Anyone heat with corn?

[stardbog]

Getting tired of natural gas and electric bills we are pull a trigger and ordered one of corn burning stove. Always looking for alternative and affordable heat source. Never use one of those, just curios, is anybody using corn / bio palet to heat house?

[massey130]

We were thinking the same thing after we saw my wife's brother's corn burner. they are great.

 

the only item that has kept us from getting one is the corn supply. sure there is corn available, but optimally, the corn needs to have a certain low moisture level or internal dryness per kernel. the higher the moisture, the harder it is to burn. In Louisiana, we have high humidity and even the winters there is humidity. also storing enough corn for the winter can have it challenges plus keeping it dry and pest free while storing it seems too much for us.

 

we have held off buying one. we love the concept and enjoyed the warmth while watching one in action. upkeep and lighting it was not bad and much less than the open hearth fireplace we currently use.

 

I was told that "deer corn" moisture level was too high for burner use, but I thought that maybe it could be blended in once the burner was up and running. don't know tho, as we did not purchase one.

[massey130]

Getting tired of natural gas and electric bills we are pull a trigger and ordered one of corn burning stove. Always looking for alternative and affordable heat source. Never use one of those, just curios, is anybody using corn / bio palet to heat house?

What are you going to use for a corn supply? Do you know about how much corn you will burn in one winter?

[massey130]

My wife's brother lives hour north east of twin cities, Minnesota and makes good use of his burner.

 

I felt i should add that bit since I was referencing getting one to use here is our place in Louisiana.

[steamer]

I heat with wood pellets,just bought a new John Deere pellet stove(I work for a JD dealer) been heating the house with pellets for 3 years now, cost anywhere from $800.00 to $1200.00 a year,sep-may.in central NY.We also sell corn stoves but corn is harder to get and store.corn will attract vermon.corn stoves do not have auto ignite.pellet stove do.all you have to do to start a pellet stove is push a button.Very easy to clean.Stay away from the stoves in home depot and lowes.They are high maintanence.Has to be shut down and cleaned every day.Some of the high end stove can go for weeks with out much work.

[Solodadof2]

I had a close friend that heated with a corn stove and it did a great job, He made an agreement with a local farmer to drive his field after harvest and collect the leftover corn, he traditionally has been able to get enough corn this way to heat all winter with no expense.

[stardbog]

they said burns 40-50 bushels per winter bushel is about $4-5 about $200-300 per season That money we can spend in about a mont for gas and electric. I like to support local farmers, and burn clean fuel made in USA. Well lets try. if doesn't work , I'll have nice heater for garage. Hope I won't find entire house fill with pop corn. :rotf:

[bull463]

Hi All

I heat with a keystoker coal have been for 10 yrs now. I buy oiled coal so dust is not there I think its easyer to find coal. I spend about $800.00 per yr and only shut down once or twice a yr to clean. Just myt 2 cents

Bull463

[CrazyHorse]

Corn is at a high right now. A buddy of mine uses the corn furnace or propane right now he said hes going to use propane since corn is to expensive, Some how he figured the price point of when to use what.

[halfwitt]

We've been burning a pellet stove for several years. We tried mixing in some corn but it didn't burn as efficiently. We go through about 3 tons of pellets a year. Woodpellets.com has free delivery right now. It's a whole lot cheaper than running our natural gas furnace.

[stardbog]

Well corn is at high, but I believe it's still cheaper than natural gas, thats for sure.

Now I have to find corn supplier. Do you guys know any farmers round Chicago?

.

[Guest]

Only problem with corn is when I eat it and get corn...er, nevermind....

[Aussie Annie]

Popcorn Why don't you set up movie nights with the neighbor's and charge the same price as a bag of corn?? That way you would have it covered

[Reed]

If you whant a good corn stove get a St.Croix. I have burned corn up to 16 moisture, not well but it will burn it. 14 or lower is what it likes. 14 moisture is what is needed for storage.

I live in North dakota & when it gets cold it will burn 1 bushal per day. At the price of corn I don't know if i am going to light it this year. Off peek elc. is cheaper.

130 bushels of corn last from Nov. to end of march.? some days it burnes 1 bushal some days it burns 1/2 bushal. "depending on how cold it is out side"! & how many sq. feet do you plan on heating with it? It is not intended (sp) to heat a hole house.

If you deside to buy? Do not get one with rotating fingers. JUNK!!!! nothing but truble. ask any one that owns one. I know of 5 around hear thay all have had truble with them. & do not get one from fleet farm, lows, tsc, manards, home de., ect. I dont know why but the corn in those stoves need to be 12 moisture or less to work. Good luck finding that. There has been some around hear & most of them went back to the store for that reason.

 

Do you still whant a corn burner?????

My St.Croix is 6 years old. Did nothing to it but clean it good 1 a month.

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stardbog]

If you whant a good corn stove get a St.Croix. I have burned corn up to 16 moisture, not well but it will burn it. 14 or lower is what it likes. 14 moisture is what is needed for storage.

I live in North dakota & when it gets cold it will burn 1 bushal per day. At the price of corn I don't know if i am going to light it this year. Off peek elc. is cheaper.

130 bushels of corn last from Nov. to end of march.? some days it burnes 1 bushal some days it burns 1/2 bushal. "depending on how cold it is out side"! & how many sq. feet do you plan on heating with it? It is not intended (sp) to heat a hole house.

If you deside to buy? Do not get one with rotating fingers. JUNK!!!! nothing but truble. ask any one that owns one. I know of 5 around hear thay all have had truble with them. & do not get one from fleet farm, lows, tsc, manards, home de., ect. I dont know why but the corn in those stoves need to be 12 moisture or less to work. Good luck finding that. There has been some around hear & most of them went back to the store for that reason.

 

Do you still whant a corn burner?????

My St.Croix is 6 years old. Did nothing to it but clean it good 1 a month.

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks for great info,

I did order Bixby combo stove corn / wooden pallets. Dint know what kind of auger is built in. Found wooden pallet supplier just north of Chicago. He charge $190 / Ton. ( Metric Ton is ~ 40 bushals ) Thats still wayyy cheaper than gas heating. My home is ~12-1300 sq F and very open floor. As you said I will combine Off pick electrical, and gas if is too cold.

[halfwitt]

Ask what the ash content is on his $190/ton pellets. WoodPellets.com has .52% for $249 with free delivery. The higher the ash content the less efficient the pellets and the more often you will clean.

[CrazyHorse]

Well corn is at high, but I believe it's still cheaper than natural gas, thats for sure.

Now I have to find corn supplier. Do you guys know any farmers round Chicago?

.

My buddy gets his from a grain supplier. He pulls a big (cant remember the name of it)

grain bin thing and loads like 2000 lbs of it into it the grain bin hauls it home and stores it in his barn/farmette uses like 1-2 bushels a day in winter plus some propane his house is about 2600 square foot ranch. You also have to watch the moisture content last season he had a lot of problems with to high of moisture which messed up his stove. He also had alot of problems with the stoves themselves.