Is there a certain type of shelled corn that burns better than others? Im new to this corn burning, so trying to maximize my furnace sooner, as corn is cheaper and supposedly burns longer and hotter.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Shelled Corn
- Thread starter Steve Dimmick
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Bioburner
Moderator
Dry corn, the drier the better. You probably won't get the opportunity to choose but high sugar content I am told is the best as it has a higher carbon content and around here that is a primary corn that goes to ethanol plants. $3.50/bu. to buy around here now.
seems to be running about $5 to $6 per bushel here...so it's safe to say that the ethanol corn is higher in general? I can get that at $4.50/bu, but the guy isn't ready yet (just a small farm)
I have heard to mix wood pellets and corn 80/20 in favor of corn. Whats the reasoning for this?
I have heard to mix wood pellets and corn 80/20 in favor of corn. Whats the reasoning for this?
Bioburner
Moderator
Nymex corn is $3.80 and then theres what the local elevator gives, $3.25 and they add 25 cents for markup for handling etc. bulk. Just go for feed grade corn.
Corn has a higher ignition temperature, almost 200F higher than wood. So start with 20% corn by weight and go up from there. Corn will make a clinker so pellets help with ignition and help keep from getting a hard clinker in stoves that don't have a stirrer. May need to slow down the air through the pot also. Corn has a higher density than pellets.
Corn has a higher ignition temperature, almost 200F higher than wood. So start with 20% corn by weight and go up from there. Corn will make a clinker so pellets help with ignition and help keep from getting a hard clinker in stoves that don't have a stirrer. May need to slow down the air through the pot also. Corn has a higher density than pellets.
Arti
Feeling the Heat
Under 15 percent moisture 10 is better. And the cleaner U get it is desirable. Silk Will wrap in the auger. Cobs will sometimes stick in the drop chute if your stove has one. Not much different than pellets really.
Reading the requirements\suggestions of a different stove i was looking at they mentioned high wax corn is to be avoided.
How is a high wax content determined? And does it just not burn well or are there other problems with the wax?
How is a high wax content determined? And does it just not burn well or are there other problems with the wax?
Bioburner
Moderator
High wax-oil. You get more soot. I tried to burn some soybeans and that was a mess.
Have no idea about determining if high oil.
Have no idea about determining if high oil.
Bioburner
Moderator
Corn can vary in weight per bushel. Seen it from low 40's(elevator will refuse) to near mid 60's. Standard bushel weight is 56lbs. Typically corn can have almost the same range of btu's per pound as wood pellets. The density per cu ft is a bit higher.
I already stated what corn goes for in post #4. Now the corn is going for really cheap here in the major corn belt and out east it is going pretty high. Have to feed them critters with something and so more corn is being shipped east as crops were poorer. County average per acre was around 190 bu per acre and some beans hitting 70
I already stated what corn goes for in post #4. Now the corn is going for really cheap here in the major corn belt and out east it is going pretty high. Have to feed them critters with something and so more corn is being shipped east as crops were poorer. County average per acre was around 190 bu per acre and some beans hitting 70
If your stove has a stirrer such as a Harman PC45, some country side models and a few others corn ash will build up and form a clinker of sorts on the stirrer making it not work right. It is easy to remedy this by adding some wood pellets to make a blend. This will make the stove start easier and the ash won't build up on the stirrer.
Harman suggests 12% moisture as a ideal moisture for burning corn. The problem with drying corn is that the drier it gets the more brittle it gets so you end up with more fines, dust and cracked corn.
Corn has dropped in price and pellets have jumped up making corn a attractive fuel. Some companies quit making multifuel stoves because of lack of demand. In general the corn/pellet stove business seems to be a feast or famine situation depending of petroleum price, pellet price and corn price. The foreign markets are having a effect on pellet prices as well.
Location is a big factor as far as corn prices. Bio-Burner and myself both live in Minn where corn is a main crop. I haven't seen any special corn designated as ethanol corn around here and I have two large ethanol plants 15 miles on either side of me.
Bioburner
Moderator
I bought corn one season from the President of the local Ethanol coop. It went broke when the corn was over $7. Lot of farmers here contract with the plants. Have 3 plants in about 30 miles. Can see the vapor off the one in Fergus falls on a calm day.
