New to the forum!

[Gabor129]

Hello all!
I'm from Windsor, Ontario, Canada! My home is on electric heat and I'm looking for alternate heating for the winter!

I'm new to pellet stoves, not an owner yet, but doing a lot of research on them! Right now I'm leaning towards the Drolet-ECO-45-Pellet-Stove! My house is a two level back split, only 900 square feet on each level! The stove would go in the basement with a 4" vent. that will go up 60" then through the wall 18" and up again 72". I'm considering vents cut in the walls, and floor for heat exchange!

I have a few questions about battery backup, first off is it necessary for the proper operation of the pellet stove? Is it just in case the power goes out to operate the stove? Does it has anything to do with proper venting of the fumes to the outside?

Does oak really necessary? this stove has a 3" cold air intake and I would have to crack another hole on the brick wall! In the manual it only said that has to have it for mobile homes! What is the benefit for the oak? I do have a fairly damp basement, however I'm running a dehumidifier.

Also anyone has any experience with the Drolet ECO 5 Pellet Stove? Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Gabe

 

[DMKNLD]

Welcome to the Pellet Forum Gabe - lots of knowledgeable and friendly folks to help you here.

RE basement install: Unless you want to install a pellet furnace, a pellet stove is really just a high tech alternative fuel space heater for the area you want to heat. So unless your basement is the primary living area you want to heat, you'll get little to no heat up to your first floor much less the 2nd floor with a free standing pellet stove. You can read up on many many threads posted on this forum to confirm what others have found who have tried to make basement installs work, as well as how to get better heat convection into rooms away from the one your stove is in.

RE battery backup: When you lose your electric power you lose the combustion fan air flow that fuels the burn pot fire, so the smoke normally pushed out the vent pipe can then leak out of the stove and air wash vents back into your living area. So many people add a UPS - uninterruptible power supply - that will run on battery power for a short period until the power comes back on or to at least let the burn cycle finish up so you don't fill your house up with smoke. APC is a reputable UPS brand that many folks use. Others rely on a 5' or so vertical section of vent pipe either inside or outside the house to allow for the natural convective draft to remove the smoke until the fire pot is empty of pellets.

Unless you have a pure sine wave generator as a back-up power source, like the Hondas and more expensive generators provide, the 'dirty power' provided from modified sine wave gensets can fry the computer circuit boards that control the pellet stove functions. So some folks use a generator to recharge several deep cycle marine batteries hooked up in series that they then power an inverter system with to run the pellet stove during a power outage. Others just hook the generator into their primary furnace heating source and defer pellet stove use during an extended power outage.

RE OAK systems: If you don't have an Outside Air Kit the combustion and convection fans of your stove will pull cold outside air in through cracks and make drafty spots in the house from replacing the room air that is being heated by the stove, instead of using outside air piped in via an OAK to fuel the combustion process. So a stove will burn much more efficiently with less cold air incursion into your house if you use an OAK. Many many prior threads on this topic as well.

I'm not familiar with the Drolet stoves, but I'm sure there are folks on this forum who can help you about particulars. Be sure to include the stove type in your topic thread postings and you will get the attention of other Drolet owners. The search function up in the upper right corner of the web page will literally give you hundreds of threads to review about each of these topics you have questions on - just type in 'UPS - APC', 'Outside Air Kit', 'battery back - up', 'Drolet' etc.

A relationship 'word of warning' Gabe. Be sure to tell the Misses you'll be busy for a good while reading up on and researching about all things pellet stove related - what for most of is regarded by our significant others as 'the cruel mistress' after it subtly becomes your obsession Good luck.

 

[Gabor129]

Welcome to the Pellet Forum Gabe - lots of knowledgeable and friendly folks to help you here.

RE basement install: Unless you want to install a pellet furnace, a pellet stove is really just a high tech alternative fuel space heater for the area you want to heat. So unless your basement is the primary living area you want to heat, you'll get little to no heat up to your first floor much less the 2nd floor with a free standing pellet stove. You can read up on many many threads posted on this forum to confirm what others have found who have tried to make basement installs work, as well as how to get better heat convection into rooms away from the one your stove is in.

RE battery backup: When you lose your electric power you lose the combustion fan air flow that fuels the burn pot fire, so the smoke normally pushed out the vent pipe can then leak out of the stove and air wash vents back into your living area. So many people add a UPS - uninterruptible power supply - that will run on battery power for a short period until the power comes back on or to at least let the burn cycle finish up so you don't fill your house up with smoke. APC is a reputable UPS brand that many folks use. Others rely on a 5' or so vertical section of vent pipe either inside or outside the house to allow for the natural convective draft to remove the smoke until the fire pot is empty of pellets.

