Can anyone tell me what the realistic usage is of this stove? I've been told they burn about a bag a day. I'm going through a bag and a half at least. I'm now using LG Granules. Thanks!
Santa Fe insert pellet usage
- Thread starter tomandy
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
The stove is supposed to feed 1.5#/hour on Low, 2.5 on Medium, and 3.5 on High. Now that ASSUMES that you have adjusted the feed rate on HIGH so that your AVERAGE flame height is 4". It will go up and down. How much you use a day really will vary depending on how hot you keep your house, how well it's insulated, what the temp is outside, if the wind is blowing, how many square feet you are heating, etc, etc. All of these factors will determine how long the stove stays on. If it stays on constantly and you are running in high, then it should use 24 x 3.5 or 84 pounds (2.1 bags per day). Again, this assumes you have the feed rate right on. From many comments about exhaust pipes rumbling, I can guess that a lot of people are over feeding them. When I am running on Low constantly, I use about 1 1/2 buckets of pellets where each bucket holds about 15 pounds. That tells me my feed rate setting is on the low side but it suits my situation. On High, it is not bashful about sucking up pellets but the flame height is about half way to the baffle plate.
You have to readjust the feed rate rather often as you get into different pellet batches and brands. It's not a set and forget adjustment by any means.
You have to readjust the feed rate rather often as you get into different pellet batches and brands. It's not a set and forget adjustment by any means.
Thanks. I am new to this game and can use lots of info from seasoned users. You have provided me lots to absorb, thanks. My dealer said this unit works best on high. My instinct tells me to run on lower settings as the need calls for. I think this would provide more even heat rather than cycle the stove multiple times. Besides not being experienced with this stove, I have lots of misfires.
Have you tried letting the stove run constantly on low or med? This will keep a much better "Soak" in the house. Temps will not fluctuate and you will be more comfortable. IMO.
I have tried the T-stat on Med. But I have found on Low (24/7) my Quad heats 2,180 sq to 75*. Until it hits about 10* outside. The house is much, much more comfortable. For 3 yrs I experimented with it. I found letting it Purr all day was best (only in the dead of winter/uses just as many pellets as stat).
It takes a lot of testing and experimenting to find what works for each home. But over time, you will find what works for you.
I have tried the T-stat on Med. But I have found on Low (24/7) my Quad heats 2,180 sq to 75*. Until it hits about 10* outside. The house is much, much more comfortable. For 3 yrs I experimented with it. I found letting it Purr all day was best (only in the dead of winter/uses just as many pellets as stat).
It takes a lot of testing and experimenting to find what works for each home. But over time, you will find what works for you.
definetly going to have to determine what works best in your situation through some experimenting. everybodys situation is somewhat different. i run my quad the complete opposite of dexter. no way would my stove on low keep my house at 75*. well i guess if it was 60* outside it might. my house might not be insulated real well....lol. pellet usage will go up as temps go down obviuosly, and at 10* i cant keep enough pellets in my stove. i have also learned (as stated above, sort of) 32* and sunny, i will burn less than at 42*, cloudy and windy. a lot of factors will play into what is going to work best for you, like where the stove is located, layout of the house, insulation...and the list goes on. my stove is actually located in the wrong corner of the room for heating my house, it basically blows hot air against my front door, rather than blow it upstairs and into the other rooms.
Your dealer probably recommends the High heat setting because he knows, as you will soon discover, that the blower speeds for Low and Medium are seriously inadequate and will not extract enough heat before it goes out the flue. What some have done as B-Mod suggested last year is to permanently feed snap disk #1, the switch that controls the convection blower, with a constant 110 volts. That way the blower speed is always on high. It works great to get more heat out of the stove. Some have also installed a light dimmer switch to adjust the speed although that has a danger involved if you put the heat to High and forget to raise the blower speed.
You can search for this mod by searching for B-Mod or my posts and blower speed. This mod is totally reversible in case of warranty worries.
You can search for this mod by searching for B-Mod or my posts and blower speed. This mod is totally reversible in case of warranty worries.
Does the Santa Fe have an adjustable auger feed plate? If so, slide it so that it feeds fewer pellets and then run it on high. This will give more blower air, but use the fewer pellets as if you were running it on Med.
flynfrfun said:
The only possible downside of that is that the combustion blower will be sucking a LOT of air for just a few pellets causing a lean condition and blowing ash and pellets possibly out of the pot. The combustion fan and the convection fan speeds are normally tied to the heat setting. It might work though.
tjnamtiw said:
Ahh...forgot about that. My M55 has a damper and a combustion trim so I can reduce the combustion blower's draw if need be.
Lots of info to digest. Looks like this is an excellent site to get lots of useful info on pellet stoves. Thanks to all!
flynfrfun said:
Yea, I jealous, flynfrfun. You have a lot more things to play with! That's a really nice looking stove you have.
Wales915
New Member
I'm in the same spot, trying to fine tune feed rate and blower settings... Of course a higher blower setting on the Santa Fe, means automatically increasing the 'feed rate'... My stove on Med blower, and factory set 60% feed rate, was actually shutting DOWN, because the dealer said the thermo coupler wasn't staying above 500 degrees
So he set the control box to '7' instead of '6' which it comes from the factory set as ...
Well, the stove is still running, without shutting down , but I'm 1.75-2.2 bags a day and it's not even that hot in my place ?!? I'm only heating 950-1000 sq feet, and even with this crazy pellet consumption - cant get my heat in the next room to 70 ???
