Cast Pellet stove...why?
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The differences in radiation between steel and cast iron is negligeable with regards to wood/pellet stoves.
The cast ones usually are more intricate and tend to be more attractive and more costly.
The cast ones usually are more intricate and tend to be more attractive and more costly.
My Quadra-Fire Castile insert provides virtually no radiant heat except a little off the glass. I just like the looks of the cast stoves. Looks a lot like the Jotul Castine it replaced.
The only difference I can tell so far between my whitfield and my vermont castings is I can move the whitfield myself and it takes 4 guys to move the vermont.Gio said:
Cast ion boilers last up to 30 years or more, steal boilers will last 10 to 20 years, so a cast iron pellet stove life span is longer than a steel pellet stove.
That`s normally true with the exception of the old GE round steel boilers.Hoverfly said:
I`ve seen some of those that lasted more than 30 yrs. Here`s one that went more than 50 yrs : (broken link removed)
Actually some quality steel stoves can take more abuse than cast iron ones. I`ve seen some castings burned clear through on stoves as well as warped steel stoves too.
Steel stoves don`t crack when you accidently pour water on them and they don`t crack when you strike em with a hammer.(but who would do that?)
Another benefit of steel is you don`t have to reseal the joints after a few years of use or because they opened up when you moved it . I`d not buy another cast iron wood stove again but maybe a cast iron pellet stove .
But the OP wasn`t asking about boilers or wood stoves , was he.
They have a purdy lips....or they look nice for those of you that haven't seen the Deliverance...
Gio said:
Your 50 year old GE boiler is not as efficient as a newer (broken link removed to http://www.buderus.net/OurProducts/OilFiredBoilers/G115WS/tabid/546/Default.aspx) cast iron boiler rated at 86 percent now is it? Cast iron if not over fired lasts for a much longer time, it has durability again if not over fired. Personally I would not want to be around people who do not know how to operate any kind of wood product stove as you described. What about old pot belly coal/wood stoves you still see those once in a while, as a mater of fact I know who owns one! There made out of cast iron, old fashion cooking stoves are still around, there made out of cast iron. I seen a few still working antique as wood burners, some of them corverted to gas. One argument steel Vs cast iron is by the time the steel wears out something new has come around with better efficiency. Two things I can think of that steel has over cast iron.......taking apart an old cast iron boiler and taking it out side after going up a flight of stairs, I rather take apart a steel boiler, and lug that out side, steel is lighter and cheaper. Personally I prefer cast iron durability if I can afford it, steel for cost.
....but it is soooooo heaveee
With my cast iron hastings it is purely asthetics. In about 3 minutes I can strip the top and side panels off exposing a very plain, cheap looking stove.
I doubt the cast is going to do anything to improve the longevity of the stove, but we like the looks.
I doubt the cast is going to do anything to improve the longevity of the stove, but we like the looks.
The Castile insert doesn't radiate? Wow, my folks must have gotten a good one then! I plant my butt on the lid every time I go over to blow snow, I'm done warming up in 5 minutes, warm butt even when it has shut down 20 minutes before. Must not be radiate heat that is warming my butt, huh? Cast iron holds heat longer, same as soap stone on a wood burner. The question is how physics moves the heat from the stove to the air, either via the stove structure or via the convection air. I don't think a tin foil stove that may move a ton of heat immediately could be run safely at that high of temp, rather than a stove that heats at a lower constant temp that heats the stove body itself and then slowly 'radiates' the heat. It's the difference between hot water radiators with 130 degree water vs fin tube at 180 degrees and how quick you can move the btu's. Just my HO. My free standing Castile will have the top and sides too hot to touch for more than a few seconds after running full bore for a few hours.
free standing Enviro Empress radiates quite a bit on heat setting two. This actually works pretty efficiently down to about an overnight low of 35 - 40 degrees. It will heats my 1900 sq ft two story house.
At heat levels 3 - 5 the fan speed tends to cool the stove off so most of the heat is being blown into the room & there isn't much radiation. Within a certain temperature range, I think it actually heats more efficiently & burns fewer pellets at the lower setting, due to the hotter temperature of the cast iron.
At heat levels 3 - 5 the fan speed tends to cool the stove off so most of the heat is being blown into the room & there isn't much radiation. Within a certain temperature range, I think it actually heats more efficiently & burns fewer pellets at the lower setting, due to the hotter temperature of the cast iron.
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