Am I burning too good a pellet?

olddawgsrule · Mar 9, 2011

Still a newbie and still learning from you folks.

The temps are coming up 'round here, hitting 20's over night.
I am used to the wood acting a bit sluggish when temps rise and expected the pellet stove to do the same.

But only able to run on low....
Been running on medium (only 3 settings here) so far and great heat, good looking flame, gray (not black glass) and been keeping up with cleaning it with every load.

AndyH and I are the only ones I know of here with this stove (Forester 5824), but the question I believe is basic to all (well I think..).

My stove has a heat limiter on it (as I assume all do) and is set to 200 degrees.
First question is; Is this considered low?

Second; Do you all find you're burning at lower settings this time of year?

Third; Am I just burning too good a pellet for this this stove???

DexterDay · Mar 10, 2011

If its lower than 30 but higher than 10, all day, yes I run on the lowest setting 24/7.When outside temp gets above 40, we run in Thermo mode. Set at 70. Today the outside temp was a little over 45, and the stove never kicked on all day. Got home temp in the house was 69. I run a 3 degree swing in warmer weather. Left the house at 5:30a.m., house at 76, came home at 4:30p.m, house at 69. Takes less time for the house to recover in warmer weather. When I can shut it down, I will. Just to save me some Pellets. Trying to HOARD me as many as possible for next year.

DexterDay · Mar 10, 2011

Oops. Forgot to ask what pellet you are burning? And Yes, the warmer it gets , the less and lower you will burn. Update your Profile Signature with your stove make and model, and the pellets you are burning. May have more people with a stove like yours. You will never know.

ChrisWNY · Mar 10, 2011

I can't run above Level 2 (out of 5) on days when the temp is above 32Â°F, otherwise my entire first floor soars into the upper 70s (second floor hits 70Â°F which is too warm for sleeping IMO), uncomfortably hot.

nosaudioil · Mar 10, 2011

Is this a trick question?

Andy H · Mar 10, 2011

I actually have a new high temp sensor on the way from US stove right now. Mine kept shutting off after running for about 2 minutes (way before it got to 200 degrees) I cut the wire because if you just disconnect it then it will not run. It runs fine with the sensor wire cut but will shut off after about an hour. I think the sensor somehow makes continuity once it reaches 200 degrees and that is what sets it off. From what I understand it should not shut your stove off when it gets to 200 degrees it should just send a signal to your auger to stop feeding pellets until it drops in temp.

When my stove is actually working correctly you should be able to run it all day long on high even if it's 70 degrees outside. It may sweat you out of the house but the stove should stay running.

first thing i'd try is moving the sensor back just a bit so it's farther away from the heat plate.

olddawgsrule · Mar 10, 2011

nosaudioil said:
Is this a trick question?

Didn't think so...

But I'm seeing you all burn lower, but mostly by choice.
I just seem to be forced into this...

olddawgsrule · Mar 10, 2011

Andy H said:
I actually have a new high temp sensor on the way from US stove right now. Mine kept shutting off after running for about 2 minutes (way before it got to 200 degrees) I cut the wire because if you just disconnect it then it will not run. It runs fine with the sensor wire cut but will shut off after about an hour. I think the sensor somehow makes continuity once it reaches 200 degrees and that is what sets it off. From what I understand it should not shut your stove off when it gets to 200 degrees it should just send a signal to your auger to stop feeding pellets until it drops in temp.

When my stove is actually working correctly you should be able to run it all day long on high even if it's 70 degrees outside. It may sweat you out of the house but the stove should stay running.

first thing i'd try is moving the sensor back just a bit so it's farther away from the heat plate.

I may just request the same.
I just checked again at the sensor and I'll be dammed if I can see a reading....
It's been running all day on low and I should be able to read something on it...
I'm searching for a anything to show the temp on this sensor, red mark (like the dial turns), needle (that may move around it)...
I can usually figure these things out, but this is killing me dude....