Unless you have a pure sine wave generator as a back-up power source, like the Hondas and more expensive generators provide, the 'dirty power' provided from modified sine wave gensets can fry the computer circuit boards that control the pellet stove functions. So some folks use a generator to recharge several deep cycle marine batteries hooked up in series that they then power their UPS system with to run the pellet stove during a power outage. Others just hook the generator into their primary furnace heating source and defer pellet stove use during an extended power outage.

RE OAK systems: If you don't have an Outside Air Kit the combustion and convection fans of your stove will pull cold outside air in through cracks and make drafty spots in the house from replacing the room air that is being heated by the stove, instead of using outside air piped in via an OAK to fuel the combustion process. So a stove will burn much more efficiently with less cold air incursion into your house if you use an OAK. Many many prior threads on this topic as well.

I'm not familiar with the Drolet stoves, but I'm sure there are folks on this forum who can help you about particulars. Be sure to include the stove type in your topic thread postings and you will get the attention of other Drolet owners. The search function up in the upper right corner of the web page will literally give you hundreds of threads to review about each of these topics you have questions on - just type in 'UPS - APC', 'Outside Air Kit', 'battery back - up', 'Drolet' etc.

A relationship 'word of warning' Gabe. Be sure to tell the Misses you'll be busy for a good while reading up on and researching about all things pellet stove related - what for most of is regarded by our significant others as 'the cruel mistress' after it subtly becomes your obsession Good luck.

Thank you for your reply! I am aware that the stove is not going to heat the whole house, but will help with the electric bill The Misses already coping with my other addiction, ( tropical fish) so it will be a breeze for her to make the jump! LOL

 

[Gabor129]

Wow I have to get used to the format of this forum! It posted my message while I was typing! (On my IPod. LOL) which brings me to my next question; how do I use Tapatalk for this forum? It won't let me sight in!

 

[webfish]

Wow I have to get used to the format of this forum! It posted my message while I was typing! (On my IPod. LOL) which brings me to my next question; how do I use Tapatalk for this forum? It won't let me sight in!

Your first 2 posts have to go through a regular browser and go through moderation for security purposes. After that Tapatalk will work.

 

[DMKNLD]

Thank you for your reply! I am aware that the stove is not going to heat the whole house, but will help with the electric bill The Misses already coping with my other addiction, ( tropical fish) so it will be a breeze for her to make the jump! LOL

Nothing quite like 'poly addiction', Gabe ! But if I can justify my addiction by saving $3 - 4 K per year by not having to burn 1200 gallons of dino oil, while keeping the wifey warm during a January polar vortex, then that's a value added addiction!

Most folks find the best success installing your pellet stove in a centralized 'open concept' room that you and your family most hang out in, then blow the cold air from outlying rooms back to the pellet stove using small high efficiency floor fans. Wall vents, ceiling fans on reverse, or door frame mounted fans can be added as needed to help move the warm air out to the colder areas of the house.

Yeh, that uses a little more electricity in fan use, but helps even out the pellet stove heat from room to room, and would help keep your high electric draw furnace off. Figuring out your houses natural air flow pattern is a bit of both an art and a science, but can help alot in figuring out how to move the warm air around, especially in an old drafty New England connected farmhouse style floor plan like mine.

Glad webfish chimed in about Tapatalk use - anything tech related like that is above my pay grade!

 

[Dustin]

A second recommendation to avoiding the basement install unless you spend time down there.

Been there, done that, it didn't work.

Most think heat will naturally rise, but getting heat out of a basement is almost impossible. And, registers through the floor are strictly against fire code in most places.

If I were you, from my own personal experience, I would put the stove in the room you and your family spend be most time in. To get your upstairs warm, your basement will have to be HOT. And, you will find you burn through way, way more fuel trying to heat the upstairs from a basement.

Something else to consider, If your basement is below grade and concrete, you will lose tons of BTU's on those concrete walls..

 

[Gabor129]

Thanks for the advise! However my basement is finished, and it is 4 feet in ground and 4 feet above ground! Also my house is really small! By today's standards it is tiny! I mean 900 square foot in two levels! I understand that the basement install is not ideal but I got no choice in the matter! Got a lot of windows in this tiny house and I got nowhere to vent it!

Also I have a central electric forced air heater that has a small cold air intake in the basement, and a large one on the floor level. I'm thinking of making it larger one in the basement and closing up the upstairs one to half of what it is now! I could run the central with fan only and it would pull the warm air out of the basement to spread it around!

