frustration with englander PDV25

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Maj_Jedi

New Member
Nov 23, 2008
10
Central ME
this is the WORST pellet stove I have ever seen. it worked OK until the bottom auger motor went. 2 weeks for a replacement, 2 hours to replace the frigging thing, their video showed 5 minutes...

then the cleaning:
I can't get anybody to clean it or service it. do it myself my ASS!!! the screws are so far back that i need an extension to put it in, then they won't come out.. I can't even move the thing to get behind it to service it. their video shows a nice view of somebody on a workbench taking the thing apart, NOT somebody trying to work in a 2 foot space behind the frigging thing.

replacing gaskets for annual maintanance, yeah right. I don't have to do that with my oil furnace why should I have to do it with this piece of CRAP!!!

so far I have gone through 150 bags of pellets this year, they englander guy said 1 bag lasts for 20 hours, try 10 at best, I have to fill it up when I get up in the morning and again when I get home. at this rate it's cheaper to use oil/electricity and I wouldn't have been out the $1800 I paid for this piece scrap iron in my living room.

at this rate I have to do the "annual" maintenance, replacing gaskets and all every 2 months!!! I bought this stove to save money, NOT become a hobby.

It NEVER heated my 2200 sf house to comfort.

there is no way I would EVER reccomend an englander product to anybody else. EVER!!!
 
What other pellet stoves have you owned?
 
I'm on my 2nd winter with my Englander 25pdv and couldn't be happier. From the posts I have seen in here, I'd say your auger motor going so soon was a fluke. As for the cleaning, I don't see why you'd have to do the annual cleaning in the middle of the winter. The only cleaning I do is clean out the burn pot daily, then once a week I go after it with the Ash Vac. All pellet stoves have a certain amount of maintenance and upkeep, its not just the Englander. And going through 2.5 ton of pellets at this point of the winter is not to bad. I've gone through about the same, and that's keeping the rooms 70 plus, and not being afraid to turn the stove up to 6 or 7 at times. I paid 199 a ton last April, so I'm heating cheap I think. I have no trouble on settings 1 or 2 when its above freezing out to get 24 hours out of a bag. I think your expectations were a bit to high when you got into buying a pellet stove. And as with anyone, you have to weigh the cost differential as far as it being a benefit to own and run one, or just turn the thermostat up on the oil or gas burning furnace. No pellet stove is a plug in, and walk away, and its on its own. It takes a little time to care for them to keep them running at peek. Try to enjoy the nice warm heat from it, and relax. Spring is just around the corner. (wink)
 
You might consider replacing your England-er with a gas stove. Gas stoves are pretty much trouble free, and put out good heat. All pellet stoves are going to be a PIA, depending on your point of view. So far, I kinda like tinkering with the thing, and playing around trying to figure out how to make it run better. I heated exclusively with wood for several years. This pellet stove thing is so much less trouble.

With England-er, at least the factory will talk to you, and sell you parts. I have had no problems with my stove, but idea of dealer only Tech support from Harman sucks. I want to do the repair and maintenance myself, to the extent I can.
 
Maj_Jedi said:
replacing gaskets for annual maintanance, yeah right. I don't have to do that with my oil furnace why should I have to do it with this piece of CRAP!!!
Click to expand...


You have to replace the filters and pull the burner every year to clean it, and probably replace the gasket. If not then your oil burner will not last very long.

so far I have gone through 150 bags of pellets this year, they englander guy said 1 bag lasts for 20 hours, try 10 at best, I have to fill it up when I get up in the morning and again when I get home. at this rate it's cheaper to use oil/electricity and I wouldn't have been out the $1800 I paid for this piece scrap iron in my living room.
Click to expand...

A bag of pellets is roughly equal to 2.5 gallons of oil. Doubt that would last a 20 hours either. The advantage is you have constant heat where you want it rather than warm/cool cycles.
 
