Classic Bay 1200 Daily Pellet Usage???

[jantoniodepina]

Hi Everyone,

When I was doing research on which Pellet Stove to purchase I found out at the time that the Classic Bay could burn up to 40 hours with its 80 pound hopper.

However, I am finding out that is not the case. I am barely getting 20 hours of burn time with the hopper full with 2 bags of Green Supreme from Home Depot. The setting on Medium for Heat and High for the Fan.

I usage an ash vac and burn pot tool to clean the burn pot every day and do a full cleaning weekly based on what the manual recommends.

Any suggestions? How much pellets are you using daily in your Classic Bay?

Thanks,

Jantoniodepina

 

[stovelark]

Hello J On high about 6 pounds per hour, medium about 3.5-4.0, low about 2.0-2.5 lbs/hour, Yours sounds like its doing ok, but must be running pretty much solid throughout the 24 hour period if you are filling every 20 hours. Good luck.

 

[SwineFlue]

Yup, the key phrase is "up to": It burns about 2 pounds per hour running continuously on Low... that comes to 40 hours.

Your burn time, especially on a thermostat, will depend on how much heat you need.

 

[moey]

You can turn down the stove quite a bit and still have it run. Also its hard to get 80lbs of wood pellets in the hopper. You got a full two bags in it? I always assumed the 80lbs was for corn.

 

[chken]

Hi Everyone,
When I was doing research on which Pellet Stove to purchase I found out at the time that the Classic Bay could burn up to 40 hours with its 80 pound hopper.

However, I am finding out that is not the case. I am barely getting 20 hours of burn time with the hopper full with 2 bags of Green Supreme from Home Depot. The setting on Medium for Heat and High for the Fan.

Up to 40 hrs is on the lowest settings, and 80lbs in 40hrs is a 2lb/hr rate, or about 16000btu/hr.

I just looked at the brochure and it says 17,200 btu/hr to 47,300 btu/hr. On your highest settings, you can go thru a whole 80lb hopper in as little as 14hrs. Having said that, your pellet rate depends upon your settings and your house size and how cold it is outside.

 

[Jaymaine34]

Ok the numbers makes sense . Now do you have a good thermostat with a swing set ? My stove use about a bag every 20-24 hours running on low 90% of the time . Low and slow will save on pellet consumption when done with a thermostat of a swing of 2 plus . Also keep in mind with the GS you are feeding more pellets to get more BTU .
How often does the stove run / re-fire ?
Now on the subject of cleaning what's in the burn pot that you are cleaning out daily ? Ash or clinker ? How does the flame look ? What's the sq footage of your home ? Insulation ? All factors . Fill in some of the blanks and we can give you some pointers . It's a great stove !

 

[Mrr211]

In MA as well and with the recent cold spurt I noticed that I was going through about a bag of Somersets(maybe 5-10 lbs more) a day with the Stove set on med temp and low fan setting. My home isn't very big though just under 1400 sq ft and is insulated decently.

 

[t.androp]

Ok the numbers makes sense . Now do you have a good thermostat with a swing set ? My stove use about a bag every 20-24 hours running on low 90% of the time . Low and slow will save on pellet consumption when done with a thermostat of a swing of 2 plus . Also keep in mind with the GS you are feeding more pellets to get more BTU .
How often does the stove run / re-fire ?
Now on the subject of cleaning what's in the burn pot that you are cleaning out daily ? Ash or clinker ? How does the flame look ? What's the sq footage of your home ? Insulation ? All factors . Fill in some of the blanks and we can give you some pointers . It's a great stove !

I just purchased the Quadra- Fire 1200 CB insert that I got installed on the first floor off my foyer, where the staircase is located. My home is a 2 story colonial with the kitchen, dining room, living room (where the insert is located) and a 300 sqft. addition in the rear of the home, but it has a storm door that I keep closed during the heating season. The 2nd FL has 4 bedrooms, BA and 2 linen closets off the 2nd FL hallway.

