Sunflower seed mode

I also set my flame to -5 because I think I saw one of your previous posts. I am seeing the same thing, pretty high flame and the significant difference in heat output.[/quote]

I've always run in AUTO on hardwood settings but in sunflower mode I now run in MAN, heat level 1-Low.
In AUTO the heat difference keeps shutting the stove of on the thermostat. And by setting the temp higher the feed rate/heat level goes up - which you don't need on sunflower mode.
But in MAN on 1-low I set the temp to 75/76f and it ticks over nice keeping the whole house warm.

Yep, I remember that smell now that you mentioned it.

I actually did over-fire mine and got the drop tube over temp error.

But at the time I was running the smoke show custom convection blower filter, thus reducing airflow.

The only thing published is AC times.

Must be some big trade secret about fuel delivery. :lol:

this is what i got http://prntscr.com/4f73a

Auto clean time around 4 hours on Sunflower mode

Running normal elevation

this is what i got http://prntscr.com/4f73a[/quote]

Those clean times must be at flat out - high heat, as I can get almost 5 hours on low - Hardwood between AC's

They will be really pi$$ed then, If I ever get a hold of one. I like making spread sheets! ;-)

sslow ss med. max igniter time A/C cycle time shutdown time

corn 14 min 12 min. 14 min. 2.4 hrs. 10 min

ut. pell. 4 min 5 min. 4 min. 1.2 hrs 10 min.

softwood 4 min 5 min. 4 min. 3.2 hrs. 10 min.

sunflseeds4min 5 min 4 min. 2.4 hrs. 10 min.

wheat 10 min 10 min 10 min. 1.8 hrs. 10 min.

hrdwood 4 min. 5 min. 4 min. 2.1 hrs. 10 min.


A/C cycle times are estimated when the unit is running at the "high" output set.
and remember that the igniter comes on 1.5 min. before it even feeds.

I've always run in AUTO on hardwood settings but in sunflower mode I now run in MAN, heat level 1-Low.
In AUTO the heat difference keeps shutting the stove of on the thermostat. And by setting the temp higher the feed rate/heat level goes up - which you don't need on sunflower mode.
But in MAN on 1-low I set the temp to 75/76f and it ticks over nice keeping the whole house warm.[/quote]
Does your stove soot up fast running on low. They say it is better for the stove to run at higher settings as far as keeping it clean.

Does your stove soot up fast running on low. They say it is better for the stove to run at higher settings as far as keeping it clean.[/quote]

No, runs very clean. To me the only difference is more combustion air at burn pot causing a stronger clean flame.
And running with -5 feed rate or level 1 heat you can't see excessive pellets in burn pot, in fact you can't see the pellets that are burning.
The ash in the pan is very fine with no clinkers from burn pot.

No, runs very clean. To me the only difference is more combustion air at burn pot causing a stronger clean flame.
And running with -5 feed rate or level 1 heat you can't see excessive pellets in burn pot, in fact you can't see the pellets that are burning.
The ash in the pan is very fine with no clinkers from burn pot.[/quote]
Are you running on normal elevation or high elevation?

Well ran over night on Sunflower mode, manual high stat at 75 woke up to 75 this morning downstairs 15 degrees outside Ate up a bag of pellets but i cant complain since it maintained the temp and only cost 3 bucks, i dont even want to see what it would of cost in oil.

Are you running on normal elevation or high elevation?[/quote]

Always run at normal elevation

I now have mine set up as follows. Sunflower setting, normal elevation, manual low, -5 flame height, 76 degrees and 3.0 degree temp diff. It came on and ran with a wide high flame on low, and it was a hot flame. It ran for about an hour and my thermostat hit 76 degrees and shut down. Now my thermostat is in my hallway at the second floor rear bedrooms, and the stove is on the first floor family room. So it is definatelly burning hotter even on low, the problem I see now, is that it will keep on cycling on and off as it reaches temp and will only get about 1 hour run times if it continues like it has. We will see how it does over night as the outside temps drop.

The problem with the AE is you cannot fine tune the stove, you are stuck with the pre-programmed settings.

I still believe (and have been saying this for years) that the sunflower setting on MY STOVE is by far the ultimate setting.

The heat output is by far superior to every other setting I have tried.

I am not burning excessive pellets to get the added heat.

Yes, I would think if I am getting that much more heat out of the stove that the exhaust would also be hottter (only makes sense).

Every one will form their own opinion, I still think that this setting is best for me.

That's why I set mine on MAN now on Level 1 heat output and just raise the thermostat to let it tick over at a constant rate. And enjoy the heat for less pellets.
It would be nice to adjust the feed rate down more on Sunflower mode.

One more thing you can do to help with the extra heat is to select quiet mode for the blower. So now you have the best set up - Good heat and low noise.

I do have mine set on quiet mode, it is only taking about a half hour of running to raise the temp 3 degrees, do you have similar cycle times? May be hard on the ignitor having to start up so many times

Yes, cycle times around one to two hours heating 2600 sq ft. That's why I put mine in MAN on heat output 1 to stabilize cycling, and raise thermostat to suit.

I have tried sunflower, last time was last winter and I loved the heat output it was amazing. Only issue I found was that it burn rate was much higher. I was going through pellets much quicker. Have you guys found this yet?
I am burning Cubex on a softwood setting -5 and have it calling for 76. I am running it on Med. High or High Heat output. The only issues I have with this is I can not
burn it on Med. or low heat output because its a very dirty burn. With the current set up, if its cold out in the low teens or signal digits I will get very long run times but if its in the upper 20's or higher it will cycle of and on.
Last night, it was very cold and at 5am the house was 64, ran on high all night. I have a 1700, cape. Funny thing is when I went to bed at 10pm the house was 69, so overnight I lost 5 decrees, love that auto clean but thats another topic....

Still following thread.... What does flame height have to do with anything? If you can burn the "Most" amount of pellets, with the "least" amount of flame? Yet you have Low, Med, High, Etc....

I would love to learn more about them. But unless you have one, it seems they are almost impossible to understand.

If anyone has the "Easy Button" of answers. Im sure there are others that might want understand (maybe not, but...).

i dont know if im missing something here but if your gonna get alot more heat from a setting isnt it obvious your gonna use a little more pellets?

Feed rate is controlled by the flame height adjustment, lower the flame height, the lower the feed rate which equals lower burn rate.

The only change I see with the sunflower settings is more combustion air being blown through the burn pot causing a stronger hotter flame with the same amount of pellets used. Like putting a performance air filter on your car, more air = more power, better efficiency

guess im gonna have to waste a bag or 2 and test it out