Letting it run

[CT Mets Fan]

How long did it take you to be comfortable with running your stove throughout the night and day when you were at work? I know that the first couple of weeks that I burned pellets over night I would sleep sort of lightly because I wanted to be able to react in case of a fire. We still do not feel comfortable with letting the stove burn when no one is in the house. On the rare occasion we will leave for at most 30 minutes without feeling the need to shut it down.

 

[Fish On]

there more saftey devices on your stove then your furance.. it will be fine just keep it clean and you will have no promblems.

I to was worried when I first started out, but you do get over and will be fine.

 

[Bigjim13]

I got comfortable real quick, maybe a week or two tops. Of course it helped that not long after the stove was installed oil prices and HHO went through the rood. It made me sleep better knowing that I could pay $239/ton rather than $1200 for a tank of oil.

 

[jdbell]

My first season with a GFI55 insert. Installed oct/2010 and run in auto mode since. Burned about 3 ton's without a problem. Only shut it down to vacuum and clean pot and behind firebrick walls. Ran great, except a couple times when the pellet's funneled in the hopper and it ran out/shut itself down. These stove's have many safeguards built in to them.

 

[johnnycomelately]

Totally a personal preference. Stoves do come with safety features that will shut it down in the event something goes wrong. Me? I leave my stove on for no longer than 6 months or so.......Just shutting it down to do a good cleaning once a month. I dont even shut her down to clean the burn pot. Open the door when she's a cooking, sweep the pot for a good 6 seconds or so, and shut the door. But, not everyone is comfortable in doing so. My wife freaks out if she forgets to turn off the iron. I say to her, "it never starts a fire when you use it so what's the big deal?" But do what you are comfortable with. My guess is that you are fairly new to the stove.....and in time, you will be a 24/7'er. Whatever your preference, you have already won....cuz youre burning pellets!

 

[Fsappo]

You'll get used to it. Get the proper dectectors installed in the right places. As you get comfortable you'll sleep better. In the meantime you can have the boys help you sleep:
Jose, Jack, etc.

 

[Bank]

I let mine run all day while I'm at work or gone from the house, sometimes as much as 12 hours. Only bad thing is once, I forgot to fill the hopper. Came home just in time to throw some in and they fired back up. Beats the hell outta HHO!

 

[DexterDay]

Took about a week. Slept next to the first couple days after.
Make sure you get a couple smoke/fire alarms and a couple CO detectors. I personally have 3 of each. One by the bedrooms, one each in the stove room, and the other in the kitchen/living room area. (fireplace in living room).
Many safety devices. Not really famiar with Breckwell units. But I'm guessing there is at least 3 Safeties. Go with what your comfortable with. I run 24/7 except for "Cleanings". Don't use Propane anymore. And I don't plan on using it ever again. Welcome to the Forum and congrats on your purchase. In good time you will realize the Great investment that you made.

 

[jtakeman]

Lets see, I got the pellet stove so I would come home to a warm house as my wood eater would never last the whole day. At first I was nervous about leaving it on, But I so loved the warm house, with no rushing to build a fire and wait for the warmth.

I have had my stove on a programmable stat almost as long as I owned the stove and it comes on when needed. I do have the temp's setback while we are away to save a little and we do get some solar during the day. But you bet you last nickle the house is close to the set stat temp when I get home. Just too danged spoiled now to go back to waiting for warmth!

 

[Xena]

Took me a couple of weeks to be comfortable with it running
24/7. Added more smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
too as others mentioned.

 

[CJ-SR4ever]

Took me a few days. But the stove has many safety features to eliminate that possibility. Run both of my stoves 24/7 on low when im not come and turned up when I get home. The longer you own the stove the more comfortable and familiar you will get with the stove.

 

[magsf11]

It took my wife ( not me lol) afew weeks to haveit burning when we were gone. but not dont even think about it.I am real anal about keeping it clean. a clean stove is a happy stove.

 

[CJ-SR4ever]

It took my wife ( not me lol) afew weeks to haveit burning when we were gone. but not dont even think about it.I am real anal about keeping it clean. a clean stove is a happy stove.

I agree. A clean stove is a happy stove which makes for a happy wife! Which is always a good thing.