DexterDay · Mar 10, 2011

The magnetic thermo on the side of my stove gets over 600 on Medium, Never really burn on High. If your stove if shutting itself off, then there is prob a problem somewhere. IMHO

Andy H · Mar 10, 2011

olddawgsrule said:
Andy H said:

I actually have a new high temp sensor on the way from US stove right now. Mine kept shutting off after running for about 2 minutes (way before it got to 200 degrees) I cut the wire because if you just disconnect it then it will not run. It runs fine with the sensor wire cut but will shut off after about an hour. I think the sensor somehow makes continuity once it reaches 200 degrees and that is what sets it off. From what I understand it should not shut your stove off when it gets to 200 degrees it should just send a signal to your auger to stop feeding pellets until it drops in temp.

When my stove is actually working correctly you should be able to run it all day long on high even if it's 70 degrees outside. It may sweat you out of the house but the stove should stay running.

first thing i'd try is moving the sensor back just a bit so it's farther away from the heat plate.

Click to expand...

I may just request the same.
I just checked again at the sensor and I'll be dammed if I can see a reading....
It's been running all day on low and I should be able to read something on it...
I'm searching for a anything to show the temp on this sensor, red mark (like the dial turns), needle (that may move around it)...
I can usually figure these things out, but this is killing me dude....

I'm pretty sure you're checking the vacuum pressure switch... if you're looking at the stove from the front you're talking about the white thing with the dial on the right side correct? if so that is the pressure switch and you shouldn't have to do anything with that. The High temp sensor is on the other side. it's a little silver bullet thing with two black wires coming into it. I'm pretty sure once it reaches 200 degrees it trips and sends a signal to the auger to either slow or at least slow down until the temp of the stove drops.

DexterDay · Mar 10, 2011

Are these "sensors" your talking about, the Snap Disc's? If so, you will not get a temp reading from them. When they hit here predetemined temp, they open, and shut said circiut down. Can u take a pic of this "sensor" and post it. Would help out a lot.

olddawgsrule · Mar 10, 2011

DexterDay said:
Are these "sensors" your talking about, the Snap Disc's? If so, you will not get a temp reading from them. When they hit here predetemined temp, they open, and shut said circiut down. Can u take a pic of this "sensor" and post it. Would help out a lot.

Funny you should ask that..

olddawgsrule · Mar 10, 2011

Sorry didn't complete the post..

I thought of sending a picture to show what I'm seeing here.
There's a nice dial and what seems to be an arrow, but this is taken after running all day on low and it's 20 degrees???

I'm really missing something here...

olddawgsrule · Mar 10, 2011

This is how I check different pellets and where it's placed.
Okay, so not entirely scientific, but it works and shows me a difference....
This is also the temp it's been running on all day

Andy H · Mar 11, 2011

the white thing is the pressure switch and the dial does not move on it's own and you shouldn't ever have to adjust it.

this is the hi temp sensor

http://www.discountstoveparts.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=41_283&product_id=315

Like i've been saying, when that trips it should not shut your stove off but that does not mean it's not detective. I'd call US Stoves and have them send you another sensor..... it's free and it only takes a minute to install so you have nothing to lose.

DexterDay · Mar 11, 2011

Your way of monitoring your temps, is one of the ways I check my pellet heat also. I have 2 magnetic thermo's. One is on the side of the stove (around 410 on Low and 600 on Medium). The other is on the front of the stove, but not directly in the middle. (Around 250-270 on its lowwest setting) Its a lil off to the side, but that because there is Zero airflow in the center. The 3rd and latest is a Digital probe meat thermomitor. It is much more accurate with the air flow temps. My Quadrafire only has 3 Heat settings. I Dont burn on High, and I dont plan to.
To get back on subject, it is a pressure switch. Or your vacuum switch as stated above by Andy H. Just Google the name LEFOO. Its looks like the LF32. That is not the problem. If you lost vacuum, your stove would shut down after 1 minute. Your High Temp could still be tripping, but what you are looking at is not it.
Here is the link, if not highlighted, then copy and paste in browser. (Vacuum LF32-02 20~200 pa) http://www.lefoo.com/prolist.asp?ProdId=0024

heat seeker · Mar 11, 2011

The dial is where you set the pressure differential for the switch. Leave it where it is.

olddawgsrule · Mar 11, 2011

Thanks guys!
Knew I had something wrong here.