We have a local ethanol plant, I should probably call them to see if they will sell to me. Do you buy them loose? The small farm that supplies the plant will sell them to me loose for $4.50/bu, I wonder if im getting a better deal than the plant (if willing to sell to me)
3 things to remember
Make sure your stove and venting are both rated for corn
Corn will draw bugs and varmints
Corn burns hot
Make sure your stove and venting are both rated for corn
Corn will draw bugs and varmints
Corn burns hot
Bioburner
Moderator
Bulk, I have a gravity box. I never heard of anyone try to buy from a ethanol plant except for millers grains. If you buy bulk you may want to screen it trough a 1/2 inch screen to catch large cob and stalk pieces and an occasional rock. AI replaced many auger motors of people who thought their corn plenty clean.
Bioburner
Moderator
A pellet stove salesman told me yesterdayto stay away from corn .
He says he burnt a few bags a few tears ago and immediately got mice in the home.
Pain in the ass he said. Stay away....
He says he burnt a few bags a few tears ago and immediately got mice in the home.
Pain in the ass he said. Stay away....
Bioburner
Moderator
Theres the problem, your supposed to burn the corn, not the bags
I don't store corn in the house. Get from outside shed and put into stove asap. Peanut butter and bacon are probably more of an attractant. Mice are attracted to food and a warm dark place period.
I don't store corn in the house. Get from outside shed and put into stove asap. Peanut butter and bacon are probably more of an attractant. Mice are attracted to food and a warm dark place period.
Arti
Feeling the Heat
Corn is more time consuming than buying a bag of pellets. I've been around farms all my life so it's a natural thing for me to deal with transporting , cleaning and storing it.
I have a gravity box, A farmer or elevator operator isn't going to bag it for U or want t0 measure out small quantities, I buy it 100 bushels at a time (approx 2.5 ton)
We use a fan to move a stream of air across the corn to clean it as it is put into a bin in our basement, The bin holds 3 ton. It takes approx. 5 hours to clean and move the corn.
once it is hauled home and cleaned we are on easy street, I put an auger on the bin so filling the corn furnace is opening the lid and flipping a switch.
I like to put some pellets and oyster shells in so there is some labor involved in that end of it. We buy a ton of pellets a year so our total is about 3.5 tons to heat our house.
Corn is about 150 a ton if we figure in the hauling and handling pellets are about 250 a ton. So for about 650 dollars total we heat the bulk of the year. Fall and Spring we use a Heat Pump which costs about a dollar a day to heat the house.
So we save 250 a year by burning corn instead of all pellets however it is a little more time consuming and a few more hours work.
As far as rodent control we use dryer sheets, moth balls in the area of the grain bin also a sonic pest repellent is plugged in although I don't know if it works or not.
I have a gravity box, A farmer or elevator operator isn't going to bag it for U or want t0 measure out small quantities, I buy it 100 bushels at a time (approx 2.5 ton)
We use a fan to move a stream of air across the corn to clean it as it is put into a bin in our basement, The bin holds 3 ton. It takes approx. 5 hours to clean and move the corn.
once it is hauled home and cleaned we are on easy street, I put an auger on the bin so filling the corn furnace is opening the lid and flipping a switch.
I like to put some pellets and oyster shells in so there is some labor involved in that end of it. We buy a ton of pellets a year so our total is about 3.5 tons to heat our house.
Corn is about 150 a ton if we figure in the hauling and handling pellets are about 250 a ton. So for about 650 dollars total we heat the bulk of the year. Fall and Spring we use a Heat Pump which costs about a dollar a day to heat the house.
So we save 250 a year by burning corn instead of all pellets however it is a little more time consuming and a few more hours work.
As far as rodent control we use dryer sheets, moth balls in the area of the grain bin also a sonic pest repellent is plugged in although I don't know if it works or not.
great info Arti. I built a 1-ton bin for the corn in my basement, sealed it up pretty good, i'll try the moth balls just to be sure on the mice. Im excited to pay $170/ton for corn, compared to $250 average we pay here in PA for pellets. My 7-10 day hopper probably holds atleast a 1/4 ton, so I should be saving time going to get pellets. I burned the furnace for 2-days a few weeks ago when the cold front came in with Pellets only and burned 4 bags in two days. It was about 45days/30nights, so not entirely too cold. I had to tinker with the fee rate and think I had it pretty good for pellets. I set it at 68deg. House stayed at 73 In the day and 73 all night, so not quit sure I have it efficient yet, but atleast it held the same temp.
Got my first two bushels of corn yesterday, will try them tonight. Also will get my first ton of corn this weekend.
Got my first two bushels of corn yesterday, will try them tonight. Also will get my first ton of corn this weekend.
Arti
Feeling the Heat
The bin u built sounds great, The way I look at it the corn is slightly more work than pellets but less money than bags of pellets.
Sort of what a banker would call sweat equity, work a little more and save some money.
Sort of what a banker would call sweat equity, work a little more and save some money.
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