Introduction...New Pellet Stove User(soon to be)

[KJA88]

Hi everyone

I would like to introduce myself to this awesome forum website.

My name is Kevin, from Long Island, NY(Lake Grove area) and I have been perusing and trolling around the past few weeks trying to gather up as much info as possible as I await the install of an Enviro M55 Insert on 1/19.

I tried searching the forums for anything related to the M55 but there just doesn't seem like there is much "traffic" about the M55.

Would anyone be kind enough to shed some light on this unit if they have had or have heard of any positive/negative to look out for when operating/maintaining this unit?

Also any recommendations for a programmable thermostat for this unit?
Any particular brand of pellets that worked for you for the M55?
Would you recommend an OAK? My dealer says its not needed for an insert.

I will be utilizing a Tripplite ISOBAR SP in tandem with a
APC Sine Wave UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector 1500VA

Thx

Kevin

 

[ohbix]

Welcome Kevin. I have the freestanding M55; a very good stove. I burn on premium setting; straight pellets or pellet/corn mix. The only issue I am aware of from reading the forums is that w/ the insert on occasion the magnet (closed lid sensory) isn't properly aligned when the hopper lid is closed. Else no problems. I've burned somersets, hamers, AWFs, stove chow, something glo, lignetics etc. No problems yet...! I'm not into fancy - using a mechanical thermostat on high/low.

 

[Mt Bob]

Find another dealer. Page 20 from the manual.
Installation

outside

FResH
-
aiR

connection
:
This Heater must have adequate air for proper combustion in the room that it is installed.
Figure 7: Outside Air Connection










:
A Fresh-air intake is strongly recommended for all
installations
. Failure to install intake air may result in
improper combustion as well as the unit smoking during
power failures.
The inlet to the intake must be below and a minimum of 12”
(30cm) away from the unit exhaust outlet.
Outside fresh air is mandatory when installing this
unit in airtight homes and mobile homes.
When connecting to an outside fresh air source, do not use
plastic or combustible pipe. A 3” minimum (76 mm) ID
(inside diameter) steel, aluminum or copper pipe or ducting
should be used. The inlet must have a screen installed. It is
recommended, when you are installing a fresh air system, to
keep the number of bends in the pipe to a minimum.

 

[FirepotPete]

I will be utilizing a Tripplite ISOBAR SP in tandem with a
APC Sine Wave UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector 1500VA

I don't have time to look up the specs on these but I'm guessing they won't play well together. One or the other but not both in the same circuit. But you will have to look into as I'm out of time tonight.

 

[KJA88]

I don't have time to look up the specs on these but I'm guessing they won't play well together. One or the other but not both in the same circuit. But you will have to look into as I'm out of time tonight.

Thx FirepotPete, I will discuss with my Electrician and get his recommendation. I didn't realize I cant use this in tandem with each other.

 

[corkman]

Find another dealer. Page 20 from the manual.
Installation

outside

FResH
-
aiR

connection
:
This Heater must have adequate air for proper combustion in the room that it is installed.
Figure 7: Outside Air Connection










:
A Fresh-air intake is strongly recommended for all
installations
. Failure to install intake air may result in
improper combustion as well as the unit smoking during
power failures.
The inlet to the intake must be below and a minimum of 12”
(30cm) away from the unit exhaust outlet.
Outside fresh air is mandatory when installing this
unit in airtight homes and mobile homes.
When connecting to an outside fresh air source, do not use
plastic or combustible pipe. A 3” minimum (76 mm) ID
(inside diameter) steel, aluminum or copper pipe or ducting
should be used. The inlet must have a screen installed. It is
recommended, when you are installing a fresh air system, to
keep the number of bends in the pipe to a minimum.

Enough said. Do the OAK

 

[KJA88]

Enough said. Do the OAK

I will contact dealer and advise. Thx Corkman.

 

[Bill L]

Hi Kevin, I am in my fifth season with an M55 cast insert and love it. Aside from the hopper switch issue mentioned above, it has performed flawlessly.

