read: ok... maybe not an expert. more of a "take
it for what its' worth in the "school of hard knocks" dept).
Here is what I personally look for
- (or don't look for):
-
Stove must be of an airtight design.
Not also will it burn efficiently, but this alone is
a major safety feature. Should you ever over-temp the
stove, closing down the air regulator will cut off ALL
the air supply...... Short of hosing it
with water which will crack cast iron or warp steel
plate, it's the safest way to immediately "turn it completely
off" & let it slowly cool naturally.
Burning coal does not result in a creosote buildup
as does burning wood. However, a coal stove will
happily burn wood and some people will switch
between the two fuels. If you burn wood in it,
you WILL have creosote in the chimney that
accumulates with each wood burning. Merely
switching back to coal does not make it magically go
away.... It must be physically removed...
Should a chimney fire ever get started, (the result
of the creosote igniting) this is
one time where you will wish you spent the $
on an air tight
design. In a properly designed system, closing the air
regulator, also cuts off much of the air supply that
is feeding the chimney fire.
-
Have an internal baffle system so the
hot exhaust gasses follow a long serpentine type
path to the chimney. This effectively increases
the surface area and extracts the most heat before it
exhausts up the chimney. In some designs, it
results in a secondary burn further reducing
emissions and extracting even greater BTU's.
The greater the efficiency also results in reduced stack temperatures.
-
A blower and air system also designed
to blow cooler floor air through internal channels ,
so as to again, extract the max amount of heat into
the living space.
-
Be at least 1/4" steel plate or cast
iron construction for stoves intended for 24/7 continuous
operation. Note: Steel plate construction stoves
(though not as "quaint", are much easier to repair using
a standard AC Arc Welder. (Cast Iron is MUCH more difficult
to weld - requiring MIG welding equipment and far more
welding skills & experience !) With
that said; a cast iron stove if not over-temp'd,
will most likely outlive you and possibly
several generations of
your descendents !
-
Internal firebrick design. This
keeps the hot coals from burning through the metal over
a period of years (or over a span of minutes in the
case of carelessness or committing an act of sheer
stupidity).
-
Shakedown grates (almost all coal stoves
are equipped with these). Warped grates are an indication
that the ash pan was not emptied. The grates that support
the red hot coals depend on the natural draft of
cool room air passing through them to keep them
cool and thus from warping. An overflowing ash pan blocks off this
much needed
cooling airflow, and warped grates will be the result.
-
View window is nice, but also not necessary
(just one more thing to keep clean). Even if you
manage to keep the viewing window clean, coal to look
at, doesn't burn "pretty" like wood or even pellet stoves.
No romantic flickering flames or crackling sounds !
(How boring) .... Just a dull steady
dull red
glow. By not having a "view Window", you're
not missing out on any real excitement ...
(Truth is: there isn't any !) - Might be
visually/audibly "dull", but the suckers will pump out
an even steady stream of raw BTU's, that few wood/pellet
stoves of comparative size can come close to matching
for far less cost !
-
Purchase a stove that has the
capacity to easily heat the desired space. The
fact that this takes position #8 is not to mean it's
of little importance. The reality is,
that too
small a stove, and you'll be too tempted to over-temp
it to stay warm (this would be VERY dangerous)...
The lure of keeping warm when the outside winds are
howling and the outside thermometer reads a
number that could have been recorded in Antarctica,
and you will be almost guaranteed to over-temp the
stove. Far too many times that shivering has
taken a backseat to common sense.
Solution: Buy a stove that has the BTU output
necessary to stay comfortable. A properly
sized stove will both more efficiently and
safely.
Too large, & you'll be continuously roasted out (or
praying for sub-zero winter nights)... Neither
will the stove burn efficiently if operated too
cold. The fuel will not be completely burned
resulting in too many unburned "chinks" and higher
emissions.... There
are a lot of variables, but a good rule of thumb is
to figure on a stove rated at 70,000 BTU to heat a 2500
square foot living space if the building envelope is
tight and well insulated, & 90,000 BTU for even typical new
construction that has not been surveyed & optimized.
(See Below...)
