Here are a few things to consider when combining pellets & corn:
Vent Pipe Issues
Corn combustion gasses are corrosive and will cause pitting and holes in pellet pipe. Simpson Dura-Vent now sells CB pipe for corn stoves. It is warranted for 10 years and smoke caps carry no warranty whatsoever. Compare this to their regular PL pipe that carries a 25 year warranty. Also please be aware that SDV states that "Only Pellet Vent CB is warranted for use with corn-buring applications."
Metal-Fab does not warranty their pipe against perforations, only defects in materials & workmanship. They feel that perfs due to corrosive flue gasses are not those types of defects.
Selkirk uses a 308 stainless steel liner (probably what is in SDV CB pipe) and does not make a distinction about corn, or pellet fuelled applications.
Since Simpson has 75% market share, you can be assured that many folks burning corn/pellet mixes are venting them through pipe that wasn't designed for it.
Perfs in the wrong place can let smoke, or worse, carbon monoxide in the house, not to mention fire danger.
Vermin
The biggest single drawback to corn or other cereal-grain fuels is that they are food for mice and other vermin. They require very careful storage, as mice can chew through wood, plastic Tupperware-type containers, etc. I store my corn in 65-gallon "recovery barrels" that are oversize 55-gallon drums.
There are many stories (some funny & some not so funny) about mice in customers homes. If you are a farmer and you raise corn you also raise cats to take care of the mice.
Also if you do have pets and you use poison to control the mice, be aware that pets sometimes eat dead or dying mice and can get very sick.
I knew one dealer who spent $800 on an exterminator to get rid of the cockroaches that were either in the corn or attracted to the corn.
SMK
Vent Pipe Issues
Corn combustion gasses are corrosive and will cause pitting and holes in pellet pipe. Simpson Dura-Vent now sells CB pipe for corn stoves. It is warranted for 10 years and smoke caps carry no warranty whatsoever. Compare this to their regular PL pipe that carries a 25 year warranty. Also please be aware that SDV states that "Only Pellet Vent CB is warranted for use with corn-buring applications."
Metal-Fab does not warranty their pipe against perforations, only defects in materials & workmanship. They feel that perfs due to corrosive flue gasses are not those types of defects.
Selkirk uses a 308 stainless steel liner (probably what is in SDV CB pipe) and does not make a distinction about corn, or pellet fuelled applications.
Since Simpson has 75% market share, you can be assured that many folks burning corn/pellet mixes are venting them through pipe that wasn't designed for it.
Perfs in the wrong place can let smoke, or worse, carbon monoxide in the house, not to mention fire danger.
Vermin
The biggest single drawback to corn or other cereal-grain fuels is that they are food for mice and other vermin. They require very careful storage, as mice can chew through wood, plastic Tupperware-type containers, etc. I store my corn in 65-gallon "recovery barrels" that are oversize 55-gallon drums.
There are many stories (some funny & some not so funny) about mice in customers homes. If you are a farmer and you raise corn you also raise cats to take care of the mice.
Also if you do have pets and you use poison to control the mice, be aware that pets sometimes eat dead or dying mice and can get very sick.
I knew one dealer who spent $800 on an exterminator to get rid of the cockroaches that were either in the corn or attracted to the corn.
SMK
