Pellet Stove Tolerance

[smwilliamson]

 

[smwilliamson]

Other than "Fuel" and "Stove" being 36 point font and "Owner" being 30....is the relationship of the words correct...that's what I'm getting at.

I'm going to endeavor to start a kind of rating system from my data that speaks to the relationship between stove, owner and fuel...to arrive at an overall tolerance...or which stove is the easiest to use and fall in love with. Or better yet...if I cannot afford stove X which scores very high...what is the tolerant difference between two crappier stoves?

What stove is going to simply ask very little from you? Which is a is a work horse and also pretty but cheap?

Suggestions, stories and opinions welcome. I'll post my progress of what I come up with.....got all kinds of cool graphs going on, just got to plug in 200 models

 

[thedude110]

I dunno. I'm the blue triangle, and the green triangle is how I want my stove to operate?

The ideas seem about right to me -- I also want my stove to be "accessible," but I think that fits under "intuitive."

 

[smwilliamson]

I dunno. I'm the blue triangle, and the green triangle is how I want my stove to operate?

The ideas seem about right to me -- I also want my stove to be "accessible," but I think that fits under "intuitive."

Ahh thanks for the add in, accessible is under intuitive but wasn't on the data-point roster....is now...thanks!

 

[smwilliamson]

Moderators....can I change the title of this to "Pellet Stove Tolerance"? Or should I just restart the thread?

 

[DexterDay]

I have a Quad, I bought a CPM last year to replace the Quad. I didn't replace the Quad Sold the CPM to my Father.

I will be installing a Enerzone Euromax next month.m

Next season I will let you know I will have had the DIY model (CPM), the High end (Euromax), and the everyday reliable (Classic Bay). I have no doubt that the Enerzone will live up to the standard, it having High/Low, plus a multitude of other settings (can set the pilot time, reads real time exhaust temps, easy to clean, disassemble, and operate) should prove to be my favorite Stove yet.

I still want to buy a Harman, and next weekend, I may pick up a P-68 in my area on CL. That will replace my old PDV in the Shop.

My Quad Classic Bay doesn't have a lot of options, but it heats like the Sun, is easy to clean, and isn't picky on Pellets.

 

[Lousyweather]

Mazeltov!

 

[mralias]

I think it is upside down but I fixed it for you.

 

[smwilliamson]

I think it is upside down but I fixed in for you.

View attachment 96547

geee thanks, much better

 

[Don2222]

I have a Quad, I bought a CPM last year to replace the Quad. I didn't replace the Quad Sold the CPM to my Father.

I will be installing a Enerzone Euromax next month.m

Next season I will let you know I will have had the DIY model (CPM), the High end (Euromax), and the everyday reliable (Classic Bay). I have no doubt that the Enerzone will live up to the standard, it having High/Low, plus a multitude of other settings (can set the pilot time, reads real time exhaust temps, easy to clean, disassemble, and operate) should prove to be my favorite Stove yet.

I still want to buy a Harman, and next weekend, I may pick up a P-68 in my area on CL. That will replace my old PDV in the Shop.

My Quad Classic Bay doesn't have a lot of options, but it heats like the Sun, is easy to clean, and isn't picky on Pellets.

Wow Dexter, sounds like you are moving up!

Enerzone Euromax, Quad and Harman! ! ! You cannot get any better or reliable than that! ! ! !

 

[DexterDay]

Wow Dexter, sounds like you are moving up!

Enerzone Euromax, Quad and Harman! ! ! You cannot get any better or reliable than that! ! ! !

Really looking forward to the Euromax!! Looks to be a solid workhorse and also super easy to clean and remove components on (2 clips removes almost Everything in the stove, if it doesn't have clips, its 1/4 turn away from removal). Pretty excited about next heating season

 

[Mike D]

I have a Quad, I bought a CPM last year to replace the Quad. I didn't replace the Quad Sold the CPM to my Father.

Did you really charge your father OR did he insist on giving you something for the stove?

 

[DexterDay]

Did you really charge your father OR did he insist on giving you something for the stove?

His first stove (01 25-PDV) I gave him for free. Installed for him, and gave him a ton of pellets.

He sold that stove for $650 to his neighbor. So he really only came $550 out of pocket.

So yeah, I charged him. But he got a good deal and loves the auto ignite and t-stat feature. The PDV was a 2001 and pre auto ignite. Also, was loud and needed daily attention.

I just gave my Father a $600 saw for Christmas. He gets quite a few perks from me being a Pyro. But sometimes he has to pay (discounted)

 

[smwilliamson]

Thanks for the title change mods.

