Breckwell Big E Pellet Stove Size Guide

Under specific EPA test conditions, the Big E (SP1000E) has been shown to deliver heat at rates ranging from 6,580 to 39,121 BTU per hour at 1.0 g/hr particulate emissions and 75 percent efficiency. The fuel burn rate ranges from 1 to 5.5 lbs of pellets per hour depending on the Heat Level Advance setting (1 through 5).

• Main living room or great room in a single-family home where automatic fuel feed, thermostat compatibility, and multi-day unattended operation matter more than visible wood fire ambiance.
• Open-plan first floor where the convection blower can move heat through connected rooms without requiring secondary heat sources.
• Mobile home or transportable building main heat with the required outside air kit, chassis grounding, and floor mounting per the manual's mobile home installation requirements.
• Supplemental heat for grid-tied homes looking to reduce furnace runtime during shoulder-season and peak heating months.
• Slab-on-grade homes without an existing chimney where horizontal-through-wall venting with 3 inch PL-Vent avoids the cost of a full Class A chimney.
• Households comfortable with seasonal pellet purchasing and indoor dry storage for 1 to 2 tons of pellets across a heating season.

• Off-grid cabins without electrical service. The Big E requires continuous 115V 60Hz 3A power. For off-grid applications, choose the Breckwell SW500 wood stove instead.
• Power-outage backup heat. The Big E shuts down during power outages and does not produce heat without electrical input. Pair with a generator or battery backup if outage coverage is required.
• Sleeping rooms or alcove installations. The manual prohibits both. In mobile home installations, the manual specifically warns: do not install in a sleeping room.
• Tiny houses or extremely small spaces. At 32-5/8 inches wide, 23-7/8 inches deep, and with a 12 inch standard side wall clearance, the Big E has a significant footprint. For tight spaces choose the more compact SW500.
• Commercial use. The manual specifies the Big E is a freestanding heater not intended for commercial use; it must not be connected to any air distribution duct or system.
• Burning fuels other than PFI Premium grade hardwood pellets. Corn, biomass, garbage, lawn clippings, treated wood, salt-water driftwood, paper products, cardboard, plywood, or particleboard are all prohibited and will void the warranty.

• Cold climate (Zone 5-7, design temperature 0°F or below): The Big E's tested heat range of up to 39,121 BTU/hr matches main living areas in well-insulated homes; expect to run at higher Heat Level Advance settings (3-5) during peak cold. Combine with whole-house insulation review and ceiling fan circulation for best results.
• Moderate climate (Zone 4, design temperature 10-20°F): The Big E is well-matched for primary heat in most main living areas; expect to run at settings 2-3 for most of the season with occasional spikes to 4-5 during cold snaps.
• Mild climate (Zone 3 and below, design temperature 30°F or above): The Big E will be oversized for typical heating needs; expect to run primarily at setting 1 with low trim. Consider whether a smaller heater suits your needs better; a multi-day hopper run between fills is one benefit even in mild climates.
• Cathedral ceilings or two-story open plans: Heat rises and stratifies in tall spaces. The convection blower helps but ceiling fans on low (reverse direction in winter) significantly improve heat distribution and reduce the BTU load needed at floor level.
• Drafty or poorly insulated homes: The actual heated area will be lower than the tested heat range suggests. Insulation upgrades return more value per dollar than upsizing a heater. Have the installation contractor or NFI technician evaluate the home before sizing the stove.

The table below reflects typical sizing recommendations under average insulation and 8 foot ceiling assumptions. Actual results depend on home insulation R-values, ceiling height, climate zone, layout connectivity, and air sealing. An NFI-certified installer can evaluate your specific home and recommend a final sizing decision.

The Big E must be placed on a continuous (grouted joints) non-combustible material such as ceramic tile, cement board, brick, 3/8 inch (10 mm) millboard or equivalent, or other approved listed material suited for floor protection. The material(s) used must have, or combine to have, a minimum insulative rating of R1. Ceramic tile or any tile installation requires a continuous sheet beneath to prevent embers from falling through to combustible flooring through cracks or separation that may occur in the finished surface — this includes floor protection for built-in raised hearths.

Floor protector minimum extents from the manual: 6 inches (153 mm) on each side of the stove and 6 inches (153 mm) in front of the stove.

• Vent type: Listed Type PL-Vent in 3 inch or 4 inch diameter. Tested with Simpson Duravent brand.
• Class A chimney: Not required.
• Joint sealing: All vent connector joints sealed with 500°F (260°C) RTV silicone sealant. Horizontal connector joints sealed with UL-181-AP foil tape. Vertical vent connector joints secured with a minimum of 3 screws.
• Installation options: Horizontally through wall; vertically with new chimney system; vertically into existing chimney system; vertically into existing masonry fireplace; through side of masonry chimney; or into an existing Class A 6 inch chimney system.
• Horizontal termination clearances: Not less than 3 feet above any forced air inlet within 10 feet; not less than 4 feet below or horizontally from, or 1 foot above any door, window, or gravity air inlet; not less than 2 feet from an adjacent building; not less than 7 feet above grade when adjacent to a public walkway.
• Chimney connector: Shall not pass through an attic or roof space, closet, similar concealed space, floor, or ceiling.
• Flue damper: Do not install a flue damper in the exhaust venting system of this unit.

