Switching from a large Fisher stove to a pellet stove.

[PinMd]

Hello, First post on the forum.

Lets start with a little background. Our house is a 3200sqft raised rancher. Built in 1972. Drafty windows and not enough insulation in the attic. We've been heating it with a heat pump and a wood stove for the past 7 years. I burn 4-7 cords of wood a year depending on how much wood I have, quality of wood, weather, ect. The past tree or four years I've had my act together and had enough good seasoned wood to last me the winter and burnt about 5 cords each year. Our large Fisher wood stove is located in the basement of the house and about 2/3's to one side. Next to the stove is the heat pump blower and ducts. During the winter I close off all the returns to the blower and open a 16"x16" grate on the return located about 6' from the stove and up near the cieling. Most of the time, if I keep the stove fed, I can keep the upstairs living area of the house at about 75, the basement is a darn site hotter then that, but it's only storage/shop area.

I'm working on my second back surgery in two years and I'm 38 years old. I'm also getting lazier in my old age. On top of that, I don't have a stick of wood cut for the winter of 2011/2012, I do have enough for this winter, but I'm finding it hard to get excited about keeping that beast fed. the wife and I have decided on a pellet stove. I've already sold my splitter and my wood truck, so there's no turning back.

I guess my main questions are. About what size stove would compare to the heat output of my Fisher? Dose anyone make a large, ugly, dependable, petllet stove? Should I just buy the Harman P-68 I've been looking at and be happy?

Thanks for reading, Phil

 

[BrotherBart]

If you are going to heat the joint with a pellet stove then it is going to have to go upstairs where you need the heat. Period. Pellet stoves put out consistent heat but not anything like the big blast of a wood stove.

 

[begreen]

Sorry to hear about the back Phil. That is no fun. A pellet stove requires moving around a 40# bag or two of pellets every day, not to mention stacking them in a dry space. I liked pellet burning, but when my back was giving me problems, it was easier to load the cart and transfer it a few sticks at a time to the woodbin than to move the pellet bags. As BB noted, you are heating a big box with a big stove. Add up the wood consumed per year for the past few years. How many cords per year? Then calculate the btus of that wood and translate it to pellets. I suspect it may come a few bags short. If you can be happy with a 5-8 degree lower temp, the pellet stove may work out in the woodstove location. But otherwise, plan on locating it where you want the heat and keep the Fisher for backup on the really cold days.

Note, by code, the return air duct is supposed to be at least 10ft from the wood stove.

 

[ARGlock]

If it could hook to the duct work, you could install a pellet/biomass furnace. In addition if you had the room, you could possibly move your pellets in bulk with an air system and fill a bin. In this way you would not have to lift individual bags. In Europe this is how many people get their pellets. Somone on this site posted some picks of a bulk delivery in France I believe. Maybe someone remembers the thread?

If corn ever was cheaper in your area, you could possibly burn shelled corn. I've heard good thinks about the Fahrenheit biomass furnace. You may want to look into this unit. I believe it is 50,000 btu. Not too big but could possibly do what you need it to do.
It can also be used as a free standing unit. http://www.fahrenheittech.com/

Has anyone on this forum used or seen the Fahrenheit unit?

Good Luck,
AR

 

[krooser]

If it could hook to the duct work, you could install a pellet/biomass furnace. In addition if you had the room, you could possibly move your pellets in bulk with an air system and fill a bin. In this way you would not have to lift individual bags. In Europe this is how many people get their pellets. Somone on this site posted some picks of a bulk delivery in France I believe. Maybe someone remembers the thread?

If corn ever was cheaper in your area, you could possibly burn shelled corn. I've heard good thinks about the Fahrenheit biomass furnace. You may want to look into this unit. I believe it is 50,000 btu. Not too big but could possibly do what you need it to do.
It can also be used as a free standing unit. http://www.fahrenheittech.com/

Has anyone on this forum used or seen the Fahrenheit unit?

Good Luck,
AR

Looks like a good unit...

 

[jtakeman]

Hello, First post on the forum.

Lets start with a little background. Our house is a 3200sqft raised rancher. Built in 1972. Drafty windows and not enough insulation in the attic. We've been heating it with a heat pump and a wood stove for the past 7 years. I burn 4-7 cords of wood a year depending on how much wood I have, quality of wood, weather, ect. The past tree or four years I've had my act together and had enough good seasoned wood to last me the winter and burnt about 5 cords each year. Our large Fisher wood stove is located in the basement of the house and about 2/3's to one side. Next to the stove is the heat pump blower and ducts. During the winter I close off all the returns to the blower and open a 16"x16" grate on the return located about 6' from the stove and up near the cieling. Most of the time, if I keep the stove fed, I can keep the upstairs living area of the house at about 75, the basement is a darn site hotter then that, but it's only storage/shop area.

I'm working on my second back surgery in two years and I'm 38 years old. I'm also getting lazier in my old age. On top of that, I don't have a stick of wood cut for the winter of 2011/2012, I do have enough for this winter, but I'm finding it hard to get excited about keeping that beast fed. the wife and I have decided on a pellet stove. I've already sold my splitter and my wood truck, so there's no turning back.

I guess my main questions are. About what size stove would compare to the heat output of my Fisher? Dose anyone make a large, ugly, dependable, petllet stove? Should I just buy the Harman P-68 I've been looking at and be happy?

Thanks for reading, Phil

Welcome Phil.

I was a wood burner too, Until my little one was born and I wanted a more constent heat supply. Going by my trials and mishaps with the swap. I would say You want the biggest Pellet stove out there to even feel anything like the wood cranker. The heat feel is very different. My 1st 2 stoves were a was and we never felt warm until I bought the latest stove. And that doesn't blast us out like the wood stove did. But it is a constent heat supply. My next step is the whole house pellet furnace.

The best 2 options are: Keep the wood stove downstairs and put the pellet stove where you will feel it or Put the pellet furnace in like AR stated. There are 3 good choices for the furnace. The only draw back is you will use more pellet with the furnaces, Because you heat the whole house not just one set area! Going by the amount of wood I would say you are looking at about 4-5 tons minimum up to about 10 tons max! But you will be at what temp you set the stat at and not huddling near a pellet space heater! Been there done THAT!

St Croix Revolution
Fahrenheit Endurance 50F(might be a little small for you)
Harman PF-100(Biggest one out there!)

Good luck, Keep us posted! and hope the back gets better.
jay