Top or bottom feed which is safer?

I think top feed is the most common.. But with all the Harmons out there the bottom is very common too, my pdv is a bottom feeder and I like the way it's set up.. When I was looking at stoves the bottom feed seemed better to me.. Instead of dropping pellets on a bunch of coals it pushes them under.. I've never had a hopper fire "knock on wood" but I think with a bottom feed the risk is a little higher.

I'm new to the pellet game, but I found these slides when looking around for stuff on my boiler:

My Bixby must be the best burn system in a small form factor by that "advertisement" No auger either.

I think it depends on the model as the feeding systems vary even within the two categories.

Interesting slides. my Harman (a bottom feeder) and St. Croix (top feeder) seem to combust pellets the same; I never have incomplete combustion of pellets with either stove. One of them must be defective.

I get 100% combustion with my Harman. As for hopper fires might improper operation outside of the stove's capabilities be the problem?

My stove has a drop system similar to the one shown above. The only difference is that the auger angles down instead of up.

I know its promo material, but there must be a kernel of truth in it. Kernel, get it?

TimfromMA said:

My stove has a drop system similar to the one shown above. The only difference is that the auger angles down instead of up.

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Can you provide a pic of your auger? I am curious to how this works. Thanks

IHATEPROPANE said:

Can you provide a pic of your auger? I am curious to how this works. Thanks

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Forget what I said. It angles up just like the picture. I dont know why I thought it went the other way. Unless I let the hopper run empty I couldn't take a picture anyways. With the coldest temperatures weve seen in years coming in, I plan on keeping that sucker full.

I have had both types for years now, great burns and no problems with either.

Since most stoves went to a vacuum fire chamber the burn back-hopper fire issue has went way down.

One glaring mistake in that beautifully prepared sales tool is the 'no burnback protection'. AFAIK all the stoves have snap disks on the feeder and drop chute (if existing) that will shut stove down if a burn back occurs. They're both safe or they wouldn't still be on the market.

F4Jock is right too in saying most hopper fires, if they even WERE hopper fires, can be linked back to operator error or ignorance in properly maintaining the stove. We've seen some horrific pictures of installations and read so many posts from people who shouldn't be allowed to brush their teeth without supervision let alone maintain a fire in their living room.

My dumb opinion : Bottom feeds look like accidents waiting to happen....who ever came up with that kludge???

Pelleting In NJ said:

My dumb opinion : Bottom feeds look like accidents waiting to happen....who ever came up with that kludge???

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Probably because you expect the pile of pellets are just behind that auger - they aren't (or at least not in my Harmon).

tjnamtiw said:

We've seen some horrific pictures of installations and read so many posts from people who shouldn't be allowed to brush their teeth without supervision let alone maintain a fire in their living room.

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Nothing like not mincing words....... The masses will be offended..........

Gonna have to microwave another bag of buttered popcorn....this is gonna be good......

SidecarFlip said:

Nothing like not mincing words....... The masses will be offended..........

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Just SAYING what most are THINKING! My one and only vice............................. well, not really.

bogieb said:

Interesting slides. my Harman (a bottom feeder) and St. Croix (top feeder) seem to combust pellets the same; I never have incomplete combustion of pellets with either stove. One of them must be defective.

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Personally, I believe the advertisement is defective.............Sounds to me like an advertisement touting a particular make and not anything based in fact.

SidecarFlip said:

Personally, I believe the advertisement is defective.............Sounds to me like an advertisement touting a particular make and not anything based in fact.

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EXACTLY. When you get to the last design, it's touted as the absolute best.

Pelleting In NJ said:

My dumb opinion : Bottom feeds look like accidents waiting to happen....who ever came up with that kludge???

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I think the bottom feed PDVC has been selling for over 20 years with no problems, and mine works great for me. Will be getting another for basement workshop someday.

SidecarFlip said:

Personally, I believe the advertisement is defective.............Sounds to me like an advertisement touting a particular make and not anything based in fact.

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I just realized that this company is in pellet boilers and large heating systems, not room heaters. Don't know if that makes a difference on their claims (although the low ash claim on the last one seems to be a bit far-fetched). And, those might all be systems that they provide, not the average system on the market.

The principles of combustion and fuel delivery remain the same no matter how big or small the heat plant is. Case in point, the boiler in my avitar is solid fuel (wood chips) augered in from the bottom (backside) and flyash and clinkers shoveled out the front.

tjnamtiw said:

We've seen some horrific pictures of installations and read so many posts from people who shouldn't be allowed to brush their teeth without supervision let alone maintain a fire in their living room.

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tj what were those other vices .

I still like the one with the B-vent wall radiator with the window sheers nearby. Beats anything Pook would have done. Don't recall if that installation was a top or bottom feeder..