If the size falls on the cusp and you can't decide,
then always opt for the next larger BTU output,
unless there are other extenuating circumstances
such as physical size constraints, flue position
etc. Ironic as it first may seem, a larger
stove that is operating at it's normal "Q" point,
will consume LESS fuel than a smaller one operating
much hotter, yet providing less BTU's to
the living space. (for those that doubt the
validity of this statement, consider this is the 2nd
law of thermodynamics)
Wood Burning
Stoves - Advantages
Ever since a kid, we burned mostly coal with
some years spent burning wood. However, the first 2 years after moving here were spent
heating entirely with wood - the result of land clearing and winter blow-down. (Free
heat as it were !) Though today I burn
strictly coal,
I'm not against heating with wood.... it does have some
distinct advantages over coal....
Namely, nothing beats the smell of burning
wood that permeates the entire house with a highly desirable
pleasant aroma that has never been able to be artificially
duplicated. If it could, I'm certain it would corner an
important segment of the air freshener market ! ( at least
for some folks)
Wood burns with a bright flickering glow,
complete with stereophonic hi-fi crackling sounds. It's a light show that is
mesmerizing, hypnotic and triggers some deep primal instinct
in all of us, suggesting a strong sense of warmth
and security. Which one of us hasn't gazed into
a crackling campfire not having experienced it ?
Whatever it is, it's deeply ingrained into our psyche.
I really miss that aspect...
Wood ash is more environmentally friendly.
In fact; it makes for a great fertilizer when spread over
your lawn, garden or flower beds !
Wood Burning
Stoves - Disadvantages
Burning wood does have some major disadvantages
as compared to coal however... (not many - but unfortunately,
significant)
Even the best wood stove will not burn cleanly
& evenly for 24 hours straight. Most must be "banked" for the
night, & even then, one may awake to a chilly house.
Wood should be seasoned. Green wood burns
dirty, produces far less heat & adds dramatically to the
dangerous creosote woes.
All wood burning results in a creosote buildup
in the chimney. If not removed & cleaned religiously each year, the
risk of a chimney fire and possible loss of the entire house
is far greater. One chimney fire is enough to ruin
your entire day (and perhaps everything else the house contained)...
I rated this #3, since the simple act of cleaning the
chimney, solves the problem. It's not a big deal - just
a simple task to be added to your winter prep list or
chimney sweep service to call.
Unlike coal, wood must be cut & split.....
though at first a novelty to some;
trust me: The novelty will soon
wear thin !
Coal Burning
Links and Forums
The following links make for interesting
reading. However, beware that like any other forum, many
of the opinions are posted by those with little or even
no experience or understanding about why coal stoves behave
the way they do, purpose of dampers, use of barometric dampers
etc etc etc... In contrast, there is much valuable
info from those that have years or literally generations
of practical "hand me down" experience in the
operation/maintenance/installation of wood or coal
stoves. As with any open forum, you will be forced to sift thru it
to separate out the truth based on the physics involved,
from personal opinions, rumor and just plain good old fashioned
BS.
There are many examples of inaccuracies
on some of these forums and even some dangerous ones should you
opt to adopt them and understand that all
recommendations will be safe for your situation. Here's one ....
Barometric
Dampers

Guess first order of business is
to explain their purpose.
Nearly every oil burning furnace
has a barometric damper usually mounted close to
the stack exhaust port. It's purpose is to
isolate the burner in the furnace from changes in
pressure at the chimney exit. (HUH ? you're
probably muttering..)
The rapidly expanding
warm air in the combustion chamber, creates a higher pressure, and thus the
air pressure at the bottom of the chimney is greater
than that which is cooler at the top or exhaust
of the chimney. That part of the effect is
similar in concept to a mini jet engine or even the internal
combustion engine where a small amount of air is
taken in, then heated and a greater volume under
pressure is expelled. The concept and rules of physics
don't change just because the combustion chamber
is now called an oil burner, coal or wood stove..
The other dynamic in the chimney effect is that
the expanding warm air is less dense than the colder
air above. The warm air will naturally want to rise
just because it is more buoyant than the denser
and heavier cold air above. It wants to rise like a cork !