Ok let's try and get this back on track.....you guys can pm each other about your toys

A little bit about what I'm doing. People ask me all the time as well as ask the forum "What is the best pellet stove" which we all know it impossible to answer. Any pellet stove is a great stove so long as the relationship between Owner, Stove and Fuel are all complimenting each other. I call this the stove "Tolerance". I know which stoves are more tolerant...but I'm going to map it out. What I need from you are POSITIVE attributes of a stove which reinforce the relationships between each, Stove, Fuel and Owner

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Proper and detailed cleaning instructions in the manual including a schedule that lays out the relationship between ash levels and cleaning frequency. Use pictures as much as possible and explain why this must be done.

Easy to access and open clean out ports that are documented in the cleaning instructions.

A fines tolerant and non-reversing fuel feed system.

A minimum of moving parts.

Reusable gaskets for things like the blowers that have to be removed for proper cleaning.

Wire routing that doesn't bring the enemies of insulation anywhere near the wires.

 

[Don2222]

Thanks for the title change mods.

Ok let's try and get this back on track.....you guys can pm each other about your toys

A little bit about what I'm doing. People ask me all the time as well as ask the forum "What is the best pellet stove" which we all know it impossible to answer. Any pellet stove is a great stove so long as the relationship between Owner, Stove and Fuel are all complimenting each other. I call this the stove "Tolerance". I know which stoves are more tolerant...but I'm going to map it out. What I need from you are POSITIVE attributes of a stove which reinforce the relationships between each, Stove, Fuel and Owner

Here is a few things off the top of my head about pellet stoves that I like:

1.The Breckwell burn pot that is enclosed and connected to the air intake tube.

2. A bottom auger with vertical rotary disks like the new Avalon AGP that cuts long wood pellets

3. A heavy duty metal vacuum switch like the old whitfield stoves that can take the full 120v AC

4. The Harman Accordian Heat exhangers that sock out a great amount of heat.

5. HPS High Performance Silicon thick wall vacuum line that does not develop cracks quickly.

6. A smart digital control panel that does not use snap disks.

7. A control panel that works T-Stat using either mode Auto-Hi/Lo or Auto-On/Off
Even better some computer smarts that would calculate the difference between the T-Stat SET temp and the room temp and then select the appropriate Heat level to ramp the room up to that temp in a reasonable amount of time using the fewest wood pellets. Like the new LG washing machines that shake the clothes back and forth to determine the load and then calculate the least amount of water and detergent to use. LOL

8.0 A control panel like the HearthStone Heretige that scrolls the LCD word messages.

9.0 A control panel with two way communication like the Quadrafire Mount Vernon AE.

10. A USB hookup like the Bixby corn stove so you can change or adjust ALL the settings!

11. A universal App for my iPhone 5 that would also do feature 10 above!

12. A very well balanced exhaust blower with a heavy flywheel like the hearthstone heritage that will go with very little energy.

13. A pellet stove that you can connect ductwork like the Drolet or Ecotek Laura & Veronica

14. A nice deep ashpan like the Hudson River Kinderhook

15 A 5 bag hopper like the big Pelpro Home Heater 300 wood pellet stove Model HHPP32BD

16. A stove that goes from 0 to 70k BTUs like the Harman P68

17. A heavy duty 6 RPM auger motor like the Harman P68

18. A corkscrew type Auger like the Quadrafire pellet stoves.

19. A Pot Stirer like the Englander 10-CPM

20. Cast iron Heringbone pattern fire brick backing like the Enviro Meridian

 

[smwilliamson]

I gotcha don.... But we need to focus on aspects that actually exist, not wish lists

 

[Don2222]

I gotcha don.... But we need to focus on aspects that actually exist, not wish lists

All those features exist in different stoves. Is that what you are trying to determine? Which features make the stove more suitable for the customer?

Example of one of the above.: A smart digital control panel that does not use snap disks. That is a great reliable feature is it not?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

All those features exist in different stoves. Is that what you are trying to determine? Which features make the stove more suitable for the customer?

Example of one of the above.: A smart digital control panel that does not use snap disks. That is a great reliable feature is it not?

Only if the control board doesn't have certain kinds of hiccups, personally I'd rather have certain systems independent from each other.

 

[Don2222]

Only if the control board doesn't have certain kinds of hiccups, personally I'd rather have certain systems independent from each other.

Well. personally I feel that a control board that has a fuse for each triac and plus a main fuse like the USC control boards are much more protected from failure! Also in manual mode you have complete control over the draft fan. That is a cool feature too! See my pics below.

click pic to enlarge