Englander Pellet Stove

Anyone out there have any experience with these models?? My sister is looking into getting one and want to know particulars before she spends over $1,000 dollars for a possible boat anchor.. thanks all!!

My fourth year burning a Englander PDVC and am very satisfied. Not fancy, but functional. Only problems I had was the keypad was hard to see from where I had the stove and someone hit the firing rate buttons trying to turn it on or off. I didn't know what was going on. Tech support was great and knowledgeable. I moved the piece of furniture blocking access to keypad. The one drawback for me was the 40 lb hopper. I just finished adding a 14 extension onto it, looks great. Just keep it clean and check the outside air intake to keep it clean and clear.

Panhandler, Did you make the hopper extension or have it made? Could you post pictures? Thanks.

first off , you must make certain the extension you built on (which we do not recommend by the way) keeps the hopper sealed as airtight as possible the base unit itself was designed to have a sealed hopper in case of a power failure while running , a leaking hopper can cause smokeback through the hopper.

I made one myself in the shop at work (on my own time, of course ). I welded a heavy gauge sheet metal box (I work in a galvanizing and aluminizing plant) the same size as the top of existing hopper. I then welded in a flange inside the box to match the top of the existing hopper and the same for the top. Then gave it two coats of black stove paint. I used high temp orange RTV between the original stove hopper and extension and sheet metal screwed the flanges together. On the outside of this joint I used black RTV for looks. Then used some "donated" gasket material to the top flange fixed with RTV and installed the original hopper lid.
I understand Mr Holton's concerns. I have worked with NG, hydrogen, etc for years. Our furnace at work has a hydrogen atmosphere. A guy on iburnpellets forums had a local welding shop make his. I felt that I needed the hopper extension because I sometimes work long hours and now both my sons are away at college. It sucks to come home to a cold house, and it's worse to come home and hear the furnace running.

Sorry. I don't have a scanner to post photos, but it resembles this. I made one 14" tall.


http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/22158/

Sounds like you are a pretty savvy guy with good manual skills. From your description of the extension it sounds like you did a pro job but if anything ever happened (like back burn or a hopper fire damage) you know what Englander Stoves position would be.
I should talk though cause I use charcoal fluid to start my pellets.

I find that my Englander works great. It was exactly what I was looking for.