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[gmmaxim250]

Is anybody heating their hot water in the summer with their maxim?  I am a newbie and I just started.  It is going okay except for a ten minute period where the fire star was blinking three green lights across the heat output indicators.   I turned it off and then back on and that seemed to fix the problem... I think.  Any ideas... I am calling dealer because I don't see anything in the volumes of directions...

[MattyNH]

yeah member blwnsmoke is running his Maxim for hot water.

[gmmaxim250]

I just pushed water temp to 170...I wonder furnace was in a power save mode or something to that effect....dealer call tomorrow.

[johnybcold]

I keep my water temp at that or higher in the winter  is 170 too low for the summer? I have been thinking of using mine for hot water all year too

[gmmaxim250]

Okay, after rereading manual I noticed a note at the end of all the firestar messages.  When the furnace is in low and the fire goes out, it will wait until the burner temp gets low enough that it will reignite into the medium setting. I am learning.  170 is a little higher than I wanted to go, but i will keep it up there due to any potential condensation problems.  I haven't had any yet, and I don't want any.

[RSI]

How does the fuel price compare running it compared to burning gas to heat water?

[gmmaxim250]

I don't know about gas, we have electric hot water.  Pellets were 4.70 a bag.  I have one ton in the hopper.  So far we haven't burned very much.  I think I won't have to add pellets until mid September.  That would work out to be 235 dollars for hot water for approximate two months.  The problem is I won't be able to do cost comparison until October, due to our month delay in electric bill.

[muffin]

I don't know about gas, we have electric hot water.  Pellets were 4.70 a bag.  I have one ton in the hopper.  So far we haven't burned very much.  I think I won't have to add pellets until mid September.  That would work out to be 235 dollars for hot water for approximate two months.  The problem is I won't be able to do cost comparison until October, due to our month delay in electric bill.

That seems very expensive.  i would not think hot water should be more than about $30/month unless you use a lot of it.  I know I have been using my boiler over the summer too.  For hot water and possibly heating the pool/room.  I do no think it has actually heated the room or water since sumer.  But anyways, I have not even used 3/4 cord wood over May/June/July.  I am figuring my entire summer will use just a bit over 1 cord at about $100/cord.

[gmmaxim250]

You are right, that would be expensive, but I don't think it will be that high.  Right know I am thinking it will be much less.  Six days in, and I don't think that we have used two bags.  We will see.

[wrudoing]

Your spending a dollar to save a dime! Not to mention the wear and tear on the unit

[HandyMark]

Unless you have a huge family and a bunch of girls you should not be spending near $117 per month on electric to heat water. I have estimated ours to run about $35-$40 for two adults and a child in Indiana. Even with unlimited free wood I am hesitant to put the wear on an expensive piece of equipment to save so little.

[gmmaxim250]

All good advice, again, I don't know how much it will cost.  I won't be able compare until I see august electric bill and estimate how many bags of pellets I have burned,  I do know that the furnace isn't running all that hard, mostly in the low setting.  I like the thoughts though...good ideas are not limited to one mind.

[gmmaxim250]

I almost forgot, according to the literature, the maxim is able to be used all year.  Of course, that doesn't mean it should be. 

[muffin]

I almost forgot, according to the literature, the maxim is able to be used all year.  Of course, that doesn't mean it should be.

What are the thoughts on that, running all year?  I would almost think it may be better to run it.  What really hurts the unit?  I would think it might be more detrimental to let it sit idle and have moisture attack the firebox and stangent water in the unit.  Mine is a classic, perhaps the extra mechanism with the pellet loader will wear.  What does everyone think.  Pellet vs Classic.  Running all year round?

[wrudoing]

My opinion is if your going to pay for and burn pellets why not just use natural gas or fuel oil and save your self the headach? I have not run the numbers but what i see the hot water is pretty pricey.