The two dynamics working in concert, create the chimney
effect which also creates the daft or suction to
expel the combustion byproducts....
There are many times when the draft can
become too great, as the natural draft is dependent
on a number of various factors such as :
Wind direction &
velocity that can sometimes create a venturi
effect as it blows over the top of the chimney.
A simple chimney cap which you should have
anyways just to keep out rain and animals,
creates enough turbulence to negate much of the
venturi effect.
Infiltration
where the wind blows in thru voids on the
windward side, and pressurizes the
building envelope. The higher pressure room air
will naturally try to achieve equilibrium by
escaping thru the air regulator opening of the
stove. The pressure differential increases
the draft the stove sees.... This is often the major
source... not having a barometric damper is not
the problem.... Instead the house leaks like a
sieve ! (Read further on how to locate them).
Topography also
can play a role in hilly or mountainous country
where downdrafts can play havoc by attempting to
"ram" air back down the chimney. Again, a
chimney cap can help here again as well.
Temperature
Differential... how hot is the fire and
outside air temperature thus temp
differential. The greater the differential, the
greater the chimney effect.
There are others, but the first
two often account for the Lion's share, where wildly
fluctuating drafts are experienced. When that
happens, the chimney suction can be greater than
the furnace’s needs. (In most cases, the first
two or even 3, can be easily remedied or
the effects greatly reduced)
The crux of the matter is this:
Oil burners only operate efficiently
over a relatively narrow spectrum. Why
so "finicky" ? The fuel sprayed into the combustion
chamber is accurately metered and the pump and nozzle
deliver a consistent, accurate supply of fuel.
In fact, the nozzle size will be specified in
gallons/hour. An abnormally
high draft serves to draw in more air than normal
into the combustion chamber thus leaning the mixture
beyond it's point of peak efficiency as well
as disturb the flame pattern, much as a room draft
causes a candle to flicker. Too little draft
and the mixture would then be
too rich. (No different than a fuel injected
engine)- To compensate for an over-draft, the counter weighted flap
of the barometric damper rotates open and lets cool
room air into the chimney. This mixture of much
colder ambient room air added into the chimney, cools the air column
in the chimney which serves to reduce the draft.
The sheer volume of air added also serves to
equalize the differential, but the main
dynamic in play is that the influx of colder
room air cooling the air column in the chimney,
serves to shut down the chimney effect.
The purpose
of the barometric damper is not to directly regulate
the burn, but to stabilize the draft under various
operating conditions. In an oil fired heating
system where the fuel is sprayed in, a steady even
draft is necessary for a clean efficient burn.
Any wavering or "flickering" of the flame,
results in inefficiency...
Use of a Barometric Damper
insures a steady draft, and thus a steady stable
flame in the oil fired burner...
Why
a Barometric Damper should NEVER be used for a wood
burning stove or cases where a coal stove is
used to burn both.
All the benefits of a barometric
damper as they apply to oil fired furnaces, don't
translate well to wood stoves or coal stoves
even occasionally used to burn wood (other than
that used only to start the coal stove). There are
some notable differences...
First of all, Barometric Dampers are not needed
for air tight wood or coal burning stoves, which
happily operate over a wide range of conditions
(unlike an oil fired furnace that accurately meters
the fuel and requires a stable draft to maintain
a stable consistent flame). Unlike an
oil fired furnace, the fuel supplied to a coal
or wood stove is anything
but accurately metered in that sense. It is metered
instead by the air supply. The more air, the
hotter the fire and more volatile gasses are emitted
from the coal or wood and vice-versa. The fire
and thus heat generated, itself
becomes the fuel metering system. Once a wood
or coal stove is up to temperature, changes in the
chimney draft make very little difference in the rate of
burn. It's the size of the opening (air source regulator)
that primarily determines the amount of oxygen supplied
for combustion. Yes, having a barometric
damper would make
for a stable draft, but you simply don't need a
barometric damper on a coal or wood stove. There
is more than enough thermal mass in the stove itself
and the mass of it's own fuel supply to smooth out
any transients in the draft even if it did make
much of a difference... WHY ??? - - - Consider an oil
furnace reaches a full burn in about 3 seconds
and goes out nearly instantly when it shuts
down. Not so a coal or wood stove that
often takes over an well over an hour to build up a hot bed
of coals and many more hours just to completely
extinguish. Short term
transients in the draft make little
difference...... Not that you can't
use a barometric damper on a wood or coal burning setup, it's just
doing so is unnecessary & potentially extremely
dangerous. Here's why.....