For freestanding installations, combustion air must be easily available to the air inlet; a closeable outside air register can be used in tightly insulated homes. For mobile home or transportable building installations, an outside source of combustion air is mandatory. A 2 inch (51 mm) inside diameter metallic pipe (flexible or rigid) attaches to the inlet at the stove's rear; a rodent guard (minimum 1/4 inch wire mesh) wind hood must be used at the terminus. All connections must be airtight using appropriately sized hose clamps and/or UL-181-AP foil tape. For mobile home installations only: 2 inch ID pipe may be used for the first 5 feet of run; from 5 to 10 feet, use 2-3/4 inch ID pipe. No combustion air supply may exceed 10 feet.

• Voltage: 115V 60Hz 3A. A 6 foot grounded electrical cord extends from the rear of the stove.
• Outlet: Standard three-prong 120V 60Hz grounded electrical outlet. Do not connect to a GFCI socket. Do not use an adapter plug or sever the grounding plug.
• Surge protector: A power surge protector is required.
• Voltage variation: Designed for 120V AC with no more than 5 percent variation.
• Cord routing: Do not route the electrical cord underneath, in front of, or over the heater. Do not route in foot traffic areas or pinch under furniture.

• Do not install in a sleeping room.
• Maintain the structural integrity of the mobile home floor, wall, and ceiling/roof.
• Ground the stove directly to the steel chassis with 8 gauge copper wire using a serrated or star washer to penetrate paint or protective coating.
• Bolt to the floor through the two holes in the rear of the stove using 2-1/4 inch (58 mm) lag bolts long enough to go through both a hearth pad (if used) and the floor of the home.
• Outside combustion air supply required (see Combustion Air Supply above).
• Maintain the vapor barrier at the location where the chimney or other component penetrates to the exterior of the structure.
• Never operate with the firing doors open.
• A smoke detector should be installed in the room where the heater is installed, at least 10 feet away from the heater to prevent accidental triggering.

The Big E is approved for PFI Premium grade hardwood pellets only. The Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) standard specifies:

• Diameter: 1/4 inch or 5/16 inch
• Length: No greater than 1 inch (longer pellets bridge the auger flights and prevent proper feed)
• Density: Minimum 40 lbs per cubic foot
• BTU value: Minimum 8,200 BTU per pound
• Moisture: Under 8 percent by weight
• Ash: Under 1 percent by weight
• Salt: Under 300 parts per million

• Hopper capacity: Up to 140 lbs (63.5 kg) — roughly three full 40 lb bags of pellets.
• Fuel burn rate: 1 to 5.5 lbs (0.45 to 2.5 kg) per hour depending on the Heat Level Advance setting (1 through 5). Pellet size and quality may affect actual feed rates by up to 20 percent.
• Setting 1 (low): Approximately 1 lb/hr — over 100 hours of burn time per full hopper.
• Setting 5 (high): Approximately 5.5 lbs/hr — about 25 hours of burn time per full hopper. The manual cautions that setting 5 is designed for temporary use only and should not be run for more than one or two hours at a time.
• Reset Trim adjustment: The control board offers a Reset Trim function with three settings for the number 1 feed rate to accommodate different pellet brands and qualities.

The stove's performance depends heavily on pellet quality. The manual flags these characteristics as red flags for pellet quality:

• Excess fines: Crushed pellets or loose sawdust-like material. Pellets can be screened before placing in the hopper to remove most fines.
• Binders: Some pellets are produced with binding agents — these can affect burn quality.
• High ash content: Poor quality pellets create smoke, dirty glass, and require more frequent burnpot cleaning and system vacuuming. May damage the auger over time.

Wet pellets will result in reduced performance. Store pellets in a dry place; do not store fuel within the installation clearances of the unit or within the space required for refueling and ash removal.

It is against federal regulations to operate the Big E with any fuel other than approved PFI Premium grade pellets. Do NOT burn: garbage, lawn clippings or yard waste, materials containing rubber (including tires), materials containing plastic, waste petroleum products, paints or paint thinners, asphalt products, materials containing asbestos, construction or demolition debris, railroad ties or pressure-treated wood, manure or animal remains, salt-water driftwood, unseasoned wood, paper products, cardboard, plywood, or particleboard. The exception for fire starters made from paper, cardboard, sawdust, wax and similar substances applies only to starting a fire — not to ongoing combustion.

Compare the Big E against the SW500 wood stove or browse the full Breckwell collection.