# Lit the Stove



## firecracker_77 (Sep 20, 2012)

Woodstock pilot light is going now and won't be extinguished for the next 7 months.  Turned the fire on last night and warmed the room very quickly.  It's nice to have her going again.


----------



## DAKSY (Sep 21, 2012)

firecracker_77 said:


> Woodstock pilot light is going now and won't be extinguished for the next 7 months. Turned the fire on last night and warmed the room very quickly. It's nice to have her going again.


 
Yeah, the local LP company lit mine over the weekend while I was in the south. I had them move my tanks so I could side the foundation walls, & they locked the tanks when they did the move. They needed to check for leaks & I guess they were antsy to get us burning their product, since they called me three times while I was away...Cold gettin here way too early if you ask me...


----------



## firecracker_77 (Sep 21, 2012)

DAKSY said:


> Yeah, the local LP company lit mine over the weekend while I was in the south. I had them move my tanks so I could side the foundation walls, & they locked the tanks when they did the move. They needed to check for leaks & I guess they were antsy to get us burning their product, since they called me three times while I was away...Cold gettin here way too early if you ask me...


 
Nice to know you're ready for the cold.  Seems like you have a bunch of heaters


----------



## DAKSY (Sep 21, 2012)

firecracker_77 said:


> Nice to know you're ready for the cold. Seems like you have a bunch of heaters


 
LOL, got a couple...Oil boiler that's mainly DHW for now, & my oilman hates me, darn it. A P61A that keeps the kitchen & most of the downstairs toasty. A Fireplace insert that picks up what the P61A can't handle & a gas fireplace up in the Great Room that's the ONLY heat source on that floor. The P43 keeps my daughter & her boyfriend & dog warm in the studio over my garage...


----------



## firecracker_77 (Sep 22, 2012)

DAKSY said:


> LOL, got a couple...Oil boiler that's mainly DHW for now, & my oilman hates me, darn it. A P61A that keeps the kitchen & most of the downstairs toasty. A Fireplace insert that picks up what the P61A can't handle & a gas fireplace up in the Great Room that's the ONLY heat source on that floor. The P43 keeps my daughter & her boyfriend & dog warm in the studio over my garage...


 
Sounds good.  That is more than a couple.  What is the efficiency on the gas fireplace?  I had the glass on my Franklin off when lighting the pilot...the draft from the outside was fairly strong, so I imagine if the front wasn't sealed, I'd lose efficiency.


----------



## DAKSY (Sep 22, 2012)

I installed it in 2004 & to be honest, I don't remember the efficiency, but it's in the 75% range. With the glass off, you will not only lose efficiency, you may introduce CO into the room & you will screw up the Air-to-fuel mixture...


----------



## trafick (Sep 28, 2012)

I've got about another 2 weeks before I turn mine on but then she stays lit until 1 April.  It's amazing how much heat the pilot puts out.


----------



## firecracker_77 (Sep 28, 2012)

trafick said:


> I've got about another 2 weeks before I turn mine on but then she stays lit until 1 April. It's amazing how much heat the pilot puts out.


 
Won't be long now till it's running 24/7 on the weekends.  Our pilot light does keep the box warm, but not too bad.


----------



## DAKSY (Sep 28, 2012)

Just a little to add to this conversation about pilot flames. Most pilot flames will burn about 800 BTU/Hr. Multiply that by 24 hrs & you get 19,200 BTU/day...There are roughly 92000 BTU in a gallon of LP. Divide that by 19,200 & you get 4.79 Gallons/day. In this area, we're at just under $3.00 per gallon. Multiply that times 4.79 Gallons & you get $14.37 per DAY. Multiply that times 30 days & you get $431.25 per MONTH just burning the pilot light. Based on those calculations, my pilot lights are NOT burning full time yet. Out Trx-I has an electronic ignition that Susan knows how to use. The QVI30 has a standing pilot & that is OFF until I can't stand it anymore...
If you are burning NG, YMMV...(but it's STILL costing you $$$)


----------



## ridemgis (Sep 28, 2012)

Whoa, math check.  Shouldn't that read 4.79 days per gallon?


----------



## DAKSY (Sep 28, 2012)

ridemgis said:


> Whoa, math check. Shouldn't that read 4.79 days per gallon?


 
Duh. Yep. The math is good. It's the numbers I have a problem with. Wow. I'm lookin at my numbers & thinkin that don't seem right, but in my ultimate wisdom, I hit send anyway. Make that about 6.25 gallons per month, or about $20...at least round here...


----------



## ridemgis (Sep 28, 2012)

No worries.  With all the great information you've posted here I can't fault you for a single typo.
Always a pleasure to learn from you.
PJ


----------



## raybonz (Sep 28, 2012)

DAKSY said:


> LOL, got a couple...Oil boiler that's mainly DHW for now, & my oilman hates me, darn it. A P61A that keeps the kitchen & most of the downstairs toasty. A Fireplace insert that picks up what the P61A can't handle & a gas fireplace up in the Great Room that's the ONLY heat source on that floor. The P43 keeps my daughter & her boyfriend & dog warm in the studio over my garage...


I'm in the same boat as you as my boiler is only heating hot water here via a tankless coil and I have been debating whether I would save money going to an electric tank.. The rates are high here but it may be cheaper to use electric over oil with my application..

Ray


----------



## firecracker_77 (Sep 28, 2012)

DAKSY said:


> Duh. Yep. The math is good. It's the numbers I have a problem with. Wow. I'm lookin at my numbers & thinkin that don't seem right, but in my ultimate wisdom, I hit send anyway. Make that about 6.25 gallons per month, or about $20...at least round here...


 
I don't think our natural gas is quite that expensive.


----------



## DAKSY (Sep 28, 2012)

firecracker_77 said:


> I don't think our natural gas is quite that expensive.


 
It's not. But the values can be plugged into the formula. Instead of 92K BTU/Gal, Use 100K BTU/Therm...


----------



## 49er (Sep 28, 2012)

DAKSY said:


> Make that about 6.25 gallons per month, or about $20...at least round here...


 
Thanks for that DAKSY, I had no idea what the gas usage of the pilot might be. Now I know.


----------



## FanMan (Oct 1, 2012)

Of course if you're in the heating season, the heat generated by the pilot is helping to warm the house, slightly reducing the stove's on time, no net effect on fuel usage...


----------

