P68 and 61 best burn times and pellet use

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bags

bags

Minister of Fire
Oct 12, 2014
2,408
Kentucky
OK, I installed my P68 yesterday and ran the first burn last night. What a heat throwing beast! The wife is happy now! I turned the fan/blower only on my central heat pump to circulate the air moving it through out my home. Two story 2,300 sq ft. Heats evenly and nicely without a problem. I may try to heat another area of the house too. I want to master this part first.

I have read many threads about room vs. stove modes, feed rates, auto vs. manual etc; I know it all depends on so many variables. I have been figuring things out somewhat on my own too experimenting. I am not hooked up with a thermostat but have the room sensor hanging down at the rear about 6-7 inches up from the floor which was suggested by the guy I bought it from. He heats his home and his shop (HVAC guy) with P68s.

Here are my questions. As a rule of thumb what knowledge do you seasoned veterans have regarding the best for pellet savings? Which modes and feed rates work best for you and when? Also, If I want to turn the feed rate down and still keep the fan blowing slower where do I need to set things? What are the minimums to keep the blower running?

Help the new guy out, please! I know the P68 will do it's own thing but is it better or when is it better to take a little more control? Any and all input, suggestions, and opinions are welcome. Thanks in advance, Jesse
 
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I usually just run mine on room temp auto in the shoulder season. Once the cold weather hits I put it into room temp manual and run it in hi/low mode. There really is no true way too save pellets. You gotta burn pellets if you want to make heat. I would keep the feed rate at the recommended 4 setting and adjust the thermostat dial to your needed output. If you are in stove temp mode auto you can run the blower as low or high as you want. There is a great sticky at the top of this forum that explains very well all the features of this stove.
 
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Hey bags, I'm sure the Harman folks will chime in soon ... lots of threads to search too. Just wanted to say welcome and pics or it didn't happen!
 
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bags said:
OK, I installed my P68 yesterday and ran the first burn last night. What a heat throwing beast! The wife is happy now! I turned the fan/blower only on my central heat pump to circulate the air moving it through out my home. Two story 2,300 sq ft. Heats evenly and nicely without a problem. I may try to heat another area of the house too. I want to master this part first.

I have read many threads about room vs. stove modes, feed rates, auto vs. manual etc; I know it all depends on so many variables. I have been figuring things out somewhat on my own too experimenting. I am not hooked up with a thermostat but have the room sensor hanging down at the rear about 6-7 inches up from the floor which was suggested by the guy I bought it from. He heats his home and his shop (HVAC guy) with P68s.

Here are my questions. As a rule of thumb what knowledge do you seasoned veterans have regarding the best for pellet savings? Which modes and feed rates work best for you and when? Also, If I want to turn the feed rate down and still keep the fan blowing slower where do I need to set things? What are the minimums to keep the blower running?

Help the new guy out, please! I know the P68 will do it's own thing but is it better or when is it better to take a little more control? Any and all input, suggestions, and opinions are welcome. Thanks in advance, Jesse
Click to expand...
bags said:
OK, I installed my P68 yesterday and ran the first burn last night. What a heat throwing beast! The wife is happy now! I turned the fan/blower only on my central heat pump to circulate the air moving it through out my home. Two story 2,300 sq ft. Heats evenly and nicely without a problem. I may try to heat another area of the house too. I want to master this part first.

I have read many threads about room vs. stove modes, feed rates, auto vs. manual etc; I know it all depends on so many variables. I have been figuring things out somewhat on my own too experimenting. I am not hooked up with a thermostat but have the room sensor hanging down at the rear about 6-7 inches up from the floor which was suggested by the guy I bought it from. He heats his home and his shop (HVAC guy) with P68s.

Here are my questions. As a rule of thumb what knowledge do you seasoned veterans have regarding the best for pellet savings? Which modes and feed rates work best for you and when? Also, If I want to turn the feed rate down and still keep the fan blowing slower where do I need to set things? What are the minimums to keep the blower running?

Help the new guy out, please! I know the P68 will do it's own thing but is it better or when is it better to take a little more control? Any and all input, suggestions, and opinions are welcome. Thanks in advance, Jesse
Click to expand...
In room temp the stove is set up to save pellets in that mode just use recommended settings select your temp and the stove will very efficiently keep that set temp within one degree.you don't have to mess with anything.im actually bored now going from a wood burner to a pellet burner.scrape burn pot put pellets in,takes about ten minutes a day nothing else to do.no cutting,splitting,stacking or feeding the stove.just sit there and enjoy my set temp and twiddle my thumbs.i actually can't wait for my weekly cleaning.when it comes to this stove I feel like a lazy bum lol
 
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JDenyer236 said:
I usually just run mine on room temp auto in the shoulder season. Once the cold weather hits I put it into room temp manual and run it in hi/low mode. There really is no true way too save pellets. You gotta burn pellets if you want to make heat. I would keep the feed rate at the recommended 4 setting and adjust the thermostat dial to your needed output. If you are in stove temp mode auto you can run the blower as low or high as you want. There is a great sticky at the top of this forum that explains very well all the features of this stove.
Click to expand...

Thanks, you just gave me exactly what I was looking for! Your operational modes will be duly noted and written down. Now I will get a couple of pics loaded up for Lake Girl, because it is a happen'in. Thanks, for the welcome and everyone has been a huge help on my tough decision.

