Corn stove

[MK111]

I'm sure enjoying the constant heat my shelled corn stove gives off in this chilly weather. On Low it blows out 130 degree air 24-7. I burn about 9 gallons of corn per day to heat a 2700 sq. ft. ranch that's almost 100 ft. long.
Even when the corn price was up last year it only cost about 500.00 for the total year. My propane furnace almost never runs and it only a backup when we leave for the weekend.
This is our 13 yr. using the corn stove. My son's stove is on his 14th year.

 

["J"]

Which one you using Frank?

 

[MK111]

Made by Gulutzen Enterprises in Blyth, Ontario. I believe it's rated at 60,000 BTU's on high. In 13 yrs. I probably haven't burned on high 20 times and then only when it's below zero outside.
The nice thing about a corn stove is it puts out more BTU's per pound than wood pellets and a lower price. The other nice thing is the 24-7 heat and no ups and downs like a wood stove. And no mess only with a clinker about the size of a piece of bread 2-3 slices thick once a day.
Best 1800.00 investment I ever made and pay back was less than 4 yrs. Have only replace a 70.00 fan and got that a Granges Supply at 1/2 price.

 

["J"]

How many tons do you burn on an average winter and do you buy bulk or bagged corn?

 

[MK111]

My son and I split a truck load. He is burning 4 stoves at times when heating the business office and my nephew's apartment.
180 lbs. barrel last me about 5 days. Never really figured it up. So that's about 36 lbs. per day. So if you figure on the high side of 6 months of 180 days that's about 6500 lbs. I would say 4000 lbs. would be closer.
We buy it bulk and haul about 3000 lbs. in a 3/4 heavy duty Ford F250. I put a large tarp in the bed then just lower the tailgate and put it in barrels. There's a price break when you buy over 2000 lbs.
I use a filter system on a large wetvac to cleanup the dust and red eyes. Lot cleaner that way bringing it into the house.

 

[Outdoorsfellar]

So when you're standing outside, does the smoke provide a strong corn smell ?

 

[MK111]

So when you're standing outside, does the smoke provide a strong corn smell ?

There really isn't any exhaust smoke. The exhaust does smell like popcorn. Not bad really. The exhaust is so cool you can put your hand in front of it and not get burned. The exhaust goes out on the inner pipe and the combustion air bypasses the hot exhaust to warm combustion air intake.
Another safety item is the stove is not hot enough to burn you if accidently touched. Plus no worry of the stove over heating. If the power goes off the fire just goes out as the firebox is just a small 5x5 blast furnace and needs the forced combustion air to burn the corn.
The sales people at TSC always ask me why I only buy one bag of wood pellets. I tell them I have a energy efficient house and only need one bag per year. That really throws them a loop. But I do tell them I only use 1/2 cup to start my corn stove.

 

[Outdoorsfellar]

Very interesting, thanks.

 

[DJK Frank 16]

Good stuff Frank. I have a Quadra-Fire that came with our house. I burn 50/50 wood pellets and corn (can't burn straight corn as it doesn't have an agitator). I buy my wood pellets by the pallet (50 bags) and get corn in bulk. Sounds like we have a similar cleaning system with the vacuum as well. My furnace hasn't ran in 4 years and I like it that way!

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Good stuff.

 

[MK111]

It was 16 degrees outside at 7:30AM and 60 degrees in the house. I forgot to turn the corn stove up off Low last night when I went to bed. I turned it up to Medium and 2 hours later it's a toasty 65 degrees in the house. Our thermostat is about 50 ft. from the stove heat source. So not really a true reading. It's 22 degrees outside now so the corn stove is back on Low.

 

[Bigslam51]

I heard corn stoves stink, is this true?

 

[hickslawns]

Sounds like a decent recovery time to get your heat back up. Where do you normally keep your thermostat Frank? Did it drop from 70-60 overnight or 65-60? Just curious.

 

[MK111]

I heard corn stoves stink, is this true?

No Stink here. You will have a slight odor when I take the klinker our each night for couple seconds. It's air tight construction.

 

[MK111]

Sounds like a decent recovery time to get your heat back up. Where do you normally keep your thermostat Frank? Did it drop from 70-60 overnight or 65-60? Just curious.

The main thermostat is on a standby of 60 degrees. Our ranch house is almost 100 ft. long. So we have 2 furnace-AC units. The one unit maintains the living area and the 2nd unit maintains the 3 bedrooms and 2 master baths.
So when we are not in one area the thermostat is lowered slightly to 60 degrees. The wife and I figure if you aren't in a area of the house why heat it to 70 degrees. Works out just fine and sure lowers the heat bills. Mostly the wife's idea.
I was raised in a old farm house with a potbelly stove that went out every night. So hell I'm living high on the hog now. When I got married in 1965 I bought a house and install baseboard heaters with a thermostat in each room. Off subject now but from 1964 to 1971 my total electric 2 story house was on even billing of 11.00 per month. Never paid a 12th month bill as I was always ahead on payments. Oh how the cost has gone up.
When I built the house 19 yrs. ago I put up 6 in. walls and super tight construction. All wall plugs and switch boxes are caulked air tight. Every wall stud that has a hole drilled through it for electric wires is caulked shut. The best Anderson windows. Along the South Great Room wall there are 5 full length patio doors for heat gain. The patio door windows have blinds in between the glass and shut at night and opened when the sun comes up for solar heat gain.