Advice for installing a St Croix EXP

[Backroads]

So because of my work schedule I picked up a pellet stove for longer burns. I was getting 12 hours out of my wood insert but by the end of the 12 hrs the temp in the house usually dips around 60*. So I devised a plan to install a pellet stove in the basement, this way my hardwood floors would be warm also. I bought a used St Croix EXP with the exhaust and thru-wall kit for a grand total of $400. No idea what the stove cost new but I thought it was a fair deal. I brought it home and cleaned it all out real good and put a test fire in it and everything was good. So I'm hoping this week to install it in the basement and shoot the exhaust out one of the basement windows.

My question is, should I run an outside intake kit on it? The basement is unfinished and there is definitely a draft around the basement door/bulkhead. I don't plan on running it 24/7 and might even hook it up to a thermostat. Any and all advice is appreciated. Thanks guys!

 

[rickwai]

First thing I would do is buy a electric leaf blower and hook the suction side up to stove exhaust and suck it out before you bring it in. Leaf blower is a essential tool for st croix stoves. Hook it to the end of the exhaust outside and suck the stove out a couple times a year. I would not worry about outside air. Does window exit above grade or is it in a window well? I would use Simpson pellet vent pro.

 

[Backroads]

The window exit will be about 12" above grade. I was planning on adding an elbow and going up another 36". That will give me about 8' of rise from the outlet of the stove. Last night I bought 2"x15' of aluminum flex pipe that I'm going to run for an OAK. 15' will be enough to run out the window or through the door into the bulk head space. I figure if I run it into the bulkhead space I'll never have to worry about weather getting in it.

Thanks for the tip on cleaning the exhaust! I have a gas leaf blower, that wouldn't work?

 

[rickwai]

Leaf blower has to have the ability to work in reverse. Google leaf blower trick on pellet stove. I would use a tee at back of stove then up and out with a 90. Then once pipe is outside make sure you can get outside pipe apart for cleaning. You cant get brush and rods thru 90's. With a tee and 3 ells you will probably need 4".

 

[Backroads]

It’s in and running smooth. All in all I’m into it for $440 and some gas money. I’m pleased with that and another option to heat with

 

[rickwai]

Looks good! The key to keeping the St Croixs running good is suck out exhaust pipe with leaf blower a couple times a year w/ the stove door open to keep from destroying vac switch and using a long thin brush like a fridge coil brush and running it up the ash traps to the top once a month or so.

 

[Backroads]

Update. Running the insert upstairs cut way back and the pellet stove on 3 in the basement has resulted well for me! Anything under 20 in the past had me struggling to keep the house above 65! I’m thinking of running the pellet stove on 2 or even lower on the warmer days.