Wood pellet stove

[Menards]

Anyone here have one? How do you like it? pros and cons? Is it cheaper to run than conventional methods?

I am thinking of getting an insert!

[JR719]

I have been looking at them also. I have just about decided to go with a "corn" stove. Instead of the pellets, you burn corn. Alot cheaper than the pellets. So far what I don't like about either is if the power goes out, so does the stove. Needs the elec to turn the auger and run the fan.

[Menards]

Simple generator will cure that since it takes very little juice to run them. IF you get a pellet stove, you can get it set up to run both corn and wood. Just needs a motorized pot. Currently, I like the smell of a bit of wood burning.

[JR719]

I guess I should start asking. They tell me either a corn or wood pellet stove. Nobody has told me I can run both on the same stove. I agree on the wood smell, has to be better than the corn. The one salesman told me we would hardly smell the "burn" at all if properly vented. That I like since my oldest has asthma.

[Menards]

You do barely smell them, but there is a slight hint that it is a wood burning stove.

[VoidRaven]

I must be slightly old fashioned. I love my 2 wood stoves. I'll admit, since I'm quite young still I don't mind the work of stacking and loading the wood (I go through about 6 cord each winter). Just wish my downstairs stove was more efficient. It's a very old Atlanta Stoveworks cast iron unit. The double folding doors on the front don't seal like they should. Wonder if it might be a good idea to replace it with a pellet stove?

The only thing I really hate about my wood stoves involves the upstairs one...the stupid chimney "grate" cap (these new ones they use now) clog up awful quick with cresote. Halfway through winter I'm crawling on my roof to unclog it. Think I'll remove it for this coming buring season (I run them 24-7 to heat my house...a heck of a lot cheaper than my gas furnace!).

How efficient are these pellet stoves? How costly too?

[dc]

We have a wood stove upstairs and a pellet in the basement. The only drawback is if the power goes out the stove stops. You also need to run the pellets all the way out so you don't have a burn back and smoke up your house. We've done that a couple times. Wood is getting harder to find around here. It's a lot easier than hauling wood to the basement. I also would get one that actually gets hot, not one that you can touch. You get extra heat out of them. We've had it for about 10 years. Used to be a wood stove downstairs also.

[BrianD]

Is the cost of the corn stoves difficult to recoup in energy savings if you attempt to heat your whole house with them?

[Fat Man]

I heated my old house with a pellet stove. it worked just fine. There are different designs availiable. Ours was a Brickwell, it dropped the pellets into the burn pot so there was little danger of burn back. I've even seen one with a battery back-up for power faliures.

The advantages, for me, were that I didn't have to cut and split wood. I didn't need to stack four cords of would on my then small lot. And once a week I would turn it off and clean it with a shop vac.

Disadvatages were that I had to lug around forty pound sacks of pellets. I needed a dry place to store them, any moisture and they turn to saw dust. Little wood pellets spilling on the floor. Cleaning the stupid glass on the door I really don't why they put it there, the flame is about as attractive as a blast furnace. And that fine layer of wood ash on everything after you cleaned it. I also notice a rise in phosphates in the aquarium during the winter months that I attributed to the air born ash when I cleaned the thing. Also the price of pellets has continually risen, biting into any monetary savings over cord wood.

When the electricity went out we had a passive propane wall heater as back-up. You really don't smell them at all.

On our new house I had central heat and air installed. Nothing like just flipping a switch. :)

[VoidRaven]

As much as I would love to just run the furnace, the design, age, and placement of my home prohibit it without me having a $300+ a month gas bill in the dead of winter. Considering I can get 6 cord of slab wood for $350, and abotu $100 a cord for traditional split wood (which I'm getting some actually free this year....woohoo!!!....even if it is only half a cord it's still free) I prefer to use wood.

Plus, if the power goes out, I can still heat my home and cook some rudimentary meals (which I had to do once).

