Well I still have not decided yet.

As some of you know in another thread at our old place on proboards I was getting recommendations for pellet stoves for the basement of a camp. I looked into the Drolet ECO 65. Very nice, but by the time I bought the kit for the ductwork and the runs and all that I would have too much money into it. I have to watch the budget very close and it is putting me out of the limit. If I had the dough I would buy this one though.

So now I am looking at the Summers Heat 55-SHPAHL at Lowe's. It is on sale right now for $1299, was $1499. Does anyone here have one that they have used personally? And can you tell me about it? How is maintenance? Is it a bottom feed? Top feed. I have heard to stay away from double auger types? I don't really know.

Is the Timber Ridge 55-TRPAH over at AM FM Energy.com the same thing as the 55-SHPAHL? It looks exactly the same.

So at AM FM energy is is $1399 right now and they are a new model. At Lowes, three miles from the house, it is apparently on sale for $1299 right now. Well, that is the price I see at Lowes.com anywho.

The only cheaper route is to find something on craigslist. Won't be much support after I buy it there though.

Any thoughts?

Someone click on this link and tell me what you think of this craigslist add. I do not know what kind of stove it is but must be a multi fuel. Has piping for vent.

http://potsdam.craigslist.org/for/4108523679.html

Here is something cheaper.

http://potsdam.craigslist.org/hsh/4040967759.html

 

The first ad (for $1000) looks like a US Stove 6041. I have the 6041 insert in my house, though I may sell it soon. It is a tinkerers stove. It does turn pellets into heat, but it's by no means the most efficient. I knew no better when I bought mine. They sell for about $1500 new give or take a hundred bucks either way.

Depending how much venting it comes with and how old it is it might be an OK deal. I think you can do better though. Assuming that unit is in fairly good condition I might offer closer to $800. Again, it depends on how much and what brand of venting IMHO.

 

What do you think about the new stove for $1299 at Lowes?

 

I have no personal experience with the Englander pellet stoves, but everything I have heard about their support is that it is top notch. If you're not afraid to do work yourself if something needs fixing and aren't concerned about not having a local dealer to do service, you can't go wrong. I wish I'd bought one of their units instead of the 6041.

 

I agree with Dex save you some coin,and see if it's gonna work for you

 

Even when I can get a brand new one for $1299 at Lowe's, so if I have a problem I can bring it back? Not saying the option from amfm is not a good option. Just weighing the options.

 

Well. I decided. First I want to thank several of you who gave me some imput on this thread and the thread at our proboards site before this place started.

I had a hard time deciding but went with this unit. I was able to get an employee discount through a friend on top of the clearance sale they were having on this stove. So I bought the stove and the venting kit for it. An extra ten percent off on both items saved me another nice chunk of change.

 

All said and done I was at $1450 bucks with the stove and vent kit and taxes. I decided I am going to put the heating appliance in the main floor of the camp where the living space is instead of the basement. As I insulated the basement I did a pretty dam good job of tightening that place up. I am also going to build and frame in a home made door at the bottom of the stairs to stop air coming in from the bilco door. So I will let the electric heaters, one with a blower and one that is a left over baseboard I had given to me, heat the basement to just 40 degrees. Both are 220 and wired to the same thermostat.

We will then be able to enjoy the heat of the pellet stove in the main floor and not have to install gravity registers to let the heat come up from the basement. I strongly took my wife's considerations into play here as well. Spiders and bugs coming up from the basement would not be a good thing. Tough to keep them out with registers to let the heat up stairs. This way our whole family will be able to come down in the winter time and enjoy it more often and the heat won't cost us as much when we want to turn it up with the pellet stove. I thought about a wood stove but just do not have the time or desire to feed a wood stove at the camp when I heat my entire house/garage with wood at home. Not enough time in the day.

 

Congrats on the new stove!!!

 

Congrats man right choice put the heat where you are look forward to the install pic's

 

Thanks. I appreciate it. I am hoping to look to you guys for help on the install, running, and maintenance of this baby. I just set it in the camp for now. Too much other stuff going on. Hope to install on Sunday. I have four 10 hour days next and kids soccer games. The puckin sun is going down at 7:15 now! Hellllllllllp!

 

Thanks will. Wish I could install sooner. But looks like it is going to stay nice for a while. I also need to do some trimming on the trees down the power line to the camp. If it ain't one thing it is another. Have to get the tree trimming done though. Don't want to have the line ripped off the camp. That happened before. Don't want that to happen again. Luckily a good friend of a brother literally put the line back up after the power company turned the power off. Helped that he worked for the power company.

 

Thanks. I appreciate all the input you gave me. When the friend told me I could get another 10% off I decided to go for it and get it in the camp TODAY! Now I will just wait until I can get it installed. I need to start researching pellets that I can get in my area. Any ideas on best brands of pellets available here. I have a Lowe's close obviously, a Tractor Supply, a small stove store, there is a Home Depot about 40 minutes away. There is also a pellet producing place that has been in operation now for oh 2 or 3 years. Currin or Curren. Out of Massena NY. And I am all about supporting the local economy. Should I shoot for a premium hardwood pellet only?

 

That stove should keep you toasty warm. My son heats his home with one very similar to that. While he has pellets he favors, he sticks to low cost pellets and is happy with most of them.

 

Looks like you got a great deal. Congrats!