Sunflower seed mode

John97 · Feb 12, 2012

Well, since we have real winter weather again I decided to give it a shot.

Running in auto mode, sunflower seed, flame height set to -5.

It's definitely putting out more heat.

imacman · Feb 12, 2012

John97 said:
Well, since we have real winter weather again I decided to give it a shot.

Running in auto mode, sunflower seed, flame height set to -5.

It's definitely putting out more heat.

And sunflower seeds cost how much?

John97 · Feb 12, 2012

imacman said:
John97 said:

Well, since we have real winter weather again I decided to give it a shot.

Running in auto mode, sunflower seed, flame height set to -5.

It's definitely putting out more heat.

Click to expand...

And sunflower seeds cost how much?

No idea, I'm still burning pellets.

SmokeyTheBear · Feb 12, 2012

imacman said:
John97 said:

Well, since we have real winter weather again I decided to give it a shot.

Running in auto mode, sunflower seed, flame height set to -5.

It's definitely putting out more heat.

Click to expand...

And sunflower seeds cost how much?

Plenty, far more than pellets.

smoke show · Feb 12, 2012

John97 said:
Well, since we have real winter weather again I decided to give it a shot.

Running in auto mode, sunflower seed, flame height set to -5.

It's definitely putting out more heat.

Do you feel like your sending more heat out the vent?

Hows the fuel consumption?

Caribfan · Feb 12, 2012

What kind of pellets may I ask? I've heard this "sunflower" mode mentioned a few times in this forum. If it produces more heat why wouldn't I run it all the time. More ash? more difficult to clean? Can anyone tell me what is different in sunflower mode. I only ask because I am impatiently awaiting the arrival/installation of my mt vernon and have learned more here over the past 2 weeks then I ever though was possible on pellet related topics. I can't wait to ask the dealer if my mt vernon comes with re-engineered burn pot? Does it have the latest ignitor? Will it have the newest fuel tables (version 030 I think) and if not why? when will you be loading them because I don't want to replace the ignitor twice a year. etc etc etc. Anyway, not get off topic....why not sunflower mode all the time?

Snowy Rivers · Feb 12, 2012

I have not run Sunflower seeds, but run Hazelnut shells on a full time basis.

The shells produce more heat, although twice the ash, but at a cost of about $1 a day to heat the house in the cold weather and 50 Cents a day during the shoulder seasons.

It figures out to about 2 cents a pound for the stuff.

I can deal with a lot of anoyance for that little dibble of $$$$$

The shells are a total waste product, where as the seeds are probably not so much so.

Good luck with the seed burner.

Snowy

John97 · Feb 12, 2012

Caribfan said:
What kind of pellets may I ask? I've heard this "sunflower" mode mentioned a few times in this forum. If it produces more heat why wouldn't I run it all the time. More ash? more difficult to clean? Can anyone tell me what is different in sunflower mode. I only ask because I am impatiently awaiting the arrival/installation of my mt vernon and have learned more here over the past 2 weeks then I ever though was possible on pellet related topics. I can't wait to ask the dealer if my mt vernon comes with re-engineered burn pot? Does it have the latest ignitor? Will it have the newest fuel tables (version 030 I think) and if not why? when will you be loading them because I don't want to replace the ignitor twice a year. etc etc etc. Anyway, not get off topic....why not sunflower mode all the time?

Apparently sunflower mode maintains more fuel in the burnpot, creating more heat. Thus, uses more pellets. But, it's not burning them as fast as I thought. I want to clean the fines out of the hopper so I am trying to let it run out of fuel. It's taking longer than I expected.

My Mt. Vernon purchased in November, installed in December has the 030 tables, and of course the upgraded burnpot. Yours should too.

As far as the other questions about sunflower mode. I am noticing more heat coming out of the vent.

