Pellets in coal stove

[cogger]

Yes! It can be done but be careful. This was done is a Vermont Casting Intrepid. Coal stove. The Prometheus basket is no longer being made for this size firebox. Even if it was, still at $240 This was worth a try:
Solution - Homemade pellet basket. I took 6 tie plates. Drilled bigger holes. sectioned 4 of them in to 2 center baffles using 1/4 in bolts. Put all of them together with a heavy gauge wire and screw rod to stand up in the fire box. Leaving 1/4in. space on the ends between the brick and tie plates for air flow.

There is no bottom. The shaker in the stove serves it. To avoid the pellets falling through I placed a layer of lava rocks. (BBQ rocks) across the bottom. As the weather get's cooler I will be experimenting running methods for efficiency.

 

[Michael6268]

Unless you dont have access to coal or like wasting $, why on earth would you want to burn pellets in a coal stove? Sorry I just had to ask....

 

[cogger]

Unless you dont have access to coal or like wasting $, why on earth would you want to burn pellets in a coal stove? Sorry I just had to ask....

1) Coal is a fossil fuel and getting harder to get in bulk
2) Pellets are renewable source
3) 14 inch firewood is too much work and hassle

why would I be wasting money? I am saving $ by not using electricity on pellet stove and consuming the same amount of pellets with same heat output.

The parts cost for this project where under $10. The official prometheus basket is $240

 

[Michael6268]

why would I be wasting money? I am saving $ by not using electricity on pellet stove and consuming the same amount of pellets with same heat output.[/quote]

Cant argue on the electricity issue. Personally I think they use more electricity than most believe. I had one years ago, and when I got rid of it, it seemed like the electric bill went noticeably down. Only reason I say its wasting money if you did have access to coal, is that in my neck of the woods at least, coal is "much cheaper" than pellets. Approx $100 a ton, and the amount of heat/btu's from coal vs. pellets is much greater. Sounds like your project worked out pretty good for you though! Maybe "mass production"??? Nah, Energex would sue you for copyright!

 

[cogger]

If I could get coal at that price I'd go with it.

Energex is no longer producing the baskets. Or maybe just the largest model they still are. The e-mail I got from their support says so anyway. Demand is growing rapid for pellets and that will be their focus. As far as the copy thing. I have my hands full with other messes. But I will say for $10 It can be done. I will post some pics when time allows and keep this thread updated as I experiment.

 

[wg_bent]

With Pellets at 300+ a ton and coal at about 250 a ton for bagged coal, the coal is the way to go. The setup you have will burn pellets so poorly that you'll be producing more pollution than the coal.

I'd say buy an epa wood stove or pellet stove or buy bagged coal.

 

[berlin]

where are you at and i could tell you if you have acess to coal. btw anthricite burns cleaner than pellets esp. in a bulk loading stove and is far cheaper.

 

[cogger]

With Pellets at 300+ a ton and coal at about 250 a ton for bagged coal, the coal is the way to go. The setup you have will burn pellets so poorly that you'll be producing more pollution than the coal.

I'd say buy an epa wood stove or pellet stove or buy bagged coal.

I have a pellet stove but the auger motor is shot. I will think about keeping warm before I think of emissions. Seems to be working out ok so far.

 

[cogger]

where are you at and i could tell you if you have acess to coal. btw anthricite burns cleaner than pellets esp. in a bulk loading stove and is far cheaper.

In Northern NH. I can only find it at local agway. But to tell ya the truth I have not really shoped around for coal. I can get all the soft coal I need from the railway but that stuff is noxious.

 

[berlin]

"soft coal I need from the railway but that stuff is noxious"

not really. anthricite is cleaner but most of the world heats with soft coal, and unless you're burning chinese coal thats undergone mineralization you'll be fine.

 

[Mike Wilson]

Pellets in coal stove

When I read the title of your thread, the first thing that came to my mind was "Gasoline in an Oil Furnace" ...

First off, The VC Intrepid isn't exactly the type of "coal stove" that was brought to mind when I started reading this. You're basically just using this stove as an iron box to contain fire in... coal, wood, pellets, or otherwise.
Next, if you are going to do this, and don't like the idea of using friendly, economical anthracite coal, then why the heck use pellets... smoulderfest, say I. Why not use those compressed logs, which are basically just giant pellets, and will burn a whole lot better than a pile of pellets in a pumpkin pie pan. Oh, and look ma, no electricity.

