Keeping Records

[Darren111]

Does anyone else do this? Or am I just overdoing it

The better half makes fun of me cause every time I do something with the stove I record it. I just want some sort of record to make it easier to see what works and what doesn't. I think it's prudent, she thinks I'm crazy [emoji23] [emoji23]

 

[jackman]

Does anyone else do this? Or am I just overdoing it View attachment 166113View attachment 166114 The better half makes fun of me cause every time I do something with the stove I record it. I just want some sort of record to make it easier to see what works and what doesn't. I think it's prudent, she thinks I'm crazy [emoji23] [emoji23]

I don't think it's crazy. I use my Google calendar as a diary for all kinds of stuff in addition to the stove. I keep track of the pellets I use by making a note of the number of bags I move to my storage bins. I put a note in the calendar when I do a light or deep cleaning and how long it takes. It helps me answer the question people often ask, "What have you been up to?" "Well this week I cleaned the pellet stove, pulled weeds, cut the grass, yadda yadda yadda, LOL!"

 

[mass_burner]

Does anyone else do this? Or am I just overdoing it View attachment 166113View attachment 166114 The better half makes fun of me cause every time I do something with the stove I record it. I just want some sort of record to make it easier to see what works and what doesn't. I think it's prudent, she thinks I'm crazy [emoji23] [emoji23]

I agree with your wife...you asked.

 

[johneh]

I also agree with your better half
If I were to have keep track of everything I did to my stove
in the last 13 years I would know the true cost of keeping warm
and that is a number that I really don't care about .
I just like bring warm
It's my hobby not a vocation

 

[Darren111]

Ok ok lol. Maybe I am going a bit overboard. Burning wood for the last 20 years seems simple. Get it from the guy that brings an honest cord of good hardwood (meaning mostly sugar/rock maple around here). Remember from year to year how much I burn and start each October with the average. Clean furnace chimney and pipes once a month. That's it.
Pellets seem more complicated than that right now. Many types and brands of pellets. Each type and brand may need a different cleaning cycle, different heat output. Then the different settings on the stove to keep track of.
I'm sure it will eventually come down to buy x amount of y brand pellets in sept/oct and clean stove z amount of times a month.

 

[rich2500]

I keep simple notes in inkpad on my phone for every different brand pellet I try, that way I can go back and check if it's a pellet I want to buy by the ton.

 

[bogieb]

If I did that, I would lose the paper it was written on. And I wouldn't keep it electronically because , well, because I'm on the computer doing other stuff most of the day and just don't feel like keeping those sorts of list on it.

I don't really have to remember much anyway besides if I liked a brand of pellets or not (Curran's are the worst for me, except for the dark TSC pine bedding pellets - I'll never forget those!). Otherwise, I look at my ash pan and decide if I can go another week. Or, I clean it early because I know that next weekend I'll be busy doing something else (maybe dealing with the aftermath of a monster Nor'Easter barreling up the coast) and won't want to mess with it. Since I can go up to a month without emptying the ash pan on the P61a, I will usually do a pretty thorough cleaning at the same time. If it is wicked cold out and I don't want the house to cool down a lot - I'll wait for better weather but will at least take a peek at the exhaust tube, past the ESP, to make sure it isn't collecting a lot of ash.

The P43 will need the ash pan emptied more regularly (every 2-3 weeks), but once again I'll just do a general check if I don't want to take the time to do a thorough cleaning. Not that complicated.

 

[Johnny_Fiv3]

It's called an Operating Log and there's nothing wrong with that. I do the same thing with my stove, lawn equipment, snow equipment, ATVs, cars, etc. You can see issues arise by comparing older notations with current ones. Like oil consumption of an old engine or fuel usage changes. It helps you see a problem coming when it can still be fixed (gasket replacement, carb cleaning) before it causes a catastrophic failure.

I work in nuclear power. We document everything. LOL.

 

[bogieb]

It's called an Operating Log and there's nothing wrong with that. I do the same thing with my stove, lawn equipment, snow equipment, ATVs, cars, etc. You can see issues arise by comparing older notations with current ones. Like oil consumption of an old engine or fuel usage changes. It helps you see a problem coming when it can still be fixed (gasket replacement, carb cleaning) before it causes a catastrophic failure.

I work in nuclear power. We document everything. LOL.

Yeah, now for my car, bike, mower, snow blower etc., I keep good records for that stuff. I'm in documentation and contracts for a manufacturing company that supplies the aerospace industry - we document everything too, so I see where you're coming from.

 

[Johnny_Fiv3]

Documentation - We put that sh*t on everything.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, George Washington... You are in good company as each documented their daily lives and the little things that were going on in their homes. Documenting these types of daily activities has been a regular habit of many great thinkers. We've generally lost that in our society, as we seem to think we're spending our time in better ways, like staring at backlit screens and watching other people engage in fictional life (we call it TV). Keep on documenting, and ignore the critics. And if you want a spreadsheet to track daily pellet use and help you manage your inventory (i.e., predict whether you have enough on hand), just PM me.

 

[Darren111]

Thanks Wilbur. Not sure I need a spreadsheet. The little notes I make myself on the phone are quick and easy. Pellet choices are few around here so it's just a matter a few brands and recording what gives most heat for the least amount of cleaning. Think I've already figured out my brand and am getting a ton of them today. The cleaning I keep track of so that if anything should go wrond with the stove I know when and what I did, and I dare any CS rep to say that I didn't take care of the stove lol. Plus next fall I can go back and look and say I used x amounts of pellets each month and although weather varies I'll have a starting point as to how many pellets I need.

 

[bill3rail]

I keep a spreadsheet of each purchase of pellets and fuel oil.
Simple enough, and it shows cost per day of heating/how many bags used since last purchase.
Unfortunately it is November and I haven't burned 5 bags yet! Good or Bad???

Bill

P.S. I have over five ton on hand, which should be a two year supply.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

I keep a spreadsheet of each purchase of pellets and fuel oil.
Simple enough, and it shows cost per day of heating/how many bags used since last purchase.
Unfortunately it is November and I haven't burned 5 bags yet! Good or Bad???

Bill

P.S. I have over five ton on hand, which should be a two year supply.

Good! They won't go bad unless you get them wet. Sitting on six tons+ here, but also enjoying the warm weather.