Just installed a Breckwell Insert 23I with Pics! Pellet/heat question

[stevie73]

Well guys we finally did it! Thanx for the advice.

Please excuse the blurry images on the stove. Once I get my digital cam back, I'll take better ones.

So the friends came this morning and they installed the Breckwell P23I. It fits perfect. Decided not to use the trims, I kinda like the black on black marble. Hoping to paint the hearth soon to finish the look. Since there was an anxiousness to start a fire! I bought a couple of bags from Stew Leonard's. Wish I would've researched more on pellet brands and efficiency, because I got a couple of bags of Inferno (yes I know Macman! lol)

Started the fire around 1:30pm. Startup was no problem, figured out how to adjust the damper, ditto to the setting, reset trim- the flame was roaring. It gave off great heat on setting 4. I literally couldnt stand by the stove for too long because of the high heat. I could definitely feel the difference. Insert is located in existing fireplace in center of house (1st floor).
Now I have a whole new set of questions!
I know its all trial by error when buying and using pellets. I really want to use the best pellets. I wanted to know if anyone can recommend the best pellet brand that produces the best heat when its freezing out there.
When you first started your stove, how long did it take for your stat's to go up to 70 ( mines started at 62 and at 12am its at 68. I dont know if its because it was the first burn or because of the quality of pellets that the temp is not increasing faster. The house was insulated, attic as well. Non useable windows sealed, AC's covered, draft guards everywhere, etc. The living room where the stove is at is toasty and nice, as well as the TV room and office..now its just the matter of getting up the stairs which is right by the stove. I did feel the heat from the top of the stairs.

And lastly. I live in Westchester, NY. Are any pellet dealers that deliver to Westchester?
Thanks a bunch again!

 

[bocephus]

Nice Pics. Glad to hear your enjoying......
The best pellets I have burnt so far is Hammers Hot Ones by far.(although I have Ligs right now) As far as the rate of temp. rise, if the room my stove in is at o lets say 65-66deg., it takes about 30-45 min to get it up to about 70-71. The house takes a little longer since I had to put the stove in the back room downstairs. Up stairs might get to 70deg. around 2-3hrs after start up. With the Hammers all that time is cut in half. They burn HOT in my stove and for a LONG time. All this, of course, depends on the outside temp. Luckily, here in Md. we have had fair day temps with only a few cold nights.

 

[Bxpellet]

Home and hearth on Rt 6 in Cortland, there is a another place I think it's called Fire Glow by the Jefferson Valley Mall, Also the HD in Port Chester are you in lower or upper Westchester? Good luck

 

[Xena]

Looks great, congrats! There are many brands of pellets that are
high quality. There is a lot of information already on the forum
about "best pellets" so a quick search here will get you on the
right track.

So what was the deal with all of that packing insulation? Did
they remove it all? Just curious.

 

[stevie73]

Thanks Xena!
I already did a search here, and I got to say..its a tad bit confusing. I mean everyone seems to have their own preferences..so there doesn't seem to be a clear cut best out there pellet to use. Plus they got to be a pellet brand that's available on the east coast preferably around the 914 area code area.

Ah that darn insulation!! lol- yeah we were told to keep it in.

 

[Xena]

It's like anything...what is the best car to buy? What is
the best laundry detergent? Etc, etc. See what I am
getting at? There are so many brands of pellets available
to the public now it's ridiculous so you won't find any "best" pellet, but you will find
lists on the forum of what people have found to work best
for them. My advice would be to write a list of them and go shop around
your area to see what is available.

 

[jtakeman]

stevie73,

Very nice stove. I hope it keeps you warm for a very long time.

"Your" Best pellets will ultimately be decided by you and your stove. We will give you some good references. But because each stove has its own personality, You really need to let it decide what best for it. Pellets are like just about anything else we buy or consume. So you will see several different opinions about the same brand.

Find the better brands we might suggest and try a few bags of each. And don't forget to share your opinion with us here.

Enjoy that new stove and stay warm
jay

 

[stevie73]

Frustrated and confused here, So far that heat output hasnt been good enough. Using 1.5 bags a day Inferno) yes I know bad..lol- I dont understand why Im not generating enough heat. Cleaned it out, scraped. Cant get past 65 degrees after running it for 5-6 hours. I have the setting on 3 or 4, high feed rate, damper closed....I dont know what Im doing wrong unless it really has to do with the pellet brand. I have an open floor plan on the 1st floor. How do you saturate the 1st floor. I leave it on all night, wake up and I drop about 2-3 degrees back to 61-60..ugh!

 

[jtakeman]

Frustrated and confused here, So far that heat output hasnt been good enough. Using 1.5 bags a day Inferno) yes I know bad..lol-

Try a better pellet and see what happens. I could not get any heat out of the Inferno's myself. I would look for Barefoots, Lignetics,Turmans for hardwood. and Okanagan(I did not try the Okies in my bigE but they are close to the spruce pointes), Spruce Pointes and Pure Fires for softwood. They ran very well in my breckwell and throw a lot of heat. These were the hottest brands heat wise for my bigE. Hamer Hot Ones also worked well to! I am sure there are several other brnds that will give you great heat. I am just giving the brands that burned well in my bigE which is very simular to your insert. Keep us posted!

jay

 

[stevie73]

Thanks Jay!
Im thinking of buying Cleanfire Pelllets, AWF or Michigan. I read some good reviews on it. Its really hard to find the Okanagan around here. Keep you updated.

 

[jtakeman]

Thanks Jay!
Im thinking of buying Cleanfire Pelllets, AWF or Michigan. I read some good reviews on it. Its really hard to find the Okanagan around here. Keep you updated.

Start with the AWF I though they performed well in my new stove.

 

[mnkywrnch]

Frustrated and confused here, So far that heat output hasnt been good enough. Using 1.5 bags a day Inferno) yes I know bad..lol- I dont understand why Im not generating enough heat. Cleaned it out, scraped. Cant get past 65 degrees after running it for 5-6 hours. I have the setting on 3 or 4, high feed rate, damper closed....I dont know what Im doing wrong unless it really has to do with the pellet brand. I have an open floor plan on the 1st floor. How do you saturate the 1st floor. I leave it on all night, wake up and I drop about 2-3 degrees back to 61-60..ugh!

I would'nt leave the damper closed open it up until you see the pellets start to dance,if you leave ir closed its not going to push out the heat very well.
mnkywrnch

 

[stevie73]

On my 2nd bag, I have a raging flame/ feels darn hot but stat hasnt gone up since 530pm. Grrrrrrr where is the heat going if its been raging for 4 hours. Doesnt feel like it rising. Again we insulated, damper is opened. Area around stove is warm but living room is not getting warmer and I lost a degree..help!..thanks

 

[Trickyrick]

You installed it with an OAK right? I'm thinking if the install is correct it has to be pellet selection/match to the stove. I have had good luck this year with Lowes Green team as an every day pellet. On cold days I burn Ambiance and Dragon Mt. I would bet you will see an improvement in heat based on pellets but not getting the room up sounds funny to me.

I know even tonight I have the downstairs at 73 and second floor at 70 in a center hall colonial (stove room at 76). The house struggled to come up from 65 during the work day and when I got home. I think it took 2 to 2 1/2 hours to get the house stablized.

 

[imacman]

Thanks Jay!
Im thinking of buying Cleanfire Pelllets, AWF or Michigan. I read some good reviews on it. Its really hard to find the Okanagan around here. Keep you updated.

IMO, start with the AWF like Jay mentioned. I burned 4 bags of them, and I liked them. After that, use the CleanFire (Clean Energy from Lowes?), and lastly the Michigans.