I'm heading to the stove next and find this thing.
I'm interested to see if it's just reading temp in the housing of the stove or mounted to the firebox.
Have to believe it's in the housing since the firebox should be well over 200 degrees.

Andy, I will call them.
You're right if it's free and simple to replace!
Why not!

To all else; If what I'm learning is correct, the discount stove I purchased produces half the heat your stoves do.
Again, if how I'm reading my heat is close to what you all are doing, then I could be as low as a 1/3...

olddawgsrule · Mar 11, 2011

So this is the temp sensor.

olddawgsrule · Mar 13, 2011

Pulled the temp sensor, checked it, looked good and put it back.
Did a major cleaning, though didn't seem to need it.
Including pulling the vent pipe and dusting it (my wife was proud).

Starter her back up (the stove that is), got a good start and set to low to run for a bit.
After an hour, set to medium and let her go.
Again after an hour went for it and set it to high.

5 minutes later, beeping and shut down.

Did a re-start, after it cooled off, set to low and ran it through the load.

Believe it's either the sensor is re-acting too quickly or the CPU is not letting it ride.

Again, if I'm getting 200 plus degrees out the blower on medium, then the sensor must be reading at least that.
I'm putting the magnetic pipe temp gauge (I have for the wood stove) next to the sensor to see if I'm right.
If so.... then I could be burning too good a pellet for this stove and never be able to put it on high....

gfreek · Mar 13, 2011

You think that magnetic temp gauge is accurate enough?? Can you get an infrared temp gauge?? Hard to believe that those pellets burn too hot, but hey, what do I know....

olddawgsrule · Mar 13, 2011

gfreek said:
You think that magnetic temp gauge is accurate enough?? Can you get an infrared temp gauge?? Hard to believe that those pellets burn too hot, but hey, what do I know....

No I don't, but gives me something to check with.

Stove just went out a 1/2 hour ago and the mag gauge read 125 degrees...
My oven temp gauge at the blower exhaust read 175 degrees...

I have a temp probe for my multi-meter and trying to figure it out now for a better test.
Have to see what these infrared probes are all about.
Cheap enough, I'll have one tomorrow.

My assumption is this sensor is just for overheat.
I've pulled it off the mount and see no difference in flame or rate of feed... well, so far...
I'm guessing that the feed rate is timing, not heat readings.

I did pull it off after it was up and running, so still trying to figure this out.

Andy H · Mar 14, 2011

Yup, that is the correct sensor. Did you try keeping it plugged in but removing it way away from everything so there is no way it can reach 200 degrees? I'd just remove the side cover and have that sensor about 12" outside of the stove so it's at room temp. If you can run it on high like that it will tell you that the sensor needs to be replaced.

And as far as other stoves putting out twice as much head as the forester I can't imagine that is possible, when it's running on high you should barely be able to stand in front of the thing. any other pellet stove i've seen running seems like it puts out about the same amount of heat as this one.

olddawgsrule · Mar 14, 2011

Andy H said:
Yup, that is the correct sensor. Did you try keeping it plugged in but removing it way away from everything so there is no way it can reach 200 degrees? I'd just remove the side cover and have that sensor about 12" outside of the stove so it's at room temp. If you can run it on high like that it will tell you that the sensor needs to be replaced.

And as far as other stoves putting out twice as much head as the forester I can't imagine that is possible, when it's running on high you should barely be able to stand in front of the thing. any other pellet stove i've seen running seems like it puts out about the same amount of heat as this one.

Actually tried that yesterday, on high, and it shut down after 5 minutes.
It went an hour and a half on medium.
Ran straight through on low.

SmokeyTheBear · Mar 14, 2011

What lights are on and or flashing when it shuts down?

Am I burning too good a pellet?

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