Bought a new burn pot and convection fan yesterday....

[SidecarFlip]

For next season. I have 2 burn pots that I exchange regularly but one has developed a crack on the backside and I was gonna TIG it this summer but after 20+ years I figured a new one was in order and my convection blower bearings get oiled every spring (original as well) so I ordered a new one of those as well. I'll keep the old one as a spare. 20+ years with no replacements parts isn't too bad.

Looks like I'll have around 3,000 pounds of corn and 2 ton of pellets left over when this season is all said and done so I probably won't purchase any pellets next year (unless I find a killer sale on them somewhere) and I'm sure I'll get at least an additional couple tons of no germ corn from down the road.

I need to switch over to 100% pellets soon to mitigate the nitric acid residual deposits in the stove and venting before it gets mothballed for warm weather.

Big issue with corn is the nitric acid vapors and the corrosion of the stove parts. Nitric eats up steel like a fat kid with chocolate...

 

[Lordtimothy200]

Think I have around 80 bushels left. Have not burned as much as previous years. Going to toss in some DE to keep the little weevils down. 20 years is pretty good lifespan for anything electrical now days.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Not bad considering it's hot in there.... I've religiously kept the bearings oiled but I see the coil's insulation is starting to get discolored so might as well replace it and keep the old one for a spare. The new one is a Fasco just like the old one.

Stove is basically idling now. Getting time to switch it to straight pellets. The old girl has moved a huge amount of air in 20 years.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I can see next winter, I'll be basically on 100% corn and pellets. Propane here is pushing $3.50 a gallon presently. Think I'll buy a second unit for the shop as well. I cannot afford 1200 buck fill twice a year.

 

[Lordtimothy200]

Ouch on the propane price. Welcome to inflation. Kind of surprised it has taken this long for prices to start climbing. Figured with those printing pressing running full bore last12 years it would of already happened.

Think my V10 Ford truck is going to spend more time holding the gravel down in the driveway than on the road for a while.

 

[FirepotPete]

Ouch on the propane price. Welcome to inflation. Kind of surprised it has taken this long for prices to start climbing. Figured with those printing pressing running full bore last12 years it would of already happened.

Think my V10 Ford truck is going to spend more time holding the gravel down in the driveway than on the road for a while.

I think the only thing that staved off inflation the last 12 years is that the rest of the world economy was also in such a state of flux that we didn't get hit as bad as we might have if their economies were humming along while ours was propped up.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Myself, I have a different opinion about fuel prices in general. but it's political so I won't get into it. Lets just say when you go from a net exporter to a net importer, fuel costs increase exponentially. I am thankful my heating costs are basically nil.

Bet there will be an increased sale of biomass stoves this fall. Of course the cost of pellets will also increase as it will take more base fuels to make them.

 

[zrock]

Among your political views i blame all fuel prices going up do to the efficiency of everything now days... These companies need to make the same $$ and you cant when things use 1/4 the fuel they did 30 years ago

 

[SidecarFlip]

You get to pay to play, that is the bottom line. Just think of all the consumers that are married to conventional fuels for heat with no alternatives. Me, I'm a terrible player. One, I'm cheap and two, I look beyond the box. Always have...

and all those folks that drive gas hog vehicles too. Sure am glad my buggy gets 40mpg. Dang sight better than 18 or 20. I knew it was coming so I pre bought ALL my off road diesel in December and filled my bulk tanks. I'm good for this year at least. Next year is conjecture however. I also pre bought all my fertilizer (which is manufactured from petrochemicals as well).

least I can hold my prices this year but next year is a 100% crap shoot.

$4 buck propane generally, isn't out of the ballpark, me thinks it will go even higher.

Understand that as base fuel costs increase, so does EVERYTHING else including your food, which you need to survive.

If you cannot afford food. staying warm is 100% optional.

 

[DeadTreeBurner]

Among your political views i blame all fuel prices going up do to the efficiency of everything now days... These companies need to make the same $$ and you cant when things use 1/4 the fuel they did 30 years ago

There is plenty of demand for fossil fuels. And there always will be unless gov't boot is on your neck.
You gotta remember, population keeps growing even as efficiencies increase. Although for certain demographics, reproduction is below attrition. I seem to remember that we're right around replacement at this point in time.

 

[DeadTreeBurner]

Myself, I have a different opinion about fuel prices in general. but it's political so I won't get into it. Lets just say when you go from a net exporter to a net importer, fuel costs increase exponentially. I am thankful my heating costs are basically nil.

Bet there will be an increased sale of biomass stoves this fall. Of course the cost of pellets will also increase as it will take more base fuels to make them.

But don't worry, the politicians are well taken care of. They have connections and $$ to burn. JB doesn't give a care about all those that just lost their jobs, he probably doesn't even remember that he caused it. Not sure why they don't have their computer science degrees yet and aren't programming computers. Or taken solar panel manufacturing back from the Chinese...

I've been wondering what cost of pellets will do over the next few years. My understanding is that they've been @ $250 a ton for the last several years? Inflation will take care of that as well as increased fuel costs for trucking. Inflation is coming big time and it's gonna suck...