Seeking Comment on my Set-up

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pweeden

New Member
Hearth Supporter
Oct 9, 2008
20
So. Wisconsin
I'd like to throw some pictures up here of my pellet stove set-up and ask for any opinions from you pellet heads, good or bad on what I have done and what I might do better.

I bought a Kozi KSH-120 shop heater and installed it myself in the summer of 2008. It lives in the unfinished basement of my 1,200 sq ft 1970's era ranch house. I read all the posts here about not installing a pellet stove in a basement but thought I'd try it anyway since I have no place for it on the main floor. I ducted the output from the stove directly into my house's existing HVAC using 8" high temp flexible ducting and a plenum that fits tightly against the front of the stove. The air flow is quite low, as you would expect, but enough hot air trickles upstairs that it keeps the house reasonably warm if the stove is left on continuously. Only when the outside temp gets below zero do we need supplemental heat.

I figure that I am losing a lot of heat by keeping the ductwork in the basement hot all the time, with limited airflow to the upstairs. A thermometer on the ductwork usually hangs around 180°. I bought an 8" high temp, 370 cfs fan for the flex-duct (Grainger has everything for the handy-man!) but I need an electrician to wire the thing for me so I haven't put it in yet. It would have to be on a switch of some sort. Maybe a thermostat?

Running the regular furnace fan does nothing, since it tends to blow back down the flex duct instead of sucking the hot air up into the house.

The stove runs on setting 3, which eats up almost two bags of pellets a day. I'm in Wisconsin so temps hang in the teens and 20s most days. Seems like a lot of fuel.

I'm a self-admitted cheapskate. Is this hillbilly engineering? Does it matter? Should I bite the bullet and get pellet furnace or more efficiency?

BTW, don't get a Kozi unless you really like to tinker.
 

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I am not a pro but I see a few issues that are limiting your system.

The distribution fan on a stove is sized to push air thru the heat exchangers and into a room NOT thru duct work. Your in duct fans should help with that when you get them installed.

BUT

Your system still will not be balanced without a cold air return of some sort. As is your set up will push hot air back into furnace and out the cold side of unit.

I thinking the max stove output is about 1/2 the BTU's required for your house and location.

All and all your system is probably no more efficient than just running stove with basement door open.
 
I don't think the flex is rated for 180 degrees. If your're going to hillbilly it run the flex over to the return of your central heater.
 
I have this exact same stove. Unless your stove is superior to mine, there is no way heat will transfer up that pipe. I have mine on my first floor with limited insulation in my entire house and I can't keep my room where my stove is above 74 when it is 20 or below. ( I do have insulation in this room and new windows. I have to run my stove on setting 5 24/7. I go through about 2 -2 1/2 bags of pellets a day on setting 5. You should not be going through 2 bags on setting 3. Anyway. Will this be the first time you are using this stove? I just fear that you are not going to get the results that you are looking for with this stove, unless like I said your stove is better than what I have going on.
 
Weeds,

I hope that the insurance company, the local code enforcement officer, and your mortgage company don't find out about your install.

Even the stove manufacturer would have a fit.
 
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