Here's the deal. I typically run my stove in auto mode with the thermostat set to 78. Because the stove runs on low once it gets close to the set temperature in combination with the heat loss from the room to the rest of the house, I find that causes it to basically maintain a temperature of 74-75 in my living room with the rest of the house at 70-72. Since it's cold, today I found that it was maintaining a temperature of 72-73 in the living room and the rest of the house was 68-70.

After switching to sunflower mode, it's 76 in my living room and 73 here upstairs.

FOR CLARIFICATION: I AM NOT BURNING SUNFLOWER SEEDS. I AM BURNING PELLETS WITH THE MT. VERNON AE SET TO SUNFLOWER SEED MODE ON THE THERMOSTAT CONTROL.

smoke show · Feb 12, 2012

John97 said:
I am noticing more heat coming out of the vent.

I'm wondering if you think theres more heat going out the exhaust vent?

More fuel=more air thru the pot.

John97 · Feb 13, 2012

smoke show said:
John97 said:

I am noticing more heat coming out of the vent.

Click to expand...

I'm wondering if you think theres more heat going out the exhaust vent?

More fuel=more air thru the pot.

Good question...

It actually just hit the 78 on the thermostat and shut down. Hasn't run out of pellets yet.

SmokeyTheBear · Feb 13, 2012

smoke show said:
John97 said:

I am noticing more heat coming out of the vent.

Click to expand...

I'm wondering if you think theres more heat going out the exhaust vent?

More fuel=more air thru the pot.

Doesn't have to be that way.

smoke show · Feb 13, 2012

SmokeyTheBear said:
smoke show said:

John97 said:

I am noticing more heat coming out of the vent.

Click to expand...

I'm wondering if you think theres more heat going out the exhaust vent?

More fuel=more air thru the pot.

Click to expand...

Doesn't have to be that way.

In this instance, I believe it does.

bbfarm · Feb 13, 2012

I am curious on burning hazelnut shells.

How did you know your stoves could burn them?

are they crushed small?

Where do you buy them?

3jfk · Feb 13, 2012

John97 said:
Well, since we have real winter weather again I decided to give it a shot.

Running in auto mode, sunflower seed, flame height set to -5.

It's definitely putting out more heat.

Hi John97, I've been running in Sunflower seed mode for over 2 months now and like you said the heat difference is incredible.
I am running with a -5 feed rate and the flame height is around the top of the flame symbol on back plate.
I'm still using the same amount of Turmans pellets in 24 hours - 1 bag or less.
To me it looks like more combustion air in the burn pot causing the extra heat output.
Regards, Jon

John97 · Feb 13, 2012

3jfk said:
John97 said:

Well, since we have real winter weather again I decided to give it a shot.

Running in auto mode, sunflower seed, flame height set to -5.

It's definitely putting out more heat.

Click to expand...

Hi John97, I've been running in Sunflower seed mode for over 2 months now and like you said the heat difference is incredible.
I am running with a -5 feed rate and the flame height is around the top of the flame symbol on back plate.
I'm still using the same amount of Turmans pellets in 24 hours - 1 bag or less.
To me it looks like more combustion air in the burn pot causing the extra heat output.
Regards, Jon

I also set my flame to -5 because I think I saw one of your previous posts. I am seeing the same thing, pretty high flame and the significant difference in heat output.

tsmith · Feb 13, 2012

3jfk said:
John97 said:

Well, since we have real winter weather again I decided to give it a shot.

Running in auto mode, sunflower seed, flame height set to -5.

It's definitely putting out more heat.

Click to expand...

Hi John97, I've been running in Sunflower seed mode for over 2 months now and like you said the heat difference is incredible.
I am running with a -5 feed rate and the flame height is around the top of the flame symbol on back plate.
I'm still using the same amount of Turmans pellets in 24 hours - 1 bag or less.
To me it looks like more combustion air in the burn pot causing the extra heat output.
Regards, Jon

I too am burning Turmans, and I have been using corn mode on high elevation to control the flame height. I just switched to sunflower to try it, but I have to think it will use much more fuel, because sunflower mode feeds the most fuel, and corn mode the least.
Flame height at -5 and flames are going out the top baffle. Are you using normal elevation or high elevation?

jtakeman · Feb 13, 2012

I been folowing what your doing. Why sunflower and then drop the feed with the flame high. Wouldn't utility or hardwood and a raised flame high do the about same thing? What does sunflower do to the combustion blower speeds?