I would like to try and get heat upstairs. Any suggestions? I was thinking of cutting 1 or 2 vent sized holes in the ceiling where the insert is located. Would this work? I ran it over the weekend on high for about and felt the heat half down the hallway upstairs but then stopped. The master is located at the end of the upstairs hallway.

Suggestions and knowledge is welcomed by all. Thanks

 

[Jaymaine34]

I find it better to move the cold to the heat ( fan blowing into the stove room ) I never run mine on high better to go low and slow warms up more even and gives the heat time to move outwards .
As far as wholes in the ceiling go please check with local code ( can be a major fire issue ) that being said I know people who have them and they work .
But before i cut any wholes I would figure out my heat pattern . Hang toilet paper in doorways and see how the heat flows try using a fan or two to see how it affects the pattern you maybe surprised .
Try pointing a fan out of the master at floor level give it an hour or two and see if that helps

 

[t.androp]

I find it better to move the cold to the heat ( fan blowing into the stove room ) I never run mine on high better to go low and slow warms up more even and gives the heat time to move outwards .
As far as wholes in the ceiling go please check with local code ( can be a major fire issue ) that being said I know people who have them and they work .
But before i cut any wholes I would figure out my heat pattern . Hang toilet paper in doorways and see how the heat flows try using a fan or two to see how it affects the pattern you maybe surprised .
Try pointing a fan out of the master at floor level give it an hour or two and see if that helps

I feel the draft on my legs as I walk up the stairs and its at its strongest when I make the turn into the upstairs hallway at the top of the stairs. I'll def try the fan in the master. I'm wondering if the vents will make the heat travel faster and more consistantly upstairs.

Any pointers on the CB. I just purchased it on Saturday. Also I'm trying to get a ball park on how many tons I'm gonna need. Any advice?

Thanks again for the advice and knowledge. There are no stupid questions right...just stupid people

 

[DBCOOPER]

I find with my CB1200i that if I run it on low or medium and control the heat output with the feed gate trying to match the heat loss of the house I get a more even heat distribution through out the house. It sets up its own circulation pattern if I go low and slow over time .I have not had much luck trying to force the heat around with fans, either hot to cold or cold to hot.

 

[t.androp]

I find with my CB1200i that if I run it on low or medium and control the heat output with the feed gate trying to match the heat loss of the house I get a more even heat distribution through out the house. It sets up its own circulation pattern if I go low and slow over time .I have not had much luck trying to force the heat around with fans, either hot to cold or cold to hot.

Wow that sounds difficult. How did you figure out where the feed gate needed to be to match the heat loss? It makes a ton of sense.

 

[Jaymaine34]

Most will be trial and error ! But you'll soon figure out what works best for you . The trick is to heat things up slow and not short cycle the stove . What are you using for a thermostat ?
Hard to say on pellet use . I use 3-4 tons per stove a year . My house is very well insulated ( over 2000 sq ft) and we keep it at about 75 24/7 .

 

[t.androp]

Most will be trial and error ! But you'll soon figure out what works best for you . The trick is to heat things up slow and not short cycle the stove . What are you using for a thermostat ?
Hard to say on pellet use . I use 3-4 tons per stove a year . My house is very well insulated ( over 2000 sq ft) and we keep it at about 75 24/7 .

See I don't know how well insulated my home is. Are those energy audits worth it and are they trust worthy? I have the standard Quad thermostat it came with.

Do pellets make a huge difference in the heat output? I plan on running it low, medium on the cold nights, for about 14 hours M-F and all day Sat- Sun.

 

[Jaymaine34]

Your best bang for your buck will always be insulation ! Energy audits can be useful . When I did one years ago it was basically free ( state sponsored program )
I would look for a different thermostat ( a programable one rated for pellet stoves ) will allow you to run the stove just like you do your furnace and allow for a larger swing set
Pellets do make a difference ,but what's the best pellet to everyone is different . Is it the most BTU ? Cleanest burning ?
Lowest cost ?
I will tell you this much I've put nothing in my stove it hasn't burned . I prefer softwood pellets for me they burn hotter and cleaner .