Sounds like, for actually heating my home, I'm better off sticking with the wood for now. Especially since I don't have any place for the necessary dry storage for pellets. At least with the wood I can stack 2 cord in the garage and the other 4 out back and not have to worry too much about dampness (the garage is dry and everything gets staged there before being brought inside to burn).

[Fat Man]

Raven a ton of pellets fits on a 4X4 pallet, stands about four feet tall and fit nicely in a garrage. A ton would last me about a month. Fire wood sounds like it is still cheap in your area and you like the wood, so your choice is a no brainer.

[TheBimbo]

Hmmm, the hubby and I looked at these over the winter... This has crossed our minds for a couple of years now, I'm thinking that in the fall we'll end up with one... The price of oil has gotten so high, it's amazing that when we moved in here over 10yrs ago, the price per gallon was like 70 cents... not sure if that's the exact amount, but it was extremely cheap!!!


TheBimbo :)

[Menards]

check out http://www.pelletheat.org

my local retailer is http://www.warmingtrendsstoves.com

A lot of info. I think currently the cost savings for me is a wash. So I may put in a gas fireplace insert because I want to see the flames!!! Then no headache with all the wood pellets either!

[JR719]

Everything you wanted to know about "corn" stoves and more.

http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/engineer/facts/93-023.htm

[VoidRaven]

Fat Man....so how much does a 4x4 pallet of pellets cost roughly? If one pallet lasts about a month of constant burning, I'm thinking I would need about 6 of them. Wonder if the cost would be the same, less, or more than wood. The pallets would definitely take up less space overall than 6 cord of wood and I could probably fit it all in my garage. (I'm lazy...I like to buy in all I need for the winter at once and not worry about having to get more mid-way through winter. Did that once, never again.)

Hmm....maybe pellets are an option for me for my downstairs stove that needs replacing. It's definitely got my interest now that I know a little more about them thanks to you folks!

[Menards]

A pallet of pellets if purchased when on sale in the spring is $200. So you do have to plan a head a bit.

[jimroth]

And when the weather warms up, you can use the corn to make moonshine. Try that with your extra pellets...

;)

I run a regular cast iron Morso woodstove. I like the challenge of feeding it (I have a woodlot) . One big improvement was the addition of an anti-downdraft chimney cap (Vacu-Stack). That made my lif a lot easier last winter!

[TimberTDI]

Ok so instead of posting a new topic, I'm bringing this one back from the dead.

I'm definitely getting a stove in the next couple of weeks. I just can't make up my mind about which one. Pellet or wood.

Here's what I've come up with:


wood pros

Being in heavy construction, we throw away containers full of heavy lumber, so wood maybe cheaper.
you get the nice looking fire
stoves are cheaper
wood stove will still work if power goes out

wood cons

installation is going to cost just over $1000. I'm going to have it professionally installed.
I have to haul lumber home everyday, and than stack it.
If I'm not home I know my wife won't use it.
Cleaning maybe a PITA


pellet pros

set it and forget it
my wife will use it during the day
a ton of pellets will stack nicely in my garage
not as messy
direct vent=DIY installation


pellet cons

if the power goes out so does the stove
I have no idea what the true cost of running it is going to be.
stoves are $400-$500 more
Too many automatic parts can't be good?
Pellets cost more than wood


In my area a ton of pellets go for $180-$200. A chord of seasoned wood goes for $150-$200 delivered. I really am a noob when it comes to this. How long will a ton of pellets last compared to a chord of wood? Any thoughts will greatly be appreciated.

Thanks,
Steven

[BrokeColoReefer]

Burining corn is not nearly as efficient as buring pellets, corn have half the BTU's and twice the water content. They also make one hell of a clinker. Pellet stoves have alot of maintence involved with them, and technical to fix. Pellet stoves dont require power if you hook up a 600 watt inverter and a battery, I mean, how often does the power realy go out? i would be more concerned with reliablity.
New efficient wood stoves dont like 2x4s. they burn to hot and can warp parts,voids the warrenty, and burns to quick. so you cant count that as free wood. Pellets and Cord wood cost almost the same.
Just my 2 cents

[TimberTDI]

By free wood, I'm talking about oak 12x12, 8x8, 6x6, and 3x10

[BrokeColoReefer]

As long as there not kiln dried you good to go.