Maj_Jedi said:
this is the WORST pellet stove I have ever seen. it worked OK until the bottom auger motor went. 2 weeks for a replacement, 2 hours to replace the frigging thing, their video showed 5 minutes...

then the cleaning:
I can't get anybody to clean it or service it. do it myself my ASS!!! the screws are so far back that i need an extension to put it in, then they won't come out.. I can't even move the thing to get behind it to service it. their video shows a nice view of somebody on a workbench taking the thing apart, NOT somebody trying to work in a 2 foot space behind the frigging thing.

replacing gaskets for annual maintanance, yeah right. I don't have to do that with my oil furnace why should I have to do it with this piece of CRAP!!!

so far I have gone through 150 bags of pellets this year, they englander guy said 1 bag lasts for 20 hours, try 10 at best, I have to fill it up when I get up in the morning and again when I get home. at this rate it's cheaper to use oil/electricity and I wouldn't have been out the $1800 I paid for this piece scrap iron in my living room.

at this rate I have to do the "annual" maintenance, replacing gaskets and all every 2 months!!! I bought this stove to save money, NOT become a hobby.

It NEVER heated my 2200 sf house to comfort.

there is no way I would EVER reccomend an englander product to anybody else. EVER!!!
Click to expand...

I almost died laughing when I read the line about your pellet stove becoming a hobby. I can relate to that and now feel that I can fix almost anything in my stove. This wasn't by choice. I just got tired of paying techs who charge a fortune to do half a job. Welcome to the world of owning a pellet stove!
 
Actually, if you think about it, pellet stoves are a hobby. I have never seen a gas or electric heater forum that would come anything close to this forum. As a rule, pellet stoves require constant cleaning and periodic maintenance just to run right but it somehow seems worth it when you can heat your house for 1/3 of the cost.
 
I'm on my 2nd year with the same stove. I love mine. I have done my own yrly maintenance with the gaskets and all. Iv'e taking out my room exhaust blower motor, etc. I'm a 40+ year young woman, and I would change a thing. I love the stove and tinkering around with it!
 
Thats my kind of woman, most are afraid to break a finger nail.
 
kyas said:
I'm on my 2nd year with the same stove. I love mine. I have done my own yrly maintenance with the gaskets and all. Iv'e taking out my room exhaust blower motor, etc. I'm a 40+ year young woman, and I would change a thing. I love the stove and tinkering around with it!
Click to expand...
If you and Maj_Jedi are single this could be a match made in heaven! He can bring you a beer while you fix the pellet stove :)
 
Sorry, if you did not do your homework on this forum, you would see alot of the question are about englander stoves, Someone gave me a pdv25, this was the first time I saw this stove , it was broke and I fixed it, I work on whitfield's mostly. I was surprise to see how cheap this stove was made, but its not a 2800 to 3000 dollar stove. You get what you pay for... My stove is 15 years old, I burn 2 to 3 ton's a year, I do the maintenance, I've not had to replace any major parts..
 
No problems with my englander here (knock on wood).
I too actually like cleaning and tinkering around with the stove. I clean it thoroughly twice a week

You ABSOLUTELY get what you pay for.
My suggestion to the OP is sell it, and keep making Bin ala shiek king abdullah whoever more rich.
 
I have an Englander to.They are a bare bones stove but then again I only paid $875 for it.My stove is very pellet fussy and it was burning like crap this year even after my fall cleaning.I cleaned again it using the leaf blower techniqe(thanks Krooser) and a shop vac and man what a difference.Hammers and Barefoot seem to work the best.I also scrape the burn pot while the stove is running,(takes 2 seconds) and that makes a difference to.I will probably get a P68 down the road depending on pellet availiblity this year,But as Krooser said a dirty stove is 80% of the problem.It is tight to work on in the back of the stove but I would imagine most stoves are.
 
Deffy said:
i'll give you that stoves arent anywhere near maintenance free, but it sure is easier to replace a gasket and vacuum a burn pot than it is to chop down a tree, cut it into 12-16 inch logs, sharpen the chainsaw blade 2-3 times, but the chainsaw chain back on the bar 5 times, then split all that wood, stack it, clean up the gigantic mess of sawdust and leaves, kill all the spiders, mice and beehives that will try to move into it during the 1 year you have to wait for it to season, bring it in the house, burn it and then have your carpets shampooed at the end of the heating season, and clean your woodstove..
Click to expand...

