pellet stove starting gel

[freebird77]

Hi all,
Being new at this, it seems like Ill be letting the p61 go out more in the spring and fall, thus needing to build more fires then in the colder months? Im not having much luck on the web. Where can I find the best deals on good starting gel? Thinking of maybe getting a case if the price is right, or is that a bit much? Appreciate your advice. Thanks, Doug in Pa.

 

[moralleper]

when I used to use it my old stove I would get it from home depot and lowes at the end of the season. they always had cases of the stuff that was deeply discounted. you could try going in and asking if they have any up on a shelf somewhere.

 

[GVA]

Yes Hd or any stove place has it.
I've heard about people using vegetable oil and soaking pellets and mixing these in with fresh pellets in the burnpot. Never tried it maybe someone else has.
Me I prefer to use a mapp gas torch with the piezo start to get the pellets going (after a cleaning, I don't like waiting for the ignitor sometimes)

 

[Shane]

Just take some gas and start adding styrofoam until it reaches a gel like consistency. J/K don't do this for anyone that doesn't know what's what. I would say your best bet is like the others mentioned ot get a case from a big box that only carries the stuff seasonally. Buy a couple bottles from the local hearth store to tide you over until season end the the fireplace stuff goes on clearance at the big box.

 

[freebird77]

Thaks guys.
I bought a couple bottles yesterday at a local hardware store. It says to put a teaspoon in the firepot, then another teaspoon on the pellets. At that rate a bottle should last for a dozen starts or more, I figure. I wonder if the installer was just trying to get me to use more then I need so to purchase more of it at there store, or it is a crappy brand and need to use more to make sure the fire started great the first time?

 

[Michael6268]

I still say the best starter for pellets is regular old cigarette lighter fluid. A couple of squirts, light it and forget it. Couldnt be easier. I used it all the time when I had a pellet stove and would never go back to gel.

 

[Shane]

I hated it when I had to clean a stove that the people used lighter fluid on. I charged extra for the headache.

 

[Michael6268]

I hated it when I had to clean a stove that the people used lighter fluid on. I charged extra for the headache.

I never had any problems. The stove stayed as clean as with gel. Maybe cleaner due to the qucker start up. I dont know why lighter fliud would make "cleaning a stove" any more difficult, unless they dumped half a bottle on, and got a lot of carbon buildup on the glass/inside. Maybe different stoves react in differnent ways.

 

[mgambuzza]

Another solution would be Trioxane tablets. They are usually found at Army/Navy stores. The store in Auburn, NY was selling them last fall for $.50 a box! There were 3 tablets in each box, and I used a 1/3 tablet whenever I started a fire in my Thelin. I spent $5 and still had 4 boxes left over at the end of the season! They're clean, light extremely easy, and are VERY economical.

 

[jqgs214]

Off topic, Auburn eh? thats my wifes old stomping ground. Her parents are still there.

 

[freebird77]

Thank you all. Ill check out the tablets also. Where is Auburn Ny? Ive heaerd of it and think it might be close to me.

 

[jqgs214]

If you made a trianlge of ithica, syracuse and rochester it would be in the middle. Comon if your near it ya gotta know where it is its the home of the Electric Chair!

Edit: At the north end of Cayuga Lake!