Scored a US 5500 XL today for $100

[drtnshtr]

Ok I know most of you wouldnt consider this stove much of a score but get this...I was walkin in TSC today to pickup some starter gel and out front of the store she stood. Apparently it was a floor model that had been put back in their storage room for the past couple of years. It had some oil build up on the top of it from where tools or something was stored on top of it but otherwise looks like new. It had a clearance tag on it that said "parts only, broken" for $100. Thats 100 bux folks! I asked the manager what was wrong with it and he said that mice have chewed up the wiring. I asked how he knew that and he said because there was some insulation inside of the back where the control panel was like mice have nested there or something. He didnt have electric cord for it either so that told me he had no clue if this thing really worked or not but my guess was something was probably wrong.
So I gave them their $100 and took it home. Had a spare computer cord that plugged right in and the digital control board lit right up. After a minute or so I could smell the heat from the electronic igniter and the exhaust fan was on. The auger wasnt working and the blower fan wasnt on. I hooked up a jumper to the auger and the blower fan and they both worked so I knew it was somewhere between the control board and those 2 parts. sure enough there was a loose connector that had wires coming from one of the safety sensors to the control panel. hooked it up and everything started working together like it should. I burned it for about an hour out in the garage without exhaust pipe (doors open of course) and it never quit. seemed like the pellets were burning too quickly but im guessing that was a combination of the air intake it was getting being outside, no exhaust pipe, and the pellets were ground up bad from being a bag I had been stepping on to reach others on top. sure seems like a good find to me so far for $100.

 

[Nicholas440]

I dont know anything about a US 5500 but $100 for a new stove that works you got a steal... congrats...

 

[Panhandler]

Nice job! Always pays to keep your eyes open.

 

[jtakeman]

Useable parts alone were worth far more than $100 bucks. Good deal and you scored!

You plan on using it?

 

[drtnshtr]

Useable parts alone were worth far more than $100 bucks. Good deal and you scored!

You plan on using it?

thinkin about swapping it out for my Whitfield for a couple days just to see how it heats. The location in my living room would allow for an easy swap. It could never replace the Whitfield but it may be a good stove for the finished basement if I decide to install one down there.

 

[imacman]

....It could never replace the Whitfield but it may be a good stove for the finished basement if I decide to install one down there.

Never know....that stove is capable of 48K btu's and heating a 1700+ sq. ft.

But regardless, that's a GREAT score!!

 

[drtnshtr]

....It could never replace the Whitfield but it may be a good stove for the finished basement if I decide to install one down there.

Never know....that stove is capable of 48K btu's and heating a 1700+ sq. ft.

But regardless, that's a GREAT score!!

its been a while but Im thinking my whitfield is 42,000 isnt it? that doesnt seem like too much difference but Im not that well educated on BTU's.

 

[drtnshtr]

Wow so far this has been the best $100 I have ever spent. This US Stove 5500 XL is a beast. The XL hopper is awesome for just filling and leaving for several days. Does anyone know if I hook up a thermostat will it actually shut the stove down and then restart it or will it only turn it from a lower setting to a higher setting and visa versa?

 

[imacman]

......Does anyone know if I hook up a thermostat will it actually shut the stove down and then restart it or will it only turn it from a lower setting to a higher setting and visa versa?

Glad to hear the stove is burning good....you made quite the score there!

As for the thermostat operation, there has been some discussion on the forum by another US Stove owner about hooking up a stat. They said they couldn't find a connection on the control board for one, and it isn't mentioned in the owners manual.

Did you find the connection points??

 

[drtnshtr]

I havent really looked specifically for them yet but I am 99% sure I did see them when I first dug into this machine. I will check this weekend.

 

[captkirk5858]

Nice score, You could allways turn it quickly and buy more Pellets..... with enough to spare and build yourself a nice pellet shed too...... list price $2500

 

[caledoniacars]

Another great reason to visit TSC. Great job! Congrats!

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Great find and good work on the fix!