You forgot a few things...Buy ($6.00 bundle here)/collect kindling, bring that in, crumple up 6 pieces of newspaper, take the ashes out (2 - 3 times/week), lay down the newspaper, kindling, select a couple of logs, light the thing (now where are those matches?), tend the air inlet/damper for about 1/2 hour until the fire gets going, lay on some more wood, go away for a maximum of 1 hour, return, fuss with the fire to get it going again, lay on another log or 2, repeat tending exercise, re-split logs that weren't fine enough from the overpriced cord you bought last fall, and curse the 'hissing' from the 'seasoned' logs as they dry out in your firebox. Later that summer/fall, disassemble the stovepipe from the selkirk chimney and ream out all the creosote from the crappy semi-seasoned cord of firewood you paid $340.00 delivered, and say a prayer of thanks you didn't get a chimney fire this year....
 
Maj_Jedi said:
this is the WORST pellet stove I have ever seen. it worked OK until the bottom auger motor went. 2 weeks for a replacement, 2 hours to replace the frigging thing, their video showed 5 minutes...

then the cleaning:
I can't get anybody to clean it or service it. do it myself my ASS!!! the screws are so far back that i need an extension to put it in, then they won't come out.. I can't even move the thing to get behind it to service it. their video shows a nice view of somebody on a workbench taking the thing apart, NOT somebody trying to work in a 2 foot space behind the frigging thing.

replacing gaskets for annual maintanance, yeah right. I don't have to do that with my oil furnace why should I have to do it with this piece of CRAP!!!

so far I have gone through 150 bags of pellets this year, they englander guy said 1 bag lasts for 20 hours, try 10 at best, I have to fill it up when I get up in the morning and again when I get home. at this rate it's cheaper to use oil/electricity and I wouldn't have been out the $1800 I paid for this piece scrap iron in my living room.
at this rate I have to do the "annual" maintenance, replacing gaskets and all every 2 months!!! I bought this stove to save money, NOT become a hobby.

It NEVER heated my 2200 sf house to comfort.

there is no way I would EVER reccomend an englander product to anybody else. EVER!!!
Click to expand...

Yep Englander pellet stoves are just that! A piece of chit! Garbage! You get what you pay for, but in this case you dont even get that. And I agree that the 20 hour thing is Bullshit. 20 hours will give you a maintenence fire that throws no heat at all and just wastes pellets! And "Englander quality"! dont even go there!
 
Michael6268 said:
Maj_Jedi said:
this is the WORST pellet stove I have ever seen. it worked OK until the bottom auger motor went. 2 weeks for a replacement, 2 hours to replace the frigging thing, their video showed 5 minutes...

So, maybe you are a bit slow ? Hey you knew you were expected to do your own maintenence with this stove didn`t you?

then the cleaning:
I can't get anybody to clean it or service it. do it myself my ASS!!! the screws are so far back that i need an extension to put it in, then they won't come out.. I can't even move the thing to get behind it to service it. their video shows a nice view of somebody on a workbench taking the thing apart, NOT somebody trying to work in a 2 foot space behind the frigging thing.

Pull out the stove to vent fitting and move the stove . It`s not that heavy.

replacing gaskets for annual maintanance, yeah right. I don't have to do that with my oil furnace why should I have to do it with this piece of CRAP!!!
Because you cheaped out and bought it at a big box store and you simply have to maintain it yourself!

so far I have gone through 150 bags of pellets this year, they englander guy said 1 bag lasts for 20 hours, try 10 at best, I have to fill it up when I get up in the morning and again when I get home. at this rate it's cheaper to use oil/electricity and I wouldn't have been out the $1800 I paid for this piece scrap iron in my living room.

Gee, 3 tons so far? Others have also burned that much in other brands so don`t feel bad.

at this rate I have to do the "annual" maintenance, replacing gaskets and all every 2 months!!! I bought this stove to save money, NOT become a hobby.

That`s your fault for not doing your homework. Ignorance always costs something.

It NEVER heated my 2200 sf house to comfort.

Tell me, did you do the install?

there is no way I would EVER reccomend an englander product to anybody else. EVER!!!
Click to expand...

After listening / reading your whining just who would take anything you recommended?

Yep Englander pellet stoves are just that! A piece of chit! Garbage! You get what you pay for, but in this case you dont even get that. And I agree that the 20 hour thing is Bullshit. 20 hours will give you a maintenence fire that throws no heat at all and just wastes pellets! And "Englander quality"! dont even go there!
Click to expand...

