New Install

[titanracer]

I'm doing a new install of a pellet stove. After 7 years of using my Englander in a 1972, 14X70 mobile home, we replace it with a 2012 new modular home. We moved in on Christmas of 2012. I didn't hook pellet stove back up right away. When we placed order for new home, we had the heating system upgraded to the highest efficient system they had. It was a $1200 option, so we gave that a go for awhile. It did very well! Cost me about $1500 a year to heat verses using heating system in old mobile home, which cost damn near $4000 a year to heat. That's why I installed a Englander stove. It turned out to actually be my primary heat in mobile home, so after initial investment, which paid for itself the 1st year, it was just a 3 ton purchase of pellets ($700), per year. That was a good savings! Heating with new furnace in new home, I kept it at 70 degrees, it was ok, but didn't have that bone warming fell of a pellet stove. So now I'm installing a pellet stove. Since I have a new home, I wanted a new stove. Sold Englander to brother-n-law, helped him install yesterday and he is cooking away. Hope I don't miss that stove. Anyhow, I have my new install started for new stove and will post pictures when completed. I have a question for my install. When I had the Englander, it was a corner install with a 45 angle off adaptor, to a 2 foot section thru wall thimble to outside, then a clean out tee, 4 foot vertical with 90, then 1 foot section with termination hood. My new stove (USSC stove), is going to be a parallel to inside wall install, which will come straight out back thru wall thimble to outside. My question is; can I get away with straight out install with termination hood, or do I need that vertical rise. Manual shows either way, straight out or with a tee outside and some vertical rise. I WILL have a oak installed, had it on old install & swear by it, so I will have it on this install. With out that vertical rise, do you think it will burn just fine. Like I said, manual shows a diagram picture of a straight out install, and a diagram picture with a clean out tee and vertical rise. I want to make sure to get the best performance out of it. Do I need that vertical rise outside???

 

[DMKNLD]

A section of vertical vent rise will allow for convective air flow if your combustion blower suddenly quits, ie a power outage, by passively clearing the smoke from the firebox until the last of the residual pellets in the fire pot have finished smoldering. In other words - it can keep the stove smoke from filling your house.

But as some northern New Englanders who have lost power in our on-going Nor'easter today are no doubt finding out, passive smoke convection can be easily overcome and result in down drafting back into the house if your termination cap faces the windward side of your house in a gusty wind storm like we are having now. So the vertical vent rise doesn't always provide 100% down draft protection.

So many folks also add a UPS - uninterruptable power source, that functions as a surge protector and a short term battery back-up that continues to run the combustion blower until the stove can be shut down, or switched over to a longer term deep cycle battery back-up system.

So you will need to do a risk -benefit assessment for your particular install and level of 'risk aversion' - how often you lose power, the predominant storm wind direction relative to your vent location, how often you are away from home if the power does go out, the cost of a UPS and / or battery back up vs the piece of mind and added safety value that a UPS can bring.

 

[bags]

You can go straight out. The only issue there is if you have a power outage some smoke might get into the house unless you install a UPS battery back up surge protector that will operate the exhaust for a few to remove the smoke and shut the stove down properly. If you go up some 3'-5' it will have a natural draw. The additional T w/ clean out and pipe is expensive. These battery surge protectors for computers and such might be a cheaper route. I think they are $100 to $150. The T alone is about $100.

My Harman manual suggests: UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply You would need to verify which ones are compatible to your USSC / Ashley Bay

Units are: APC American Power Conversion model #BE750G TrippLite model --OR-- INTERNET750U

The UPS provides safe shut down only and will not keep your stove running

 

[titanracer]

I hope this works, never posted pictures. Decide to post some early pictures of what I have so far. Last picture posted is the install of my old stove, at my brother-n-laws.

 

[bags]

Looks good so far!

 

[titanracer]

Finally finished up my install today. Will let the silicone on vent pipe joints cure for 24 hr. till tomorrow & fire it up. Can't wait! Suppose to get colder by end of weekend. Will have it finished up, just in time. Praying for NO issues with new stove & install tomorrow.

 

[Skier76]

Great pics! Looks like everyone should be happy and warm.

 

[bags]

Nice! Just in time for the cold. Enjoy It!

 

[chken]

Nice install!

 

[yrock87]

Looks great!

 

[smwilliamson]

What's up with the quirky hearth pad? I woulda installed to the corner.

 

[LordmetalZ28]

Looks like you ran into a stud where the thimble needed to go? I have the same stove. You wont be disapointed . As for the caulk taking 24hrs to cure dont worry about that. When i did hvac we all started using hi temp silicone on boiler and furnace clean out plates and smoke pipes. We started them up instantly after our annual service cause we couldnt leave a customer with no heat for 24hrs. Returning the next year the caulk was properly sealed and strong as ever. Nice install. Somebody mentioned something about drilling out the holes on our particular burn pot to help the ash drop out of the pan.im hesitant to do this. But these pots tend to hold alot of ash and build up quick. See how it does. Good luck

 

[titanracer]

What's up with the quirky hearth pad? I woulda installed to the corner.