Though coal when burning does not
generate creosote, there are some that use their
coal stoves to burn wood when it is available, which does
create creosote. If all you do is burn coal in a
coal stove, then all is well, and you can
choose to ignore the dangers of Creosote
build up in chimneys, since burning coal
generates no creosote.
Should you have burned wood even
in a coal stove, Creosote
once ignited is a wonderfully rich source of fuel.
When it builds up to the point where there is enough
to sustain a good burn, all it needs is a source
of ignition and an adequate oxygen supply.
Your wood/coal stove will supply the heat and flame
necessary for ignition (especially with a wood fire
or getting a coal stove started or when careless
and left to burn cherry red). Normally the
rising air column is made up of exhaust gasses that
are somewhat deficient in oxygen, thus making it
more difficult for any creosote build up to ignite.
In the case of an air tight stove,
should a chimney fire get started, the chimney's
only air supply is from the exhaust gasses of the
stove itself, which isn't much, and what there is
of it, is not all that rich in oxygen. A chimney
fire then is then a much less spectacular event.
In many cases, you may not even be aware that you
had one !
Use of a barometric damper in the
event of a chimney fire, makes for a totally different
scenario which will prove far more memorable.....
It's normal operation now introduces a nice oxygen
rich mixture directly into the chimney from below,
where all that's needed is an ignition source. Not
too tough to figure out what that might be (after
all, they are stoves !) Once the creosote
ignites, the genie is now out of the lamp
so to speak. The chimney itself has now become
the combustion chamber.... a chimney and combustion
chamber all rolled into one with a rich oxygen source
being supplied from the barometric damper...
An engineer would be hard pressed to design anything
more efficient for converting fuel into heat with
the materials at hand in the shortest possible time
span.... The chimney stack temperature now
climbs dramatically, and the barometric damper in
a futile attempt to cool the air column and thus
reduce the draft, now opens fully. That introduces
all the oxygen rich air into the chimney needed
to feed a raging chimney fire. Within minutes, chimney
temperatures can soar to well over 1800 degrees
(and no chimney liner is designed to tolerate
such temperatures).
You now have a runaway condition.... The hotter
it burns, the greater the draft, and the greater
the draft, the hotter the fire etc etc etc ....
and the barometric damper is all too happy to supply
all the oxygen it can muster !
Until the creosote is finally burned
or the oxygen source cut off, now it's just a matter
of time before the house is lost. This happens
either due to the now hot chimney igniting the
surrounding structure or the hot embers of
burning creosote being blown out onto the roof
which then itself ignites. A chimney fire if
nothing else, is often spectacular !
Yes, one could close the barometric
damper as well as religiously having the chimney
kept clean, is the argument . But the reality is
that not everyone has their chimney swept every
season, and many of those burning coal are lulled
into a false sense of security, forgetting about the times they opted to toss in some pine
logs for a romantic evening experience watching
the flickering flames or simply switched to wood
if it was suddenly more affordable or available ! Most chimney fires
where the house was lost, started at night when
everyone was asleep or no one was at home. Point is: Anytime
you operate a wood/coal stove effectively unattended
with a barometric damper as part of the system
and the chimney has any creosote,
you could be playing Russian Roulette.
Amazingly, even some manufacturer's
of wood stoves even recommend installing
one....
Again... No problem if you burn
coal and only coal, as then there will not be a
creosote buildup....
Standard
Manual Air Damper
A standard damper is a completely
different device. This was invented in 1801 by Count
Rumford and it served several purposes....
-
regulating the draft
-
serve as an emergency
shutdown.
