New guy here with questions

railfanron said:

I heat 2250 sq Ft with a p43 and it will do the job nicely. I'm also well insulated. During the coldest week of last year I had the Propane furnace running as the primary heat and the Harman as the backup. Propane was set at 65 for night and Harman at 62. Woke up to below zero outside and the P43 running. Furnace blew the igniter and the P43 was keeping the house at 63. Cranked it up to 70 and by the afternoon the furthest part of the house was up to 66. Kept it that way for 3 days till I got another igniter.

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Great! I am at the cut off and could use a P43 and there is also a new P45 I can get (older new left over multi fuel models guy has 4 Getting out of the biz??). The price is right on the 45's. My BIG debate is for just a little more I can get the P61 or 68 which will cover more. Could go with 2 P45's too. KY is milder winter weather but we can have extremes that stay for months and at times colder than up north. Crazy but it does happen. Thanks for the input. If I had it to do all over I would have gone with a pellet furnace or boiler but I was a newbie ten years ago and still taking it on the chin. Just not as bad......

alternativeheat said:

P61, older house that is insulated but not great, good windows but still plugging up air leaks actually in 1800 sq ft cape. We averaged 2 bags per day last winter keeping the main house 73ish. But look at the capability of a P61 or P68, cranked out they use up to maybe 5 bags per day for the 61 and 6 for the 68. We ran at about the mid way point for the capability, the coldest day we used nearly 3 bags and 0 oil. This time of year when we need heat 2/3 to 1 bag a day is common.. But we figured in our house we would max out a P43 so got the 61 and glad of it ( a P43 should be well matched to an 1800 sq ft house with decent insulation).. Also pellet quality matters.

If you have access to free or cheap wood and don't mind the work that's how I would go. Or with a stoker coal stove if in coal country. We aren't in coal country and small cut coal for a stoker is not common place here. Years ago I stopped splitting and stacking wood, decades ago, so we own a pellet stove. And an oil breathing dragon.

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I can deal with that for multiple reasons. Here's some irony. I live about and hour and a half (tops) from Somerset pellet // hardwoods and flooring place. They will sell to walk ins but it is the SAME price as Lowe's, Tractor Supply Co. etc; Everyone says they produce good pellets. Just left Tractor supply and was there 3 days ago. These jack wagons already jumped the price up .20 cents a bag! Either way, I would rather PAY local guys for wood or PAY for pellets that are home grown than cave into the big utility co.'s and crap like that. I appreciate you all here and the help! Still in limbo somewhat but not LOST like I was. KUDOS!

I can get a better deal on the Enviro MAXX and DO like the ADD AIR or optional take off accessory that easily ties into the plenum of a forced air system. The Harman pellet furnace is $6,000 and I can not justify it having the Wood Master. If the P61 or P68 had the forced air system tie in option, it would be game over. Now I am also thinking maybe 2 units?? Found a deal on some P45's still new! $2,600 each and he has 4. Might be a sweet deal if I could roll those here to the house in a package cash deal. 2 for $4,000..... That is what a P61 or 68 will set me back just for the unit.

I get it narrowed down on decisions and then MORE options pop up.... Any thoughts??

Another really awesome thing I saw and the guy is floating around here is what he did with his P45 or 43?? with the heat link set up doing 3,000 SQ FT. Hind sight is 20/20!

Thanks everyone! Good recommendations. It has also warmed up here so that takes a bit of pressure off but I am trying to get something into service ASAP. Just need to finalize my decision.

Big papa, the "Harman's Angels" jacket is some good stuff. LOL!

johninwi said:

Be certain whatever you purchase is multi fuel. And also the piping is multi fuel too.

Is corn available in your area?
chickenman from australia is burning olive pits.
I had an option for switchgrass pellets a few years back, they were pick up only and in 1 ton bags,, it was more of a comitment than i was intrested in at the time, didn't try them.

