settings

[mikhen]

Which is better, for the stove. Keep it on low and let it burn almost 24/7, or keep it on medium and have it go on and off. If I put the t-stat around the 70 mark, it seems the stove runs almost always on low, and it shuts off and goes back on when on medium.

 

[Vinelife]

I like personally keeping mine on high.. it will heat everything up and turn off after 2 hours.. and then turn back on in about 2 hours ..etc..

 

[DexterDay]

I do the low thing (at night only right now) all night. Woke up to 75* this morning.

Everyones setup is different and heating needs will be different. I notice it to be more comfortable if the stove is left to run 24/7 (if its cold enough) we are only burning at night right now.

Takes some time to get adjusted to knowing where to have your slide plate, based on outside temps. Taken a couple years to get to where I am at now.

Dont like using high setting, peroid. Dont use the stove on Med on the stat because my house does not feel as comfortable. Especially the ends of the house (70 long/Quad in center) and I use just as many pellets.

Low keeps it nice and toasty till around 10* to 0* outside. Once it dips that low, its time to step up to Med and drop the feed plate back down a little.

Everyones house, insulation, stove, heat-loss is going to be different. Taking everything you know and applying it to your situation. Is going to help tremendously.

Some tips: Cover windows in plastic (I do this/have new windows also), seal and caulk around all doors, windows, add little insulation pads behind electrical outlets and switches on external walls, new weather stripping for doors to your home... Insulating a little, goes a long ways.

What works for me, may not work for you..... It might. But results will vary. The PS-50 is just about the same stove as my Quad (About the same BTU's/internal parts) but thats about as close as I could compare.

Test over the course of a few nights and see what you get.. If you use Med, you can lower the feed plate/rate and get the same heat levels as Low, with more convection air, for a faster exchange rate.

Going into my 1st season with a new Woodstove and the Pellet/Bio-Mass Furnace. So I am going to be doing a lot of testing this Winter to see what works best (throwing everything I did in the past, out the window)

Quad during the day/Furnace at night for the bedrooms/Woodstove constantly in the basement for warm floors and some added heat upstairs to reduce some pellet consumption/etc

 

[mikhen]

Dexter, thanx for that tip on lowering the feed plate when on medium. I will try that. Sounds like that would use less pellets, also. I don't think it matters on mine, but I'm using an OAK. According to the manufacturer, that is only needed in a mobile home. I know my house isn't hermetically sealed from the outside, but I don't notice any drafts.

 

[DexterDay]

Dexter, thanx for that tip on lowering the feed plate when on medium. I will try that. Sounds like that would use less pellets, also. I don't think it matters on mine, but I'm using an OAK. According to the manufacturer, that is only needed in a mobile home. I know my house isn't hermetically sealed from the outside, but I don't notice any drafts.

I have an OAK also and in my opinion should be used for almost all applications. Without an OAK, you are using the warm air in your house for the combustion of the pellets, then sending that warm air outside. By doing that, the air must be replaced. Its replaced by coming in through all the leaky/drafty points in your home (bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, electrical outlets on exterior walls, etc) thereby making the rooms colder to replace the warm air you exhausted out of your home.

If you have an OAK, you use outside air and you dont create such a negative pressure in the house. Which means your warm air can go farther into your living space. Which in turn keeps the cold air from coming into your bedroom, bathroom, etc.

I am a believer in the OAK. Going my 1st yr without and having one for 2 yrs (going into 3rd season now) I can tell the difference. Along with improvements in sealing up the house, new windows, and the use of the plastic kits to seal the windows (this really helps/ firm believer in them) I have gone from using Med, to now being able to use Low for the most part.

I put little marks with a Sharpie marker on the feed plate rod. I know where to put the feed plate, according to outside temps (lots of trial and error) Its not a Science as other factors come into play (wind speed) but its a rough guesstimate thats pretty close. Some days its a little warmer when I wake up (78*-80*) or a little cooler (70*-72*) I like to keep it around 74*-76*. Seems a little warm. But we spent about $4,000 a yr on LP and kept the house between 67*-69*. So for about $800-$1,000 for pellets, I am going to keep it where we are comfortable.

I still use just as many pellets (4 ton) as the 1st yr. But 75 on a T stat felt much cooler than 75 running constant. As on a stat you are only heating the air. Once the stat is satisfied, it shuts down. Which means the objects in your home were not quite 75. Running 24/7 keeps a good soak temp in your home. When its 75 all the time, the walls are 75*, the couch is 75*, etc. Just feels much more comfortable. And when you shut the stove down to clean, it stays warmer longer because everything is so warm. Never drops more than a couple degrees during cleaning..

Besides the wear on your ignitor, I think its just easier on the stove all together. Not having a roaring flame and a firebox that is constantly heating and cooling (expanding and contracting) seems to be easier on the stove.

These are just helpful hints. Whether or not it works for your application, is up in the air. As there are so many other factors. My house is a 2,180 sq ft Ranch.

These are just some ideas. It will take your own testing to see what works best for you. Some disagree with running 24/7. I ultimately want a stove that doea High/Low and never shuts off fully, but goes into an "idle" and waits for the call for heat. My Fahrenheit operates like that, so I may not be using the Quad much at all. But because of the Fahrenheits appetite, I will more than likely only run it at night and the Quad during the day. Lots of trial and error.

Lots and lots of trial and error...Good luck and keep us posted on what works best for you.

 

[mikhen]

Sorry, I meant I'm NOT using an OAK. After reading your post, it's something I may consider. My stove requires a special adapter for the OAK. Maybe if I just run a fresh air port to the rear of the stove, and somehow make a damper. Sorry, just thinking out loud. Thanx again.

 

[ablejoy]

I run on med all nite when temp gets in 20-30 range and use the stat set at 74 house is warm at 72 degrees and later in the day stat will shut it down.