Going Whole Hog! 2nd pellet stove for basement & 7 ton hopper

I'm curios, why do you want to build a large hopper? Isn't it easier to just pile you bags of pellets where you plan to build the hopper? Given you don't have a whole house pellet furnace or boiler, and in fact have pellet stoves, why the hopper? Just wondering...

I have a second stove in my basement to heat it when occupied.

It does not help with the heat load upstairs at all.

That being said my basement is uninsulated and the stairway is not open.

ehkewley said:

I tried to do my research before posting this thread. Unfortunately my google & hearth searches almost exclusively turned up results for people wishing to get basement-installed pellet stove heat upstairs.

I am finishing up my first season with a pellet stove. I can't imagine using any other heating source now. I burned through roughly 4.4 tons of pellets for a roughly 2,100 square foot colonial house (excluding basement). Unfortunately the basement was unusable over the winter, and averaged about 45 degrees on the colder days. The basement is mostly finished and insulated (1st floor included), with the exception of one 8' exterior wall that faces the garage. I plan on framing and insulating it this fall.

I'm looking to purchase another Harman P43 stove as the original one has served me well this last year. I'm also concerned with the amount of additional pellets I'll need to get me through the winter.

This season seemed pretty mild, so i assume 4.4 tons would not get me through a regular winter, unless I heavily turned back the dial on the thermostat.

I'd like to hear from other members who have installed a pellet stove in their basement for subsidizing an existing heating system. I assume the 1st floor pellet stove will work a bit less with the basement temperatures matching the upper stairs.

Can anyone give a rough estimate on what I might expect in terms of pellet usage increase from a second basement stove? Ideally the basement is roughly 1,000 sqare feet, and would be heated to 68 ~ 70 degrees, with the basement door open to the first floor.

In addition, does anyone care to speculate on the difference in pellet usage between this winter and last?

I'm looking to construct a 2x4 & plywood bulk pellet hopper in the basement as well. I plan to follow the designs of other hoppers that I have seen on the forum. The hopper would be placed far enough from the pellet stove to not cause any fires. The planned capacity is 7 tons.

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If you can go with a manufactured bin that auto feeds into the burner from the bulk storage and it will do at least 80% of your heating needs, NH will pick up 30% of the cost in a tax rebate. Just so you know.

ehkewley said:

I tried to do my research before posting this thread. Unfortunately my google & hearth searches almost exclusively turned up results for people wishing to get basement-installed pellet stove heat upstairs.

I am finishing up my first season with a pellet stove. I can't imagine using any other heating source now. I burned through roughly 4.4 tons of pellets for a roughly 2,100 square foot colonial house (excluding basement). Unfortunately the basement was unusable over the winter, and averaged about 45 degrees on the colder days. The basement is mostly finished and insulated (1st floor included), with the exception of one 8' exterior wall that faces the garage. I plan on framing and insulating it this fall.

I'm looking to purchase another Harman P43 stove as the original one has served me well this last year. I'm also concerned with the amount of additional pellets I'll need to get me through the winter.

This season seemed pretty mild, so i assume 4.4 tons would not get me through a regular winter, unless I heavily turned back the dial on the thermostat.

I'd like to hear from other members who have installed a pellet stove in their basement for subsidizing an existing heating system. I assume the 1st floor pellet stove will work a bit less with the basement temperatures matching the upper stairs.

Can anyone give a rough estimate on what I might expect in terms of pellet usage increase from a second basement stove? Ideally the basement is roughly 1,000 sqare feet, and would be heated to 68 ~ 70 degrees, with the basement door open to the first floor.

In addition, does anyone care to speculate on the difference in pellet usage between this winter and last?

I'm looking to construct a 2x4 & plywood bulk pellet hopper in the basement as well. I plan to follow the designs of other hoppers that I have seen on the forum. The hopper would be placed far enough from the pellet stove to not cause any fires. The planned capacity is 7 tons.

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Heat your living space, had an Enviro in the basement when my oldest lived down there, did not deem it necessary when he moved out. Just my experience.

ehkewley said:

Do you choose to not heat it when unoccupied because it's not insulated, or to save on pellets?

