Now That Heating Oil is $6.00/gal in New England, How Many People Are Changing Over to Wood Pellets?

Thank you. I'll check it out. Menards has the in stock, usually and my conventional HWH is getting a bit long in the tooth.

 

I really don't want to see that occur actually.

 

I don’t either! Fuel increases have not caused every recession BUT every time fuel increased 30% we have had a recession since 70s

 

Fat chance of that for me but we do have the juice at a reduced rate for the HWH (on a separate meter). They can shut it of during periods of high demand but far as I know, they never have.

My big issue here is calcium ln the water which necessitates draining the HWH every month or the stuff accumulates in the bottom and eventually causes the lower element to fail.

One of the pitfalls to having well water I guess.

I usually get about 8 years from a heater and then it's kaput. Maybe the High efficiency one will do better.

 

Fingers cross that the biomass stove I put in the shop will offset the propane a bit. My farmer buddy down the road has 4 ton of off grade seed corn for me to roast next fall-winter too and I have 5 ton (pre bought this year Michigan Hardwood Pellets) on skids.

I didn't keep close track this year but I consumed about 3 ton of pellets and 3 ton of corn total.

My only issue with burning corn is it makes a huge amount of ash and requires cleaning the stove weekly) and emptying the ash pan. I will say that heating with corn (and mixing in pellets), the stove produces a huge amount of heat. At no time this last winter did I have to run it hard. Most times it was at half throttle.

 

I wouldn't dismiss a little checking for a rebate from either the state or the electric utility. Here in Maine a $1200+ heat pump hwh will cost you about $300, and I believe that there's federal money involved making it probably available in some form in all 50 states.

 

For what it's worth-
We have well water. We got a new heater about 10 years ago. In the instructions it says to draw off a gallon every month. I use a CPAP so I empty a gallon of distilled water every 3 to 4 weeks. When it's empty I fill it from the hot water heater. So far so good.

 

I'll do my due diligence on it. I have switched everything I can over to LED lights including the area lights outside and both my tractors are 100% LED lamps too.

 

Been snoozing on a CPAP for years myself and I use distilled water in it (as the well water would ruin it pretty quick). Actually own 3 machines, 2 for the house (1 as a spare) and one for travelling with or in the RV that won't be going anywhere except the barn, this year or until fuel prices come down.

We both like RV'ing but presently, cannot afford the fuel so it can sleep and get started up every month and warmed up.

 

We were going to buy a camper this year but by the time we were ready to make the move we saw what was coming. We got a pool instead and will be staying home for the most part.

 

Corncob take a look at your electric bill, there might be something about a program.
This country is dangerously close to not generating enough electricity and the producers have been screaming about it for years. No intrest in it from the fake news, it doesn't fit in with their unicorn and fairies agenda.

 

I read in the local rag that there will be possible brown outs up here in Michigan this summer. That don't really impact us because we have a diesel powered standby unit that runs off the bulk tank but the with diesel what it's costing, I may switch over to candles and the Coleman lantern.

Kind of interesting how the birds all come home to roost all at once isn't it?

 

I suspect the RV industry will take a huge hit this year. Ours is paid for, been paid for.

I really have not seen many RV's on the highway this year yet. I'd think you would have to have very deep pockets to have one today. Ours is kept inside in the barn and I have storage only insurance on it so it costs me 50 bucks a year plus plates.

The trick (of you will) in keeping one nice for a long time, is keeping it inside out of the weather. Ours only goes out when we go somewhere The sun fades the paint and causes the roof to deteriorate. Ours is 10 years old and looks and smells just like new. Gets dusty in the barn and the cats like to sleep on the roof but it's out of the weather. I pull the batteries and keep the fresh water tank drained and RV antifreeze in the plumbing. Takes about an hour to get it ship shape and ready to go.

 

On road diesel here is over 5 bucks a gallon (Friday) at the truck stop north of us a bit. Dreading filling the truck up, it needs fuel. Off road is 55 cents less but still not a bargain like last year. Propane is hanging around $2.60 a gallon so far.

 

Here's mine

 

That is me as well but mine is a Generac, not a Cummins gen set and mine is plumbed into my 500 gallon diesel bulk tank and is totally enclosed in it's own cabinet. Not withstanding, with ORD diesel at $4.50 a gallon, neither yours nor mine is a cheap date. Better cut a hole in your roof (or side wall) for the exhaust pipe or things will get smoky in there real quick....

Mine is 220/3 and 220/1 with a 110/1 split. 27 KW. Runs the entire farm and self exercises too. Have a 400 amp vacuum transfer switch on the utility line. 15 seconds after utility failure or voltage drop below a pre set threshold mine starts, stabilizes itself for 45 seconds and assumes the entire load. Still have to reset all the electric clocks and then do that again when the utility comes back online.

We have had it at least 15 years now and other than regular maintenance (oil changes, fuel filter changes, air filter changes), it's been basically without any issue. Ours has a JD turbo diesel for power. Ours don't run all that much but it's peace of mind having it, especially when all the places around here are dark and cold and we are humming along. best investment, being at the end of the power line, I ever made but the best part is it makes my wife feel secure.

Good luck with it...

 

Yeah I had to extend the line 3 poles along the road then 7 more into the house site. We're at the end of the line also.
That picture was just after I put it in the little building. The exhaust is piped outside.
and you're right, it is a comfort.

 

Hope you provided adequate make up air and venting. The diesel will produce a lot of running heat and it needs a good supply of fresh air for combustion as well. I kind of prefer my packaged enclosure unit because it's all self contained and the cabinet really provides good noise insulation as well. When it's running, you cannot even hear it from the house 150 feet away. I had the electrician install a set of 'idiot' lamps on the corner of the shop so I could tell when it was running or had an issue. I did the mechanicals myself but hired the electrical out. One of those people that can cause a short with one wire.

A couple who we consider our very best friends live near Bar Harbor (Stockton Springs Maine) to be exact so we get the play by play on your wacky governor. Was planning on going there this summer and spending a couple weeks with them but this gas deal has kind of put the kabosh on that. Would cost me a small fortune to drive the motorhome all the way there even though we could 'camp' in their back yard, or should I say, backyadd., or maybe paak in the dooryard... We are pretty attuned to Mainespeak. My wife follows the adventures of the Bangor Police Department. He's retired Fed, just like my wife is. I seem to be surrounded by either retired LE or Federal employees.