Now, having lots of relatives up in your land of "Live, Freeze, then Die," I know that you people have a lot of time on your hands which is normally spent by thinking of kookey ideas while shivering in the cold... but really... why not burn... oh, I don't know... Wood in your stove? Or the aforementioned giant pellet logs? All I know is, that if I had a stove here that could burn coal, I'd have 3 tons in the yard and a shovel in the living room.

Good luck,

-- Mike

 

[cogger]

Pellets in coal stove

When I read the title of your thread, the first thing that came to my mind was "Gasoline in an Oil Furnace" ...

First off, The VC Intrepid isn't exactly the type of "coal stove" that was brought to mind when I started reading this. You're basically just using this stove as an iron box to contain fire in... coal, wood, pellets, or otherwise.
Next, if you are going to do this, and don't like the idea of using friendly, economical anthracite coal, then why the heck use pellets... smoulderfest, say I. Why not use those compressed logs, which are basically just giant pellets, and will burn a whole lot better than a pile of pellets in a pumpkin pie pan. Oh, and look ma, no electricity.

Now, having lots of relatives up in your land of "Live, Freeze, then Die," I know that you people have a lot of time on your hands which is normally spent by thinking of kookey ideas while shivering in the cold... but really... why not burn... oh, I don't know... Wood in your stove? Or the aforementioned giant pellet logs? All I know is, that if I had a stove here that could burn coal, I'd have 3 tons in the yard and a shovel in the living room.

Good luck,

-- Mike

Wood for this size of a stove is a major hassle and don't have lot's of time. Years of past I always burned 2-3 cord a season in this lil fire box. So without selling or trading the Intrepid I wanted to give the prometheus basket a try out. Since are are not made anymore I rigged up a alternative solution. It's been working out well so with minimal smoulder. Light em with a propane tourch

Giant pellet log you are mentioning - is this the fake log stuff in a wraper with the wax that is sold in supermarkets?

 

[Michael6268]

Actually Mike W's idea is a good one if you cant/dont want to use coal. They make a nice product called Bio Bricks. What they are is compressed wood about the size of a "can of Spam". They are basically a "large pellet" and would burn a lot better and hotter that the pellets. They burn very cleam and leave little ash. I have used them and was impressed with the amount of heat that comes out of them. They are nice too because you can stack them nice and tight to each other for a longer burn.

 

[cogger]

Actually Mike W's idea is a good one if you cant/dont want to use coal. They make a nice product called Bio Bricks. What they are is compressed wood about the size of a "can of Spam". They are basically a "large pellet" and would burn a lot better and hotter that the pellets. They burn very cleam and leave little ash. I have used them and was impressed with the amount of heat that comes out of them. They are nice too because you can stack them nice and tight to each other for a longer burn.

I just located a dealer nearby. I will give em a try! Never heard of such a thing.

http://www.biopellet.net/wheretobuy.html

 

[Mike Wilson]

That's what I was thinking about. They also make round ones, but I think the square ones would be more efficient and fill more of your firebox. Plus, I hear they are wife approved.
I can't get them down here, but maybe if I take the ferry over to CT I'll pick some up.

-- Mike

 

[Choppedliver]

why would I be wasting money? I am saving $ by not using electricity on pellet stove and consuming the same amount of pellets with same heat output.

The parts cost for this project where under $10. The official prometheus basket is $240

I have two models of them for $65.00 each plus shipping ($15-20.00)
Ryan @ Rocky Mountain Stove
[email protected]
or
303 420 9000
models size
61411 9.6"h 14.7"w 11.1” d
62271 9.6"h 22.0"w 9.0 d

Prometheus pellet basket (broken link removed to http://www.energex.com/energex_products.htm)

 

[cogger]

why would I be wasting money? I am saving $ by not using electricity on pellet stove and consuming the same amount of pellets with same heat output.

The parts cost for this project where under $10. The official prometheus basket is $240

I have two models of them for $65.00 each plus shipping ($15-20.00)
Ryan @ Rocky Mountain Stove
[email protected]
or
303 420 9000
models size
61411 9.6"h 14.7"w 11.1” d
62271 9.6"h 22.0"w 9.0 d

Prometheus pellet basket (broken link removed to http://www.energex.com/energex_products.htm)

Wow - nice price. I tried out the Bio Bricks. I think I am going to stick with them for the time being. The homemade basket I made works but you must nurse the pellet fuel for a few hours before a nice burning pile is made without a over fire. In my case and circumstance Bio is choice for now. Glad I found a dealer nearby. Thanks to the folks here for mentioning them. I think I did see these several years back and walked and by and laughed because I was into firewood bigtime.