Pellet Basket

[New Hampshire Jim]

Hi All: On or about November 2008 I purchased and installed a Pellet Basket and installed It in my Jotul Comby 4 wood smoking dragon. As of today I have burned about 1/2 ton of pellets in It. I light It off when I come home from work at 5:00 and It will burn for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours with the basket full and the front air damper closed to 25% after it gets going well. With the heat from the cast iron the room that It is in will stay warm (74 Deg.) till i go to bed at 11 P.M.My Question to any of you In the KNOW is Are there any negatives in me doing this? I am a little concerned that I may be making conditions for a chimney fire although I looked at the inside of the chimney and it appears clean. I run the stack temp at or about 400 deg. before I shut the air down to 25% the chimney is outside the house and It is lined with clay. I was going to buy a pellet stove but my bride of 41 years had a good point that with pellet prices going up and up I would be better off having a Duel use stove .
Thanks
Jim

 

[New Hampshire Jim]

Its a Pelleteer Mfg. in New Hampshire

 

[Todd]

I tried a pellet basket in my fireplace last year. It worked pretty well except it was hard to get going most of the time. Once you get it going pellets burn very clean, I had no build up in my chimney after 20 or so bags. I know what you mean about pellet prices, they are $5 per bag at Menards. How high will they go til people just say enough and burn oil and gas? I just burn wood now can't afford pellets.

 

[kenny chaos]

Have you ever tried corn in it?

 

[New Hampshire Jim]

No I have not tried Corn
Yes the wife is a Genius She lets me know almost every day.
At 65 years old I am looking for EASE OF USE and although I have 2 cord of oak cut split and stacked I thought using Pellets would be easier and It is But I got the Oak for almost free (My labor) and the pellets were and still are $300.00 a ton

 

[drizler]

I am curious. Just how long does a 40 lb bag of pellets last you? I never thought one of those could work. I wouldn't worry about creosote with pellets. I run between 4-5 tons a season through my pellet burner every season and just clean it out in the summer. The big issue with pellets is to buy all you need in April through August, preferably April and store em for next season. That way you should save between 1/4 and 1/3 of the rip off prices going on now. You never get any deals late in the season. If you can get corn cheap ( which is unlikely) you may well be able to mix it with the pellets for slightly better heat. I have and do burn both in my stove but I can't see the grand difference in corn vs pellets. Just use whats whats cheaper is my motto. The other consideration is what it does to the chimney if its metal. Corn can be rough on anything but 308 Stainless they say.

 

[New Hampshire Jim]

Driz
A 40 lb bag will fill mt basket 4 to 5 times. As stated I light the stove at around 5:00 P.M. and it will burn for about 2 hours at around 400 deg. stack temp. Then the cast iron of the stove will radiate heat for another 2 to 3 hours and it will be sleepy time. To answer your question a bag lasts 4 to 5 days (Week days) Week ends I could and have used a bag a day.
Jim

 

[begreen]

Thanks for the posting and good info Jim. This is the first positive report I've read about a pellet basket. It sounds like your stove does a good job of supplying the air it needs. It would be fun to try one of these out some day.