Any ideas?? Im new to the santa fe, but owned a bottom feed unit years ago, and it would keep the basement at 72-73 and the remainder of the house/ upstairs at 68-69 minimum ..
And help would be appreciated
)
Scott in Central Ct
So he set the control box to '7' instead of '6' which it comes from the factory set as ...Well, the stove is still running, without shutting down , but I'm 1.75-2.2 bags a day and it's not even that hot in my place ?!? I'm only heating 950-1000 sq feet, and even with this crazy pellet consumption - cant get my heat in the next room to 70 ???
Any ideas?? Im new to the santa fe, but owned a bottom feed unit years ago, and it would keep the basement at 72-73 and the remainder of the house/ upstairs at 68-69 minimum ..
And help would be appreciated
) Scott in Central Ct
Wales915 said:I'm in the same spot, trying to fine tune feed rate and blower settings... Of course a higher blower setting on the Santa Fe, means automatically increasing the 'feed rate'... My stove on Med blower, and factory set 60% feed rate, was actually shutting DOWN, because the dealer said the thermo coupler wasn't staying above 500 degrees
Well, the stove is still running, without shutting down , but I'm 1.75-2.2 bags a day and it's not even that hot in my place ?!? I'm only heating 950-1000 sq feet, and even with this crazy pellet consumption - cant get my heat in the next room to 70 ???
Any ideas?? Im new to the santa fe, but owned a bottom feed unit years ago, and it would keep the basement at 72-73 and the remainder of the house/ upstairs at 68-69 minimum ..
And help would be appreciated
Scott in Central Ct
I'm assuming you also have a Sante Fe since you don't specify it in your signature. There is NO SUCH THING as a factory set feed rate! Every brand of pellet and even batch to batch of the same brand will feed differently mainly because of pellet length variations. You have to set the feed rate on the Sante Fe in HIGH as per the manual to get an average 4" high. That is the only adjustment on these stoves.
Wales915
New Member
I do have the Santa fe, just new to the forum... If the feed rate is set to high, can I still run on low or high depending on heat demands, without getting the exhaust pipes shuttering ???
tomandy said:
I would tend to agree with you over your dealer. I tell my customers to adjust as needed. Run the stove on the lowest setting possible while being enough heat. The more the stove is on, the more even the heat.
Wales915 said:
Yes, of course. When you select low or medium heat, the feed rate AND combustion blower both slow down.
Your pipes should not be shuttering at any setting. If they are, you are probably over feeding and getting too high a flame. It can also happen at start up if the feed gate is open too far and too many pellets are dumped initially. Also, if the reset is hit during startup or by mistake during normal burning, another 30 seconds of feeding will take place creating a very large, noisy flame. The reset button sits right aside of the heat selector toggle switch and in the dark, it's very easy to bump it. Yep, been there! Finally, if there is a momentary interruption in electric, the stove will reset and dump the startup load of pellets.
Wales915
New Member
Thank you for your insight First yr with the Santa fe, and just trying to fine tune!! I'd rather not be burning so much 1.5-2 bags, and it's only been 40 outside, but, oh well... Pretty soon it may be cheaper to turn on the baseboard hot water!! Oil Yuck !!
I'd rather not have to supplement with the furnace if there is any way around it
-scott
First yr with the Santa fe, and just trying to fine tune!! I'd rather not be burning so much 1.5-2 bags, and it's only been 40 outside, but, oh well... Pretty soon it may be cheaper to turn on the baseboard hot water!! Oil Yuck !!I'd rather not have to supplement with the furnace if there is any way around it
-scott
Wales915 said:Thank you for your insight
I'd rather not have to supplement with the furnace if there is any way around it
-scott
IF YOU HAVE SET YOUR FEED RATE PER THE MANUAL, then your stove would be burning on High 24 hours to use 2 bags! That can't be right unless your house is huge and/or has no insulation.
Wales915
New Member
Home is nicley insulated, feed rate is slightly more open because of long pellets, just beyond the middle, and on medium... Almost 2 bags not quite, but can't get room temp at 69-70, and only heating about 800-900 sq feet ??
Wales915
New Member
No, but the L portion or my ranch is blocked off. Just trying to heat living/ open dinning room and 2 bed rooms, all right off the living room where the stove is.. Can't get it above 67-68 even on high, and it hasnt been that cold, and insulated wel
Wales915 said:
The stove is also going to heat the area you have blocked off and the block off is not as well insulated and likely not as air flow leak proof.
That all aside inserts siting in a fireplace opening if not properly installed can have a lot of the heat they produce go up the flue instead of where you want it.
If the flue was not insulated at the block off plate and the block off plate sealed to the pellet vent I'd venture a guess that more than a small amount was going up and heating the chimney. It is also possible that your convection blowers intake is partially blocked and its air flow reduced as a result but I have no indication of that (block enough and the stove will trip on overheat).
Wales915
New Member
Hmmmm .... Ok .... What I know for sure is, that it has a 3" liner to the top of chimney , but it IS NOT insulated behind the stove at the old damper/ block off, plate was removed, and pipe was just sealed at the cap at the top.. Sealed tight !! I could always install some fireproof insulation around the pipe at the block off this weekend if you think that much is going up the chimney ..
Wales915
New Member
Hmmmm .... Ok .... What I know for sure is, that it has a 3" liner to the top of chimney , but it IS NOT insulated behind the stove at the old damper/ block off, plate was removed, and pipe was just sealed at the cap at the top.. Sealed tight !! I could always install some fireproof insulation around the pipe at the block off this weekend if you think that much is going up the chimney ..
-scott
-scott
- Status
Similar threads