You can download the manual for free right here. Good Luck
http://www.ibuyfireplaceparts.com/p...nt-Repair-Parts-at-iBuyFireplacePartscom.html


Reviews are tough
http://www.amazon.com/Pellet-Stove-Igniter-Exhaust-5500/dp/B000FDVW7C

 

[Turbo-Quad]

wow thats great....can't beat a good bargain story. Here's a link to corn burners info on this stove. Also, I just saw one on craigslit for 1500 so you got a great deal.

http://www.iburncorn.com/new-forum/37-us-stove-company

 

[krooser]

That's the kind of deal i like. Years ago I walked into an Ace Hardware store and sitting right in front was a $299.00 drill press with a $19.95 price tag on it. Said 'parts missing' which turned out to be the chuck key...

 

[drtnshtr]

......Does anyone know if I hook up a thermostat will it actually shut the stove down and then restart it or will it only turn it from a lower setting to a higher setting and visa versa?

Glad to hear the stove is burning good....you made quite the score there!

As for the thermostat operation, there has been some discussion on the forum by another US Stove owner about hooking up a stat. They said they couldn't find a connection on the control board for one, and it isn't mentioned in the owners manual.

Did you find the connection points??

found the connection points. I still cant figure out how this stove will react using a thermostat. some say it shuts down others say it cotinues to run on low.

 

[dragracer300]

My us 6041 on a t-stat only moves the heat range up and down and doesn't shut it off and relight. Just make sure if you hook it up that you remove the small black jumper in between the connectors or the t-stat wont do anything.

 

[ad356]

stove will go into a low fire mode. these stoves arent bad for the money, but the ignitors suck. mine died and i dont intend on replacing it. my nieghbor has a 5500 and his ignitor failed and he has a freind that has the same stove as well, ignitor failed. the ignitors on these things are terrible. i have some starter jell. its cheap and works just fine. as far as everything else this stove have a huge hopper, makes good heat, and so far is quite relialable except for the ignitor. don't expect this stove to be an avalon austoria, but then it doesnt cost 3,500 bucks i paid a grand for mine and if i can get 10+ years out of it, i can swallow that.

 

[drtnshtr]

stove will go into a low fire mode. these stoves arent bad for the money, but the ignitors suck. mine died and i dont intend on replacing it. my nieghbor has a 5500 and his ignitor failed and he has a freind that has the same stove as well, ignitor failed. the ignitors on these things are terrible. i have some starter jell. its cheap and works just fine. as far as everything else this stove have a huge hopper, makes good heat, and so far is quite relialable except for the ignitor. don't expect this stove to be an avalon austoria, but then it doesnt cost 3,500 bucks i paid a grand for mine and if i can get 10+ years out of it, i can swallow that.

Yeh I have only used mine for a month or so now and the igniter is ok so far. If thats all that goes bad on it I will be happy since I only have $100 in it

 

[Turbo-Quad]

We need an update on your deal of the century!

 

[drtnshtr]

We need an update on your deal of the century!

I have been burning it exclusively since I brought it home and hooked that wire back up...lol It is awesome in my opinion. I can put so many bags in the 300+ pound hopper that I actually lose count when Im filling it up. It seems to put out alot more heat than my Whitfield even though the BTU rating is about the same I believe. I think the blower is more powerful and puts out more volume. So far so good on the ignitor too. The absence of an ash pan is kind of a pain but it has way more room for ash on the inside of it than the whitfield does so the shopvac gets a workout about once per week. It keeps my little 1400 sq ft cape cod 80-85 degrees downstairs no matter how cold it is outside and usually 75+ upstairs also. I would say it was well worth $100

 

[Turbo-Quad]

Mind-boggling! Congrats on the deal of the century!

 

[drtnshtr]

Mind-boggling! Congrats on the deal of the century!

Thanks Turbo!! Funny thing is I got my whitfield for $100 also. A co-worker of mine had bought it new (paid $3,000 for it) and had it for about 10 years. He didnt really heat with it but was just kind of the "in thing" at that time and he had it out in a winter sun room in his house so him and his wife could watch the fire in the winter time. He said he didnt burn but 4-5 bags of pellets total through it. I could tell he wasnt kidding because the foam bricks in it were like new and I had them looking like crap after a weeks worth of heating with it lol. I have had it for the past 3-4 years I guess and it still works just great. I did have to rewire the control board on it so now the fan is only 1 speed (high) but I could never really tell much difference in any of the 5 blower settings anyway. Its just setting in the garage now until I decide what to do with it. May put it in the basment but not sure now.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

WE NEED TO SEE SOME PICCY's

Great score

Snowy

 

[FordMastertech]

Right place at the right time. :coolsmile: