Corn vs pellets experiment results

[rickwai]

I had changed over to pellets (Easy Heat) last week because I ran out of corn. Stove did not seem to put out as much heat with pellets. So I checked it. I used a meat thermometer in the heat exchanger tube. Same tube and location for both fuels. unit set on level 1 for both. I checked temp a couple of times with both thru the day.

Pellets consistent 215-216 F

Corn 262-265 F

pellets $3.26/ 40# bag

corn $3.30/bu=$2.36/40#

My conclusion: Corn is 28% cheaper and puts out 19% more heat.
Easy heat at Rural King is the best value in my area. Not the best pellet but best value.

My corn was direct from the farmer out of the bin, nothing special, no extra drying ect. It has set in the gravity wagon under a shed roof outside with a tarp over it to keep animals and wind blown rain out since last October. We run it thru a homemade gravity cleaner screen before bagging and bringing it inside

 

[rona]

Corn is smaller so more will fit in a auger versus pellets which will have more air space so more fuel equals more heat.

 

[Tonyray]

Easy heats are one of the crappiest pellets sold....
called "ole roy's] around here...

 

[Overfireinthehole]

How long have you been burning corn and what stove do you have?

 

[tlc1976]

If your stove parts last longer by switching to pellets, I wonder how that would offset the cost savings of corn.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

Like the guys who brag about how cheap their farm diesel is but complain when they have engine problems from burning it.

 

[FirepotPete]

If your stove parts last longer by switching to pellets, I wonder how that would offset the cost savings of corn.

Properly maintained a stove will last just as long burning corn as burning pellets.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

Key words: properly maintained

 

[gutlo]

Doesn't corn leave a lot more gunk in the burnpot than pellets?

 

[Overfireinthehole]

All about the quality of the corn. Around here, farmer either grow popcorn or ethanol corn. One has too much sugar which leaves a sticky nasty mess and the other has a lot of moisture so it burns dirty.

 

[FirepotPete]

All about the quality of the corn. Around here, farmer either grow popcorn or ethanol corn. One has too much sugar which leaves a sticky nasty mess and the other has a lot of moisture so it burns dirty.

All of those problems can be overcome with a good control board. Being able to adjust the parameters infinitely with a proportional control board is key. A lot of bio stoves do not use that type of control board. IMO that makes those types of stoves not a true BIO burner.

 

[kappel15]

Pellets will leave carbon deposits on the trap doors, making them hard to open. Burning corn or a mix, cleans it off. Corn burns more acidic, then pellets. kap

 

[Overfireinthehole]

Pellets will leave carbon deposits on the trap doors, making them hard to open. Burning corn or a mix, cleans it off. Corn burns more acidic, then pellets. kap

That acid can be pretty corrosive if not kept in check. Either one can be a good fuel. I’d just rather clean a stove that was abused burning pellets than a stove that was abused burning corn. On quads, I recommend running the flame a little high once in a while to burn out any carbon deposits.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

If I lived in Iowa, I’d burn corn too

 

[FirepotPete]

That acid can be pretty corrosive if not kept in check. Either one can be a good fuel. I’d just rather clean a stove that was abused burning pellets than a stove that was abused burning corn. On quads, I recommend running the flame a little high once in a while to burn out any carbon deposits.

The only time the nitric acid formed from burning corn is a problem is when it interacts with moisture, then its a problem. Otherwise it's not corrosive enough on its own to really do any harm. That's why you will normally see the biggest problem at the end of the exhaust pipe where rain/snow can hit when the stove isn't running causing the pipe to rot out on the end.

At the end of each season I burn a couple of hours of just pellets on high. Clean the stove/pipe thoroughly, spray with fogging oil, close the ball valve on the OAK and seal off the exhaust pipe from outside. Never a problem with the acid doing any damage to any parts or building up.

 

[rickwai]

Wow that sparked alot of discussion.
I am burning a St. Croix multi fuel with the slide out bottom burn pot. I have been burning straight corn since 2009. I have put approx. 27 tons thru it. It burns very clean. The ash stuck to the surfaces inside ranges from snow white to tan in color. Then the heavier weight ash is black that falls to the bottom. With the correct stove corn burns as clean or cleaner than pellets. The one thing with corn is there is no creosote in corn.
As far as corn quality, We buy straight from the farmer. I have a couple buddies that farm. Some years it comes out of the bin, if we have a dry fall I have got it straight from the field. Other years it was left from the harvest the prior year and spent the summer in the bin. I have never had problems with fuel and I think the St. Croix is not real finicky with fuel.

I suck it out with leaf blower mid winter then in the spring. I vac stove and ash traps out every couple of weeks. Some weeks the stove runs for 2-3 weeks with out shutting off by dropping the clinker block on the fly.

I have replaced bearing in distribution blower a couple of times that is about it. Original Combustion blower and fan blade. There has been no added cost for parts do to corn corrosion.

This stove is a manual ignition. 1 cup of pellets and a little gel. Throw a match in and go to work. It lights every time no problem. My wife can light it and drop the clinker block on the fly. I have not seen a stove that was easier to run and burnt as clean as the St Croix with corn. But what I see the most of is Harman PC45 which is the worst corn burner in my opinion.

