new enviro maxx

[onastick]

I just bought a new enviro maxx for a 2000 sqft home. I got it installed in my basement.
When I got it installed, the installer set at 5 for the auger and 5 for the blower which is max for the stove.
The default is 4 for the feeder and 2 for the combustion blower. I'm trying different setting but have it at 3-3. I have been running it on 1 and 2 right now for a heat setting.
I'm trying to find a good average for it before it gets to cold and not to hard on the wallet for pellets.
should the blower be higher than the feed rate to circulate more air or more feed at a lower blower setting to create more heat with less air circulation?
I would be thankful for any suggestions.

 

[Nicholas440]

Welcome to the forum. I dont know anything about the Enviro but Im wondering , if you got it to warm your house why is it in the basement? You're not going to get much heat upstairs with the stove in the basement. Not unless you just plan on keeping your basement toasty warm or you have some way of moving your heat to the rest of the house ?

 

[imacman]

Also, is the basement finished (insulated)? If not, you will be spending most of your pellet $$ on heating the concrete walls & floor.

If you DO have it finished, you probably need to speak to J-Takeman....he has his Enviro Omega in the basement too, and can give some insight into what to set it at.

As Nicholas mentions above, how do you plan on sending the heat upstairs?

 

[onastick]

i didn't have the room for one upstairs and no the basement isn't insulated.
the basement is warm but just trying to get the best amount of heat for the buck

 

[defield]

onastick,

As I am sure that you realize, and as imacman mentioned, an uninsulated basement is like a large heat sink. The uninsulated walls will absorb much of the warm air output from the pellet stove..

I would work on insulating the walls, even if you have to do it in small sections at a time.

In the meantime, perhaps you can set up fans to help get some of the heat to the living level.

Ranger

 

[jtakeman]

onastick,

Until you get some insulation on the basement walls. Don't shutdown the stove, Keep it running on the lowest setting to maintain the heat level in the basement. If you have it on thermostat use the hi/lo setting! You will probably need to add some ducts for the heat to move upstairs. Also add a fan to push the cold air from upstairs to the basement. If you don't have a cold air return(like a furnace) the air will not rise upstairs all that well. Keep the fan on the floor and don't close the basement door. Add a louvered door if the door must remain closed.

Before adding ducts you will need to check with town zoning. Make sure there up to code.

 

[onastick]

i have an air exchanger taking air from upstairs and the process of getting money for insulating the basement. i got the floor joists insulated around the basement wall.
what in peoples opinion is better-have feeder higher or convection blower higher

 

[onastick]

onastick,

Until you get some insulation on the basement walls. Don't shutdown the stove, Keep it running on the lowest setting to maintain the heat level in the basement. If you have it on thermostat use the hi/lo setting! You will probably need to add some ducts for the heat to move upstairs. Also add a fan to push the cold air from upstairs to the basement. If you don't have a cold air return(like a furnace) the air will not rise upstairs all that well. Keep the fan on the floor and don't close the basement door. Add a louvered door if the door must remain closed.

Before adding ducts you will need to check with town zoning. Make sure there up to code.

what is the difference between hi/lo and auto setting for a thermostat and what kind of thermostat is best to use.
i would like to try and get the feeder and blower set for best results...default is 4 & 2, but it seems like it goes through alot of pellet at this setting.
what are your settings on the omega??

 

[jtakeman]

onastick,

Until you get some insulation on the basement walls. Don't shutdown the stove, Keep it running on the lowest setting to maintain the heat level in the basement. If you have it on thermostat use the hi/lo setting! You will probably need to add some ducts for the heat to move upstairs. Also add a fan to push the cold air from upstairs to the basement. If you don't have a cold air return(like a furnace) the air will not rise upstairs all that well. Keep the fan on the floor and don't close the basement door. Add a louvered door if the door must remain closed.

Before adding ducts you will need to check with town zoning. Make sure there up to code.

what is the difference between hi/lo and auto setting for a thermostat and what kind of thermostat is best to use.
i would like to try and get the feeder and blower set for best results...default is 4 & 2, but it seems like it goes through alot of pellet at this setting.
what are your settings on the omega??