I always question the know how and credibility of someone who makes these kind of broad brushed statements . For the most part they are usually made in anger and amost always to cover up their ignorance or lack of knowledge with the task at hand. I happen to know 3 people who have an Englander pellet stoves and like them. They all understood that their stove cost substantially less than many stove shop brands and that theirs lacked an ash pan and required more maintenance.

I personally helped install my neighbors 25 PDV(?) (it heats 2200 sq ft ) and I know for a fact he uses 1.5 bags per day but he is heating his entire cape cod home however he burns it at a medium high rate and it does throw a lot of heat. So I`m gonna question whether your complaints are typical or in fact even warranted.
 
Gio said:
I always question the know how and credibility of someone who makes these kind of broad brushed statements . For the most part they are usually made in anger and amost always to cover up their ignorance or lack of knowledge with the task at hand. I happen to know 3 people who have an Englander pellet stoves and like them. They all understood that their stove cost substantially less than many stove shop brands and that theirs lacked an ash pan and required more maintenance.

I personally helped install my neighbors 25 PDV(?) (it heats 2200 sq ft ) and I know for a fact he uses 1.5 bags per day but he is heating his entire cape cod home however he burns it at a medium high rate and it does throw a lot of heat. So I`m gonna question whether your complaints are typical or in fact even warranted.
Click to expand...

Gio,

Sounds like your neighbors got some of them magic pellets in that 25 PDV. Where'd he get em??? How many BTU's is a 25 PDV have??

jay
 
My stove (Whitfield Advantage II-T Insert) has 1 thru 5 auger setting 1 being the low, and 5 high. On 1 my stove will run 40 hours per bag. On 2 , 20 hours, On 3 13.5 hours, On 4 , 10 hours, On 5 , 8 hours.. I run the stove 24/7 on cold days. I mostly run it on 2 when were home, and 1 when were not home.
 
jtakeman said:
Gio said:
I always question the know how and credibility of someone who makes these kind of broad brushed statements . For the most part they are usually made in anger and amost always to cover up their ignorance or lack of knowledge with the task at hand. I happen to know 3 people who have an Englander pellet stoves and like them. They all understood that their stove cost substantially less than many stove shop brands and that theirs lacked an ash pan and required more maintenance.

I personally helped install my neighbors 25 PDV(?) (it heats 2200 sq ft ) and I know for a fact he uses 1.5 bags per day but he is heating his entire cape cod home however he burns it at a medium high rate and it does throw a lot of heat. So I`m gonna question whether your complaints are typical or in fact even warranted.
Click to expand...

Gio,

Sounds like your neighbors got some of them magic pellets in that 25 PDV. Where'd he get em??? How many BTU's is a 25 PDV have??

jay
Click to expand...

Well yes , and now that I think of it he`s been gone since Jan 10 and his stove is off. He`s in the Baja on an Airstream caravan for a couple months.
And I agree, there are no magic pellets.
He ran the stove on/off in Oct ,most of nov, and all of Dec up to Jan 10th and used 1.5 tons.
OK , so it`s kinda doubtful that 1.5 bags a day would heat his house to temp in jan / feb especially if you do the BTU thing but that has to go for just about any pellet stove .
My point was that he does like the stove and doesn`t complain about maintenance or stove operation , even when he sees my Harman go weeks without emptying the ash pan.
 
Gio said:
jtakeman said:
Gio said:
I always question the know how and credibility of someone who makes these kind of broad brushed statements . For the most part they are usually made in anger and amost always to cover up their ignorance or lack of knowledge with the task at hand. I happen to know 3 people who have an Englander pellet stoves and like them. They all understood that their stove cost substantially less than many stove shop brands and that theirs lacked an ash pan and required more maintenance.

I personally helped install my neighbors 25 PDV(?) (it heats 2200 sq ft ) and I know for a fact he uses 1.5 bags per day but he is heating his entire cape cod home however he burns it at a medium high rate and it does throw a lot of heat. So I`m gonna question whether your complaints are typical or in fact even warranted.
Click to expand...

Gio,

Sounds like your neighbors got some of them magic pellets in that 25 PDV. Where'd he get em??? How many BTU's is a 25 PDV have??

jay
Click to expand...

Egads! thanks for catching me on that exaggeration. I find myself guilty of what I often accuse others of and to be truthfull I`m a bit embarrassed.