This is our new stove, in our new home. The way the floor plan of house is layed out, it is a open floor plan and it was better install a straight out wall setup so stove faces the center of the open floor plan. The hearth pad is about 8 years old and used in our old mobile home with old stove, as a corner install. Didn't want to spend another 200 to 300 dollars for another one yet. So used it as a straight up install for now. Can always buy another at some other time. Will see how it works out.

 

[titanracer]

Looks like you ran into a stud where the thimble needed to go? I have the same stove. You wont be disapointed . As for the caulk taking 24hrs to cure dont worry about that. When i did hvac we all started using hi temp silicone on boiler and furnace clean out plates and smoke pipes. We started them up instantly after our annual service cause we couldnt leave a customer with no heat for 24hrs. Returning the next year the caulk was properly sealed and strong as ever. Nice install. Somebody mentioned something about drilling out the holes on our particular burn pot to help the ash drop out of the pan.im hesitant to do this. But these pots tend to hold alot of ash and build up quick. See how it does. Good luck

Yes that was the case. So stayed to right of stud to build my box in wall for thimble plate clearance mount. Didn't want to disturb or cut a stud off in the wall, wasn't to keen on doing that, but it all worked out fine. Other than my corner hearth plate that I used in old home as a corner install, it didn't turn out to bad. Didn't fell like buying a new hearth plate at this time. They can be salty, unless you have the time to build your own. With the purchase of new stove this year, will use as is and maybe buy a new one for next year.

 

[bags]

Hey it works and you are heating! I would have used it too. Why not. You could also advertise it to sell or trade for another later.

 

[LordmetalZ28]

I ran into a stud with mine. And the stove to the side of the stud looked bad. I ended up cutting the stud and using a header and jack stud system around my thimble. Came out nice. You did a good job. I love the ap5660l

 

[yrock87]

I got lucky in a similar situation. I knew installing straight out of the outside wall was gonna be tight with a window on the right and a short inside wall on the left. I didn't want to install a heat shield on the left. I found the stud for the window and cut right next too it. Didn't even think to check for a second stud less than 18 inches away. Turns out there was one exactly 7 inches. The thimble just barely fit with a little swearing and jimmying.

 

[titanracer]

Fired it up, burning off manufacturing oils etc.... Looks good & the heat feels nice. Been burning now for 2 hours with doors & windows open to get rid of burn off smell. 40 degrees outside right now w/10 to 20 miles per hour wind, house staying about 70 degrees with doors & windows open. Might cook us out once I shut the doors and windows. Attached pic of 1st fire. Saved this picture now as my avatar.

 

[bags]

NICE! I like the looks of those stoves. What does one cost? Just the stove.

 

[TimfromMA]

You can go straight out. The only issue there is if you have a power outage some smoke might get into the house unless you install a UPS battery back up surge protector that will operate the exhaust for a few to remove the smoke and shut the stove down properly. If you go up some 3'-5' it will have a natural draw. The additional T w/ clean out and pipe is expensive. These battery surge protectors for computers and such might be a cheaper route. I think they are $100 to $150. The T alone is about $100.

My Harman manual suggests: UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply You would need to verify which ones are compatible to your USSC / Ashley Bay

Units are: APC American Power Conversion model #BE750G TrippLite model --OR-- INTERNET750U

The UPS provides safe shut down only and will not keep your stove running

I modified an APC with external batteries to give me 8 hours of runtime.

 

[bags]

Hey Tim,
I m planning that route too. Marine batts? What is your set up exactly? Thanks, Post here for others or PM me. I would rarely need more than 8 hrs. If ever. Usually worst case is about 2 hrs.

 

[titanracer]

NICE! I like the looks of those stoves. What does one cost? Just the stove.

I bought mine at TSC. It was $1399.99 regular price. I bought mine during there labor day weekend sale. It was $200 off, paid 1199.99 plus tax at that time. My wife picked this one out because she wanted something different than a free standing floor model with the base on it, She likes the legs style model of stoves. It is a nice looking stove, I got to say. Hope it does everything my Englander did, because it was a work horse. The Englander we had, was like the little train that could.

 

[bags]

That's a pretty good deal. TSC here has a $1,499 price on them now.

 

[titanracer]

That's a pretty good deal. TSC here has a $1,499 price on them now.

I didn't think cost varied that much for big box stores. I have (3) local TSC stores within about 20 minutes of my home. I just stopped at one of those local TSC stores yesterday for something and they still had this same stove for $1399.99.

 

[bags]

$1,499 was an online price I saw at TSC. I looked at another stove there before getting my Harman and it was $899, Then went up to $999 the week after when pellets went up .20 cents per bag. Now that stove is $1,099. I was there last Thursday. Playing the supply and demand game I'd say.

Just like when I paid $1,700 for my log splitter there one spring that sold for $2,299 all season. Bottom line you got a good deal price wise. Enjoy that bad boy! Hope it treats you well. We have a big house, 3 kids, animals, small farm, and the wife was ready for a condo last winter. We will drastically down sixe when the kids are out on there own. 10 years minimum.