Alternative to Room Temp Sensor?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
A follow up here...Gave her a good cleaning (while setting it to "Test"), used an old coarse paint brush to scrub the heat exchanger, used the chimney brush to gently clean the ESP in place, taped up the RTS on the back of the hopper, and it's working great (knock on wood). With these pellets, I feel it's best to clean it every ton or so. I've learned a lot on from this thread, and the forum in general, and I just wanted to say thanks to you all. I wish I found this place a few years ago.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tonyray, bags, bogieb and 2 others
kilogulf59 said:
A follow up here...Gave her a good cleaning (while setting it to "Test"), used an old coarse paint brush to scrub the heat exchanger, used the chimney brush to gently clean the ESP in place, taped up the RTS on the back of the hopper, and it's working great (knock on wood). With these pellets, I feel it's best to clean it every ton or so. I've learned a lot on from this thread, and the forum in general, and I just wanted to say thanks to you all. I wish I found this place a few years ago.
Click to expand...
Sounds good ! FWIW, I use a nylon bottle brush on the esp, it hasn't been out of the stove in about three years now.

One guy in the forum uses a brass gun bore cleaning brush.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bogieb, kilogulf59 and Tonyray
On setting the stove to 80°, so that the new thermostat actually turns the stove off an on,
why do you need the stove's room temp sensor? Why can't you just run the new thermostat to the
stove? (Providing you want to use the stove with the thermostat all the time)
 
You can't run a Harman directly on a thermostat Pete. It must be in series with the room temp sensor. What happens with the thermostat in series with the room temp sensor is when the thermostat breaks the circuit in sends the stove into shut down mode and triggers an error code which shows on a LED on the control panel. The stove stays in error mode until the thermostat calls for heat and this cancels the error condition and the stove goes into start up mode. Once started it relies on the room temp sensor for temperature control until the thermostat breaks the circuit and the process starts over again. That's why you set the room temp sensor higher than the thermostat.
Ron
 
  • Like
Reactions: bogieb
I am aghast,you lost a room temp sensor,that cost 27 dollars,yet you are complaining.For years,and many posts here,show how to hook a thermostat to a Harman.My God son,grow up.
 
railfanron said:
You can't run a Harman directly on a thermostat Pete. It must be in series with the room temp sensor. What happens with the thermostat in series with the room temp sensor is when the thermostat breaks the circuit in sends the stove into shut down mode and triggers an error code which shows on a LED on the control panel. The stove stays in error mode until the thermostat calls for heat and this cancels the error condition and the stove goes into start up mode. Once started it relies on the room temp sensor for temperature control until the thermostat breaks the circuit and the process starts over again. That's why you set the room temp sensor higher than the thermostat.
Ron
Click to expand...
So then the room sensor, must be a thermocouple, and is always sending a signal to the stove.
Where the thermostat is merely an on/off switch and would not be sending the stove any variable information..
 
  • Like
Reactions: bogieb
Pete Zahria said:
So then the room sensor, must be a thermocouple, and is always sending a signal to the stove.
Where the thermostat is merely an on/off switch and would not be sending the stove any variable information..
Click to expand...
Yes, and it's because pellet stoves have variable heat output that they can take advantage of the thermocouple signal. The farther off the actual temperature is from the set point, the harder the stove can run to bring the temperature back. Once at the requested temperature, the stove output can be reduced to maintain it.

Most furnaces tend to have one output level, so all you need is a signal to turn on or off. Telling a furnace how far off you are from the requested temperature wouldn't change how it operates.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bogieb and Pete Zahria
Pete Zahria said:
So then the room sensor, must be a thermocouple, and is always sending a signal to the stove.
Where the thermostat is merely an on/off switch and would not be sending the stove any variable information..
Click to expand...
If the thermostat is simply on and off then how is that any different from disconnecting one leg of the room sensor, in which case the stove would hiccup as it does with no thermostat ? Or am I missing something here ?
 
railfanron said:
You can't run a Harman directly on a thermostat Pete. It must be in series with the room temp sensor. What happens with the thermostat in series with the room temp sensor is when the thermostat breaks the circuit in sends the stove into shut down mode and triggers an error code which shows on a LED on the control panel. The stove stays in error mode until the thermostat calls for heat and this cancels the error condition and the stove goes into start up mode. Once started it relies on the room temp sensor for temperature control until the thermostat breaks the circuit and the process starts over again. That's why you set the room temp sensor higher than the thermostat.
Ron
Click to expand...

Yes it errors but when it calls for heat it cancels the error out and starts the stove back up.
 
Skytech 3301p, no issues 5 seasons in, change the batteries every year that's it.

Sam
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Harman Red ESP sensor and room temp voltage during operation?
Replies
2
Views
907
The Pellet Mill - Pellet and Multifuel Stoves
dimondjack
D
A
Harman Advanced-2 Room Temp Sensor issue
Replies
5
Views
2K
The Pellet Mill - Pellet and Multifuel Stoves
rickwai
rickwai
A
Harman P61A 4 blink even after new room temp sensor
Replies
2
Views
1K
The Pellet Mill - Pellet and Multifuel Stoves
aroberts4741
A
Crazy Dave
On Topic, But Off... Temp Monitoring.
Replies
5
Views
471
The Pellet Mill - Pellet and Multifuel Stoves
Prometeo
Prometeo
O
  • Poll
Help deciding on pellet stove for S. NH - Deerfield vs P61/Absolute 63 vs Trekker
Replies
8
Views
2K
The Pellet Mill - Pellet and Multifuel Stoves
OnTheWay
O
Top Bottom
Back