 

[DMKNLD]

OK Gabe, so you have a basement level, and one floor above that? I had the impression you had a basement with 2 floors above that? Assuming the former, then that should work. I would still go with an OAK to maximize your stove efficiency and minimize your draft incursions. A floor fan at the top of the stairs of the 2nd level blowing air down to the stove room would likely help, depending on how 'open concept' your floor plan is. (see the active thread discussion going on about that).

You're on the way, brother ! You'll be a pellet pig in no time!!

 

[Gabor129]

It is only two levels! Very open concept! 4 foot wall 8 foot open "hallway to bedrooms!
I really like the fan in the stairway idea! I'll have to think about that!
Looks like I got to go with an OAK even though I really did not want to! LOL just cutting the brick wall twice is not my idea of fun!
I still have to do a lot more research before I become a pellet pig..... LOL!

 

[Ctcarl]

Welcome As long as you get a solid reliable stove you will love the $$$ you save.not familer with the brand your looking at.since your shopping Chk out a harman.you will not be disappointed.

 

[Gabor129]

I actually found a Harman dealer not far from me, so next weekend it is road trip time! The Drolet Eco 45 however is made in Canada so parts and service is readily available! Not sure how Harman stacks up to that! Still lot of research ahead for me!

 

[Big papa]

Welcome and let us know when your stove is installed send pics

 

[Gabor129]

Welcome and let us know when your stove is installed send pics

Thank you!
I still have to clear things with my insurance company, but hoping next weekend is shopping for a stove, and the installation!

 

[johninwi]

I have a basement install with a single floor above, the basement ceiling is not finished so the heat rises and warms the floor, bare feet all winter. What is the ceiling of your basement? If it's covered can you add vents to allow the heat to circulate thru the cavity? While a basement install isn't the best location the warm floor does make up for it some.

 

[DMKNLD]

Harmans and Quads are both owned by the same parent corp - both excellent stoves with many, many loyal - some would say rabid - supporters on this forum. "Some like Ford's, and some like Chevy's...." , certainly there is a 'best stove' for every bodies needs / wants out there. And the journey of the learning process is as enlightening and rewarding as the destination, for sure. Best of luck in that to you, Gabe, and keep us posted on how it comes out for you.

 

[Gabor129]

I have a drop ceiling with the tiles made from the same material as insulation. Also it is very porous!

 

[bbfarm]

If you get the Selkirk venting the oak is built in and you will only have th cut 1 hole

 

[johninwi]

An easy experiment, just slide one or two out of the way and see if you like the effect. My Pa has a wood stove in his basement, works well for him. I also have assumed your panels are the type that sit in the metal grid and lift out easily.
There are a few positive's to the basement, not hearing the fans is another.

 

[Gabor129]

The tiles do lift out, so it would not be a problem to do the experiment!

 

[CaptSpiff]

Looks like I got to go with an OAK even though I really did not want to! LOL just cutting the brick wall twice is not my idea of fun!

Why are you cutting brick twice? I'm expecting you'd use a standard but extra deep Thimble, maybe even one of the new ones that have the OAK included.

 

[Gabor129]

The drolet Eco 45 has a 3" cold air hook up so I need to cut a separate hole for that! The thimble would not have enough room for it!

 

[TimfromMA]

I use an APC for a battery backup. I wired in a pair of 90ah marine batteries which extended the run time to about 8 hours in a power failure. I wanted the extended runtime for a couple of reasons.

1. I like the idea of shutting down the noisy generator at night for sleeping and staying warm.

2. If a power failure happens while we're away from the house, it will keep the stove going until I can get home and setup the generator.

I am planning on adding another set of batteries soon to double my potential runtime. The idea is that stove will run out of pellets before the batteries die shutting the stove down. Also, it allows one set of batteries to remain connected while I put the other set on the charger. The APC won't run with the batteries removed even when main AC power is restored.

 

[Gabor129]

I use an APC for a battery backup. I wired in a pair of 90ah marine batteries which extended the run time to about 8 hours in a power failure. I wanted the extended runtime for a couple of reasons.

1. I like the idea of shutting down the noisy generator at night for sleeping and staying warm.

2. If a power failure happens while we're away from the house, it will keep the stove going until I can get home and setup the generator.

I am planning on adding another set of batteries soon to double my potential runtime. The idea is that stove will run out of pellets before the batteries die shutting the stove down. Also, it allows one set of batteries to remain connected while I put the other set on the charger. The APC won't run with the batteries removed even when main AC power is restored.

Thanks for the info!