Drolet ECO65

[bf525]

(broken image removed)Just signed up to this forum have been reading it since last summer and got a lot of useful information. I’ve been burning wood for the last 30+ years finally got to be to much work so I switch to pellet stove last August. My stove is in basement and it heats a CapCod house 1300 sq ft. I am heating my cellar, up stairs main floor and a bedroom on top floor, after doing a lot of research I decided on the Drolet ECO65 by SBI.
I ordered it from Northern Tools, wanted to get it from local dealer but no dealers in my area and nothing they stocked fit my needs or my wallet, and reading all the reviews on here and other sites thought this would best fit my needs. Received stove on 8/2/12 very well packed, glad I paid extra for tailgate delivery very heavy unit. Could not even pull it back on my hand truck, driver took it off truck and put it in back yard for me to uncrate. I installed that week and started it the first cool day in October, no problems took right off. I had a few small problems witch I will post at another time. Don’t want to make my first post to long. Just wanted to say I would recommend this unit to anyone who wants a good reliable pellet stove nothing fancy and not a lot of buttons to set. Just push primer button, set for manual or thermostat and set heat level button 1 thru 6 it‘s that easy.
I clean an vacuum stove every Saturday morning, I turn off early in morning go for coffee with the guy’s when I get back I clean an vacuum, clean glass, empty ash pan takes about 20 Min. I do wipe glass twice a day with paper towels learned this little trick on this site and pull off any build up on end of combustion pot, about 2min to do. Found I can open door while stove is running if its set on #1 setting to do this and stove takes right off again. I only get build up on end of burner when I run on #1setting, found if I try to go to higher setting with out cleaning off top of combustion pot stove will shut off on high limit. Only happens on #1 if you want to go to a higher setting #2 or higher you must clean off. I use an old saber saw guide to swipe off burner.
I will say wood heat was much hotter and I liked it better, but I like the house very warm pellet stove gives off different type of heat feels cooler unless I turn temperature up to #2 or #3 setting but on the other hand I only fill stove twice a day not every few hours as I did with the wood stove. I could fill it once a day but I only keep 2 bags in hopper at one time manual say’s it could take 120 pounds if I really wanted to but then I wouldn’t have any thing to do at night.
With the wood stove house was always between 75 and 80 degrees now its between 71and 75 on settings 1 or 2 depending on temperature outside. Just had to get use to it.
I don’t see many articles on the Drolet ECO65 so I guess thats a good sign only trouble I read about was some one guy having a wiring connection problem witch he fixed.

 

[ivanhoe]

welcome aboard fellow pellethead! i see it happened with the pic for proof . glad it's working out for you. i'm also leaning towards a ducted stove in the very near future

 

[DexterDay]

Welcome to the Forum. Pellet heat is a different kind of heat, but it can get your house as warm as the wood stove used to. Only burning on setting 1 or 2 isnt gonna give you a lot of BTU's. Your wood eater was prob pushing 50,000-70,000 BTU. That pellet stove on 2 may be around 25,000? In order to make it warmer, you have to turn it up. Crank that sucker to 4 or 5 and let it.go for an hour or two. Watch the t-stat rise

Thats a large unit and a good one at that...

2 things I see though. Flex vent is only approved for chimneys (inside) as far as I know? And also the extension cord. If.your gonna use a cord, make sure its only as long as it needs to be and its a thicker gauge (12). Also a surge protector is needed. The electronics on the stove, are very delicate and can fry if not protected (several hundred for a new board).

Welcome to the club and turn that sucker up!!

 

[smoke show]

First post complete with a pic. It don't getter any better than that. I'll second Dexter's concerns.

I really like that stove, it's a good candidate for basement installs.

 

[bf525]

Welcome to the Forum. Pellet heat is a different kind of heat, but it can get your house as warm as the wood stove used to. Only burning on setting 1 or 2 isnt gonna give you a lot of BTU's. Your wood eater was prob pushing 50,000-70,000 BTU. That pellet stove on 2 may be around 25,000? In order to make it warmer, you have to turn it up. Crank that sucker to 4 or 5 and let it.go for an hour or two. Watch the t-stat rise

Thats a large unit and a good one at that...

2 things I see though. Flex vent is only approved for chimneys (inside) as far as I know? And also the extension cord. If.your gonna use a cord, make sure its only as long as it needs to be and its a thicker gauge (12). Also a surge protector is needed. The electronics on the stove, are very delicate and can fry if not protected (several hundred for a new board).

Welcome to the club and turn that sucker up!!

I was wondering how long it would take for somone to pick up on the flex pipe. Ordered pipe before I got pellet stove only temp going to order reg pipe in spring, this works good for now and I figure if its good enough for chimmney it will work for now, Surge proctector is setting on wood stove for now until the guy I sold it to shows up to get it.already got paid for it.So Iguess I'm commited to the pellet stove.Have cranked it up but really sucks up pellets,but I know it will really do the job 2 bags a day on#2 house is 75 degress right now 29 outside.

