Pellet stove weights: Enviro M55 vs. Omega

[Benski]

I am planning buying a Multi-Fuel pellet stove and considering product quality and aftersale service, I think I would be well served by either the Enviro M55 or the Omega.

Pricewise, the Omega sells for +350$ (Canadian) compared with the M55 stove (3160$).

I am a little surprize by the difference in weight of both stoves: Omega = 455lbs and M55 = 300lbs (Although the French litterature I have even mentions M55=250lbs).

Where is the extra weight located in the Omega? I have a hard time to beleive that the extra weight is only located in the sheet metal used for a larger hopper and some pannelling surrounding the stove. Would there be an oversized heat exchanger in the Omega? Or a floor pad included in Omega but not with M55.

I will have to sort that out this week, will try calling the store later this week.

Any thoughts in the meantime?

Thanks,

Ben

 

[Wet1]

This thread should be moved (or the question asked) to the pellet room.

I have not seen a pellet stove close to 455 lbs., but that don't mean there isn't one. With that said, I'd contact the manufacturer to verify the weight.

 

[jtakeman]

I have the Omega and it does weigh over 400lbs. Shipping weight was 488lbs. gross with skid and wrappings. Took 3 of use to get it in the basement. Its a heavy one!

jay

 

[Benski]

This thread should be moved (or the question asked) to the pellet room.

I agree. My mistake.

Ben.

 

[hearthtools]

The omega has lots of extra stuff Extra Gear motor
Large heat tubes
CAST iron Heavy Refractory back

 

[imacman]

My "new" Englander 10-CPM is listed as 385 Lbs....I believe it!
Took "two men and a boy" to get that up 4 steps to the deck.....

 

[littlesmokey]

Should you really need to compare stoves by weight???? I had an old woodburner that I bought lined with hearth bricks. Weighed in at over 300 lbs. I took all that dead weight out and put stove brick in. Worked better and weighed in at 1/2 the purchase weight. I think there are reasons to buy one over the other more than the weight of the stove. Remember you have to heat that weight? :bug:

 

[jtakeman]

Should you really need to compare stoves by weight???? I had an old woodburner that I bought lined with hearth bricks. Weighed in at over 300 lbs. I took all that dead weight out and put stove brick in. Worked better and weighed in at 1/2 the purchase weight. I think there are reasons to buy one over the other more than the weight of the stove. Remember you have to heat that weight? :bug:

I would say it doesn't matter! But if you have to haul it into the basement. Then yes, One day you will need to get it out. So weight may be a factor. The weight of the stove will work with gravity, But you will fight gravity on the way back up. I think that is why benski was asking for the weight. He was just thinking ahead! Or maybe his basement steps couldn't handle the 400 plus pounds, That might have gotten ugly! I think I will just leave mine when I move. Or I will have to hire a moving crew.

 

[Benski]

I would say it doesn't matter! But if you have to haul it into the basement. Then yes, One day you will need to get it out. So weight may be a factor. The weight of the stove will work with gravity, But you will fight gravity on the way back up. I think that is why benski was asking for the weight. He was just thinking ahead! Or maybe his basement steps couldn't handle the 400 plus pounds, That might have gotten ugly! I think I will just leave mine when I move. Or I will have to hire a moving crew.

Since I have never taken apart a pellet stove YET, I was wondering if the Omega had a monster heat exchanger compared with the M55 that would have made it more efficient. It turns out they are both similar in efficiencies, the Omega being some 10% more in output. So I went for the lighter version, the M55.

The easy way for me was to bring in the stove in the basement using a direct outdoor access that has limited height, so we couldn’t use mover’s belts while having our backs straight. I was concerned by the safety of the manoevres.

I’m glad we didn’t have 150lbs extra, it would have been impossible, we would have had to slide it down by some means…

Another reason I looked at weight is that I will have to take it back out of the basement in Spring 2010 when I complete the basement digging, underpinning and flooring with concrete.

Besides all that, I agree the weight of a stove is not the main driver in selecting which one to buy!


