Pellet heads!! What's up today?

Havnt burned in 2 weeks. Still have 8 bags current laCrete in garage (plus an unopened ton that is staying that way) and 3 bags in basement of the 2 year older MUCH better LaCrete.

Overall aside from the increased ash, current LaCrete worked well. With current pricing elsewhere, 7 bucks a bag was ok but just not what they use to be.

 

Sitting on 2.5 tons, myself.

 

Had almost 7 tons to start the heating season, will use about 3-1/2 if I use the 15 bags I brought in the other day. Will leave us with about 3-1/2. 2.4 tons Vermont, 1 ton Doug firs. Given that Vermonts are now $400/ton we'll have to decide if we only want to get 3 tons or spring for the 4th when we buy. Will be almost $1700 with delivery.

sam

 

Bought 2 tons Hamer hots/ 1 ton Barefoot/ 1 ton NW super spruce. 1500.00 for next season. Have 2 tons doug firs and 1 ton of the spruce and 12 bags of Hamer in basement. Have room for 7 tons or so.

 

Just got my electric bill from Eversource for March - $0.00. I made $34.67 in fact (credit on bill). Last month's bill was 35.65, so I pretty much broke even between the two.

So, basically I've paid the utility only for December and January usage since the array was put in and activated (that is two different things). Even with minimal production for those low sun angle months, I have only paid them somewhere around a total of $155. If the company and I did it right, I shouldn't have a bill from here on forward. My property has shade challenges, but worked around it.

Here is a thread discussing Residential Solar that I have been active in chronicling my journey. We aren't trying to convert anyone - just talking about experiences and answering questions.

 

I looked at it as well, but, big oaks everywhere! The only place they suggested putting the array was on the roof, and that makes me anxious with leaks, and issues re-roofing at a later date

 

Amazing how quickly and how much the price of wood pellets has increased. Two years ago this week, Vermonts were $300/ton.

2021 EARLY Buy Prices

 

Yeah, I really wanted a battery backup - but I couldn't see spending that amount for the few times I've lost power. NH has the second highest electric rate in the USA - only below Hawaii. And the prices will only go up. My break even period is a ways down the road, but I also won't be worrying about how much the prices hike for the next 25 years either. And as you said, the grid is aging and falling behind. New plants (of whatever type, NG, Oil, nuke etc), even if started tomorrow, will take ages to get completed and online.

 

Have a great Birthday Dpopps !

 

X3!

 

Thanks for the birthday wishes, just got back from cracker barrel. Man they are short handed. Still enjoyed my country fried steak.

 

I use so much power, I haven't even considered it. I think my summer vacation spot could be a good candidate.

 

Wacky weather day here in SE NH yesterday. Woke up to a little coating of snow, then rain during the day, sun peeked out late in the afternoon, then strong winds, vivid lightning, house shaking thunder, some small hail, torrential downpour last night. My joints were achy and swollen all day.

sam

 

Weather is crazy here....
Snowing a bit this morning....Not sticking....YET.
Ran the big stove last night and it held things fairly good....Fired up the little stove a bit ago to get the temps back up above 70F in the house.

A week from tomorrow the forecast calls for 73F and sunny......We are planning on a shell run to start getting the stocks back up....

Been digging into old stock....some from many years ago......Going to move things in the barn and drag out as much of the old stock as we can and then blow off the concrete slab and then when we start bringing in the new materials it can go into the back of the barn and we will start over......

We still have 30 plus barrels of stock......Just time to rotate things.

As long as the material stays dry....good to go...The only downside is that as the shells age the small amount of broken nut meats in the mix get rancid and the stuff is not quite as pleasant smelling.

Still burns great....

Just another "Home improvement thing"

Since we are going to be able to get the opportunity to get materials until early summer....Best to get at it.

Small stove has a bit of noise coming from the room air blower (Original from the factory circa 1990) so as soon as we shut down for the summer I want to replace the fan...... Sadly...on that stove the fan is in the pedestal the beast sits on..

Stove has to come apart....Cast iron door OFF....Side panels OFF....Top OFF....Clean the hopper ....
Unhook the Quick connect flange on the vent .....Slide stove out and then turn it upside down.

Remove the pedestal and there is the fan....4 nuts....2 wires to unplug and then swap the fan.....Reverse the process....

The large Whitfield... the fan can be replaced in a few minutes with only the RH side panel removed....

Ah well...such is life...

 

I am 76 yrs old. I really enjoy all the new tech stuff. I can't get around or out much so the internet allows me great adventures. Actually, most upgrades make things easier. Everything they do usually allows greater access and fewer keystrokes. The biggest issue I see on the internet is the huge increase in crime. You must go to great lengths to keep the crooks from taking advantage of you. Anything you buy from new sites should be explored first before you put your money in it. Lots of fake sites.

 

We only burned for a few days when we had that horrid cold snap. Son and grandson were going to keep bringing pellets in, but they didn't unless we asked each time, so we went back to heating with the minisplit.

 

Might have waited until tank was empty to chnge out the filter.....might be a bunch of sludge in the bottom.....let the old filter get it, put new filter on after. Just my 2¢.