# WiseWay pellet stove review



## cilverback (Dec 26, 2016)

I am a new WiseWay pellet stove owner or as i would like to think of it as the coolest boat anchor ever built.
I looked at the propaganda produced by WiseWay and nowhere did it say this is a great stove if you can get it to draw, tend it constantly, clean it out constantly, bang on the primary and secondary, give it fresh air but not to much or it will become a cold stove, and if you can't get it to work then you are just to stupid make it work.  My stove has never seen temps above 600 degrees and that was only in the first 4 hours of ownership. I wish i had researched this 2000 dollar piece of crap.  I tell all who are smart enough to research this stove don't walk run away from this stove it won't perform as advertised and the customer service is full of mock and disregard and attack on the customer kind of the scientology approach to defending its stoves "you are stupid and the stove is great long live the stove". The stove is great and all who mock it lack the intelligence to make it work. Funny i have hooked up two wood burning stoves that function great in my house without having to consult the manufacturer to find out how to make it work. Gary berates his customers and helps with saying things like you need to put a 4 inch hole in your wall to make it work right but don't get it to close to the intake cause it will make the stove a cold stove. My stove runs at a wooping 350 degrees it will run at that temp for 36 hours as long as i empty the ash bin every 8 hours but eventually it will ash up at the bends and burn itself out. This stove takes constant attention so be aware. It does not perform as advertised and you will notice in the video it is outside with a straight eight feet of pipe brand new.  that is not a realistic stove for a home owner but probably fine for a green house. I usually don't work this hard to berate a product but poor performance and even worse customer service encouraged me to warn others away from this product based on my experience.


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## velvetfoot (Dec 26, 2016)

cilverback said:


> "you are stupid and the stove is great long live the stove"


I like that.


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## Watcher1 (Dec 26, 2016)

and helps with saying things like you need to put a 4 inch hole in your wall to make it work right but don't get it to close to the intake cause it will make the stove a cold stove. This sounds a lot like another company from Minn. "You need to locate the oak air intake far away or the stove won't run right". LOL


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## coaly (Dec 26, 2016)

cilverback said:


> I am a new WiseWay pellet stove owner or as i would like to think of it as the coolest boat anchor ever built.


Like any appliance that works due to draft, how about chimney specs, connector pipe or pictures of installation?
What pellets are you using??


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## Dr.Faustus (Dec 28, 2016)

you are hoping to get a pellet stove 600 degrees and up? i can see that with a wood stove, but pellet stoves dont work like that. 350 degree air coming from the blower is pretty good. unless you are referring to the temp inside the firebox? 

long live the stove!


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## Dr.Faustus (Dec 28, 2016)

i really need to use that at work tomorrow.

You are stupid and the computer is great! long live the computer! death be had to all who mock the almighty computer!

i cant wait!


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## coaly (Dec 28, 2016)

Dr.Faustus said:


> you are hoping to get a pellet stove 600 degrees and up? i can see that with a wood stove, but pellet stoves dont work like that. 350 degree air coming from the blower is pretty good. unless you are referring to the temp inside the firebox?
> long live the stove!



It is a wood stove that burns pellets. No combustion blower, or circulation blower, (no electric necessary at all) gravity feed, chimney draft operation like a wood stove.
Yes, low is around 400, 550 cruise and 600+ is normal. He doesn't have a stove problem, it is no doubt draft or pellet basket adjustment IF he is using soft pellets only.
OP didn't give any details of installation, adjustment or fuel being used. The stove works fine for many many people.
This thread will probably help;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/my-wiseway-non-electric-stove-experience.115974/


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## cilverback (Dec 29, 2016)

cilverback said:


> I am a new WiseWay pellet stove owner or as i would like to think of it as the coolest boat anchor ever built.
> I looked at the propaganda produced by WiseWay and nowhere did it say this is a great stove if you can get it to draw, tend it constantly, clean it out constantly, bang on the primary and secondary, give it fresh air but not to much or it will become a cold stove, and if you can't get it to work then you are just to stupid make it work.  My stove has never seen temps above 600 degrees and that was only in the first 4 hours of ownership. I wish i had researched this 2000 dollar piece of crap.  I tell all who are smart enough to research this stove don't walk run away from this stove it won't perform as advertised and the customer service is full of mock and disregard and attack on the customer kind of the scientology approach to defending its stoves "you are stupid and the stove is great long live the stove". The stove is great and all who mock it lack the intelligence to make it work. Funny i have hooked up two wood burning stoves that function great in my house without having to consult the manufacturer to find out how to make it work. Gary berates his customers and helps with saying things like you need to put a 4 inch hole in your wall to make it work right but don't get it to close to the intake cause it will make the stove a cold stove. My stove runs at a wooping 350 degrees it will run at that temp for 36 hours as long as i empty the ash bin every 8 hours but eventually it will ash up at the bends and burn itself out. This stove takes constant attention so be aware. It does not perform as advertised and you will notice in the video it is outside with a straight eight feet of pipe brand new.  that is not a realistic stove for a home owner but probably fine for a green house. I usually don't work this hard to berate a product but poor performance and even worse customer service encouraged me to warn others away from this product based on my experience.


 
   I am using soft wood pellets with the recommended ash content. I live at 9600 feet and it has been as cold as -4 without the wind chill.  My stove has never made it to 600 degrees 550 is its best it has reached and that was using the torch to get it there. i wanted it to get hot enough to burn out any soot/creasote as i assume it is making buy not burning hot enough. My flu is the same flu i used with my wood burning stove so from the wall it has double stainless steel going up the side of the house probably for about 26' its tall the stove is in the walk out basement, i have an adapter that goes down to 3" and with elbows to help get it aligned. It operates consistently at about 300 to 350 and you can hear it draw. I have the stove with window which allows me to access the first two bends. i find at these bends I usually have about 1 1/2- 2" of ash in the pipe those are the first two bends in the stove god knows how much ash is in the last bend. I plan to take the pipe off and see what is happening and how blocked by ash at last bend is. The stove keeps the basement warm enough to keep the upstairs without the other stove on heated to about 60 degrees. This is a super tight house I built using 6 inch sips panels and 4 inches of styrofoam on the concrete walls and a 2 inch styrofoam insulation below the concrete floor. I built the house myself wired it myself plumbed it myself, but as i am a simpleton and not on par with the wise ways of the great, all knowing and powerful Gary, Oh I am also a Critical Care Army Nurse able to keep people alive who don't want to be alive, but again not on par with the amazing Gary. I can't get this fabulous stove to even work half as well as advertised and if it would burn at 450 consistently will the ash output decrease? Yes its probably a draft problem and as bad as i want to eliminate the 1000.00$ worth of stainless steel double walled stove pipe currently in place, and replace it with 200.00 worth of 3 inch vent. I still failed to see that requirement on any brochure or advertisement that would warn me away from replacing my old stove with this new and wonderous technical achievement of an award winning modern miracle stove that must have, no demands it be vented using only gas vent pipe without bends no longer than 8' or it will loose all of it technical prowess and thus become the Unic of stoves. I already cut a hole in my wall for venting per Gary now wishing i had never listened and acted on that piece of advice so you can see my hesitation with removing the current draft unit and replacing it with 3 " vent when i will still have to go through the same hole with the same bends and then find out i will end up with the same results which is a stove that blocks its own draft with ash build up in the stove. seems better just to put my old stove back in and sell this stove anyone looking to buy a slightly used wiseway for a great price?]191522[/ATTACH]


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## coaly (Dec 29, 2016)

Is your stove the GW 1949 or GW 2014 ??


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## cilverback (Dec 29, 2016)

2014


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## coaly (Dec 30, 2016)

Without pictures I can only tell you the installation instructions for the *1949* recommend NO bends and recommend increasing to 4 inch off the stove all the way, including inside larger Class A all fuel chimney.

The *2014* recommends NO bends and to use 4 inch minimum connector pipe before the 4,5, or 6 inch Class A chimney. I'll assume your chimney flue is 6 inch. This is over 4 times the diameter of stove outlet which is going to give problems with any stove using natural aspiration to cause atmospheric air pressure to PUSH oxygen into combustion chamber intake. You're going from 7.06 square inch area to 28.26 !! Plus bends, plus possible 3 inch........ PLUS you are at high altitude with lower air pressure to push into the stove even if you had the correct differential pressure which you don't. Expect the stove to put out 1/4 to 1/2 the rated output. (you need 4 times the amount of heat in the flue to cause the same draft you would have with 4 inch straight up all the way).
Your posts allude to having 3 inch vent WITH bends. If that is the case, each bend adds 3 feet of pipe resistance, more if you are using 3 inch, plus you have an unknown amount of horizontal run.
ALL diagrams show straight up venting.

