Off Topic -Pellet Stoves

[5030]

I believe it..... but it's not an option for me (taking the appliance outside) in my scenario, I try to keep up on cleanout (weekly) so the ash don't build up. I have various brushes (a twisted wire bottle brush works excellent for getting in and behind the baffles) to clean it with.

I do pull the venting 2 times yearly and clean it inside. It's amazing how much fly ash clings to the inner liner of the venting.

One thing I've learned is to keep the vacuum physically grounded to the stove body when vacuuming it out. Static electricity can be an issue and static electricity can fry your control board.

I have a small copper wire tether from the vacuum to the stove to discharge the static electricity......

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Like several here, we have an older Whitfield. Can agree with Whistlepig's comments. Ours is a 11 yr old Advantage II insert. To date, no component failures. BIL has a newer Whitfield that is very sim to ours but is post Lenox ownership and is not near the qlty and he has had several component failures. As a few others have said, qlty of pellets are likely the source of operational issues. Tis easy to add a T-stat and I added a programmable one one 4-5 yrs ago. We do love the heat the stove put out. Oh, only takes 93W of power for the stove. Quite easy to handle that along with quite a few other things running off my 1kW genset.

For those that don't have auto ign, what I do is I use a jar with a tight seal, fill with pellets and add a small amount of charcoal starter fuel. After setting for a few hrs, its ready for use. Drop in a couple oz of soaked pellets on top a small bed of dry pellets. Does a great job of getting the fire going.

Agree with other saying regular PM is needed to keep the stove in proper working order.

For fuel cost comparison, I've posted this link several times in the past but will do so again.

Pellet Fuels Institute - Compare Fuel Costs

 

[Car Doc]

For those that don't have auto ign, what I do is I use a jar with a tight seal, fill with pellets and add a small amount of charcoal starter fuel. After setting for a few hrs, its ready for use. Drop in a couple oz of soaked pellets on top a small bed of dry pellets. Does a great job of getting the fire going.

Same here manual fired stove I use kerosene though and fill a coffee can with pellets and leave a 1/3 cup plastic measure cup inside to dip soaked pellets out. :thumbsup:

Fact we just last nite fired her up for the first time this season man its nice having a warm floor to walk across to take that late nite trip to the boys room!

 

[Luremaker]

Same here manual fired stove I use kerosene though and fill a coffee can with pellets and leave a 1/3 cup plastic measure cup inside to dip soaked pellets out... :thumbsup:

I prefer using "Dollar Store" fondu fuel. At $1 for 16 oz I can't go wrong. Fill burn box 1/3 full of wood pellets, sprinkle 1/2oz of fondu fuel on top and light with a match. 16oz bottle of gel starter fuel is around $10 at the local Home Depot.

 

[Car Doc]

Red ULSD diesel is what I would be using if we didn't have kerosene heaters around the house for emergency's.

 

[jeffmac]

I have a Whitfield Tradition...Looks very similar to the woodstove it replaced. Mine is in the middle of an open concept living space and it works great, have had it since 2000. I got it primarily because I had two small children and a red hot wood stove scared me. The pellet stove is better because only the front glass gets hot.
-Cleaning is the key. Clogged exhaust means reduced combustion air and wispy fire. I vacuum regularly and use my compressor during the off season to blow every speck of ash from it.
I have replaced the igniter and the exhauast fan but am very happy with it.
Jeff

 

[Combustix]

You really don't need a HEPA vacuum. Go get yourself a package of 'Drywall Rated' bags/liners for your shop vacuum. They are yellow, not white and a drywall rated primary filter. I use my shop vacuum in the house for appliance cleanout and have been for years using the drywall bags. Actually, I use them for all dry pickup... Not that much more expensive.

Thanks for the tip will look for them next time. Then just gotta convince the wife it's not gonna make a mess

I use the same yellow bags in my shop vac for the past few years. I go through two or three bags a season. Pick them up when they are on sale. In early summer after the heating season I take my stove outside and clean it out using my air compressor. You would not believe how much soot and ash is still in the stove after you vacuumed it out.

I'm sure it's filled as I can still see ash in places I can't reach with hose. Though lugging outside seems like a lot of work, though I'm sure it will be a lot more clean.

 

[Luremaker]

Thanks for the tip will look for them next time. Then just gotta convince the wife it's not gonna make a mess



I'm sure it's filled as I can still see ash in places I can't reach with hose. Though lugging outside seems like a lot of work, though I'm sure it will be a lot more clean.

Now, my stove is in the shop. All I have to do is roll up my skid jack and disconnect the direct vent and roll the stove outside. If is was in the house it would be a different story. In the house I have a regular wood stove.

 

[5030]

Like several here, we have an older Whitfield. Can agree with Whistlepig's comments. Ours is a 11 yr old Advantage II insert. To date, no component failures. BIL has a newer Whitfield that is very sim to ours but is post Lenox ownership and is not near the qlty and he has had several component failures. As a few others have said, qlty of pellets are likely the source of operational issues. Tis easy to add a T-stat and I added a programmable one one 4-5 yrs ago. We do love the heat the stove put out. Oh, only takes 93W of power for the stove. Quite easy to handle that along with quite a few other things running off my 1kW genset.

For those that don't have auto ign, what I do is I use a jar with a tight seal, fill with pellets and add a small amount of charcoal starter fuel. After setting for a few hrs, its ready for use. Drop in a couple oz of soaked pellets on top a small bed of dry pellets. Does a great job of getting the fire going.

Agree with other saying regular PM is needed to keep the stove in proper working order.

For fuel cost comparison, I've posted this link several times in the past but will do so again.

Pellet Fuels Institute - Compare Fuel Costs

I've considered (more than once) adding a gel cell battery backup and a small inverter but, like you, we have standby generation and the 45 second changeover isn't enough to put the appliance in shutdown.

Actually, you could run the appliance on a pair of 30 watt solar panels and gel cell batteries with an inverter.

In the past, the PFI hasn't been entirely above board in their comparisons, could have to do with manufacturers donations.....

Maybe that has changed, don't know.

 

[soulasphil]

Wow, yes, very nice setup.

How does it feed pellets from storage cell to stove ?

A long metal screw in a black plastic pipe actuated by an electric motor at the back of the burner collects the pellets falling through a slit at the bottom of the silo and feeds them into the combustion chamber. The motor is turned on as soon as fuel is needed. The silo is on the right of picture one. This screw can be curved to some extent to fit your lay out.