PELLET BASKET

[Todd]

This is my little experiment this year. I installed some new air tight doors on my livingroom fireplace more for keeping the cold down drafts out, but still like an occasional fire every now and then. I saw some pellet baskets on the net and figured it might be a good idea for my fireplace. I didn't want to pay the $100 or more they were charging, so I had a local metal fab build me one for $40. It's just a basic basket made out of 13 gauge expanded metal that I sit right on top of the grate. It holds a max of 20 lbs of pellets and from start to ashes is about 6 hrs. It does put out some decent heat out my top fireplace vent.

 

[Todd]

Some more pics. Sometimes it's hard to start and it tends to smoke for awhile til it all gets going. Still working on starting technique.

 

[Todd]

Full blaze and just about out after 6 hrs. I found reloading can be a major smoke out, unless you wait till there is just a little coals left, rake them to the front, then shovel new pellets behind. All in all it works pretty good and the wife likes the fact that there's less mess than wood. I was thinking about a wood insert there, but the stove in the basement keeps the whole house comfy, except windy below zero days. And if I light the basket it helps bring the upstairs up to temp and the stove will hold it from there on.

 

[BrotherBart]

That's slick. I have been wondering how that project worked out. Hmmm... small legs on the basket. Big firebox woodstove. Hmmm...

 

[Todd]

yeah, I think it would also work in a woodstove. Give it a try BB.

 

[hearthtools]

I used a pellet basket in my new home in 1998 when we moved in it had a wood stove and I was not going to burn wood
Well it snowed the first night we move in and no other heat
so I put a small pellet basket in the wood stove to heat
Worked OK
the one I had
had 1/2" double screen gap on all sided
and it had 3 seperate chambers with the 1/2" air gap screen between each chamber for air flow.

 

[hearthtools]

I lit it with firestarter from the bottom up. It had legs on it to keep it off the bricks.
A Plumbers torch would have worked better

 

[BrotherBart]

Actually should work great with the 30. That primary air hole right in the center of the front would shoot right into the middle of the pile. Just like the combustion air blower on a pellet puppy.

 

[RISurfer20]

Interesting. Todd if you don't mind what are the dimensions for that basket?

 

[RISurfer20]

Can't you create a basket using steel fence wire or one of those baskets used to cook vegetables on the grill?

 

[Todd]

Interesting. Todd if you don't mind what are the dimensions for that basket?

length 18" x width 10" x back hieght 8", front hieght 4"

It seems to light better and smoke less if I fill it half full, so maybe it's a little too big.

 

[RISurfer20]

Tried the experiment in the stove this weekend. Created a bucket with double reinforced mesh wire. Pellets burned well in the stove reaching 500 degrees after 20 minutes. Bucket was empty after an hour. Will have to figure a good way to reload the bucket. Still not as good as cord wood and probably will not heat as efficiently, but iteresting.

 

[Sierranevada]

What about a pellet basket for burning small scrap? If I were to experiment with a basket in my stove, what kind of wire or mesh should I build it from? Cord wood is soooo expensive here. Thanks.

 

[RISurfer20]

I used 13 gauge galvanized mesh cloth. I guess you could also use gauge steel sheets similiar to what concrete contractors use. Stove does warm up nicely. Tough to heat a large area. You do have to refill a lot. Overall cord wood is the way to go if you want to heat up a large area.