So… the pellet stove wasn’t on this morning, I checked, looks like one of the kids kept trying to restart it over and over, instead of waiting for the ignitor to obtain the right temperature to ignite the wood pellets.

The fire pot was overflowing with pellets. I clean it out, and then notice, the ceramic cover for the thermocouple is missing. Ya know why? Because it can fall off the thermocouple into the ash pan, if smacked with a vacuum cleaner or dislodged somehow, and kids, WHO CAN’T SEE PAST THIER NOSE, will vacuum it up when cleaning out the ash pan. We’ve lost one before, they have been warned to be careful, make sure they are not knocking it off, make sure it’s not in the ash pan, make sure you are not sucking it up into the vacuum.

That doesn’t help worth a shit.

But the really annoying thing is the cost to get another one. They are 21 dollars, in my mind, a bit high for a 3 inch piece of ceramic, about the diameter of a Sharpie, weighs about an ounce. I can see the price being a bit steep, it’s a specialty item, supply and demand and all that.

BUT ALL THE ONLINE COMPANIES WANT 14 DOLLARS TO 28 DOLLARS TO SHIP IT. That’s “clip joint” tactics. You could put this part in a 4x6 padded envelope and mail it for a buck and a half.

Going to try to find it locally, but last time I had to replace it, even the shop we got the stove from didn’t have the part on hand. But last time, I didn’t pay that much for shipping. I can’t figure how the shipping suddenly skyrockets.

The stove will work without the thermocouple cover, but that can diminish the life of the thermocouple… and that part is 72 dollars (AND PROBABLY 45 DOLLARS SHIPPING).

And on another note… my coffee tastes good this morning.