New to Pellet stoves and have a Harman Accentra coming.

[CTdave]

Hello all - nice site you folks have here.

As the title says, we are having a free-standing Harman Accentra installed in a couple of months - vented up through the roof. Neighbor is the dealer and doing the install, pellets are coming soon so we have them on hand.....

Any advice for someone completely new to pellet stoves? Things to be mindful of?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[gw2kpro]

Hello all - nice site you folks have here.

As the title says, we are having a free-standing Harman Accentra installed in a couple of months - vented up through the roof. Neighbor is the dealer and doing the install, pellets are coming soon so we have them on hand.....

Any advice for someone completely new to pellet stoves? Things to be mindful of?

Thanks,
Dave

That's a nice unit you bought. In my experience, people get a little too concerned with pellet brand. So-and-so brand is the best, so-and-so brand is the worst, etc.

In thinking it through, the pellet mills do not have a homogeneous supply coming in, so even from one load to the next, their end product is going to vary somewhat.

I'd start by making sure the pellets you buy carry the PFI symbol on the bags, at least that way they have some standards they are striving towards for ash content, moisture, etc. Pick up some hardwood pellets and some softwood pellets, (if you can determine their composition) and burn a few bags of each kind to see what you like and what works best for your setup.

 

[CTdave]

Thanks gw.

What are the pros / cons of hardwood vs. softwood pellets besides price and btu (I assume)? Are there any differences besides those two things?

Thanks.

 

[Souzafone]

Hardwood vs soft doesn't apply with pellets, you're buying by weight, not measure. Most headaches seem to come from handling than production. Pellets that get handled more are more likely to be exposed to moisture and have more fines per bag. I have the same stove you just bought and have been using it as our primary heat source for 3 winters so far and love it. Either get an ash vac or dedicate a shop vac to use. Get a brush kit so you'll be ready for a major cleaning before you need to do it. Have your neighbor show you how to disassemble the stove for cleaning. Good luck.

 

[gw2kpro]

Thanks gw.

What are the pros / cons of hardwood vs. softwood pellets besides price and btu (I assume)? Are there any differences besides those two things?

Thanks.

Since you are buying by weight, not volume (i.e. "cord") a ton of softwood pellets will have more BTU's than a ton of hardwood pellets.

Anecdotally, softwoods are supposed to dirty up the glass faster, I found that my breckwell got dirty glass pretty quickly no matter what I used. I'm sure other people have different experiences.

 

[CTdave]

So, if hardwood pellets are 50 bags/ton, how many bags/ton for softwood? Or do they just use larger bags to still keep them at 40lbs.? Also, with the stove listed as having a 50lb hopper - is that for hardwood or softwood?
I just assumed that I should be using hardwood and never asked or looked into the differences.

Thanks for the help, hate to bother my neighbor with 1,000 silly questions.

 

[Xena]

Most pellets come in 50lb bags - doesn't matter whether they are hardwood
or softwood, it's still 50lbs.

 

[BrotherBart]

So, if hardwood pellets are 50 bags/ton, how many bags/ton for softwood? Or do they just use larger bags to still keep them at 40lbs.? Also, with the stove listed as having a 50lb hopper - is that for hardwood or softwood?
I just assumed that I should be using hardwood and never asked or looked into the differences.

Thanks for the help, hate to bother my neighbor with 1,000 silly questions.

Hardwood trees weigh more than softwood trees because they are denser. Once either one is chipped up, ground up and mashed under 100,000 pounds or so of pressure they weight the same. All wood has the same BTU value per pound hard or soft.

 

[CTdave]

Guys, I realize 50 lbs is 50 lbs - what I was asking was if the volume of softwood pellets is noticeably larger?

 

[Hammer]

Hey CTdave;

I am in SE CT and I also bought an acentra but mine is a fireplace insert. I have NOT received mine yet because it's on back order and from I have been reading here I am a tad nervous. Where did you purchase yours? I bought mine in Hebron, CT

John

 

[BrotherBart]

Guys, I realize 50 lbs is 50 lbs - what I was asking was if the volume of softwood pellets is noticeably larger?

Nope.

 

[CTdave]

Hey CTdave;

I am in SE CT and I also bought an acentra but mine is a fireplace insert. I have NOT received mine yet because it's on back order and from I have been reading here I am a tad nervous. Where did you purchase yours? I bought mine in Hebron, CT

John

John, I'm getting it from Afterglow Stoves on Rte 5&15;in Meriden. (broken link removed to http://www.afterglowenergy.com/IndPages/PelletStoves.htm)

 

[DC85]

CTDave, sorry to hijack the thread for a moment, but:

Hey CTdave;

I am in SE CT and I also bought an acentra but mine is a fireplace insert. I have NOT received mine yet because it's on back order and from I have been reading here I am a tad nervous. Where did you purchase yours? I bought mine in Hebron, CT

John

John, what place in Hebron did you get yours from and were you happy with the processs and install?

Thanks.

 

[CTdave]

Who posted my PM to Hammer (John) in this thread last night - I know I didn't????