Ben

 

[jtakeman]

Since I have never taken apart a pellet stove YET, I was wondering if the Omega had a monster heat exchanger compared with the M55 that would have made it more efficient.......Ben

Yes the Omega has a huge heat exchanger. There are 11 1"x3" tubes. They are ¼ inch thick. The Omega is 79.5% and the M55 is 76.6%. So the Omega is a tad more but not all that much.

There simular, but different in feed rate amounts. My Omega on high feed is about 8.3 lb/hr. The M55 is only 6.5 lb/hr. That is why the M55 is only 55,000 BTU's and the Omega is more at 60,000 BTU's. But the BTU rating is lowered on the Omega because of the multifuel feature. The Maxx is very simular to the Omega(basically just different tin work and Control panel) They share the same heat exchanger design. They also have the same feedrate for woodpellets at 8.3 lb/hr. So on pellets I think the Omega is closer to 70,000 BTU's. But this is just a guess at it. Not 100% sure though.

 

[Benski]

There simular, but different in feed rate amounts. My Omega on high feed is about 8.3 lb/hr. The M55 is only 6.5 lb/hr. That is why the M55 is only 55,000 BTU's and the Omega is more at 60,000 BTU's. But the BTU rating is lowered on the Omega because of the multifuel feature. The Maxx is very simular to the Omega(basically just different tin work and Control panel) They share the same heat exchanger design. They also have the same feedrate for woodpellets at 8.3 lb/hr. So on pellets I think the Omega is closer to 70,000 BTU's. But this is just a guess at it. Not 100% sure though.

The Yellow card from the USEPA that's included with the papers in the M55 stove I got shows 42 130 BTU. I don't know how they got to 55 000BTU's... hope there's no misrepresentation here! It seems EPA thinks pellets have 6500 btu/lb and Enviro 8500btu/lb... Maybe the Multi-Fuel feature has something to do about that difference?

Ben

 

[jtakeman]

There simular, but different in feed rate amounts. My Omega on high feed is about 8.3 lb/hr. The M55 is only 6.5 lb/hr. That is why the M55 is only 55,000 BTU's and the Omega is more at 60,000 BTU's. But the BTU rating is lowered on the Omega because of the multifuel feature. The Maxx is very simular to the Omega(basically just different tin work and Control panel) They share the same heat exchanger design. They also have the same feedrate for woodpellets at 8.3 lb/hr. So on pellets I think the Omega is closer to 70,000 BTU's. But this is just a guess at it. Not 100% sure though.

The Yellow card from the USEPA that's included with the papers in the M55 stove I got shows 42 130 BTU. I don't know how they got to 55 000BTU's... hope there's no misrepresentation here! It seems EPA thinks pellets have 6500 btu/lb and Enviro 8500btu/lb... Maybe the Multi-Fuel feature has something to do about that difference?

Ben

The yellow card is the results from the EPA testing. 55,000 BTU is Enviro's results from there testing. 76.6% of 55,000 btu's is approx. 42,130 btu's. Seems Enviro's ratings are higher. But I am sure all the manufactor's are higher rated than the EPA's ratings. Look at the Maxx rating's here.

http://envirofire.biz/fireplace-products/pellet/freestanding-fireplace.html#Maxx

Enviro's BTU’s 70,000
EPA BTU's 52,454
EPA's Efficiency approx 74.9%

I wonder what crap pellets the EPA tested with. Bet you will get a higher BTU rating with better pellets.

jay

P.S. The Omega's 455 lbs advertised weight is with a full hopper. So subtract 140 lbs. 315 lbs. for just the stove. M55 is 395 lbs. with full hopper. Subtract 80 lbs. 315 lbs. for just the stove. If you go by enviro's weights. there are the same weight. Go figure? Hard to believe there the same weight!

 

[mnkywrnch]

I was at my dealer's shop yesterday they sell st croix and enviro and they have a M55 on display, told the wife that's our next stove,she procceded to give me the stare.The stove really does look like a beast, the amount of heat it was putting out was unreal,must say enviro hit a home run with this stove.

 

[jtakeman]

looks like the M55 has a sister too! VF-55 model.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/44479/

Maybe a cheaper way to go? VistaFlame doesn't carry a sister to the Omega though. But there is one for the Maxx =VF170.

Check here:

http://www.vistaflame.ca/