Pellet/Corn Stoves

[brianj]

With the cost of natural gas - I thought it was high last year, and this year it's been a lot more - I've been considering the alternatives. I'm going to start now, and probably buy one in the spring/summer and hopefully save some money.

Here in PA we have a lot of corn farmers, and I know some of the pellet stoves can do both corn and pellet. I like the idea since one should be cheaper than the other.

Another feature I like is thermostat operation, so the stove only runs when it needs to.

Does anyone have one now? How do you like it, and how many tons of pellets do you go through a winter?

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[Dave Taylor]

I use to heat part of where I lived in So Dak with a "corn cobb" stove..... yep I said "corn cobb" son. It was ok except for the @$%% rodents the fuel attracted... specially in the winter.... and just how fast the damn stuff burned. I got a tired of continually stealing and stocking cobbs. :suspect:

I never had a pellet stove but folks who do.... tell me the fuel is now much harder to find here in MD and when they do find it.... the cost is high.

Just my thoughts.

[jd77]

My cousin just traded a new one in for a pellet stove. Seems he couldn't get the moisture content right on the corn for efficient burning action.

Or something like that :goodluck:

[John Bridge]

Ignert Yankees. Corn is for makin' whiskey.

:)

[brianj]

My cousin just traded a new one in for a pellet stove. Seems he couldn't get the moisture content right on the corn for efficient burning action.

Or something like that :goodluck:

From what I've seen, all of the ones I've looked at that burn corn can also burn pellets. I want one that does both which gives me the option in case the price starts rising on one, and not the other.

I think I'm going to do some looking tomorrow at some of the local places.

And John, I like Beer :D

[Madison Mike]

I was looking into getting one before the winter. Quadrafire makes one called the Castille that looks pretty good. It burns both corn and wood pellets, works off a thermostat and has an automatic feed auger system. Sounds like a deal of you can get the pellets cheap enough and keep the moisture content down. I just heard last week that there's a national historic farm somewhere in the US that figured out a way to collect and process the tall grass that grows there into fuel pellets that they burn onsite for heat and to generate electricity.



Mike
Madison, WI

[Mike2]

I'd like to find one that burns peas and carrots. Thermostat unimportant.

:lol2:

[jfonta77]

I'd like to find one that burns left over piles of thinset. I have a ton of it.. :lol1:

[brianj]

I was looking into getting one before the winter. Quadrafire makes one called the Castille that looks pretty good. It burns both corn and wood pellets, works off a thermostat and has an automatic feed auger system. Sounds like a deal of you can get the pellets cheap enough and keep the moisture content down. I just heard last week that there's a national historic farm somewhere in the US that figured out a way to collect and process the tall grass that grows there into fuel pellets that they burn onsite for heat and to generate electricity.



Mike
Madison, WI

That's the same one I started looking at actually. Harman has another one I liked, but it only burns pellets.

I'm going to check around at the home shows and see what people are selling.

[jerrym4]

So I own a Quadrafire Castille unit. I have used it for the last 3 or 4 years. It works and looks great.

However, I don't like how noisey it is compared to units from other manufacturers.

And if I had a chance I'd get one of the units that automatically removes the ash from the fire pot. Its not a big deal but sometimes pellets leave alot of ash...even the premium blends. This requires more frequent cleanings, failure to do these cleaning will prevent the unit to automatically ignite the pellets. I have to do this about every 12 hours just to be safe.

I have never tried corn in it yet even though I have a fairly unlimited supply of corn available. The neighbor raises it and told me I can have all I want. The only reason I haven't taken him up on the offer is from what I have heard/read corn pellets produce alot of ash.

If you have any other questions about this stove I'd be happy to try and answer them.

Jerry

[brianj]

So I own a Quadrafire Castille unit. I have used it for the last 3 or 4 years. It works and looks great.

However, I don't like how noisey it is compared to units from other manufacturers.

And if I had a chance I'd get one of the units that automatically removes the ash from the fire pot. Its not a big deal but sometimes pellets leave alot of ash...even the premium blends. This requires more frequent cleanings, failure to do these cleaning will prevent the unit to automatically ignite the pellets. I have to do this about every 12 hours just to be safe.

I have never tried corn in it yet even though I have a fairly unlimited supply of corn available. The neighbor raises it and told me I can have all I want. The only reason I haven't taken him up on the offer is from what I have heard/read corn pellets produce alot of ash.

If you have any other questions about this stove I'd be happy to try and answer them.

Jerry


Thanks...that definitely helps