[BrokeColoReefer]

Also, buy a good pellet stove, Quadrafire makes the best. Harman is good too. Stay away from timberline and co-op type stoves, they usually dont have parts for them and there a pain to fix. So if you want to go pellet. plan on spending the 2k for a good one. Dont skimp. There a very good source of heat and cheap to run. They are maintenace intensive in the long run.

[BrokeColoReefer]

Look at it this way, a pound of realy good pellets = 6500 BTU.
A pound cost almost a dime.

Gas is 1.00 a therm
a therm is 100k BTU.

[TimberTDI]

Just noticed your job title. Thanks for all the advice.

So the Englander pellet they sell in Home Depot and lowe's is a timberline then?

[BrokeColoReefer]

Englander and timberline are both sold at box stores. Box stores arent known for there service. They usually refer you back to the manufacture.
Buy a stove, be it pellet, wood or gas, from a local hearth shop. EXPECIALLY pellet. So you can get service and parts when you need it and not waiting 3 months from the parts from the manufacture. They dont care about you (the manufacture) they care about home depot. And home depot wont care about you! i deal with it all the time trying to help people out with englander and timberline. Also make sure they dont sell you B vent. You need L vent. B vent will burn downt the house with a pellet stove.

Gas and wood dont realy require that much service.
A gas unit need a thermocouple and thermopile ocassionaly.

A wood unit will need new secondary burn tubes and burn plates/bricks every 5 years or so (expecially with kiln dried wood).

A pellet unit can go through a combustion blower and a convection blower every year if you have hard wood floors and pets. The hair gets sucked up in them. Also control boards flip out.

I can go on and on and on.. just let me know how much you want me to blab on this subject....
Ryan

[TimberTDI]

I've have two choices in mind, the quadrafire Santa Fe or the Avalon Newport. Def. going to buy from the local guy. The box stores always sell inferior products. Plus if I buy a ton the local guy will actually store the pellets for me and I can stop buy and pick up whatever bags I need, whenever.

By the way, I got these quotes for the stoves:
Santa Fe $1799
Avalon $2350
plus tax

[TimberTDI]

What does hardwood floors have to do with the blowers?

[BrokeColoReefer]

thats not bad for the santa fe. thats retail, at least there not charging your freight. A big plus that there going to store the pellets for you. The avalon is not worth the money, the quad auger system is better. The santa fe is louder then the castille. I like the castile.
Hardwood floors are dusty and pet hair rolls across the floor into the air intake. Burns out the bearings

[BrokeColoReefer]

the santa fe is loud becase it rattles from the sheet metal. The castile is cast and is not as tinney, they both perform the same.

[TimberTDI]

Are vulcans any good?

[BrokeColoReefer]

New one for me, i have been in this biz a long time and havent heard of vulcans. Doesnt mean that there not any good, just new to me.

[TimberTDI]

Vulcan V-50
http://www.salesunlimited.com/Resources/Products/Normal/e0939765-5e8e-4932-9153-9653950884e7.jpg


Auto Ignition Yes
Bedroom No
BTU High 42000 BTU's
Burn Time up to 8 - 27 hr(s)
Efficiency 85%
Heating Area 2000
Hopper Capacity up to 40 lbs.
Weight 238 lbs.

With its built-in safety features and quality construction the V-50 stove or insert will give you years of dependable operation and is backed by a toll-free Customer Service Department and a 5 year limited warranty.

[BrokeColoReefer]

The specs look good, the hopper seems small for the BTU output, something seems out of wack. Questions, is the igniter hot air activated? is the auger motor top mounted? most 40k stoves have a 70-80 pound hopper. You want the stove to be backed by the dealer, not the manufacture. The MOST important thing is to buy from a dealer that will stand behind the product. Dont buy anything you cant go and see burn.

