What I have learned in the first 3 months of owning a USED pellet stove
So I got this thing (Englander 25 PDVC) after hearing a couple things A-Heat costs less and B-everyone (except one person) loved there pellet stove. I got it for free basically so I knew there’d be some maintenance and repair work that had to be done.
-Clean your exhaust pipe, yea after every ton, maybe sooner. I figured that Englander said clean your exhaust after every ton because they meant every 2 tons figuring people would actually wait that long. Well there was no BS on Englander’s part….. really after every ton. On my stove if I don’t the E-1 code starts popping up. Even if you look at it and it seems AOK clean it anyway. Take the brush and go from as close to the exhaust fan all the way to the ending. Then get the Leaf Blower/Vac and start suckin. Don’t have one?? Get one they are only $50 and clean a lot better than just a brush.
-Critters may like your exhaust pipe. I put a screen on mine to prevent them but it was to fine of a screen and clogged up. SOooo I took it off. Use something like as big as you can but not so big a squirrel can get it there and they are pretty determined. Did I mention that you had to clean your exhaust?
-Different pellets really do make a different amount of heat. No really they do. A pellet is not a pellet but there are pellets that are pellets.
-I clearly would have given up on my pellet stove if I hadn’t found these forums… .well probably I would have... but you never know because I am pretty stubborn.
-I still have no idea what “fines” are. I got them when I was speeding on I-90 once toward Buffalo but am pretty sure that’s not the same thing.
-who ever said “owning a pellet stove is NOT a spectator sport” is sooooo right. It does take some effort, but you are rewarded with a cool spot to sit in front of a fire and get heat that doesn’t make you smell like a camp fire. And for some reason watching the pellets drop is mesmerizing.
-my stove is relatively simple to replace stuff on (THANK GOD!) but a little mechanical ability is pretty helpful.
-a shop vac or something similiar is pretty much necessary.
-burning pellets is a lot like a car..... in that you need the right fuel to air ratio. I don’t think a pellet stove is quite as particular but it’s key to getting the thing to work correctly. Black coating on the glass usually means it’s running to “rich” Which pretty much means to much fuel or not enough air. Which is the same thing, sort of.
-Carting around a ton of pellets it’s damn handy to have a p/u but a gF with a big SUV works too.
-Big Box stores can have NO IDEA what kind of pellets they have.... soooo look around. IF you get a pallet or two load them right then and there.... if at all possible because they’ll give you the crappy North Americans if you don’t pay attention. HD and Lowes give us military types 10% off, nice J
-it’s nice not to have ever had the Oil truck stop by this year, though you’ll need a back heat source for those required unexpected fixes to your pellet stove.
-that yellow Craftsman nut driver (5/16 I think) is the most handy tool for fixing my pellet stove.
-the crud that collects on the end of the bottom auger tube and auger needs to be scraped at least once a week maybe twice and oh yea…. Wear gloves while doing it.
I am sure I have learned other stuff, but that's all I got for now.....
So I got this thing (Englander 25 PDVC) after hearing a couple things A-Heat costs less and B-everyone (except one person) loved there pellet stove. I got it for free basically so I knew there’d be some maintenance and repair work that had to be done.
-Clean your exhaust pipe, yea after every ton, maybe sooner. I figured that Englander said clean your exhaust after every ton because they meant every 2 tons figuring people would actually wait that long. Well there was no BS on Englander’s part….. really after every ton. On my stove if I don’t the E-1 code starts popping up. Even if you look at it and it seems AOK clean it anyway. Take the brush and go from as close to the exhaust fan all the way to the ending. Then get the Leaf Blower/Vac and start suckin. Don’t have one?? Get one they are only $50 and clean a lot better than just a brush.
-Critters may like your exhaust pipe. I put a screen on mine to prevent them but it was to fine of a screen and clogged up. SOooo I took it off. Use something like as big as you can but not so big a squirrel can get it there and they are pretty determined. Did I mention that you had to clean your exhaust?
-Different pellets really do make a different amount of heat. No really they do. A pellet is not a pellet but there are pellets that are pellets.
-I clearly would have given up on my pellet stove if I hadn’t found these forums… .well probably I would have... but you never know because I am pretty stubborn.
-I still have no idea what “fines” are. I got them when I was speeding on I-90 once toward Buffalo but am pretty sure that’s not the same thing.
-who ever said “owning a pellet stove is NOT a spectator sport” is sooooo right. It does take some effort, but you are rewarded with a cool spot to sit in front of a fire and get heat that doesn’t make you smell like a camp fire. And for some reason watching the pellets drop is mesmerizing.
-my stove is relatively simple to replace stuff on (THANK GOD!) but a little mechanical ability is pretty helpful.
-a shop vac or something similiar is pretty much necessary.
-burning pellets is a lot like a car..... in that you need the right fuel to air ratio. I don’t think a pellet stove is quite as particular but it’s key to getting the thing to work correctly. Black coating on the glass usually means it’s running to “rich” Which pretty much means to much fuel or not enough air. Which is the same thing, sort of.
-Carting around a ton of pellets it’s damn handy to have a p/u but a gF with a big SUV works too.
-Big Box stores can have NO IDEA what kind of pellets they have.... soooo look around. IF you get a pallet or two load them right then and there.... if at all possible because they’ll give you the crappy North Americans if you don’t pay attention. HD and Lowes give us military types 10% off, nice J
-it’s nice not to have ever had the Oil truck stop by this year, though you’ll need a back heat source for those required unexpected fixes to your pellet stove.
-that yellow Craftsman nut driver (5/16 I think) is the most handy tool for fixing my pellet stove.
-the crud that collects on the end of the bottom auger tube and auger needs to be scraped at least once a week maybe twice and oh yea…. Wear gloves while doing it.
I am sure I have learned other stuff, but that's all I got for now.....
.