 

[DexterDay]

I was wondering how long it would take for somone to pick up on the flex pipe. Ordered pipe before I got pellet stove only temp going to order reg pipe in spring, this works good for now and I figure if its good enough for chimmney it will work for now, Surge proctector is setting on wood stove for now until the guy I sold it to shows up to get it.already got paid for it.So Iguess I'm commited to the pellet stove.Have cranked it up but really sucks up pellets,but I know it will really do the job 2 bags a day on#2 house is 75 degress right now 29 outside.

2 bags a day isn't bad for 75° temps.

As for the flex. Just wanted to make sure your aware. Always want to be safe.

 

[DV]

Looks great. I've got the same stove. I actually thought that flex was your OAK until Dexter pointed that out and I looked again and saw the stove pipe going through the wall. I was the guy with the convection blower wiring issue you read about. Other than that the stove has been great. I've burned over 3 tons so far. The ducting works great. And your right the stove is a heavy SOB.

 

[DexterDay]

One thing I just noticed? The front cover is missing? For your convection blower area?

Isn't there a cover to allow more air to go up the duct and less emitted out the front?

Just wondering? The upstairs will get more flow, if you block off some of the downstairs air.

 

[DV]

One thing I just noticed? The front cover is missing? For your convection blower area?

Isn't there a cover to allow more air to go up the duct and less emitted out the front?

Just wondering? The upstairs will get more flow, if you block off some of the downstairs air.

I noticed the same. It looks like the blocking plate is installed behind the grate instead of in front.

 

[jtakeman]

Another basement dweller, Cool!

Welcome and enjoy the toasty pellet heat!

 

[DV]

Another basement dweller, Cool!

Welcome and enjoy the toasty pellet heat!

The basement dwellers are coming out in force! Beware....beware

 

[jtakeman]

I noticed the same. It looks like the blocking plate is installed behind the grate instead of in front.

I don't actually want heat in my basement, I would want it all upstairs. I wonder if you could block it off completely?

My install is all convection heat in the duct work, I get enough heat with the stove not having return air. The air returns down my basement hall way through the louvered basement door. Basement stays plenty warm enough with what heat returns and the radiant from the stove.

 

[DexterDay]

I don't actually want heat in my basement, I would want it all upstairs. I wonder if you could block it off completely?

My install is all convection heat in the duct work, I get enough heat with the stove not having return air. The air returns down my basement hall way through the louvered basement door. Basement stays plenty warm enough with what heat returns and the radiant from the stove.

I agree. The radiant and return air should be more than enough.

Put all that heat upstairs where it's really needed and the rest will follow (back downstairs and keep the basement comfortable)

 

[DV]

I don't actually want heat in my basement, I would want it all upstairs. I wonder if you could block it off completely?

My install is all convection heat in the duct work, I get enough heat with the stove not having return air. The air returns down my basement hall way through the louvered basement door. Basement stays plenty warm enough with what heat returns and the radiant from the stove.

You could block it off completely. I believe SBI leaves that small gap in case the duct was to be blocked you would have an escape for the hot air. In my set up I would say 70% of the air goes out duct and 30% out the front

 

[WNCBear]

You could block it off completely. I believe SBI leaves that small gap in case the duct was to be blocked you would have an escape for the hot air. In my set up I would say 70% of the air goes out duct and 30% out the front

FyreBug - can you comment on this, please? I've considered blocking the front opening off completely too, but figured it was designed that way for a reason. Sending all of the air up through the ducts would, howdver, be nice. Thanks.

 

[bf525]

One thing I just noticed? The front cover is missing? For your convection blower area?

Isn't there a cover to allow more air to go up the duct and less emitted out the front?

Just wondering? The upstairs will get more flow, if you block off some of the downstairs air.

 

[bf525]

I mounted blocking plate that came with the accessory kit to back of grill, now I use a piece of magnate sign I cut 12in long 3in High to block off part of bottom plate witch I remove If I need a little more heat in cellar. See picture

 

[DV]

very nice! have you tested the air temps at your duct termination registers? and how long are your ducts? Just curious.

I get a pretty steady 130 to 150 ish from setting 2 through 4. Temps dont change much with different settings just volume of air moving changes. My duct is about 8 feet.

 

[bf525]

very nice! have you tested the air temps at your duct termination registers? and how long are your ducts? Just curious.

I get a pretty steady 130 to 150 ish from setting 2 through 4. Temps dont change much with different settings just volume of air moving changes. My duct is about 8 feet.

I have 2 runs one to main floor about 7 ft run temp on 2 setting 150 comming out 3 setting 155 degrees and setting 1 118degrees
Run to bedroom on 2nd floor is about 20 ft run and temp on 2 is 120 degrees comming out of duct. Have been checking every so often with a Ryobi infrared Thermometer.also have used a reg dial thermometer readings about the same. Will add main floor temp stays about 74degrees top floor 68 to 70 with a regester fan running and basement stays 73 to 75 degrees.

 

[Love the Heat]

FyreBug - can you comment on this, please? I've considered blocking the front opening off completely too, but figured it was designed that way for a reason. Sending all of the air up through the ducts would, howdver, be nice. Thanks.

Fyrebug instructed me that approval was made based on having some air escaping the front in case one
of the duct would be blocked as DV mentioned in the above post.....