1month into owning my 52i...my experience

[stratocaster1422]

So I have been running my 52i for a month and I couldn't be happier. I have barely used a drop of oil heating my 2700sf home! I kick on the oil in the bedrooms when it's <10deg outside overnight, but that's it. House is so warm and toasty. I can consistently keep it above 70 and I wouldn't let it go above 66 with oil....and paying up the nose for it!

I have burned a ton of Hamer Hot Ones. I have run Orford, Greene Gold, Barefoot, CleanFire, and LaCrete all in small batches (~3 bags each) as well. I have honestly not seen a lick of difference between any of them. Now when I was trying out the other brands it was on the warmer side, so maybe that skewed my results. The only difference is that maybe the LaCrete had a slightly different type of ash, but that's it.

I typically have to scrape the burn pot whenever I add pellets and after 6-8hrs of not touching the pot, there is enough ash build up to affect the flame performance.

I have to empty the ash pan every week when I clean, it will typically be just about full. I can't even fathom how some people can go a month without emptying it. Are those people not cleaning their stoves every week either? Are they burning magic pellets that produce like zero ash? It's not like I am burning crap pellets here.

I typically take out the cast iron plates and go crazy back there to clean every week. Is this going over board for an every week regiment?

I just did my first deep cleaning of the venting system and it wasn't too bad on the inside.

I have noticed a spot on my glass that looks like the mirror coating on my glass has been affected. Does anybody else have this? You can see it in the top left of the glass under the second set of designs of the blower grate. It's only visible with no flame.

 

[rona]

Different stoves require different cleaning cycles. Certain times of the year -shoulder seasons- usually require more frequent cleaning.
Some pellets have a lot more ash then others. Your exhaust system will make a difference.
Give yourself a couple winters of pellet burning to see what its all about. I have had lots of people growl about how poor the pellets are but when we talk about what a cold winter it has been they can see where the btus went.

 

[mepellet]

Glad you are enjoying your Harman! I clean my P61A every other week and I empty my ash bin during every other cleaning.

 

[John Fortier]

As for the ash, I have an insert also and empty the pan every 48 hours along with a cleaning. From reading on here FS are the ones that go longer between cleaning.

 

[stratocaster1422]

You shut it down and clean it every 48hrs? Wow, I thought I was being regimented. Is your ash pan full after 48hrs?

 

[John Fortier]

Pretty much I could go a little longer. Just what I am use to and don't mind it.

 

[Hoot23]

I can go a ton/months without emptying the bin. I only shut down once a month to clean. Ash pan is huge though.

 

[fmsm]

I go 2 weeks with my P35i's

 

[John Fortier]

I must have a really small ash...............................................................................................pan

 

[bbfarm]

When we burnt hardwood pellets last season our ash pan was full after a week.

Burning the good stuff it's only an inch full after a week.

 

[RhodyPelletRook]

Have a 52i on order for install next week. I was doing it anyway, but when the local shop offered a "special" with no charge for install, it made the decision easier. Thanks to everyone in this forum for the discussion topics. All of which are very helpful.