Pellet Boilers - Anyone have one?

[shvl73]

Torin, I probably shouldn't tell you this..... but i was looking into add-on pellet furnaces recently. The place in Chichester (abundant life?) on Rt4 had a Harman in stock...... their display model, on sale for about $2,500. It was nearly a thousand off regular list price since it was their display. I was thinking about buying it, but since i'm still on the fence about which direction i'm gonna head..... i'll pass the deal onto you if you are interested. I've also looked at add-on coal furnaces...... i was shocked to find there are now direct vented units available (4" pipe, like the pellet furnaces). I know coal is dirtier, but i'd suspect much cheaper. I became aware a few years ago that the pellet supply is a bit fickle. I certainly see the price of pellets going up alongside oil/gas. Right now i'm leaning toward a multi-fuel furnace with oil backup..... but i know that wouldn't work for what you are looking to do.

Scott, that's the one I was looking at. I should have said furnace, as the boiler version wasn't on display. The price on it was back up to regular price. The boiler was $6300.00! When is the sale?!
I don't mind burning wood, even though I have to buy it. I could get grapple loads and cut it myself. I actually find it relaxing. I was just thinking ease of use when I'm away.

 

[shvl73]

I have no experience with Pellet Pro machines but they've got some negative press lately in Farm Show magazine from owners. Like any other machine they work best only with optimal conditions & materials.

I'd be interested if you could point me to any of that info.

Recently saw an ad for a larger pellet, 3"dia x 3" long, for conventional stove use called Unidillawood. Exagerated claims? Unadillawood ? RENEWABLE ENERGY.

I saw a chunk of that. looks just like a larger pellet, for sure.

I think people tend to be too fussy about what they'll burn. Craig'sList here has lots of free wood that involves a little work to burn. MikeD74T

I agree. I'm not above a bit of scrounging. The local golf course has done some clearing. I've taken Ductape's old chipper down. 2" and up goes home and the rest goes through the chipper.

 

[billbill1]

What I think we need to do is come up with a method of making wood pellets out of poor wood. There's plenty of it just laying on the ground in any timber that you see and it's available for heating our homes. We made a pet food product that used steam and water to condense grain. It was forced through a die plate and cut to length by a rotary flyknife. Looked very much like a wood pellet, heavy and hard. I don't think it would be difficult to duplicate with wood. Would sure make heating with pellets attractive and you could sell your surplus.

 

[charlz]

What I think we need to do is come up with a method of making wood pellets out of poor wood. There's plenty of it just laying on the ground in any timber that you see and it's available for heating our homes. We made a pet food product that used steam and water to condense grain. It was forced through a die plate and cut to length by a rotary flyknife. Looked very much like a wood pellet, heavy and hard. I don't think it would be difficult to duplicate with wood. Would sure make heating with pellets attractive and you could sell your surplus.

I've gotten some pellets made with poor wood... they burned poorly and put out heat poorly.

I had some one year that must have been slash scraped up off the ground.... they clogged my firepot within 12 hours so twice a day I had to shutdown the stove, let it cool, stick my gloved hand in there and clean the crap out of the firepot.... so much for 'premium' pellets and trying to keep your house warm.

 

[billbill1]

I have burnt less than premium wood for over 25 years, elm and cottonwood come to mind. I thought that possibly these would be OK for pellets as well. I've been wrong before, this is the first time I've admitted it though.

 

[gollie]

I am a certified installer of Okofen automatic pellet boilers. Have a look at Maine Pellet Boilers

 

[keegs]

We also have more field than woods so, not much ability to source my own on a larger scale than I currently do.
Lastly, has anyone looked into making pellets? Check out this site:Pellet Pro's

here's some interesting research from Cornell: GrassBioenergy.org home

 

[schmism]

cant some of these burn corn also?