-
preserve room heat by closing
off the chimney when the stove was not in operation
-
to regulate the fire in the
case of non airtight stoves or the open Ben
Franklin design type stoves
Instead of regulating the chimney
draft by introducing cool room air into the chimney,
it instead is mounted in the stove exhaust pipe
and serves to cut off the draft the stove sees by
literally blocking the stove pipe. Thus a
manual damper is a completely different
"beast"... This was the first
type of damper invented and widely adopted.
It was designed specifically for coal & wood
burning stoves. Might be 200 year old
technology, but no one yet has come up with
anything better ! The installation of a manual damper is highly recommend
for non-airtight stoves. For air tight designs,
the use of a manual air damper is rarely
required except in the case of the most severe
excessive draft problems.
When understood and used
properly, a manual damper affords in the case of
non-airtight stoves, a necessary level of both
draft and rate of burn control. Shut it down too
much, and you risk a smoke filled room or in
case of coal, CO2 poisoning.
Having an air tight stove does not
give you license to be careless. Chimney's still
must be inspected, the stove never over temp'd etc etc
etc.... Kind of like the ocean.... We love our
stove's
warm radiant heat and will snuggle up to it on
those cold winter nights or in cases of bouts of the
flu. It may be your best pal, but it's not wise to turn your back on it for
too long.
Pay attention !
* * * * * * *
I suppose everyone has an opinion, so consider perhaps this
but another added to the heap. But no matter the rationalization,
the rules of physics and thermodynamics are rather rigid,
stubborn, pig headed and unyielding, no matter how each
of us might believe or wish they weren't so....
With that said, there is a lot on the web
concerning heating with wood, coal, pellets and even corn
in the Midwest (guess they don't call it the
"corn belt" for nothing). There
are also many books written on the subject,
There is a lot of good information on the web... You'll
just have to do your homework before listening to some of
the conflicting suggestions by some of the self proclaimed
experts.... After reading some of the comments, I'm
absolutely convinced that some have never even had a coal
or wood burning stove.
http://www.nepadigital.com/bb/index.php

The following was a humorous comparison of the
Economic Justification for Wood Burning vs.
oil.
Anyone who has burned wood as a heat source,
has undoubtedly experienced at least several
FIRST YEAR COSTS
- Wood Burning
|
Description
(values rounded to nearest full dollar) |
Credits |
Costs |
| Top
of the line Wood Stove with approved
chimney - fully equipped and professionally
installed |
|
$2777.00 |
| Pay
plumber to remove hot water baseboard
system w/boiler (no longer needed) |
|
238.00 |
| Sell
hot water baseboards w/boiler |
125.00 |
|
| Pursue
reputable wood dealer
(unfortunately, none available to be
found) |
|
76.00 |
| Buy
Inexpensive (Cheap) Chainsaw |
|
210.00 |
| Axe,
hatchet, wedges, maul, cant hook |
|
119.00 |
| Old
truck - scrapped (rusted
bed fell off under first heavy load
and also snapped a spring) |
|
595.00 |
| New
four-wheel-drive truck - including taxes
& dealer prep |
|
21283.00 |
| Insurance
& excise tax on new Pickup truck |
|
893.00 |
| Wheels
chains (all 4 wheels) |
|
133.00 |
| Replace
cheap chainsaw that seized with
commercial quality one |
|
753.00 |
| Replace
truck rear window (twice)
|
|
388.00 |
| Work
gloves (swiped from Shop) |
|
Free |
| Sell
old chainsaw for parts on eBay |
14.00 |
|
| eBay
service charges |
|
5.00 |
| Pay
to have old Pickup towed away & scrapped
(unable to even give it away) |
|
175.00 |
| Fine
by State and local Warden for cutting
wrong trees |
|
1000.00 |
| Purchase
10 acre woodlot |
|
14250.00 |
| Lawyer's
fees, closing costs, Transfer tax on
woodlot |
|
722.00 |
| Wood
splitting machine (30 ton heavy duty) |
|
1699.00 |
| Trailer
for wood splitting machine |
|
583.00 |
| Miller
Beer - 14 cases
|
|
126.00 |
| Ginger
Brandy - 6 fifths
(for medicinal purposes only) |
|
44.00 |
| Fine
for littering |
|
250.00 |
| Towing
charge (creek bed to hardtop road) |
|
150.00 |
|