Going back to oil Sunday

I did a complete year end cleaning myself and called it quits last Sunday. :down: I have a ton or so left but it's too expensive to burn pellets over oil right now. $1.63 per gallon today. I'll just have to save'em.
Mike -

Thanks for the thought, but I completely removed the exhaust and have a sealed cover plate for the hole. Also, no OAK. I am thinking about finding some kind of dessicant (sp?) bag for inside the stove over the summer to prevent any rust.
Mike -

hossthehermit said:

Last bag of pellets probably going in the hopper Saturday, been a good run, wish I'd gottten 5 ton instead of 4, but oh,well. Time to shut 'er down, start an end of season overhaul, great timing, though, in a way, just found out I'm getting laid off for a couple weeks after Friday, gives me a project

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Might want to change you signature, Or go see if you can get some cheap corn!

jay

Yep - same here.

I still have a ton left but at $1.74 for oil I will save my pellets for next season.

hossthehermit said:

Last bag of pellets probably going in the hopper Saturday, been a good run, wish I'd gottten 5 ton instead of 4, but oh,well. Time to shut 'er down, start an end of season overhaul, great timing, though, in a way, just found out I'm getting laid off for a couple weeks after Friday, gives me a project

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Sounds like a mill worker, you can afford the oil, enjoy your vacation.

Shut mine down last week with about 15 bags leftover. Forgot to consider the kids who have become addicted to that warm blast of hot air and the nice pretty fire. After negotiations, I had to agree to burn the stove in the mornings for them when they wake up, its the first place they go when they get out of bed, right to the stove. But, when those bags are gone, that's it till next year. Hope the prices come down and get more reasonable, really like the heat and the fire.

I am down to my last 5 bags and will probably pick up another ton over the weekend unless the price is above $275 (my cut off price at this point). It has been nice having the stove going the past couple days with the overnight temps going to 5-6 F. My wife has really grown accustomed to the convenience of the stove. We used to have a wood burner. We have two large sun rooms on the front of the house (southern exposure) that keep the house at 70+ when the sun is out and we shut the stove down during that time. Pretty much from 10 am to 4 pm. She loves the fact that she just has to turn it on to get the warmth and the visual effects of the wood stove without starting a fire. I do not typically get home until 6-7 so with the wood stove I missed "all the fun". She also likes standing in front of it the first thing in the morning after coming down from the bedroom.

Sunday? Yeah, me too probably. Or early next week the latest. 3+ tons is now down to 5 bags.

I'll miss dropping my pants and standing with my bare ass in front of my stove. Ah well, there's always next year.

These forums are anonymous, right?

Dr_Drum said:

Thanks for the thought, but I completely removed the exhaust and have a sealed cover plate for the hole. Also, no OAK. I am thinking about finding some kind of dessicant (sp?) bag for inside the stove over the summer to prevent any rust.
Mike -

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A box of baking soda does the trick for me.

Farmers almanac says it will be cold till may. I will be burning pellets till its stays above 50 .

I told my husband that I thought we would be better by leaving the last ton for next year and use the oil because it now is $1.65. He tossed and turned last night and then added another bag to the hopper. Is there a chapter of Pellet Stove Anonymous in SE MA that he can join? When we do shut the stove off is there a certain amount of days for "withdrawal" that I can expect from him? Any side effects? ;-P
I will give him the pellet heat is nicer than the oil heat, it definitively warms you up!

hossthehermit said:

Time to shut 'er down, start an end of season overhaul, great timing, though, in a way, just found out I'm getting laid off for a couple weeks after Friday, gives me a project

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dang my friend, bummer to hear about the layoff, here is to hoping are brought back soon or find another opportunity. got my fingers crossed for ya bro. im never happy to see bad news from my friends from the hearth.

you did however state quite eloquently the truth in your sig... "country boys can survive" hang tough hoss!

CygnusX1 said:

Dr_Drum said:

Thanks for the thought, but I completely removed the exhaust and have a sealed cover plate for the hole. Also, no OAK. I am thinking about finding some kind of dessicant (sp?) bag for inside the stove over the summer to prevent any rust.
Mike -

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A box of baking soda does the trick for me.

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good post cyg, i recommend that quite often. works quite well here at my home.