I have a pc45, i bought it because it's a multifuel, straight corn or whatever i can dig up to put in it. If you look at alternate fuels you'll find numerous options, sunflower seed, and soybeans have very high oil so the btu's are very high per lbs. You may find a local supply of something other than wood pellets.

You also mentioned the lopi stove, have you looked at the Hearth Room section of the forum, they may have some recomendations for improving on that, i've read a number of posts there, it's been my impression that finding a stove that can burn thru the night is fairly easy.

And really sorry if i complicated your search.

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I am more interested in the multi fuel route. From what I have seen they seem to burn somewhat better or are not as prone to clinkers etc; I understand the agitator gets a better burn or more complete too. Am I wrong with this thinking?

bags said:

I am more interested in the multi fuel route. From what I have seen they seem to burn somewhat better or are not as prone to clinkers etc; I understand the agitator gets a better burn or more complete too. Am I wrong with this thinking?

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I think corn is around but haven't checked it out. I am sure I can find some in Indiana or Ohio relatively easy. Both are 35-45 minutes away. Probably easy to find here in the Bluegrass State KY also. Pellets are aplenty currently and I will stock up for the season to cover the mid winter mad rush and shortages.

alternativeheat said:

I was at Tractor Supply today, all their pellets were $5.29 per bag , they had three brands. Just picked up some Clean Fire and Some TSC branded ones. The TSC are all hardwood they tell me. Clean Fire speak for themselves that are made by Dry Creek. If I like either I will get a ton ( $252 a ton which is up from last year but better than some other dealers locally).

Yes a furnace would be good for you by the sounds of your plan.

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The TSC here has Somerset hardwood pellets manufactured in Somerset, KY by Lake Cumberland, which I have been told are good at $5.19 a bag. The first time I checked 3 days prior they were clearly marked $4.99. Oh well. The local Lowe's has the exact same pellet for $4.98 a bag. I can get those for $4.48 per bags with my 10% off veteran discount making a ton $224. Not too bad. I do know my friend Steve the hard core Harman guy paid $3.00 per bag for good pellets last year preseason. Not sure what he paid this year. Like everything else the price tends to jump up year after year. I have no problem shelling out a little cash to stay warm. I just hate paying the big bucks feeling chilled while taking it on the chin from the utility co.'s, or the other propane, gas, and oil rapists that conveniently jack the prices where you need it.

At one time I was researching the thermal mass rocket stoves but they really only work in small spaces from what I gather and seemed like a bunch of work all the way around. Pretty cool though. Neat concept but I think you would be tending them a lot after you constructed one. Thermal mass is a great way to go. I did dyed concrete floors with Pex tubing radiant heat for the Wood Master. More expensive but a great way to heat except for the tons of wood. Also what I saw mostly was these thermal mass rocket stoves were used in milder winter climates. Washington State, Northern California, (mainly out west) I do remember some in Colorado though. I am ALWAYS looking for a better way to heat. Maybe I should just move somewhere warm and open the windows....Ha ha!

Big papa said:

What other fuels are you interested in burning other than corn and pellets

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Will likely be hardwood pellets primarily but willing to try anything I could find for the right price as long as it wouldn't create problems with the stove or too much hassle and expense to get. I like to have options. I am not sure what is available surrounding me just yet. I have big diesel pickups and a contractor dump truck along with a 7 ton equipment trailer and a smaller 6 x 12 trailer so driving a ways to get the 4 tons for the season wouldn't be a problem. With a truck and the big trailer I could score 9 tons in one trip as long as the wallet cooperates. I'd have to figure fuel costs for pick up but that's kind of negligible and my time is just that, my time. Not dead set on the multi fuels.....but??

Big papa said:

Have you decided on a stove yet or are you still researching

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Still kicking the dead dog. It's a tough choice because I am discovering more options and alternative set ups. Just really don't want to get an itchy trigger finger and regret anything later. I have some time off and am on this almost full time. Had to take a break when mom wound up in the hospital. She's fine though so back at it.