25 PDVC pellet testing

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ssbn644

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Jan 11, 2009
18
Gardner, mA
I have a 25-Pdvc for the past 3 years, it runs ok but can be inconsistent with it's heat output, Last year I ran BareFoot, I bought 4 tons but could never get them to burn right, very sooty and lots of clinkers and alot of ash, so this year I have tested a few, this is what I have so far, these were all from my Local Lowes, Somerset, burned great on 2-5-1 and 3-5-1, setting 2-4, very low ash, excellent heat, the ash was like fine powder, 18 hour from the bag and house was 70 with overnight of 20 and hight wind....Potomac, I was a little nervous burning these but surprised, very good heat, a little thicker ash than someret, had to adjust the feed rate, these fed rather screwy, 4-6-1, even with that, and a setting of 3-5, I still got 17 hours from the bag and the house was a nice 72 with an overnight temp of 18. I also tested Abuchons premeum pellet, they were just plain BAD, I ended up shop vacing out the hopper after 1 hour of burn, they more melted than burned, I still have Maines Choice and Fireside Ultra to test so I will update my finds but we are in for a couple a warmer days. I think the somerset were great but cannot find them, Also Lowes prices went up about 1.60 a bag.
 
ssbn644 said:
I have a 25-Pdvc for the past 3 years, it runs ok but can be inconsistent with it's heat output.......

And the stove has been completely cleaned every ton, including removing & cleaning both blowers, cleaning the entire exhaust system, and making sure the door gaskets are in good shape and the door closes tight?

Barefoot pellets are a VERY good brand....hard to believe you had the most problems with them.
 
imacman said:
ssbn644 said:
I have a 25-Pdvc for the past 3 years, it runs ok but can be inconsistent with it's heat output.......

And the stove has been completely cleaned every ton, including removing & cleaning both blowers, cleaning the entire exhaust system, and making sure the door gaskets are in good shape and the door closes tight?

Barefoot pellets are a VERY good brand....hard to believe you had the most problems with them.

my pdvc didn't really like the barefoots either... lots of large clinkers and such.. i don't think these little stoves can move enough air through them to keep up with a dense pellet like the barefoot..but man did it crank out the heat!
 
I dont do the Blowers but once a year but I am pretty anal about keeping it clean, once a week or more I break it down and clean it out good, I even use a dishwashing brush to brush down the sides and roof, I clean the exhaust pipes twice a month. The barefoot were rated very good but I could not get them to burn, they would from a wall and I had to open the door every few hours and with a putty knife life it out and toss it to the side, and it would usually life out as one big hard piece, I even tried the settings of 1-9-1 and 2-9-1, thinking the slower rate and more air would burn them thru but it didnt work, Talked to teck support about it a few times, even sent pictures of my exhaust to make sure, all checked out. I did start to burn The Maines Choice last night, excellent heat but it started to do what the Barefoot were doing, building a wall but not as bad, I will play around witht the settings to see if that can be overcome without heat loss, Still the sommerset was extremly impressive for heat and ash.
 
your cleaning schedule sounds like mine.. i started burning turmans last year in my stove they don't clinker that bad.. a couple weeks ago i burned a few bags of energex american and that was the first pellet that i have burned in my stove that didn't clinker at all but the ash was very heavy and didn't blow out of the burn pot very well.. i'm sticking with the termans this year because they are about the best pellet i have tried in my stove and the local stove shop sells them for $205/ton...with the turmans i have to open up the door about every 10 hours and scoup the ash and clinker out of the pot so the flame stays active and clean
 
Finished burning the Maines Choice, not very impressed, lots of clinkes, heat ended up being ok, had to change the setting to 4-7-1 and 3/5 to get decent heat, bag only lasted 13 hours compared to what I was getting from the others for the same heat output. Pireside Ultra are next, Oh and it should be noted that they burned a little cleaner as I did not have to scrap my glass as much and it wasnt as think on there as well but overall, I did not care for them
 
ssbn644 said:
I have a 25-Pdvc for the past 3 years, it runs ok but can be inconsistent with it's heat output, Last year I ran BareFoot, I bought 4 tons but could never get them to burn right, very sooty and lots of clinkers and alot of ash, so this year I have tested a few, this is what I have so far, these were all from my Local Lowes, Somerset, burned great on 2-5-1 and 3-5-1, setting 2-4, very low ash, excellent heat, the ash was like fine powder, 18 hour from the bag and house was 70 with overnight of 20 and hight wind....Potomac, I was a little nervous burning these but surprised, very good heat, a little thicker ash than someret, had to adjust the feed rate, these fed rather screwy, 4-6-1, even with that, and a setting of 3-5, I still got 17 hours from the bag and the house was a nice 72 with an overnight temp of 18. I also tested Abuchons premeum pellet, they were just plain BAD, I ended up shop vacing out the hopper after 1 hour of burn, they more melted than burned, I still have Maines Choice and Fireside Ultra to test so I will update my finds but we are in for a couple a warmer days. I think the somerset were great but cannot find them, Also Lowes prices went up about 1.60 a bag.