*** Since your installation requires bends, I would change the vent to 4 inch pipe (double wall or insulated instead of singe wall) then continue the same INSIDE the larger Class A chimney all the way.
You need hotter rising flue gas than a normal installation at sea level so pack the inside of Class A with insulation and block off plate to keep your inner flue temps high to increase draft. ***

The chimney is the engine that drives the stove. A larger diameter or taller chimney doesn't mean stronger. It means it is CAPABLE of more flow with more heat added just like a larger horsepower engine is capable of more power given more fuel. With a wood stove, you can open damper and air intakes to allow more heat up chimney which also lowers usable heat inside. The "engine" is still starving for air at your altitude since it is just like a persons lungs that open to allow atmospheric air pressure to push oxygen in. You have way too much resistance reducing draft.

A professional installer should use a water column gauge at appliance connection to measure negative pressure eliminating your issues.
That's the first thing the instructions call for, but I would guess it would be within limits following the above recommendations.


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## Deezl Smoke (Dec 30, 2016)

coaly said:


> That's the first thing *the instructions call for*, but I would guess it would be within limits following the above recommendations.



* DOH !! *


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## cilverback (Dec 30, 2016)

thanks for all the info but my question still stands if i do all that will ash build up that also shuts down the draw be reduced. I have to use bends to get to the chimney flu run. I have a clean out access panel in my six inch pipe so i can run pipe up the middle of the 6 inch flu which is double wall insulated. I wonder why Gary spends more time insulting his customers rather than giving information that is actually helpful such as this. I still say this is needed up front information to help the customer decide if buying this stove is worth the extra headache that it requires to install, thanks again.


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## bags (Dec 30, 2016)

Usually a lower temp burn with pellets will produce way more ash in my experience or the ash will like to build up in the burn pot, stick to the glass, inside the stove, etc. That said, there will always be ash but a hotter more thorough burn will produce less per se and you get a more complete combustion. For example when I burn low and slow in the Harman it has a bigger ash build up by far. When it is cranking and in a good hot burn zone temp most ash is about gone compared to the previous condition. I see more sparks flying and more flame / heat flowing with much more purpose so more gets gone through the exhaust or burned completely up.

I know nothing about the Wiseway pellet burners other than I did look at them and read a bit back when. Coaly has hit the nail on the head in his explanation and that would apply to wood and pellet burning. There are so many variables still. The fact your house is tight and insulated well helps the temps rise but you need the correct fuel-air mixture for optimum burns. 

I think that once your smaller vent hits the cooler air in the existing 6 inch there is a big drop in flue temps which will definitely help kill your draw. 

People here will help you try to resolve issues. I get you are frustrated and pissed but there might be a way to work it out still. Right now I'd take the recommendations Coaly has and go from there. His advice is free as is others. There are more experts here than the cats selling their stuff in my opinion. Good Luck.

Do you have grid electric or are you off grid and what made you decide on the Wiseway? I looked at your pic and didn't see any lines coming in but they could be buried or behind in the view.


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## Deezl Smoke (Dec 30, 2016)

I run soft wood, douglas fir pellets in my Castle Serenity. After a couple ton, I finally went ahead and removed the exhaust fan to see what was built up. Nothing. Absolutely no build up. Just a light brown to tan color on everything, but there was literally noting to clean beyond the ash pan. The ash is so light, it gets pulled out and pushed up the outside piping. I even pulled the cap outside to see if there would be a half clogged pipe with ash. Nothing. Just a light tan dusting.

 So if I had a Wiseway, and I just may sometime soon, I would be burning the same pellets as I burn now as I feel the heavy draw of a properly installed wiseway would keep ash maintenance to a minimum.

