Can I burn corn

[Mike03077]

Just out of curiosity can I burn corn in my ussc big king 5502

 

[Lake Girl]

Good question ... The first difference between your stove and the multifuel is that your's doesn't have an agitator through the burn pot. Not sure if the control on your stove allows for the adjustments for feed rate and air that might be required for multifuels. Other than other owners experience with trying, I would start with both manuals and compare components and controls....

You may find it is similar to some of the Harmans where you can use up to 50% corn/pellet mix....

 

[DAKSY]

Not according to your manual, Page 4 . It is designed to burn premium hardwood pellets.

 

[3650]

So is my Quadrafire Mt Vernon...(the old on not the new one) and I was mixing 50\50 with no problems. I am in no way advising anyone to try it in their stove. Corn can be more caustic then pellets and damage certain metals quicker then pellets.

 

[Bioburner]

If its an import from China I would not even try

 

[dozerdean]

Any pellet stove can burn corn. Just not corn only! I have a King Ashly 5500 and tried corn and wasn't really impressed! I mixed 2-3 gallons to 120 pounds of pellets. It would creosote like a rock on sides of burn pot, not easy to remove! Corn is messy and u have to clean it and costs more than pellets, where I live at. Just not worth the hassle

 

[Bioburner]

It would creosote like a rock on sides of burn pot,

So your temp was to low to burn the corn with its higher ignition temp.

 

[dozerdean]

I tried in my Harmon & does the same thing. I couldn't tell the difference with corn or without. It even built up on the Harmon burn pot! Both stoves on the combustion fins looked great when I cleaned the stoves. Just the burn pots was built up.not real bad , but u could tell there was some built up. Just not worth all th hassle! That's my 2 cents.

 

[Bioburner]

Been more than one case of someone getting a batch of corn that has a bit higher than recommended moisture and even the recommend corn to be burnt is around 15% and that's double what wood pellets are. I try and dry my corn below double digits so don't have to worry. Even the stoves that can burn straight corn really put out a fair amount more heat if they don't have to boil off that extra water.

 

[dozerdean]

So in your honest opinion, does corn put out more heat than pellets?

 

[Bioburner]

Most of the normal bio fuels are close in btu per WEIGHT. Wood pellets can have a higher volume per pound and that's where a smart stove can monitor the feed via exhaust probe and not just blindly screw in feed.

We had a near perfect growing season for corn last year and the test weights were very good and the kernals were packed with sugar and oil. Couple years ago the crop weights sucked and the corn was a pain to try and use.

What most forget with corn is the moisture that one has to boil off and that will affect the temperature of the combustion where pellets are always around 7-8 %. Most stored corn is between 13 -15 %
Like burning wood that has been seasoned for 3 years versus cut this year. Take that variable out and corn is king IF the stove is properly engineered for it.

 

[FirepotPete]

I love burning corn! Corn would have to go well over the price of pellets for me to burn pellets, probably around 20% higher in cost then I would probably still mix the two.

But I'm lucky, I've found a farmer half way through my first year, so no more trips to the co-op buying dirty bagged corn. Get it fresh from him right out the shoot into the pickup and away I go.

Having burned both corn and pellets the first two years I totally believe the corn is hotter. Can't say per pound but by per hopper full, bulk in other words, my higher heat settings are lower than with pellets. The lowest setting still has to be a little higher just to get a clean continuous burn.

 

[adayrider]

I'm with firepotpete, burns hotter for less than 2/3 the price of pellets this year. 4.75 tons of corn this year for $643.18 total and I should have about 1/2 ton leftover for fall. That would be $1140 plus tax in pellets. I burn it all to (dust,small pieces of cob, even little pieces of stalk) in my st croix lancaster corn burner. You cant beat with a wood log. ha ha ha

 

[Bioburner]

I actually think price wise it was closer to 1/2 price. Was around 110/T and only 2,5 miles to get.

 

[adayrider]

Yeah your probably right at $110. I get discount for paying with cash and tax free because I tell them im feeding cows.haha But corn doesn't last as long as pellets per hopper for me. I think it's do to the size of a kernel compared to a pellet and the corn auger a little more smoothly. Its only a couple hours differences in a day and a half though.

edit- thats at this years price to. Corn does go up and down year to year. So that's why I say 2/3
1 year corn was more then pellets and 1 or 2 years it was about even with pellets out of 10 or 11 years I have been burning it.

 

[Bioburner]

So that's why your thinking its hotter as your feed the stove more. That's where the smarter stoves monitor the exhaust temp and have a corn fuel setting pay off.
I bought a load of corn just after the 1st of the year and think it was 3.15/Bu

 

[adayrider]

No, I think corn is hotter. $3.15 is a good price. Where are located ? I paid $3.98 for the first 3.75 ton and $4.03 for the ton I bought 3 weeks ago.

 

[Bioburner]

Chicago trading finished up at 3.70 for the week so your paying a premium
The local buy price today is 3.15