Check out this story in my local paper: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990117015. After reading this story and knowing nothing about pellet stoves I don't know if I would commit to buy one. The story makes me wonder what kind of pellet stove would have a hopper so small that you would have to get up in the middle of the night to fill it? What kind of pellet stove needs a complete cleaning with an ash vac every 3-4 days? This looks like a good family that could have had an easier time of it with a different brand of stove.
Pellet Stove Story in Local Paper Leaves Questions Unanswered
- Thread starter Sawduster
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
Xena
Minister of Fire
Don't know what stove they have. Never saw one that held less than a bag.
Mine holds two bags.
Oh, and check out the stupid comments left by folks at the bottom of that article.
Mine holds two bags.
Oh, and check out the stupid comments left by folks at the bottom of that article.
I can't even read those stupid comments any more. They should not even be allowed. I liken some of the comments on these news storys like the grafittii taggers who blight our property in the dark of the night. There seems to be no regulation to what they can say in this paper. It infuriates me so much that I can no longer read them.
j00fek
Feeling the Heat
i fill the stove up @10pm its 1/2 full @645am
i dont get it, and im burning spruce pointe softwood too
i dont get it, and im burning spruce pointe softwood too
Xena
Minister of Fire
If you look at the picture, the door has a 3 piece glass, and the top has air slots in the part in front of the hopper. That should be enough to ID the stove. Napolean maybe? They got pellets for well under $5.00/bag, and the reported usage at highest heat/blower setting on a -15F night doesn't seem all that outrageous, if the hopper holds a 40lb bag, of what brand we aren't told, and being new to the stove, they don't have much experience with fine-tuning the settings to the pellets. Our Englander 25-PDVC's hopper holds just under a 40lb bag. My computer won't bring up the comments at the bottom though, so I don't know what the fuss is about here?.
webbie
Seasoned Moderator
Article is pretty accurate as far as most info goes.......
As to waking up in the middle of the night, keep this in mind - minus 15 is dang cold.
If you buy a stove rated 40,000 BTU OUTPUT, and burn it on full blast, that is about 7+ pounds per hour. That means a bag will burn in less than 6 hours.
They could turn it lower and be colder or use more backup.
It is my view that there is MORE underestimating of the amount of pellets used than overestimating. In other words, we hear much more chatter from dealers (who have something to sell, obviously) and from users in the off-season (who don't always know that the stove might use 4x as many pellets at 0 degrees), etc.
Hearing the actual experiences of people with higher heat loss, colder homes, central heaters, etc. is showing us what (some) of us already know. The laws of physics have not been changed because you or I spent money for the Pellet stove. Heat in x Efficiency = heat out. This does not change the heat loss of the house, etc.
As to waking up in the middle of the night, keep this in mind - minus 15 is dang cold.
If you buy a stove rated 40,000 BTU OUTPUT, and burn it on full blast, that is about 7+ pounds per hour. That means a bag will burn in less than 6 hours.
They could turn it lower and be colder or use more backup.
It is my view that there is MORE underestimating of the amount of pellets used than overestimating. In other words, we hear much more chatter from dealers (who have something to sell, obviously) and from users in the off-season (who don't always know that the stove might use 4x as many pellets at 0 degrees), etc.
Hearing the actual experiences of people with higher heat loss, colder homes, central heaters, etc. is showing us what (some) of us already know. The laws of physics have not been changed because you or I spent money for the Pellet stove. Heat in x Efficiency = heat out. This does not change the heat loss of the house, etc.
gutterboy2ca
Member
Well, after Glancing at the pic, not that it makes a Hill of Beans difference, i'd have to say Bares a close resemblence to my stove, Enviro EF3 Bay, or Possibly the Smaller EF2, going by the Grates in the top, mine are slightly arched, can,t tell past the tea Kettle, which we don,t own since no one here drinks Tea.The Pot Cover was to try and Replicate the covered space so i could compare better.If it is indeed a Enviro EF3, it has a 50 Lb Hopper, as does the EF2 i believe,also has a Huge Ash Pan which needs dumped every month.Attatched is a simmilar shot of my stove ,just for comparrison sake...
Added pic of Meridian,Lets try that once more, not a very good top shot but looks like the Enviro Meridian has no removable Grate, tis Prob this model,anyone else got better shots of Meridian top? also has 55lb hopper.
Added pic of Meridian,Lets try that once more, not a very good top shot but looks like the Enviro Meridian has no removable Grate, tis Prob this model,anyone else got better shots of Meridian top? also has 55lb hopper.
Attachments
gutterboy2ca
Member
Nope, Guess i was wrong there, simmilar, but not the same, never seen a EF2 so not sure if it has the removable top panel like the EF3 or not, oh well, was just a guess, lol...<<<Goes back to Reading Posts and minding his own buisness
hearthtools
Moderator Emeritus
Yes that is a Meridian in the photo
The meridian holds about bag and quarter to bag and a half of pellets depending
Some people are anal and clean there stove every day
it does not mean you have to.
but depending on pellets
you would need to dump out or scrape out the burn pot every 2 - 6 days
The meridian holds about bag and quarter to bag and a half of pellets depending
Some people are anal and clean there stove every day
it does not mean you have to.
but depending on pellets
you would need to dump out or scrape out the burn pot every 2 - 6 days
I have a Breckwell P2000 which held up very well during last weeks -35 temps used a little over 2 bags per day on the number 3 setting. However this stove with its 3 piece bay window design will ash-up the glass daily. The airwash system is a joke. My in-laws have the next smaller version P2700 which the glass stays cleaner much longer. But since the wife wants to actually see the fire I MUST clean it daily, so I drag out the ash vac at that time too. I would not recommend this stove to my friends just too much glass. Next time I buy a stove I will check out the Harman or Cumberland stoves for extended cleaning times.
Check the sidebar accompanying the story - says their pellet stove costs "an average of $6.49" to burn. If they have to reload the sucker at 2am after 7 hours, then how many bags are they burning a day?? Must have gotten those 4 tons for a pretty penny last summer - $1-2 a bag?? I'd say the article is inflating average cost savings these days.
- Status
Similar threads