 I realize people get tired of hearing that they may have not installed something right, but I can sympathize with Gary at Wiseway too as he has to convince people that they did something wrong on the install. Sometimes an install really is rocket science. The wiseway is after all, a rocket pellet stove.


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## OhioBurner© (Dec 31, 2016)

If you really want a non electric stove and not mess with wood, just get a good woodstove that can burn compressed wood bricks, they're just big pellets. BK's even have the thermostats so you can set and forget just like an electric pellet stove. My Woodstock seems to burn them great. It does help to get em going with some kindling though, but that is really not a big deal. But at least that way you can burn wood too if you want too. Not that I don't wish Wiseway well, it would be nice if thier product actually does work well.


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## cilverback (Jan 1, 2017)

bags said:


> Usually a lower temp burn with pellets will produce way more ash in my experience or the ash will like to build up in the burn pot, stick to the glass, inside the stove, etc. That said, there will always be ash but a hotter more thorough burn will produce less per se and you get a more complete combustion. For example when I burn low and slow in the Harman it has a bigger ash build up by far. When it is cranking and in a good hot burn zone temp most ash is about gone compared to the previous condition. I see more sparks flying and more flame / heat flowing with much more purpose so more gets gone through the exhaust or burned completely up.
> 
> I know nothing about the Wiseway pellet burners other than I did look at them and read a bit back when. Coaly has hit the nail on the head in his explanation and that would apply to wood and pellet burning. There are so many variables still. The fact your house is tight and insulated well helps the temps rise but you need the correct fuel-air mixture for optimum burns.
> 
> ...



no we are on the grid the power lines are buried to keep the view unobstructed and yep i am going to change out the flu pipe and see if the draw improves.


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## mikelcan (Jan 2, 2017)

I notice that you state that you live at 9600 ft elevation.  I wonder if the elevation is affecting your burn.  I know that normally aspirated engines loose power at that elevation when compared to an engine with a turbo.  I am comparing an normal pellet stove that has a combustion fan that pushes air into the combustion chamber to the WiseWay that relies purely on draft.  With the lower oxygen content the stove might burn cooler which in turns lowers the draft.  Could explain why you top out at 550 and at <500 ft elevation I can max the thermometer on my stove.   

I do not have a solution just "wondering out loud" if that might be a contributing factor.

MIke


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## Captbilly (Nov 24, 2017)

cilverback said:


> I am a new WiseWay pellet stove owner or as i would like to think of it as the coolest boat anchor ever built.
> I looked at the propaganda produced by WiseWay and nowhere did it say this is a great stove if you can get it to draw, tend it constantly, clean it out constantly, bang on the primary and secondary, give it fresh air but not to much or it will become a cold stove, and if you can't get it to work then you are just to stupid make it work.  My stove has never seen temps above 600 degrees and that was only in the first 4 hours of ownership. I wish i had researched this 2000 dollar piece of crap.  I tell all who are smart enough to research this stove don't walk run away from this stove it won't perform as advertised and the customer service is full of mock and disregard and attack on the customer kind of the scientology approach to defending its stoves "you are stupid and the stove is great long live the stove". The stove is great and all who mock it lack the intelligence to make it work. Funny i have hooked up two wood burning stoves that function great in my house without having to consult the manufacturer to find out how to make it work. Gary berates his customers and helps with saying things like you need to put a 4 inch hole in your wall to make it work right but don't get it to close to the intake cause it will make the stove a cold stove. My stove runs at a wooping 350 degrees it will run at that temp for 36 hours as long as i empty the ash bin every 8 hours but eventually it will ash up at the bends and burn itself out. This stove takes constant attention so be aware. It does not perform as advertised and you will notice in the video it is outside with a straight eight feet of pipe brand new.  that is not a realistic stove for a home owner but probably fine for a green house. I usually don't work this hard to berate a product but poor performance and even worse customer service encouraged me to warn others away from this product based on my experience.


Hello I live in Northern Ontario and have just purchased a Wiseway and am having the same problems, what I am trying is to remove the primary burn chamber door, have been running on high for 4 hrs at 600 Fahrenheit flu temp. Getting a much cleaner burn and less ashes building up, I also have two 90degree elbows on a 4" pipe into a 6" insulated flue.Hope this helps Also I am burning hardwood pellets, softwood is hard to find in my area!


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