 

[arnash]

There's a financial downside to running a stove 24/7. It's the electricity needed to run the fans non-stop. If you run the stove only 12 hours per day, it will cost you half as much. So the savings may be significant or not, depending on your local electric rates. I figure that I'm paying over a buck a day for 12 hours of burn time, so it would double if I ran it around the clock. Perhaps the important factor to consider is how low the outside temp is at night and how much does it drop the temp inside. Too low? If not, why not save yourself some $$$ on the power bill if saving money is a priority?

 

[DexterDay]

There's a financial downside to running a stove 24/7. It's the electricity needed to run the fans non-stop. If you run the stove only 12 hours per day, it will cost you half as much. So the savings may be significant or not, depending on your local electric rates. I figure that I'm paying over a buck a day for 12 hours of burn time, so it would double if I ran it around the clock. Perhaps the important factor to consider is how low the outside temp is at night and how much does it drop the temp inside. Too low? If not, why not save yourself some $$$ on the power bill if saving money is a priority?

Most stoves running 24/7 for an entire 5 month heating season. May surprise you, how much it actually costs to run. Do a simple search on it. I bought a Kiil-A-Watt Meter awhile back. My Quadrafire only draws around 75.2 watts (When auger is feeding) of power when set to LOW. Only71.4 watts when not feeding. Uses as much electric as a standard light bulb. Which means that it cost less than a dollar a day to operate (much less). Costs a little more if you run it on a T-Stat and let the stove kick off completely. When the stoves starts up, they draw between 350-550 watts (depending on model)
I would bet your stove, would be less than $100 for your heating season in Northern Cali.

 

[arnash]

Yeah, I was ascribing the winter increase in my bill to the stove, but actually, I'm also having the 32" tube TV on all day, so it's probably drawing as much or more power than the stove. Good to know that it's cheaper than I was thinking.

 

[Pellet-King]

My whit, same thing, about 75 watt's, your tube tv prob uses 300watt's

 

[save$]

Having been a wood burning with a stove with no automated safety features, I was very comfortable leaving the pellet stove to run both while sleeping and away. Unless you want to run the furnace, there is no way to keep your home warm with wood or pellets if you only run it when you are awake and at home. I am as comfortable with my clean stove, as I am with a light bulb (now CFU's). My wood stove helps keep me safe and warm and financially solvent. I still think the biggest danger in our lives is when we are in our automobiles, ( or let a politician in your home ).

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

...

I still think the biggest danger in our lives is when ... let a politician in your home ).

Politicians need to be made illegal.

 

[heat seeker]

I calculated that it costs me 1.5¢ to run the ignitor each time it runs, and we have expensive electricity. I have noticed that there is about an even swap for electrical consumption between running the stove 24/7, and not having the oil burner motors running, except rarely.

Politicians and diapers - change often, for the same reason.

 

[johnnycomelately]

There's a financial downside to running a stove 24/7. It's the electricity needed to run the fans non-stop. If you run the stove only 12 hours per day, it will cost you half as much. So the savings may be significant or not, depending on your local electric rates. I figure that I'm paying over a buck a day for 12 hours of burn time, so it would double if I ran it around the clock. Perhaps the important factor to consider is how low the outside temp is at night and how much does it drop the temp inside. Too low? If not, why not save yourself some $$$ on the power bill if saving money is a priority?

Another thought is that if you constantly have to re-start the stove with auto-ignite, that element is direct 110v and draws huge amps. The ignitor starting once a day may in fact cost more than the fans running 24/7. Just a toought. Any ideas?

 

[heat seeker]

I calculated that it costs me 1.5¢ to run the ignitor each time it runs, and we have expensive electricity. [/i]

 

[DexterDay]

My Quad draws less than 70 watts on low, running 24/7. Draws 477 on start up with the ignitor. If it has to do that 12-20 times a day (depending on swing). Then it uses a considerable amount more electric. Only time I use the thermostat is when its above 45 outside. Otherwise the stove runs 24/7 for about 4 months straight. Also on my stove, running on Low all the time saves more pellets and keeps the house more comfortable. Then running on the thermo on a higher feed setting. More electric and more pellets, and a unstable temp in the house. No Thanks. I will run constant on low. (when its cold enough). Saves money every way you look at it.