Review: Fahrenheit Technologies Endurance 50F
Reviewed October 08, 2014 by
Frank
Overall Performance:
Efficiency:
Ease of Use:
Fahrenheit Technologies Endurance 50F
Hi everyone...
Frank again after a few postings I made since my first install of the F50 back in 2008, in Canada. This is now October 2014 and I'm still burning wood pellets with it!
Initially the manufacturer was perfecting their F50 but now I can say they got it: I've been without issues for sometime and it's quite reliable with the improved parts. Service has always been fast, professional and fantastic. I now know it inside out, like how to clean it and how often and I too don't mind this, over paying for oil. - I tried various types of pellets... premium, oak, maple, mixed hardwood, softwood, mixed hardwood and softwood and, frankly, I can't tell the difference heat wise and ash wise. I did get a much better performance since providing the F50 with outside air instead of inside (basement) air. More below on that.
For 2 years I tracked daily the exterior temperatures vs pellet usage and everything that happened in the experience... and here are the results along with a few pointers:
1. Emptying the ash pan depends on pellet usage: I can be weeks without emptying it... so here's the right answer: you'll need to empty the ash pan after using 25 bags of pellets (using outside air for your intake) while you'll need to empty the ash pan after 12-15 bags (using inside air for your intake). This can further be substantiated like this: I used to have to clean the exhaust pipe's grill outside (full of suit) after 50 bags but now I need to do so after 25 bags (using outside air) because the ash is better vented out instead of in the ash pan. Big difference! The flame and the air flow work better to.
2. At the extreme, my F50 keeps my 1979, 1,750 sq feet 2-story house (plus basement) warm (hooked to the air ducts) at -30C (-22F) but it works 24/7 non-stop and can't keep the temperature up past 20C (69F). Still great! This gives you a great idea of it's power and limit. At that point I allow the oil furnace to assist it occasionally when it first gets to -20C (-4C). This is done automatically as I set the oil furnace thermostat 1 degree lower than that of the F50 so the oil furnace kicks in automatically when need be, and that's not often.
3. You'll enjoy these stats I gathered: Pellet usage per day (with house specs above) according to exterior temperature (to keep the house at +22.5C (+72.5F)):
Exterior Temps: Bags Used:
15-20C (59-68F) = .1 bag/d
10-14C (50-58F) = .3 bag/d
5-9C (41-49F) = .8 bag/d
0-4C (32-40F) = 1.3 bags/d
-1 to -5C (31-23F) = 1.9 bags/d
-6 to -10C (22-14F) = 2.2 bags/d
-11 to -15C (13-5F) = 2.4 bags/d
-16 to -20C (4 to -4F) = 2.6 bags/d
-21 to -25C (-5 to -13F) = 2.9 bags/d
-26 to -30C (-14 to -22F) = 3.0 bags/d
Tips:
A 1C (1.8F) lower setting on the F50 thermostat reduces the daily average amount of pellets burned by a lot... about half a bag a day.
At -15C (+5F) and colder, the F-50 is on, most of the time.
I empty the ash pan into a metal garbage container and empty it twice a year. (Keeps things simple and the ash can cool off without danger.)
When there's no one in the house for days or weeks in winter, we use the oil furnace.
I once had all my pellets in the basement but now I keep them outside... I have to carry them regardless and I have more room now. I'm also thinking about building a small silo outside with a pipe through the basement wall to feed my F50 instead of bringing bags through the window every 5 days.
The whole family enjoys the feel of the heat from burning pellets... Oil feels cold and damp in comparison.
4. The hopper contains exactly 100 lbs. of pellets (2.5 bags), tight.
5. When there's a power outage, the fire/ashes still burn for a little while but the exhaust fan doesn't turn: The result, if you have interior air intake, is some smoke inside the house unless you have an outside air intake (the smoke exits from it). Best, I connected the F50 to a small battery generator to weather the power outages: no more smoke. I also have an exterior gas generator, which powers the battery generator for prolonged outages.)
6. To calculate your savings (pellets over oil) every year:
I used on avg. 2,500 litres (660 gallons) of oil per year. Multiplying that oil quantity by the current price of oil which, in my case, equals to $3,500 (Canadian) back in April 2014. - As for pellets, I burn 6 tons per year... multiply that by the cost of pellets = $1,763 CDN for me, a $2,192 CDN in savings in 2014/15. (I try to buy pellets late in winter and in the spring for the next season at a reduced price. I keep unused pellets for 2 years and they are still in great shape every time.)
Tip: I use the F50 only when I make over $1000 in yearly savings, making it worth to go through the F50's maintenance and to prolong its shelf life in a meaningful way.
Ironically, the F50 just turned on...
It's so amazing how I no longer have a monthly fluctuating surprise with an exaggeratingly high oil bill between my two doors. The oil executives used to take their families to the Caribbean on my dime... no more... Now I take mine.
Bottom line... Would I buy an F50 again? Oh ya! In a heart beat.