Corn burners.

[SCUMFROG]

Ok I know this has been discussed before but I'm going to ask.

Is there any place in the twin cities that will install a corn burner in my home. I have hot water heat now and I'd like to convert the house to corn and put in central air. I have no duct work either so all that would have to be done also.

If any one has a corn burner what do you like and dislike about it?

[Macgyver55]

Good luck finding one anytime soon.

There was a big article in the Strib yesterday about it. There were some customer comments by people who have them and they sound good. I dont want to put up a link but here are a few quotes.

"Sales of the stoves are soaring so fast that manufacturers can't keep up."

"Some customers are already putting deposits on stoves that will not roll off the assembly line until next year."

"We're sold out now through next June," said Mike Haefner, owner of American Energy Systems of Hutchinson, the world's largest manufacturer of corn-burning stoves. "By the end of the year, we might be sold out through 2006."

"Dealers say they've never seen such demand."

"I tell them late winter would be the God-awful earliest they could get one, but more late like spring."

If you do find anyone that can get them post it here...I'd be interested for my cabin.

[SCUMFROG]

That's what I've been hearing also.

I've been looking for one for about 2 months. But I haven't found a place that'll do all the install I need.

[SCUMFROG]

That's what I've been hearing also.

I've been looking for one for about 2 months. But I haven't found a place that'll do all the install I need.

[CodyDawg]

My father in law put one in about a month ago. he likes it and it takes a little less than two 5 gallon pails per day to heat his 3 bedroom rambler. BUT, it has only been a month.

[76k20]

My brother picked one up at the fleet farm in lakeville last week for around 1700. I dont know if they have anymore though

[FoolNFish]

Personally...I would NOT buy a corn stove manufactured by AES(American Energy Systems). I have first hand experience as I worked there and know for a fact that most, if not all of the welders there are not certified by the AWS(American Welding Society)and the welds are not up to AWS standards. They are using substandard practices welding the stainless steel heat exchanger pipes to the mild steel faces of these units and are susceptible(sp) to cracking due to the expansion and contraction from heating up and cooling down. If/when these welds crack, these units will leak a substantial amount of carbon monoxide into your home!

Let's just put it this way: I worked there and if I had any trust in AES products I would have put them in my house a few years ago. I just didn't think the lives of my wife & kids were worth the risk of saving a few bucks on winter heating. As of now, I am checking into other manufacturers and am thinking of getting and external(one that sits outside the house)corn burner.

Also, check with your insurance company to see if they have any special rules or regulations on having this type of heating in your home; some ins. companies say it's the same as having a fireplace and they are classified as such.

Hope this gives you an insight.

FoolNFish

[Steve Foss]

Scum, can't comment on furnace availability, but any HVAC expert who's certified to install furnaces and the duct work throughout your home should be able to connect the system to any kind of furnace (and more than one kind), be it corn, woodburner, gas, oil, whatever. If there's a catch there, the outlet that sells the corn stove should be able to install it and hook up to the thermostat and the duct work, if that's already been installed.

[SCUMFROG]

Thanks for the info. I'll keeo looking and will let every one know what i find out..

[eelpout#1]

We got interested in the corn burners this fall when one of my co-workers started talking about his. He has had his for 4 years and heats his whole house with his. We contacted a dealer the beginning of October and had it installed about 2 weeks ago. It takes some getting used to the controls (getting the right setting on the draft and auger flow), but my gas furnace had only run a half a dozen times in two weeks. That was only due to when we shut it down to clean. I'm paying about $3.50 for a 50 lb bag of corn with the proper moisture content and in two week on continuous burning have went through 8 bags of corn and 2 bags of the wood pellets (we started with them until we found a good supply of corn). My advise to you is to maybe contact someone from a rural area to buy and install your burner. I live in Wadena and with-in 10 miles there are about 6 dealers. So far everything is going great and everyone who comes over just loves the heat and watching the corn burn.