Pellet Stoves, Clean burning or dirty?

Dozernut · Feb 24, 2005

Sorry, I got completely away from your question. The pellets are more uniform in moisture content and much cleaner burning than wood. You will not have the creosote build up like you will with wood. The stoves are just a little bit dusty, due to a few of the pellets crumbling into dust and when you fill the hopper the dust will escape. The stove is so efficient that it produces a very fine ash that will find all the holes and cracks that you missed, just seal them with stove calk. Other than that the stoves are great.

jimgerken · Feb 25, 2005

Hey guys, if I am figuring it correctly, about the average you are paying for wood pellets is between 10 and twenty pounds for a dollar. Is that about right? I wonder why you wouldnt burn shelled corn instead assuming your appliance accepts them? I can buy shelled corn in bulk for $1.60 for a bushel (about 60 pounds). So I am getting around 37 pounds for my dollar. Also, shelled corn has more BTUs than wood, 7800 btu per pound for wood pellets, 9400 btu per pound shelled corn. Overall, it appears to me (a newbe to the subject) that the shelled corn costs about one-half as much as wood pellets.
Compared to LP heating, at current prices in my area, shelled corn fired heating (not considering the equipment costs for either system) would show shelled corn costs about 1/5 as much as LP. What am I missing here, why woudnt more people use shelled corn over wood pellets? Set me straight. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Thanks!

ByronBob · Feb 25, 2005

I guess I'm paying .08 per pound. My question to you is where did you find the BTU rating for pellets. I've never been able to find that out to compare propane to pellets.

Corn isn't sold by the bag here that I know of to burn. I'd have to see one running to determine why I couldn't.

Highbeam · Feb 25, 2005

If you're into that sort of thig, pellets are a use of an industrial byproduct. You won't see saw logs ground down into pellets. The conversion of wate into pellets diverts this waste from the landfill.

The corn is an interesting, relatively new fuel. What used to be a pellet stove is often now called a biomass stove. Folks are also burning cherry pits. Corn is more loaction dependent, seems harder to get in western Washington compared to wood byproducts. It won't come on a nice tidy pallet in individual easy to handle bags. I don't intend to set up a silo in my back yard. I would rather support the farming industry than keep sawdust out of the landfill. You're stove has to be set up to burn corn.

A pellet stove runs about 1300$ for a nice one from stovesunlimited.com. They are relatively safe due to low flue temperatures, forced exhaust, and lack of creosote. A nice feature is the automatic ignition, no need to mess with starting fuel or matches. The auto ignition models are often compatible with thermostats to allow the stove to function like a furnace.

They won't put out the same cozy, radiant, silent, heat that a woodburner will but the convenience, cost, and "earth friendly" benefits of the pellets or corn can't be ignored.

Dozernut · Feb 25, 2005

As Highbeam said, you have to be able to deal with corn in bulk. Corn is too expensive to buy at the mill, so you will have to find a farmer to sell to you. Transportation, loading, unloading and storage are the problems with corn. A good farmer will sell you corn dried to the proper moisture level, a not so good one will not.

jimgerken · Feb 28, 2005

Yup, bulk seems to be the way to go. Bagging stuff up adds greatly to the cost. Kinda like buying LP, we do that in bulk, wouldnt think of buying it in five gallon cans to heat the house. If I get into the corn-burning, I will have a small (100-200 bushel) gravity flow bin erected next to the outside corn-burning boiler, in my yard. There are four or five feedmills within 15 miles of my house that will sell me dry corn in bulk with delivery augered into my bin, for the bulk price of about $1.60 a bushel (58-60 pounds) today. This is corn that has been dried to about 13% moisture for long term storage, and will burn just fine at that moisture.
I wonder if you can buy the wood pellets in bulk. It certainly would reduce the cost if you could figure out how to deal with it.

Dozernut · Feb 28, 2005

Sounds like you have it all worked out on supply and delivery. Those corn burners are good stoves, if thats what you desire, go for it. Let us know how it works out, I have been kicking around the idea of another stove to heat the shop. Maybe I can tap into your experience with a corn burner. Good luck!

kensfarm · Feb 28, 2005

"I wonder if you can buy the wood pellets in bulk."

I get a lower price when I buy by the ton.. still in 40lb bags.. the price for a pallot/ton is $176.. if I remember correctly.