 

[kappel15]

The only time the nitric acid formed from burning corn is a problem is when it interacts with moisture, then its a problem. Otherwise it's not corrosive enough on its own to really do any harm. That's why you will normally see the biggest problem at the end of the exhaust pipe where rain/snow can hit when the stove isn't running causing the pipe to rot out on the end.

At the end of each season I burn a couple of hours of just pellets on high. Clean the stove/pipe thoroughly, spray with fogging oil, close the ball valve on the OAK and seal off the exhaust pipe from outside. Never a problem with the acid doing any damage to any parts or building up.

I do the same thing at end of season,except the pellet burning, and use cooking spray. kap

 

[Watcher1]

Wow that sparked alot of discussion.
I am burning a St. Croix multi fuel with the slide out bottom burn pot. I have been burning straight corn since 2009. I have put approx. 27 tons thru it. It burns very clean. The ash stuck to the surfaces inside ranges from snow white to tan in color. Then the heavier weight ash is black that falls to the bottom. With the correct stove corn burns as clean or cleaner than pellets. The one thing with corn is there is no creosote in corn.
As far as corn quality, We buy straight from the farmer. I have a couple buddies that farm. Some years it comes out of the bin, if we have a dry fall I have got it straight from the field. Other years it was left from the harvest the prior year and spent the summer in the bin. I have never had problems with fuel and I think the St. Croix is not real finicky with fuel.

I suck it out with leaf blower mid winter then in the spring. I vac stove and ash traps out every couple of weeks. Some weeks the stove runs for 2-3 weeks with out shutting off by dropping the clinker block on the fly.

I have replaced bearing in distribution blower a couple of times that is about it. Original Combustion blower and fan blade. There has been no added cost for parts do to corn corrosion.

This stove is a manual ignition. 1 cup of pellets and a little gel. Throw a match in and go to work. It lights every time no problem. My wife can light it and drop the clinker block on the fly. I have not seen a stove that was easier to run and burnt as clean as the St Croix with corn. But what I see the most of is Harman PC45 which is the worst corn burner in my opinion.

What the corn? I thought the PC 45 was a great corn stove I just finally bought one! I plan on replacing my 3500 magnum.

 

[rona]

What the corn? I thought the PC 45 was a great corn stove I just finally bought one! I plan on replacing my 3500 magnum.

If you blend a little pellets with the corn it does fine.
I have burned corn in Harman 45, the Quad AE, the Bixby, and the St Croix Auburn. These were advertised as true corn burning stoves which would burn 100% corn as well as pellets or a mix of pellets and corn.
Where people run into problems is when they try to burn a blend in pellet stoves that weren’t designed to do so.
For what it’s worth my preference is Bixby, St Croix Auburn, Harman45, and Quad AE. This is from 13 years of burning corn, pellets and a mix of each.
Bixbys are not made anymore but were the Cadillac at the time with auto ignition, auto dumping clinker from burn pot and relighting, large hopper 110 lbs, larger ash bucket. Adjustable fuel and air control and WiFi adaptable.
Auburn was cosiderd a poor mans Bixby as it was Manuel ignition , manual dump the pot and very economical.
Harman pc45 was a stirrer type corn season.
Quad AE was auto ignition self dump pot .

 

[gutlo]

How about the Harman P43? Is that a corn burner?

 

[rickwai]

How about the Harman P43? Is that a corn burner?

I think it is rated to burn 50/50 corn pellets but being a bottom feed I dont think it would do very good.

 

[Watcher1]

If you blend a little pellets with the corn it does fine.
I have burned corn in Harman 45, the Quad AE, the Bixby, and the St Croix Auburn. These were advertised as true corn burning stoves which would burn 100% corn as well as pellets or a mix of pellets and corn.
Where people run into problems is when they try to burn a blend in pellet stoves that weren’t designed to do so.
For what it’s worth my preference is Bixby, St Croix Auburn, Harman45, and Quad AE. This is from 13 years of burning corn, pellets and a mix of each.
Bixbys are not made anymore but were the Cadillac at the time with auto ignition, auto dumping clinker from burn pot and relighting, large hopper 110 lbs, larger ash bucket. Adjustable fuel and air control and WiFi adaptable.
Auburn was cosiderd a poor mans Bixby as it was Manuel ignition , manual dump the pot and very economical.
Harman pc45 was a stirrer type corn season.
Quad AE was auto ignition self dump pot .

I can burn straight corn in my Magnum3500 but I like adding some pellets for the clinker. I will do the same in the PC45. I wish the 3500 had a few more notches on the heat control. #3 not quite enough heat and #4 gets to hot. #5 is out of the question stove will over heat in short order.

 

[rona]

How about the Harman P43? Is that a corn burner?

Not sure if you can burn a blend in it or not.

 

[rona]

I think it is rated to burn 50/50 corn pellets but being a bottom feed I dont think it would do very good.

The 45 is a bottom burner also

 

[rickwai]

The 45 is a bottom burner also

Yeah technically it is, but the floor of the burn pot is level with the bottom of the auger. Kind of a back feeder.