Questions on Harman P68

Hi. I'm new to the forum. I have been reading extensively on the forum as I just bought a relatively new house (built in 1989) that is heated with fuel oil. The house is well insulated and there are no apparent drafts. There is a Vermont Casting Vigilant Wood Stove in the family room vented through a chimney which sits in the center of house. I would like to remove the Vigilant and put in a Harman P68 pellet stove to the heat the mainfloor and upstairs (~ 2200 square feet). The floor plan is open, unfortunately the ceilings in the family room are cathedralized - at the highest point, probably clost to 20 feet. There are 3 ceiling fans installed. I have a few questions...

1) What is the optimal range for the P68 to operate at? I'm wondering if there is any chance it might actually put out too much heat, causing us to run it at a lower temperature than it was optimally designed for and if maybe I should put in a stove with lower BTUs. I doubt it, but thought it was worth asking considering how expensive they are.

2) I've read different opinions regarding OAKs. If it is important to use one, I'm not sure how I could install one given my floor plan because the stove will not be installed along an exterior wall. Any suggestions? I'm assuming I could not place the OAK into the chimney.

3) Is it important to extend the stove piping all the way up to the top of the chimney? The Harman manual suggests that either set-up can be performed but does not suggest if one way is preferred over the other.

4) How noisy is the P68? I'm assuming it won't interfere with watching TV and conversation in the family room?

Thanks for the help.

Bioburner said:

You never gave a location of your home. The heating needs of MN are more than someone from say Ohio. Pellet stoves like the p series dont have the low burn problems of wood stoves. The P68 should keep you warm without over heating as the smart thermostat features will manage that for you without putting a big chill on your wallet to feed it. Good luck

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Thanks for the feedback already. I live in upstate New York. It gets equally as cold here as in Minnesota... you know... negative digits for weeks at a time!

DexterDay said:

2,200 sq ft, and high ceilings? Go with the p-68 and don't look back.

As for the OAK? I would install one. Look into Selkirk DT. It has the appearance of Woodstove pipe (6"), but it is a 4" inner diameter for the exhaust and the outer 2" is for the outside to travel down and get pre-heated by the exhaust. Lots of members here with it and they are quite happy. It being an interior install, a tall vertical install will work well.

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So I put this into my existing chimney where my wood stove is currently venting? I don't understand how the exhaust fumes don't get sucked right back into the stove via the outer pipe. Please explain. I would think having the vent in the same location as the fresh air pipe would create problems.

daffonce said:

I have an xxv noise isn't bad at all. It is heating my 2500-2600 sq ft house. I will put an oak on it this summer as it had issues heating hole house in low single digits. Oak will increase stove efficiency by ~10%. Not sure on venting through chimney. Oak could be run up chimney I believe though. With draft of going up chimney smoke on power failure shouldn't be an issue as you will have a lot of draft. More stove is always good as it can run lower, not enough btus and you are stuck.

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The XXV was my second choice. I do prefer the aesthetics of this stove, but I figure I need the higher BTU output of the P68 and appreciate that the P68 is a bit easier to clean. I am going to see these stoves in person. If the P68 is too loud, it might push me to the XXV.

Hoot23 said:

The noise isn't that bad. You get used to it. I'd rather watch the stove than the tv anyways.

View attachment 96429

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That is what I figured. I don't mind having to turn up the TV. I assume it's not so loud that it interferes with conversation in the same room? If so, I might have to consider an XXV, but I think I need the higher BTUs. It's a big area to heat, and it can get very, very cold where I live.

DexterDay said:

Using DT, you would have to take all the existing out.

The DT, is a system of its own. Look it up. If you want an OAK (will greatly increase efficiency) the DT is the best way.

Unless you have a crawlspace and can drill through the floor for outside air?

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Please excuse my ignorance - what is DT? It sounds like the OAK is a good thing to do but I think the only feasible way is to somehow utilize my chimney. The stove will sit in the center of the house, in the center of the family room. There are walk ways on either side of the hearth and we have a basement so I can't go through a crawl space. However, the basement is not completely finished so I might be able to drill through the brick hearth and through the sub-flooring to get to an exterior wall. Seems like a big project though...

Here's a picture of the current set-up with the wood stove. Again, I'd like to swap out the Vigilant for the P68 and vent it right into the chimney just like the wood stove is currently.

daffonce said:

Selkirk DT is a type of venting pipe. I this always advertised here or at least for me it is. It functions as both exhaust and oak. I would say go with the p68 here in south east new england the xxv struggled with my 2500 when temps were single digits. I have 12 ft vaulted ceilings in 1 room. Stove alone was only able to maintain 65ish when I usually run 70.

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OK. I got it now. What I'm not clear on is how this pipe would connect to the P68. Doesn't the stove have two different ports for exhaust and air intake? Once the Selkirk DT gets to the stove, how do you connect it to the different outlets on the P68?

mik_kane said:

Here is a diagram of how it works
http://www.selkirkcorp.com/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=8420

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Thanks. That was really helpful. However, I don't really want to run this straight up adjacent to my chimney and through the ceiling. Do they have an elbow adapter so that I can vent it into and then up through my existing chimney?