I have never seen the schedules for the programs. Nor do I own a MT V. But feed rates and this tinkering is something that I enjoy trying to figure out. Sorry to poke my nose in!

DexterDay · Feb 13, 2012

j-takeman said:
I been folowing what your doing. Why sunflower and then drop the feed with the flame high. Wouldn't utility or hardwood and a raised flame high do the about same thing? What does sunflower do to the combustion blower speeds?

I have never seen the schedules for the programs. Nor do I own a MT V. But feed rates and this tinkering is something that I enjoy trying to figure out. Sorry to poke my nose in!

Me too Jay... I subscribe to all these AE threads. Trying to better understand the programs and flame heights.

My furnace's fuel selections (10) just make the cleaning cycle happen faster. No change in combustion blower speed.

Sorry. Now back to your regular scheduled programming.

smoke show · Feb 13, 2012

Its been awhile since I tried it.

This is what I remember.

The stove seemed quite a bit louder.(in TV room). Thinkin the comb blower is turning faster.

I also thought with the fire burning so mucher hotter that alot more heat was going out the exhaust.

I was also concerned about ignitor life with more frequent AC cycles.

smoke show · Feb 13, 2012

j-takeman said:
Why sunflower and then drop the feed with the flame high.

I bet the pot would overflow, or you'd over-fire with out the feed rate bottomed out.

Mt V is intriguing, no?

tsmith · Feb 13, 2012

It is definatelly putting out more heat, so much so that you can actually smell the heat kinda like an electric heater. The flame height is way high though. It dumps fuel in pretty often, there is not much time between auger turns that is what keeps the flame so high and hot. It will use more fuel. I also believe that with the flames hitting the top of the baffle, a lotof heat has to be going out the exhaust. I am changing back to hardwood or corn setting.

jtakeman · Feb 13, 2012

smoke show said:
j-takeman said:

Why sunflower and then drop the feed with the flame high.

Click to expand...

I bet the pot would overflow, or you'd over-fire with out the feed rate bottomed out.

Mt V is intriguing, no?

Lots of play options. But without hands on I am clue less. Did they ever post a spread sheet on the cycle rates?

You would think just bumping up the flame height in hardwood would do about the same thing. adding more to the pot like sunflower. Seeing your already on the bottom with sunflower(-5) you can't go lower and if its still feeding slightly too much you don't have wiggle room. What does sunflower do to the autoclean?

I like to play in the middle of the zone. So you can tweak up or down some. But thats just me!

3jfk · Feb 13, 2012

I also set my flame to -5 because I think I saw one of your previous posts. I am seeing the same thing, pretty high flame and the significant difference in heat output.[/quote]

I've always run in AUTO on hardwood settings but in sunflower mode I now run in MAN, heat level 1-Low.
In AUTO the heat difference keeps shutting the stove of on the thermostat. And by setting the temp higher the feed rate/heat level goes up - which you don't need on sunflower mode.
But in MAN on 1-low I set the temp to 75/76f and it ticks over nice keeping the whole house warm.

smoke show · Feb 13, 2012

tsmith said:
It is definatelly putting out more heat, so much so that you can actually smell the heat kinda like an electric heater.

Yep, I remember that smell now that you mentioned it.

I actually did over-fire mine and got the drop tube over temp error.

But at the time I was running the smoke show custom convection blower filter, thus reducing airflow.

smoke show · Feb 13, 2012

j-takeman said:
Did they ever post a spread sheet on the cycle rates?

The only thing published is AC times.

Must be some big trade secret about fuel delivery. :lol:

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