My dealer also told me an oak was not necessary, and I don’t have one. I have a masonry chimney, so I would have to either core through the chimney, which I don’t want to do, or go up the flue which I considered but abandoned. The oak for an insert is difficult because you would need some type of slip fitting, or “slack” to allow you to slide it out of the fireplace. My house is newer construction, but not “airtight”, so while desirable, it is not required. I have an ash clean out in the floor of my fireplace that I leave open, and it draws from the clean out in the basement below, I leave that door open too. I also ran an extension cord from the basement through the cleanout for power so I didnt need to run a wire out of the fireplace.

I use a sky tech 3301p programmable wireless thermostat and love it. I pretty much run in hi/lo heat level 3 all the time except when it is below 20 for a long period, then I bump it up to 4. I don’t use the programmable feature though, and just manually bump it up or down on the control as needed. I tend to go with a constant temp, it takes a long time to recover if it drops too low. When it is in the 30’s or 40’s during the day, I will shut it down as even the lo setting will start to get too warm.

As for pellets, it will burn anything, with varying levels of ash and heat. I prefer premium Douglas fir (okanagan in past, currently northern warmth) or Vermont’s for the extremely low ash given the shallow ash pan. I can run my stove for several weeks without cleaning it or scraping the burn pot (thanks to the agitator) and the heat is noticeably better. I have run energex, lignetics, and cherry pits, but needed to clean more often.

Good luck

 

[Mt Bob]

Hi Kevin, I am in my fifth season with an M55 cast insert and love it. Aside from the hopper switch issue mentioned above, it has performed flawlessly.

My dealer also told me an oak was not necessary, and I don’t have one. I have a masonry chimney, so I would have to either core through the chimney, which I don’t want to do, or go up the flue which I considered but abandoned. The oak for an insert is difficult because you would need some type of slip fitting, or “slack” to allow you to slide it out of the fireplace. My house is newer construction, but not “airtight”, so while desirable, it is not required. I have an ash clean out in the floor of my fireplace that I leave open, and it draws from the clean out in the basement below, I leave that door open too. I also ran an extension cord from the basement through the cleanout for power so I didnt need to run a wire out of the fireplace.

I use a sky tech 3301p programmable wireless thermostat and love it. I pretty much run in hi/lo heat level 3 all the time except when it is below 20 for a long period, then I bump it up to 4. I don’t use the programmable feature though, and just manually bump it up or down on the control as needed. I tend to go with a constant temp, it takes a long time to recover if it drops too low. When it is in the 30’s or 40’s during the day, I will shut it down as even the lo setting will start to get too warm.

As for pellets, it will burn anything, with varying levels of ash and heat. I prefer premium Douglas fir (okanagan in past, currently northern warmth) or Vermont’s for the extremely low ash given the shallow ash pan. I can run my stove for several weeks without cleaning it or scraping the burn pot (thanks to the agitator) and the heat is noticeably better. I have run energex, lignetics, and cherry pits, but needed to clean more often.

Good luck

Bill,I disagree,any new install should have a OAK.Suppose he comes into some money,and reseals his house next summer.Then,he starts having a burn problem.For that insert,only thing I see needed would be a section of flexible tubing for the OAK,stove side.And,the owners manual,and the install manual,strongly and highly recommend it.Probably because it is a fairly high output heating unit.Just my 2 cents.If you burn less than 2 tons a year,then I would not consider it essential.

 

[Connecticut Yankee]

There is no doubt that an OAK is a good idea, but it is possible to do without one, if necessary. Our pellet stove replaced a wood stove, which was installed without an OAK. To install one for the pellet stove will involve removing a granite block from the inside chimney face and a couple of bricks from the outside face--work the mason really doesn't want to do until spring. It would have been much simpler if the owner who added the family room had planned an OAK for the wood stove, but there we are.

So far, we are doing okay. Outside air has many ways to get into the basement, and by the time it makes its way upstairs to the family room, it has warmed up somewhat, even though the furnace is no longer running often enough to keep the basement toasty. We'll see how things go next heating season, with the OAK installed.