Well yes , and now that I think of it he`s been gone since Jan 10 and his stove is off. He`s in the Baja on an Airstream caravan for a couple months.
And I agree, there are no magic pellets.
He ran the stove on/off in Oct ,most of nov, and all of Dec up to Jan 10th and used 1.5 tons.
OK , so it`s kinda doubtful that 1.5 bags a day would heat his house to temp in jan / feb especially if you do the BTU thing but that has to go for just about any pellet stove .
My point was that he does like the stove and doesn`t complain about maintenance or stove operation , even when he sees my Harman go weeks without emptying the ash pan.
Click to expand...
 
Gio said:
jtakeman said:
Gio said:
I always question the know how and credibility of someone who makes these kind of broad brushed statements . For the most part they are usually made in anger and amost always to cover up their ignorance or lack of knowledge with the task at hand. I happen to know 3 people who have an Englander pellet stoves and like them. They all understood that their stove cost substantially less than many stove shop brands and that theirs lacked an ash pan and required more maintenance.

I personally helped install my neighbors 25 PDV(?) (it heats 2200 sq ft ) and I know for a fact he uses 1.5 bags per day but he is heating his entire cape cod home however he burns it at a medium high rate and it does throw a lot of heat. So I`m gonna question whether your complaints are typical or in fact even warranted.
Click to expand...

Gio,

Sounds like your neighbors got some of them magic pellets in that 25 PDV. Where'd he get em??? How many BTU's is a 25 PDV have??

jay
Click to expand...

Well yes , and now that I think of it he`s been gone since Jan 10 and his stove is off. He`s in the Baja on an Airstream caravan for a couple months.
And I agree, there are no magic pellets.
He ran the stove on/off in Oct ,most of nov, and all of Dec up to Jan 10th and used 1.5 tons.
OK , so it`s kinda doubtful that 1.5 bags a day would heat his house to temp in jan / feb especially if you do the BTU thing but that has to go for just about any pellet stove .
My point was that he does like the stove and doesn`t complain about maintenance or stove operation , even when he sees my Harman go weeks without emptying the ash pan.
Click to expand...


What a stove will heat for square footage depends strictly upon the heat output of the stove versus the heat loss of the structure it is heating.

It is possible to heat a rather large space with very little fuel usage provided it is well insulated and properly sealed.

This simple fact is overlooked by many and from what I'm seeing on this forum is likely never taken into account when purchasing a stove.

This is one of the many missteps the OP made.
 
Thread is just another example of why folks should do their research before buying or deciding on a stove......
There are many threads here which clearly state that E is a DIY stove, not usually sold OR serviced by any local dealers - and that, in most cases, everything from installation to cleaning to parts replacement is done by the end user. The stove mentioned is bare bones and an older design.

Even given the above, the vast majority of E owners are either pleased...or not complaining. Keep in mind they sell tens of thousands a year of this or similar model....

Not saying I would buy one....I probably would only want their new stylish Corie-designed model.

If a customer wants a fine pellet stove with dealer support - try a Harman (or one of many others). You will spend more $$$, but probably be happier. Expectation are 1/2 the battle.

As far as the amount of pellets being burned........I wrote an article on that:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/You_and_a_BTU/
 
Gio said:
Well yes , and now that I think of it he`s been gone since Jan 10 and his stove is off. He`s in the Baja on an Airstream caravan for a couple months.
And I agree, there are no magic pellets.
He ran the stove on/off in Oct ,most of nov, and all of Dec up to Jan 10th and used 1.5 tons.
OK , so it`s kinda doubtful that 1.5 bags a day would heat his house to temp in jan / feb especially if you do the BTU thing but that has to go for just about any pellet stove .
My point was that he does like the stove and doesn`t complain about maintenance or stove operation , even when he sees my Harman go weeks without emptying the ash pan.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing that up.
I see your point, I was just teasing you.
A little more teasing( My omega's ash pan is good for about a month- And I haven't scraped my burnpot in a week).

My 2 cents!! You get what you pay for.
Some people expect a $800.00 stove to run like a $3000.00 stove! Not gonna happen!!! I was one of them. I finally broke down and spent the money for a much better stove.

I love my new stove! But now I'm eating beans and drinking cheap beer!
Jay
P.S. If you ever find those magic pellets. I expect a PM!
 
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