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It actually does pretty good considering its not insulated. Can bring it from 55 to 70 in short order depending on heat setting.

It never gets below 55 down there and there is 2" of foam on the outside of the poured walls.

I don't heat it continuously because I think it would about double my consumption. I'm too tight for that.

I'm not too sure building a hopper out of 2 x 4's and plywood to hold 7 tons of pellets is a good idea. The ones I have seen on the forum are made of steel. That's the way I would go. I think you're asking for problems.

Tom C.

silverfox103 said:

I'm not too sure building a hopper out of 2 x 4's and plywood to hold 7 tons of pellets is a good idea. The ones I have seen on the forum are made of steel. That's the way I would go. I think you're asking for problems.

Tom C.

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I agree

My apologies

ehkewley said:

I'm looking to purchase another Harman P43 stove as the original one has served me well this last year. I'm also concerned with the amount of additional pellets I'll need to get me through the winter.

This season seemed pretty mild, so i assume 4.4 tons would not get me through a regular winter, unless I heavily turned back the dial on the thermostat.

I'd like to hear from other members who have installed a pellet stove in their basement for subsidizing an existing heating system. I assume the 1st floor pellet stove will work a bit less with the basement temperatures matching the upper stairs.
1st floor stove will work a little less

Can anyone give a rough estimate on what I might expect in terms of pellet usage increase from a second basement stove? Ideally the basement is roughly 1,000 sqare feet, and would be heated to 68 ~ 70 degrees, with the basement door open to the first floor.
Good idea on the open door. (please check your spelling what is a sqare?)

In addition, does anyone care to speculate on the difference in pellet usage between this winter and last?

Most seemed to burn just about the same amount

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ehke don't let your shorts get bunched up, we get paid allot for this, and sometimes have fun. Take it for what it's worth.

ehkewley said:

Why is it that every time someone complains about something going off topic or about people who are adding no value to a thread that they are the ones in the wrong? You've derailed a thread and contributed nothing. If you at least answered one of the questions it wouldn't have been so bad. Instead you interject your own opinion about statements that weren't even questions to begin with. At this point the thread loses steam and my questions will go mostly unanswered. Congratulations.

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Sorry, answered 3

ehkewley said:

You answered three after I got upset at you... Doesn't quite pan out.

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Obviously you are looking at bulk pellets correct?

To answer the pellet consumption increase question one really needs more information than you provided. This will allow a decent approximation of your heat loss figures.

Adding the basement stove with the door open will lower the pellet consumption by the first floor stove provided the stove is on some kind of temperature control.

Usually there is a large heat loss associated with basements due to relatively poor insulation. This is critical if any part of the basement walls are above the frost line.

In my case the difference in pellet consumption between the 2010-2011 winter season and the 2011 winter season is going to be about 64 bags or put another way about 78% of the 2010-20011 consumption. Now more than just outside temperature differences are in play here.

On the plywood and 2 x 4 bin you need to allow for all of the loads you are going to encounter and make certain that the wood you are making the bin out of will not come in contact with water as it will wick and pellets will get ruined. Also be certain to allow for pellet dust caused issues (static charges and dust are not good playmates).

ehkewley said:

Do you choose to not heat it when unoccupied because it's not insulated, or to save on pellets?

Chain, I couldn't easily fit 7 tons of bagged pellets where I'm looking to build the hopper. i was only able to fit about four tons. The higher I stacked them, the more unstable they became, in addition to leaning against an interior wall. The hopper would be much taller than the stacks, and would include pellets in regions that are just air in between the bags. If I were to go 7 tons with bags alone I'd have to get creative in finding areas to store them around the house. Last season i had to first move them from the outdoor palette onto a trailer (garden trailer), drive them to the bulkhead, lower them downstairs, and then stack. I'd go nuts doing that with 7 or so tons.

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Ah, I see. Makes sense.

Have you looked into getting a Pellet Furnace?

What type of heating system is in place now? So you have a forced air system, boiler, electric?

Are you stuck on the P-43? How many sq ft is the basement (or how many are you wanting to heat)??

