no panic...i am at work myself, so cant play with stove right now either...just using lunch break to gather more info about it.
And still try to get ideas how to get the noisy fan less loud
Just a couple of points about the 4 button control boards. While they all look alike and pretty much physically are, depending on the stove model and use the control boards are programed differently with more functions in some cases, or less functions from a previous version.
The original 6039 had a three button A-B-C control board. Later models had the four button board with heat ranges (HR) 1 through 9. The 6041 and many other USSC stoves or branded as other names have that same board with different programing, such as the 6041 has HR's 1-5 and they are set at Pr or Cr (Pr for pellets, Cr for corn). They also allow an ignitor, while my board on my 6039hf has the ignitor pins on the board it is not programed for that function so even if I added one it would not work.
C-mode, I've seen some boards that had to use the C-mode to adjust the feed rates and exhaust rates, I've also seen some that you could just adjust them by using the standard UP or DOWN buttons with the AUX UP or DOWN. You will have to try it on your stove to know if you can adjust it that way or use only the C-mode.
As far as the You Tube video. Some I agree with some I do not.
First what I do not agree with. He has his manual draft running at I think he said 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" open. If you have an outside air kit (OAK) there is absolutely no reason to have that manual draft open at all if you get the stove adjusted properly.
Using thermometers for keeping records and helping trouble shoot your stove. I agree 100% with using them just do not agree about the accuracy issue. Using a magnetic TI (temp indicator) on the face, another on the exhaust pipe and one on the plenum or in my case in one of the room fan holes (I use an old stemmed grill TI mounted into the hole).
The accuracy should not be an issue as all you are looking for is a bench mark to go by, something that°will tell you the stove is operating the way it normally has or not. So if on say HR 3 my stove face normally shows 250°F, the exhaust is showing 110°F and the room fan is blowing out 220°F. I make notes, HR setting, outside temps, etc. If during running the stove I see any of those numbers change while on HR3 that might indicate a problem. Let's say the room fan output temp drops, stove face stays the same and the exhaust rises. My room fan blower might be dirty, the stove might need a deep cleaning or in the worse case the blower motor is going out.
So you see you don't need to go buy an expensive TI to monitor these stoves. I guess now and then a TI could go bad but I've been using the same ones for 13 years now and my readings and notes stay just about perfect from year to year. One word of caution would be when changing brands or type of pellets you might see changes, don't freak, write them down and observe the stove for a day or two. Also corn from season to season will be more dense or less and that will change some of the output temps.
Corn. Yes, here in WI corn is only $110-$120 per ton and is a lot cheaper than running pellets. The way I have my stove setup corn would have to go well above the price of pellets for me to switch back. I have also burned other fuels, including cherry pits and have not found any worth the price even compared to pellets, but would depend on your location and availability of the fuel.