<span class="spellchecked_word">stoveguy2esw</<SPAN class=spellchecked_word>sp</SPAN>an> said:

<span class="spellchecked_word">CygnusX1</<SPAN class=spellchecked_word>sp</SPAN>an> said:

<span class="spellchecked_word">Dr_Drum</<SPAN class=spellchecked_word>sp</SPAN>an> said:

Thanks for the thought, but I completely removed the exhaust and have a sealed cover plate for the hole. Also, no OAK. I am thinking about finding some kind of <span class="spellchecked_word">dessicant</<SPAN class=spellchecked_word>sp</SPAN>an> (sp?) bag for inside the stove over the summer to prevent any rust.
Mike -

Click to expand...

A box of baking soda does the trick for me.

Click to expand...

good post cyg, i recommend that quite often. works quite well here at my home.

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Do a complete cleaning then wipe down the whole stove inside and out with Fluid Film - http://www.kellsportproducts.com/AS&NAS;.html

+1 on the baking soda. As for the oil. I've been burning it since mid February.
90 bags of Cleanfire left to burn in the Fall.

stoveguy2esw said:

CygnusX1 said:

Dr_Drum said:

Thanks for the thought, but I completely removed the exhaust and have a sealed cover plate for the hole. Also, no OAK. I am thinking about finding some kind of dessicant (sp?) bag for inside the stove over the summer to prevent any rust.
Mike -

Click to expand...

A box of baking soda does the trick for me.

Click to expand...

good post cyg, i recommend that quite often. works quite well here at my home.

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I never thought of simple box of baking soda. Thanks for the tip.
It is hard to see the stove just sit there, and hearing the oil furnace kick on, but I can't justify wasting money, especially in this economy. Maybe if enough people follow suit the pellet sellers will get the point, and stop trying to **** us. I thought only foreign oil business' could be that ruthless, but apparently not.
Mike -

How about coating the inside with WD-40?

Did a search for 'Desiccant Bag' on EBAY and there were several types/sizes available, not too expensive either, around 3-5 dollars for a 2.2lb bag, some have hangar hooks on them as well. Get you on shipping charges though, heavy little buggers I guess. Is it really that necessary to worry about moisture during summer months? Or is it a 'just in case' preventive type of thing? I plan on capping off my exhaust pipe, which will keep outside humidity from getting in (as well as bugs, and nests). Inside the house I have never had a rust problem on any utensils, pots, pans, fixtures, or anything else that is metal, and that is without the aid of baking soda or desiccant bags scattered about. How much moisture could a box of baking soda absorb anyhow? Maybe if you live in a high humidity area it's a problem, but not here in CT. Humid days now and then, maybe a week long as well, but nothing to rust up my homes metal contents. Is it overkill, or suggested from experience?

The first year I had my stove, I blocked off the vent cap for the season and the
cast heat exchangers were all rusty when I fired up the stove in the fall.

Since then, I still block the cap and put a box of baking soda in the ash pan....no more rust.

I also put a note inside the hopper to remind myself to make sure I open up the vent cap
before re-loading with pellets. ;-)

bungalobob said:

Did a search for 'Desiccant Bag' on EBAY and there were several types/sizes available, not too expensive either, around 3-5 dollars for a 2.2lb bag, some have hangar hooks on them as well. Get you on shipping charges though.....

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I saw this one on eBay, and didn't think $4 for shipping was too bad. Plus, they can be "recharged" by heating in your oven, so they last forever. Cheaper than taking stove apart, wire brushing rust off, repainting, etc.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Portable-Dehumi...emZ110355629890QQcategoryZ52501QQcmdZViewItem

ssman said:

How about coating the inside with WD-40?

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WD40 is a penetrant oil it doesn't coat and stay in place, (it was made to displace water in electrical wires) try a quality slicone spray, or some type of oil that won't evaporate. (at work we have LPS-1 penetrant (evaporates), -2 lube (doesn't dry), -3 protector (dries to a waxy coating) they are made for aerospace industry.

Baking soda is not an effective desiccant as it absorbs very little moisture. Just consider how much water is removed by a dehumidifier on a humid day compared to a box of baking soda. If the moisture was being absorbed by the baking soda where does it go? Actually desiccants are not that effective at rust prevention because they do not protect the metal surface.
The best method is to use a rust preventative oil coating on all exposed bare metal parts. This will displace moisture and completely prevent surface rust for many months or even years. Any good hardware store or auto supply will have what you are looking for.
Remove as much soot and ash as possible before you coat the surface. The interior of a typical fire box is a very corrosive environment- add moisture and you essentially have acid rain.