As for the hopper, Smokey hit the nail on the head. They can be made of wood and Many Corn burners have them. Just needs to be constructed right and also take all the hazards and dangers into account.

I dont think your consumption will go down any. It should rise if adding another freestanding stove. That stove in the basement will have to work harder to take any load of the stove upstairs. You may get by running them on lower settings, but they should still be thermostaticly controlled (programmed on/off times. During the day, run the basement stove, nighttime run both?)

Still looking at higher usage. I added a furnace in my basement last year (also a wood stove). I never had to run the freestander and furnace together. I bought it knowing I would never need to run them together. My consumption was cut in half this year (4.5 ton burned last year, only 2.25 ton burned this year) a lot of that was because of the woodstove and the warmer temps this Winter.

If you have ductwork, I would seriously look into a Pellet Furnace and run it in parallel, into your existing HVAC. My unit gives off a pretty good amount of heat and of you dont hook up the cold air return, you are essentially heating the basement also completes the loop in the basement).

As for the derailment.... Please understand that the pay here isn't great and we like to have fun. There are ways where both parties could have handled it differently. Whats done is done. All of us are guilty to a certain degree (at one time or another/ or daily )

ehkewley said:

I tried to do my research before posting this thread. Unfortunately my google & hearth searches almost exclusively turned up results for people wishing to get basement-installed pellet stove heat upstairs.

I am finishing up my first season with a pellet stove. I can't imagine using any other heating source now. I burned through roughly 4.4 tons of pellets for a roughly 2,100 square foot colonial house (excluding basement). Unfortunately the basement was unusable over the winter, and averaged about 45 degrees on the colder days. The basement is mostly finished and insulated (1st floor included), with the exception of one 8' exterior wall that faces the garage. I plan on framing and insulating it this fall.

I'm looking to purchase another Harman P43 stove as the original one has served me well this last year. I'm also concerned with the amount of additional pellets I'll need to get me through the winter.

This season seemed pretty mild, so i assume 4.4 tons would not get me through a regular winter, unless I heavily turned back the dial on the thermostat.

I'd like to hear from other members who have installed a pellet stove in their basement for subsidizing an existing heating system. I assume the 1st floor pellet stove will work a bit less with the basement temperatures matching the upper stairs.

Can anyone give a rough estimate on what I might expect in terms of pellet usage increase from a second basement stove? Ideally the basement is roughly 1,000 sqare feet, and would be heated to 68 ~ 70 degrees, with the basement door open to the first floor.

In addition, does anyone care to speculate on the difference in pellet usage between this winter and last?

I'm looking to construct a 2x4 & plywood bulk pellet hopper in the basement as well. I plan to follow the designs of other hoppers that I have seen on the forum. The hopper would be placed far enough from the pellet stove to not cause any fires. The planned capacity is 7 tons.

Click to expand...

Hi

You may not like my setup but the wood pellet stove I put in the basement with 2 registers I cut for the upstairs living room and kitchen heats the whole 2,000 sqft house!

So I just have a zero clearance Heat-N-Glo 30k BTU fireplace upstairs to hang the Xmass stockings on and if the power goes out.

No more wood stove any more just the crackling of the wood fire on the DVD to TV ! ! LOL

I'd like to do something similar for my wood insert, only I believe I'd be required to paint that duct with invisible paint!

velvetfoot said:

I'd like to do something similar for my wood insert, only I believe I'd be required to paint that duct with invisible paint!

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Definitely check with local code or your Insurance agent/Loacl Fire dept before doing so. A few people here have set-ups very similar to Dons. As long as the Insurance agency, City Inspector, and/or Local Fire Dept have seen it and signed off on it? Then go ahead. But most code is no open vent or duct within 10' of the stove.

Again, as long as the proper avenues are taken, it can, and has been done.

Just had my Insurance agent out Wednesday. She always learns more about stoves everytime she comes over. She thought I worked in the Hearth Industry !! I wish.... Maybe one day.. Our pellet stoves cost nothing extra
But the woodstove is $40 for the year. So $3 and change a month for the 30-NC. $0.00 for pellet.

Back to the ductwork .. .. .. ..
The invisible paint would still help though