Yeah, I suppose the PDVC can be pellet picky but I`d try more air (LBA) .
Your stated heat range settings (2-4) seem to be pretty low for 20 degree temps/ high winds , and feed/air rates of (2-5-1 and 3-5-1) are also on the low end.
I`m getting exceptionally hot and consistant burns in mine with just about anything I put in it but my heat range settings for 20 degree days would be aprrox #4-#6 and the lower 3 at 6-7-1.
Actually I think this little stove needs lots of combustion air especially on the lower burn settings and it`s imperative to strictly adhere to the factory recommended venting method.
 
Everytime I go above a feed rate of 4 the pellets dont all burn up and form a wall as what happens with the Barefoot, Like I said I have had the air up to 9 before but it did not make a difference, feedrate of 3 or 4 seems to work best for the pellets I have been trying out and between 5 and 7 on the air, I think but I am not sur because I didnt need to , that with 2 of the pellets, the sommerset and Potomac I could have went to either 5-6-1. 6-6-1. 5-7-1 and 6-7-1 but I was getting great heat from the settings I was using, I am sure once the really cold weather sets in I will be upping the output, but with the settings I have stated, it was keeping the house at 70 (1900sqft), last year it struggled when temps got below 5 degrees, thats whay I started testing these pellets, I just finished the last of the 3 and I forgot the name as i threw the bag out but it is posted in and earlier post, it well, not to much ash, it was the cleanest burning as my glass did not get all sooty, heat was very good but not as good as sommerset or Potomac, the pellets were a lot smaller in size compared to any other pellet I have seen and only got 15 hours from the bag where on others I had gotten a few more hours. setting were the same as sommerset and adjusted a little to see if there was much of a change but there was not.
so from my experence, with what I have burned, it would go, 1. Sommerset, 2. Potomac, 3. The nameless bag(LOL), 4. Maines Choice and 5. Barefoot
 
Deleted. Wrong thread. My apologies.
 
I'm a fan of the somerset. It's the pellet I get the most heat out of. I just tried a bag of eco flame last night and it's cooold in here. No more somersets in stock anywhere near right now so I'm sort of not thrilled with the prospects left. I'm likely going to get stuck with the super ashy OHP which means I have to clean that sucker out a LOT.
 
currently running green teams at 7-9 and 4,7,1 on a thermostat when the thermo stat is off
she runs at 200* when the thermostat is on she gets up to 300-325 * no clunkers and she
she burns em all up get 12 to 14 hrs a bag when she runs 24-7 not to cold here yet
 
Anyone with this stove tried Rocky Mountain or Spearfish? I'm trying to see what I can get closer than 80 plus miles away and not coming up with much other than those I've tried and not been pleased with. Still no Somersets around.
 
lignetics average heat kinda dirty and too expensive where im at. maines choice horrible ash i would avoid. My Englander loves fireside ultras. High heat, pretty clean and the best part cheap 209 a ton compared to ligs 270. settings 6-6-1
 
Toycruiser84 said:
lignetics average heat kinda dirty and too expensive where im at. maines choice horrible ash i would avoid. My Englander loves fireside ultras. High heat, pretty clean and the best part cheap 209 a ton compared to ligs 270. settings 6-6-1

Cruiser, my 25 loves the Lignetics. Keeps my 1st floor 79 - 82*. I have only had the stove for 3 weeks now, bought it used and I am not sure about what is clean and what is a dirty burn pellet (except for 1, 'Walmart')! Beside for cleaning the glass once a day or every other day. I break the stove down and vacuum and clean every 5/6 bags. Plus now I am getting 16/18 burn time with the Lignetics.
Since still new to this not sure I have heard of or seen the Ultras. But there is a Amish store I get the Ligs for 199 ton and even Ace is comparable for 209.
 
I got my stove up & running after thecircuit board & combustion fan failure now the fan does not run @ high speed when I put the mode to 4 or 5. it stays the same rate. the pellets feed longer & fire gets higher but the blower fan does not kick up like it used to. I bought a new circuit board & replaced it along w/the combustion fan sine my original issue was that the fan ran constantly even w/unit off. so a little diagnostic work & long story short, burnt out original fan & board. now the unit works well, shuts down as it should but the dam convection fan is giving me concern, I do not use thehigher speeds much but I so not want to take a chance & need it & have it not work.
I am running my stove 24/7 now as main spurce for heat w/ electric baseboards as supplimentary.
any ideas on were to look for this isssue? could the replacement circuit board be bad?
 
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