New member here, Bill Pitman.... Milford, Pa.
After burning wood for over 35 years, the decision to convert to a pellet stove was made.
Reasons for this..... My age, dirt & dust, getting up to "feed the fire", and to try something new.
I spend a month or so, doing research, figuring costs- stove, larger hearth stone, piping/caps,
Infared thermometer, pellet costs.... Pretty much stayed on budget for this project.
Now I know, going from getting mostly free firewood to a pellet stove, costs WILL be going up. That's
OK, I've gotten older & wiser..... I'll deal with: pellet prices, cleaning/maintenance, higher electric costs.
So, did the install myself, with help from my son James.... The hearth stone was the worst, followed by
the stove. All weight related.
Inside piping I used ICC & Ventis, as I like their silicone seals. Also because
I didn't like the "twist & lock" features of other brands. I used a Ventis 2 piece-disconnect piece at the stove flange, so it will be very easy to disconnect & slide apart the 3 pieces that make up my inside piping. I do not
want to have to move the stove.
The stove I installed on February 23rd is a Harman P-43. Good size for our modest- sized home.
I will say stove manufacturers do tend to have pricing pretty much locked up..... Your definitely not buying a car & getting 20% off. That's sort of OK, I'll deal/dealt with it.
The stove works well. I've been using it in "room temp mode", igniter disabled, so a maintenance fire is on when the call for heat is gone. OK with me, stove stays warm, ignitor not cycling, no cold stove to heat output when needed.
I don't/ didn't like adjusting the temp knob.... Adjust for "at home" temperature, then at night, adjusting to a 5 degree lower overnite temp. Please note, the +/- accuracy of the toom sensor is excellent, better than that of
the newly installed thermostat. More to follow...
Started researching on Hearth.com, ran across a post from a member, "ibcynya"(sp?), who had installed a thermostat to control room temperature. See the sticky post on hearth.com, to learn more.
So this Thursday I installed the wireless SkyTech model 3301P thermostat system. Not cheap, but did not want to be running wires. FYI- the receiver gets wired, in series, with the stove room sensor. It acts as a simple switch breaking the continuity of the room sensor. There is NO VOLTAGE introduced into the circuit,
(I had contacted SkyTech to confirm this, basically a relay coil is energized/ deenergized by set temperature of transmitter. The output "dry contacts" of the relay act as a switch, to open the room temp circuit.)
I set up the receiver & transmitter, wired it up, programmed the transmitter ( 4 periods per day, 7 days), and it
works like a charm!
I have an Acurite weather station, and a temperature/ rh module that I can move around and see, in 5 minute increments, what temps are doing, in graph form. That is why I said earlier, the room sensor is more accurate. However, I just found out my module accuracy is only +/- 2 degrees....
Almost forgot.... Why hasn't anyone tried to start a co-op- like operation to purchase pellets.
My thought is - I would find pellet stove people within 10 miles or so of where I live. Those people would agree to purchase X tons of pellets. Those skids of pellets could be picked up maybe 2 times within the year.
I did the research....Trailer load = 24 tons,Pellets can be purchased for : premium $180/ton, premium premium $200/ton, shipping
Is high & changing, typically adds $30 to cost.... So, ton cost is $210 or $230, add in $10/skid for the person
who is storing & then loading the skids. Cost now is $220 or $240...... What do you think, not worth it?!
The one little kink, the person storing the pellets would need to have the room to do it (I do), and a forklift to
load the skids (I don't). thoughts?! Cheapest I've paid $249, most $269
Thanks for listening, sorry for the long post, but I hope it helps others out!
I will update the post with the other member's link, to information about hooking up this particular thermostat. EDIT UPDATE: Skytech 3301P Install - Go here: http://bit.ly/1bepKjX
Any questions or comments, just do a post!
Regards,
Bill Pitman
Milford,Pa.
After burning wood for over 35 years, the decision to convert to a pellet stove was made.
Reasons for this..... My age, dirt & dust, getting up to "feed the fire", and to try something new.
I spend a month or so, doing research, figuring costs- stove, larger hearth stone, piping/caps,
Infared thermometer, pellet costs.... Pretty much stayed on budget for this project.
Now I know, going from getting mostly free firewood to a pellet stove, costs WILL be going up. That's
OK, I've gotten older & wiser..... I'll deal with: pellet prices, cleaning/maintenance, higher electric costs.
So, did the install myself, with help from my son James.... The hearth stone was the worst, followed by
the stove. All weight related.
Inside piping I used ICC & Ventis, as I like their silicone seals. Also because
I didn't like the "twist & lock" features of other brands. I used a Ventis 2 piece-disconnect piece at the stove flange, so it will be very easy to disconnect & slide apart the 3 pieces that make up my inside piping. I do not
want to have to move the stove.
The stove I installed on February 23rd is a Harman P-43. Good size for our modest- sized home.
I will say stove manufacturers do tend to have pricing pretty much locked up..... Your definitely not buying a car & getting 20% off. That's sort of OK, I'll deal/dealt with it.
The stove works well. I've been using it in "room temp mode", igniter disabled, so a maintenance fire is on when the call for heat is gone. OK with me, stove stays warm, ignitor not cycling, no cold stove to heat output when needed.
I don't/ didn't like adjusting the temp knob.... Adjust for "at home" temperature, then at night, adjusting to a 5 degree lower overnite temp. Please note, the +/- accuracy of the toom sensor is excellent, better than that of
the newly installed thermostat. More to follow...
Started researching on Hearth.com, ran across a post from a member, "ibcynya"(sp?), who had installed a thermostat to control room temperature. See the sticky post on hearth.com, to learn more.
So this Thursday I installed the wireless SkyTech model 3301P thermostat system. Not cheap, but did not want to be running wires. FYI- the receiver gets wired, in series, with the stove room sensor. It acts as a simple switch breaking the continuity of the room sensor. There is NO VOLTAGE introduced into the circuit,
(I had contacted SkyTech to confirm this, basically a relay coil is energized/ deenergized by set temperature of transmitter. The output "dry contacts" of the relay act as a switch, to open the room temp circuit.)
I set up the receiver & transmitter, wired it up, programmed the transmitter ( 4 periods per day, 7 days), and it
works like a charm!
I have an Acurite weather station, and a temperature/ rh module that I can move around and see, in 5 minute increments, what temps are doing, in graph form. That is why I said earlier, the room sensor is more accurate. However, I just found out my module accuracy is only +/- 2 degrees....
Almost forgot.... Why hasn't anyone tried to start a co-op- like operation to purchase pellets.
My thought is - I would find pellet stove people within 10 miles or so of where I live. Those people would agree to purchase X tons of pellets. Those skids of pellets could be picked up maybe 2 times within the year.
I did the research....Trailer load = 24 tons,Pellets can be purchased for : premium $180/ton, premium premium $200/ton, shipping
Is high & changing, typically adds $30 to cost.... So, ton cost is $210 or $230, add in $10/skid for the person
who is storing & then loading the skids. Cost now is $220 or $240...... What do you think, not worth it?!
The one little kink, the person storing the pellets would need to have the room to do it (I do), and a forklift to
load the skids (I don't). thoughts?! Cheapest I've paid $249, most $269
Thanks for listening, sorry for the long post, but I hope it helps others out!
I will update the post with the other member's link, to information about hooking up this particular thermostat. EDIT UPDATE: Skytech 3301P Install - Go here: http://bit.ly/1bepKjX
Any questions or comments, just do a post!
Regards,
Bill Pitman
Milford,Pa.
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