The Harman Clan snatched me up and took me under their wings. Guess that makes me a recruit in the "Harmans Angels." LOL! I really like what I am seeing so far with this stove and it is quite simple once you quit over thinking it. Guess I am always obsessing about a better way to do things and save some cash / fuel. I have seen it mentioned many times and I will say it as well. I should have bought a pellet stove long ago. I read many threads about this and I think I read the sticky but will re-read it. Just a slightly overwhelmed or excited newbie here with a new toy!
 
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I'll second the importance of reading (and re-reading a dozen times or so) the "How Your Harman Works..." sticky. I know the knob called "feed rate" sure sounds like it would have something to do with pellet usage, but it just ain't so. As others said, the stove will do it's thing. ... If you have lots of stretches of mild weather, which I'm guessing you do in KY, you may run into "wasting" pellets if you leave the stove on Manual and have extended periods of "maintenance burning". If so, I would just shut down and fire up when the house needs the chill taken out.
 
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Feel free to pm me if I can help I will,oh and your already in the club no worries mate
 
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Hey Big papa, If you are that bored, Come on down. I can keep you busy for awhile. I have so many fun projects I don't even know which one I will do next. And if you are really missing the wood splitting gig and all I would be happy to ensure you not miss it ever again. I promise it will be fun. Ha ha ha!

I do kind of enjoy it to an extent and likely will more so now that it is optional. The Wood Master is going to be lonely this winter. I can envision myself turning into a piddling fool myself. Right now I am holding down the couch in a very warm state of mind doing my new hobby. Staring at the stove. I like fires! And of course, I wouldn't want my couch flying away.
 
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Pellet_Pete said:
I'll second the importance of reading (and re-reading a dozen times or so) the "How Your Harman Works..." sticky. I know the knob called "feed rate" sure sounds like it would have something to do with pellet usage, but it just ain't so. As others said, the stove will do it's thing. ... If you have lots of stretches of mild weather, which I'm guessing you do in KY, you may run into "wasting" pellets if you leave the stove on Manual and have extended periods of "maintenance burning". If so, I would just shut down and fire up when the house needs the chill taken out.
Click to expand...

That's what I did this morning about 10 AM. Then started it back up this evening. Likely my best option for awhile. If I had it my way the wife would be sitting in her chair in a snow suit until January. Not going to happen but it's fun to think about. She wasn't to hip about me buying another heating device. Now she gets it! If Momma ain't happy, Ain't nobody happy! I was out of town with work from Jan 3rd until June 15th. Home one or two nights a week.

It was a nasty winter here and she went from never touching wood hardly ever straight into the wheel barrow snow drift boot camp mode loading the Fire Breathing Dragon. She was ready to look for a condo in Florida or Arizona. She made it out alive. I almost didn't.......
 
bags said:
OK, I installed my P68 yesterday and ran the first burn last night. What a heat throwing beast! The wife is happy now! I turned the fan/blower only on my central heat pump to circulate the air moving it through out my home. Two story 2,300 sq ft. Heats evenly and nicely without a problem. I may try to heat another area of the house too. I want to master this part first.

I have read many threads about room vs. stove modes, feed rates, auto vs. manual etc; I know it all depends on so many variables. I have been figuring things out somewhat on my own too experimenting. I am not hooked up with a thermostat but have the room sensor hanging down at the rear about 6-7 inches up from the floor which was suggested by the guy I bought it from. He heats his home and his shop (HVAC guy) with P68s.

Here are my questions. As a rule of thumb what knowledge do you seasoned veterans have regarding the best for pellet savings? Which modes and feed rates work best for you and when? Also, If I want to turn the feed rate down and still keep the fan blowing slower where do I need to set things? What are the minimums to keep the blower running?

Help the new guy out, please! I know the P68 will do it's own thing but is it better or when is it better to take a little more control? Any and all input, suggestions, and opinions are welcome. Thanks in advance, Jesse
Click to expand...

Living in Ky your weather is a lot like ours in Cincinnati. I have two Harman stoves that I use to heat 95% of my home in the winter when the temps get cold. I've got a heat pump system for my primary system.

You asked about saving wood pellets. My recommendation is you use your heat pump until temps get down to 35 degrees or so. In my situation, when temps are above 35 degrees is too inefficient to run my stoves. It costs me less to run my heat pump. Once temps get below the 35 degree mark, thats when I begin using my stoves. I've been burning wood pellets now going on 20 years and this method has worked well for me.
 
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Cincy Kid,
Thanks, I have a similar set up with a heat pump but have one P68 which likely uses about the same amount of pellets as two smaller stoves I assume. I am really just playing around with it to see what it will do and get to know it. right now the house stat (15' away) is reading 80. Chuckle, chuckle! It is in shut down mode now on room temp and auto. Just installed myself Sat. 10/18 so figured I'd goof around with a bag or two of pellets. I am playing around moving the air with fan only on my central system.

Turned that off about 10 minutes ago. I place two 20" inch box fans in different locations. It was 42-44 here last night for the low so I ran the stove to get a feel for it. Also ran it Sunday night. It will cook us out. I know less is to be expected in the very cold outside temps but my goal is to keep it at least 70 inside during the cold blasts. Think I will be fine from what I have seen thus far. Might use some pellets but it will be warm. I am in Rabbit Hash / Union. We are usually slightly cooler here being in the valleys and hills. Where are you across the moat / river? Thanks, Bags

Thanks for the input and I like to see your 20 years experience. Guys like you figure it out the hard way for newbies like me.
 
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