How did your pellet stove start up go this year?

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I drifted over toward the stove....the power cord magically plugged itself in....I gently pushed the power button and .......POOF .....I woke up from my dream.

Nope, didn't turn the stove on....yet.

I'm already starting to burn oil so it was time. I just need to get my 3 tons now (yes, I know I'm late -- busy year). They are ordered and now burning the left overs from last year
 
The first couple years I went through a baffle about once a year. The first year my baffle disintegrated (literally -- see old posts). The last couple years the baffle has held up but now the big thing seems an ignitor about once per year.
 
You only burn 3 ton a year and burn through a baffle/or ignitor?

Do you burn on a Very High/Hot setting?
 
You only burn 3 ton a year and burn through a baffle/or ignitor?

Do you burn on a Very High/Hot setting?

Manual/Medium/Utility pellet (burn Energex). Yes ~3 tons and usually not all. 2000 sq ft house with 2 oil zones (1st/2nd floor). The pellet stove doesn't heat upstairs (or not much). I still rely on oil for top floor. Since its all bedrooms on 2nd floor the t-stat stays lower (65 - 68). The bottom floor the pellet stove t-stat is set about 72 (and t-stat is in another room in center of house away from stove). The oil t-stat is in my office (with multiple PC's; stays warmer) and is set to 68

We usually burn exactly 3 tons; we may end up buying bags at end of season but last year was so mild we had left overs.

I did heavily insulate my house a few years after moving in; it's better but still not great... still more to do / always more to do
 
Bosca fired right up and is burning now as the cooler temps had the house at 67*. After awhile she was happily toasty at 72* and climbing. Soon time to shut it down for the evening.

I did note that following a thorough cleaning since last burning season, I threw in a bag of Cheat Rivers I had from last year and was getting an additional 7 degrees out of the front of the stove. I tested them at the end of the season last year with a dirty stove. Is it normal that a clean stove will give you better heat? Please note that I daily clean my stove (empty ash pan, wipe down glass, empty burn pot) and vacuum the stove weekly. My thorough cleaning included removing and cleaning blowers, cleaning vent pipe as well as a very thorough cleaning of the entire stove. Still pretty new at this and just curious.
 
Is it normal that a clean stove will give you better heat? Please note that I daily clean my stove (empty ash pan, wipe down glass, empty burn pot) and vacuum the stove weekly. My thorough cleaning included removing and cleaning blowers, cleaning vent pipe as well as a very thorough cleaning of the entire stove. Still pretty new at this and just curious.

Yes even with your daily/weekly maintenance you have to do larger maintenance's periodically; i.e. removing /cleaning fans, running a brush through a cool exhaust system, leaf blower trick, etc.

I burned some dirty pellets one year and had to do an "unscheduled" tear down during winter. I got the clog out (suspect it was in horizontal exhaust line) and the stove burned so much better and hotter for it.
 
P43 hadda replace the ESP, but my daughter had indicated at the end of last winter that she thought something was wrong with it. The P61A fired right up after my prep & like I reported earlier in the week there's 10 tons of Cleanfires waiting to go in the "HOPPA!"
 
Both of my Harmans are running smoothly....no issues for either one upon liftoff.
 
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The 45 started like it had been shut down an hour ago. It should it was still full of last years pellets.
 
Did a major cleaning last weekend. I did a test fire yest. Runs like the 1st day I put it in.
 
No troublee here but did work on the p68 a few weeks ago, new door gasket, distribution blower and a thourough cleaning and such so so far so good. Not shure yet on the timber heats seem a bit ashy but have been on low low so we will see how it does when we have her cranked up.
 
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Fired the stove up this morning. It was 63 in the living room so I thought I'd put it on for an hour or so to make sure everything is running OK. It was fine, and I had to open up the back door because it was getting too hot and I wanted it to burn a little longer.
 
Fired the P-43 up Yesterday Am. Well, would have fired up if I had reinstalled the fines trap cover corectly :oops: . So 5 minute fix, and it fired right up. Probably be using it more this week, getting downright chilly here in the Northeast !
 
Fired up last night, went OK. I knew something was missing over the summer. Oh yea, the tinkle of pellets dropping , clanking, clunking, blowers...you get the idea.... Damn no hockey to drown out the noise....
 
I'm happy to have the orange glow back in the living room!

Thought the exact same thing last evening when I saw that glow in the basement every time I walked past the stairway
 
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Harman we have lite off all systems go. Temp was 60 when I got home sooo before my honey comes home and gives me the "LOOK" you know the one I mean! I go into CYA mode, temps are climbing. This doesn't mean I'm exempt from the "LOOK" it only postpones it .
 
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The M55 fired up easier this year than in past. Wife texted me at work on Sunday and asked should she leave the stove in manual or on off,
she even loaded it up with 2 bags of pellets so when I got home to watch the race the house was toasty warm.
 
Heck since the V.A put me on blood thinners i get cold easy.On my fourth bag already this year.
 
Yeah, I KNEW I jinxed myself in that post yesterday.....came home today from work to find the house at 63::F....just a bit too cool for my liking, sooooooooooo.....plugged the stove in, loaded about 10 LBs of last years leftover pellets into the hopper, hit the start button and off she went, like a champ.

One thing I noted was how fast the stove started up w/ the new ignitor.......I'm going to start another thread about that right after I post this one.

Oh, and the stove has only been on for about 45 minutes, and house is already up to 67. :)
 
Start up went perfect. No cleaning was needed as I did a thorough cleaning at the end of season. The stove responded with the typical click from the Zettler relay on the pcb and the motors powered up after hibernating in almost half a year. I've made a little clip of it and put it on Youtube. On this clip you can also see the auger voltage monitored on my handheld DSO Nanoscope. Enjoy:)
 
Test fired yesterday afternoon. The Leyden appreciated the clean out I gave her and rewarded me by firing right up, no issues - worked so much like a champ that even on the low heat setting it was too hot on the first floor - even the wife agreed...and she's never warm :) Nothing like the smell of pellets burning...
 
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