Electricity is measured in kilowatts (kw) and a kilowatt is 1,000 watts and usually costs between six and tens cents per hour. In some areas like California the rates will be higher and in areas with hydroelectric power the rates can be lower, but the average is eight cents per hour per kw in the corn belt.
Electrical Usage for Magnum & Country Flame Pellet Stoves
The igniter for a MagnuM Baby Countryside stove uses 175 watts and it normally takes three to five minutes to light wood pellets in a stove (it may take longer in some cases) and the igniter runs for ten minutes. The igniter takes .175kw x .08 = 1.4 cents. If the igniter is on for ten minutes it would take only ten out of sixty minutes in an hour so 1/6 x 1.4 cents = .233 cents per lighting cycle. The use of the igniter on a Magnum Pellet stove will vary with individual usage, but if it went through a relight cycle twenty times in a day it would take .233 cents x 20 = 4.66 cents or less than a nickel a day (with wet or poor fuel it may take 2-3 cycles for the unit to light properly).
The fan motors, auger motor and stirrer motor (if standard) take approximately 2.5 amps to 3.0 amps to operate. Voltage x amps = watts, so 110v x 2.75 amps = 303 watts of usage per hour. With the average price of a kilowatt at $0.08, the average electrical cost to run a stove would be .303kw x .08 = 2.42 cents per hour. If a stove ran for 24 hours in a day it would use approximately 58 cents per day (2.42 cents x 24 hours =58.176 cents). Many times a stove is not needed or used 24 per day, so the actual cost would be based on the actual hours a stove is used by a homeowner—if it was used 12 hours per day the electrical cost would be about 29 cents per day.
It should be noted that the fan for the heater exchanger on a Magnum stove does a good job of pushing the heat into the room and helps to circulate heat in a house—especially in a lower level or a basement where hot air rises throughout a structure. Magnum Pellet stoves also give off radiant heat (like the hot heat of the sun) in addition to convection heat. Compared to wood stoves or heating appliances without a blower, you get better heat circulation with a corn stove (in many cases higher thermal efficiencies with a corn stove). A forced air furnace and some other forms of heating also need a blower to move the hot air around a structure and will take as much or more electricity than a corn stove. Although electric baseboard heat does not need a blower, the average electrical usage will be much higher than a corn stove to heat a comparable area.
Note: These calculations do not include meter fees and other charges from an electric company. Voltage will vary from 110 volts to 120 volts and at start up there is a slightly higher electrical draw. For more information on electrical usage for appliances you can visit or “Google” various websites or contact your electric company.
This was an excellent article, very informative. Thank you.
Do you know if the type of battery/inverter backup system is important? Of course the stove manufacturers want you to buy their own. Perhaps that IS important, but I wonder.
Yes, it does matter what battery backup/ inverter/converter that is used. The cheap converters that are on the market simply will convert 110 to 12 volt, but you have to be there to switch them and restart the unit. Cheap inverter/converter models do not switch automatically in time and the unit shuts down anyway. The best Converter/Inverter/Chargers are ones that will switch in milliseconds, hold constant 60 cycles and a constant 12 volts, will switch back automatically, and will charge your battery and keep it full.
The best company out there that specializes in these is SureFire Stove Sentry model 512. It sells for around $385.00. Thank you so much for asking and visiting our blog! Please come back and share with friends.
Informative article but website difficult to use. I’ve been trying to find parts lists for a customer’s stove and there is nothing on this website. Help!
Thanks,
Bob Peverly
Top of the Ridge Chimney Services, inc.
P.O.Box 434
Strafford, NH. 03884
603-942-7581
Bob, most customers do not have trouble finding all kinds of information on parts. Go to the ECOM store and click on either MagnuM or Country Flame parts and then it will guide you to electrical, etc. To the right of the description is a magnifying glass, click on it and it will show a picture. You can also open a manual online and get a parts list off of that. If you still cannot find it email [email protected] and they will help you out.
can you use batterys only to run a pellet stove having a solar pannel to recharge the batterys,how many batterys would you need to do the job an what size of solar pannel would you need to do the job
The best model for using with solar panels is the model 3500P. You can use the BC-DC which is a 12 volt motor system also. The units require at least 550 watts of power AC. Your solar company can figure out what size and number of panels that you would need to accomplish the task. The BC-DC unit takes about 5 amp DC.
with the news about carbon monoxide deaths from pellets being stored whats ur take on storing 100 bags of pellets in our basments?
I have not heard that storing wood pellets causes carbon monoxide but if you do not have fresh air connected to your appliance and sealed venting and also make sure your doors are sealing, you can get carbon monoxide leakage. You want to store your fuel in a ventilated clean and dry location so that they do not take on moisture or mold. Best to make sure that all your fuel is used up before the end of the season and do not use year old pellets. Always have a carbon monoxide detector in your home and make sure that venting is cleaned and all joints sealed and that you have a fresh air connected to the unit and routed outside.