[BrokeColoReefer]

top mounted augers are more desirable because the fines and dust from the pellets dont get into the motor. The auger motor is the most common replaced part. The very best ones in the good ole days were whitfield. And there auger motors would fail after a few years of service. Quadrafire mounts the motor above the auger so it stays clean. I dont even stock quad auger motors, and i still sell tons of them for whitfield that i sold back in the early 90's

[BrokeColoReefer]

Also, lennox bought whitfield three years ago, dont even consider the traditions, advantage or cascade. Lennox totally hosed them up. Breckwell is a POS too, you always have to mess wiht the air shutter.

[BrokeColoReefer]

to all you folks out there with lennox, no offense, but you know that darn photo eye is always dirty and shuts the thing down.

[TimberTDI]

You have no idea how much aggravation and money you are saving me.

Thanks.

[BrokeColoReefer]

No problem, glad i can help. I was kinda excited to find something on reefcentral that i can talk about. LOL
I sure as heck dont know what im doing with my reef. If you have any thing else feel free to ask.
Ryan

[AcroSteve]

Can any of these stoves tie into an existing ductwork system for whole house distribution from a unit located in the basement?

[BrokeColoReefer]

The have pellet furnaces, that could do that. I dont sell them so i dotnknow much about them. A stove can not be directly hooked up to your ductwork, but if the stove is somewhree close to your furnace supply duct all you have to do is turn the fan on the furnace and it will suck in the heat and circulate the house.
RYan

[Sugar Magnolia]

We have this Harman pellet stove - http://www.harmanstoves.com/callouts.asp?id=10

I really like how big the ash bin is. Some have fairly small ash bins that constantly need emptying. The hopper will hold about a bag and a half of pellets. Great stove!

[BrokeColoReefer]

Agreed, Harman (travis indusitries) is a excellent choice.

[BrokeColoReefer]

I started a thread on my local reef club section. If anyone has any more stove questions you can post them there.
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=678908

[BrokeColoReefer]

Timber, did you make a decision? after i stumbled across this thread, i decided to start one in my local area. http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=678908

[Scuba_Dave]

My last house I had a Woodstock soapstone stove that kept the house nice & warm. I never bought any wood in the 7 years I lived there. I spent about $1800 on the stove, it was well worth it.

I've been here 2 years & have yet to buy any wood. I have enough wood for the next 2 years.
This house I only have a fireplace with a vented heating system built in. I used a fan last year to blow air thru the system, worked great.
I'm planning on installing 2 permanent fans in the vents. Each one on a seperate switch so I can turn them off or on.

http://www.woodstove.com/pages/intro.htm

[BrokeColoReefer]

The EPA certified version of woodstock woodstoves is Hearthstone. www.hearthstonestoves.com I have a hearthstone, and its awesome. I burned three coards of wood last year to heat a 1800 square foot house at 9000' above sea level. Soapstone IS AWESOME.

[Scuba_Dave]

I had the Fireview, planning on the same stove for the 900' addition w/partial cathedral ceiling. Then there will be a 576' sq ft walk up attic - which will become a workout room
Soapstone gives a nice long burn

http://www.woodstove.com/images/Fireviewwoodstove.jpg

[VoidRaven]

Hmmm....maybe I need one of these soapstone stoves. We are going to be replacing the old wood stove downstairs (very old Atlanta Stoveworks with the double bi-fold front doors). I'd like to replace the upstairs stove too because I don't think that the Regency I have now burns as well as it could.....of course it has a shorter chimney too and maybe that has something to do with it.

[BrokeColoReefer]

You need at least a 10' foot chimney, to make the stove work well, (14' here in colorado). Soapstone stoves moderate heat very very well, they take about 4 hours to cool after the fire is cold. Also, make sure that you have the right size flue for the stove that you buy, most things require a 6 inch these days.