I run my Omega on stat Auto/off heat setting 3 feed trim 3. There isn't a combustion trim so I set it with the damper adjustment rod. Here is some info on the stat stuff for you.

This is straight out of the manual.

MANUAL MODE:
All control of circuit board function is adjusted at the circuit board.
INITIAL START-UP: Press the ON / OFF button. The stove will turn on.
The Fuel Type Light will flash (the Auger Feed Rate is pre-programmed during start-up). The Heat Level
Indicator will show the Heat Level that the stove will run at after start-up.
If this is the first time the unit has been started or the unit has run out of fuel, the auger may need to be
primed. If there is no fuel in the burn pot after two (2) minutes the liner can be primed with a handful of
pellets .
The agitator will not operate for the first ten (10) minute after the ON button has been pressed. After the ten
(10) minutes it will pulse at the same interval as the feed auger.
When the start-up sequence is complete the unit will ramp up in two (2) minute intervals until it has reached
the designated heat setting.
Once a fire has been established, the convection blower will turn on after ten (10) minutes.
To OPERATE: Press the Heat Level buttons to change the desired Heat Level Output setting.
The speed of the convection blower is controlled by the setting of the heat level.
The Feed Trim button pressed in conjunction with the Heat Level adjustment buttons can be used to adjust the
feed trim. It can be increased by two (2) feed settings or it can be decreased by two (2) feed settings.

HIGH/LOW MODE: (Requires a Thermostat or Timer)
INITIAL START-UP: See MANUAL MODE above.
OPERATION: When the thermostat calls for heat (contacts are closed) the
stove settings are adjustable as per Manual Mode. When the thermostat
contacts open, the HEAT LEVEL and Fans will drop down to the LOW setting until
the thermostat contacts close again. The stove will come back to the previous
HEAT LEVEL setting once the thermostat contacts close.

AUTO/OFF MODE: (Requires a Thermostat or Timer)
INITIAL START-UP: See MANUAL MODE above.
OPERATION: When the thermostat contacts close, the unit will light
automatically. Once up to temperature, the stove operates the same as in
MANUAL. When the thermostat contacts open, the stove’s HEAT LEVEL and Fans
will drop down to the LOW setting for 30 minutes. If the thermostat contacts
close within the 30 minutes, the HEAT LEVEL will return to the previous MANUAL
setting. If the thermostat contacts remain open, the stove automatically begins its shutdown routine. The
stove will re-light when the thermostat contacts close again.

Hope it helps!

 

[onastick]

thank you for the reply.
I set my feed rate at 3 and convection blower at 3 and it doesn't seem to bad yet.
my heat setting is at 2 right now to give a little warm and it seems pretty good for blowing off heat and pellet efficiency.
just trying to find a happy medium.
what type of thermostat are people using, i just want the basic.
thank you

 

[jtakeman]

I am using a Lux TX500e programmable stat. Works great for my busy life style. I run the stove on auto/off in the shoulder season and hi/lo when the temps drop to the daytime high of 30ºF.

Until you get the basement squared away. I still recommend you run on hi/lo, It should help you and that heat loss!

 

[imacman]

....what type of thermostat are people using, i just want the basic.
thank you

If you want very basic, I pretty sure even an old-style round Honeywell manual stat will work......the stat is just a switch telling the stove when to send heat.

 

[onastick]

thanks for the opinions from everyone eventhough some don't like the basement idea :zip:
i am a work in progress and so is my house.
thank you

 

[jtakeman]

thanks for the opinions from everyone eventhough some don't like the basement idea :zip:
i am a work in progress and so is my house.
thank you

You can make a basement install work as I am proof of that. But it isn't easy to do. You'll have to be creative on moving the air around. If I ever need to do it again? It will be a furnace and duct the heat to where I want it. In the long run I would probably save some. Probably use less pellets overall too!

My biggest gain was insulation in the basement wall and cement knee walls. That and capping the attic to R40 plus saved me a ton easy.