Pellet boiler off-grid?

[Cynnergy]

I put a version of this in the Green Room and didn't get many bites, so I thought I'd try over here to see if you folks have some thoughts!

Hubby and I might have the opportunity to reno my great-grandparents house on the island (off-grid) and do it up for a summer vacation rental. It was built in 1937 but no one has lived in it since 1981. The family has kept up the essentials. However, there is currently no heat or hot water system in the house. It originally had a wood furnace, presumably with ducts sized for passive exchage (no electricity for a blower).

Usual hot water for off-grid is propane (either tank or on-demand). We will have to have propane for cooking and likely a dryer (for bedding). However, getting propane to the island is a hassle and I can't woman-handle 100 lb propane tanks by myself. I would like to minimize that if possible. We do have some electricity (currently from a generator but we are looking into renewables).

Alternate heat would definitely be nice. The house is right on the water and it can get chilly at night, even in the summer. I am wary of lighting woodstoves in the summer - cedar shake roofs and dry weather and no fire department just seem like a really bad idea. By the end of September (prime fishing season), heat would probably really be needed.

I have no idea what it would cost, but would a combo pellet boiler/solar hot water (with water-to-air heat exchange in the furnace plenum) give some shoulder-season heat and DHW?

The basement is damp (open sump, spring uphill - no standing water though) - would that be a huge issue with pellets? I can keep the bags in an air-tight container surely?

Any other ideas?

Here are our usual forms of transport:



And the house partially hidden by the overgrown garden:

 

[GENECOP]

Wow, what an amazing property, gotta love Canada....I think you are on the right track with Solar.....both for electric and Hot Water.....The home looks small enough that I would keep things simple, a wood stove with a hot water coil tied into the same tank as the solar hot water....I might even look into a wood stove for the kitchen with a coil...walltherm makes a nice unit I think.....As far as safety, get a new unit, have it installed properly, and enjoy, a pellet appliance misused or installed incorrectly is just as dangerous as any of the types of appliances you are considering...I would also consider a Rocket Stove/Mass heater.....

 

[GENECOP]

VULCANO Model 4E Wood Cook Stove Heating Capacity: 1,500 - 1,800 sq. ft. Max Heat Output: 44,000 BTU/hr Heat to water: 28,000 BTU/hr (63%) Radiant/convection Heat: 10,000 BTU/hr Material: Cast Iron, Nickel Trim, Enamel Finish - Black/Ivory Dimensions: 14.2" W x 26" D x 33.9" to 35.4" H Cooking surface: 11" W x 22" D Oven Dimensions: No oven Clearance to Combustibles: 2" Double Wall Clearance to Combustibles: 2" Left/Right/Rear Log Size: 16" Flue Pipe: 6" Item Weight: 400 lbs. Certification: UL 1482 | ULC S-627 Reccomended Hearth Pad:: 51.75" W x 45" D Oven Size: NA

 

[GENECOP]

That unit is at the Hydro to Heat website....

 

[velvetfoot]

Here is a link that works: http://hydro-to-heat-convertor.com/cookstovesLacunza.html

They have some truly snazzy pictures there.

I'd think you'd want to stay away from anything that uses electricity, no? A pellet boiler or the usual pellet stove needs electricity. During ignition, I think mine needs 1200 watts constant for a while, and the surge from the vacuum transfer turbine draws more than 2000 watts. Pellet boilers are expensive too. Even that wood stove in the link probably uses electricity. Forum user Coaly has much experience with cookstoves that the Amish use that make some hot water.

Plus, this is a rental? You want strangers messing around with a sold-fuel appliance of any sort? What are you doing for potable water?

Maybe you should see what others who rent out summer cottages on the island provide.

 

[mr.fixit]

How about a diesel chp(combined-heat-power)
I built one myself that outputs approx. 30,000 btu/hr in hot water and 5kw in power electricity on .54 gal/hr of diesel.
I don't think there are any commercially available units made other than APU units for big rigs,which are basically the same as what I built.

But if that's your truck on the ferry,it would be easy to mount a fuel transfer tank in the bed,would eliminate handling heavy propane tanks

Off-grid solar with batteries is expensive,and it doesn't look like the solar exposure is to good there with all the trees?

Not really any turn key solution for what you want to do there,especially if you are going to rent it out with out being there yourself.

Here is a little posting on my chp on another forum http://www.microcogen.info/index.php?topic=3211.0

 

[velvetfoot]

The sad part for me is that my well pump can't get by on 5kw. Something to think about too if putting in a well at this place-get a pump that's easy to start.

 

[Cynnergy]

You built your own CHP? That is awesome, I should hang out here more often!

 

[Cynnergy]

Hmmmm 1200W for ignition, how long is that? I was actually thinking of manually feeding the boiler myself. I definitely wouldn't trust a stranger with it! I figure if we rent by the week, I can go in and clean the place and maintain the boiler weekly.

For water, I would hook into my cousin's well probably. You're right though, I should look into how much power it draws. 5kW yikes!

There is a spring behind the house that my other cousin uses for water (gravity fed), but it's poor quality.

 

[Cynnergy]

I'm sorry I don't have the numbers on power for you - we currently run a 15 kW generator 24/7 for 6 houses ($30000/yr fuel bill!) and electricity is another thing that will have to change. I'm hoping we can get a microhydro system, but the stream is 3km away on Crown land, and it has salmon spawning habitat in part of it. For this house, only used in the summer, I think solar would be ideal if a 'community' solution isn't found.