Accentra 52i Pellets or What?

[Icemanxxxv]

Back ground info: The house 2100 sq ft. reverse story and a half with tall Vaulted ceiling to the upstairs. Southern exposure R51 in the attic and sealed up tight. (energy audit done and hit lit complied with) Reduced the air turn over in the house by half. Unheated unfinished basement.Ceiling fans running in all the rooms upstairs and the main room where the insert is.
I had this stove installed last February. Stove was cleaned before this season and after the first 3/4 tons this season due to ash being produced. Did not clean the ESP. For the most part the insert never really got pushed hard last season as it was pretty mild. I burned Pure Heats from my Local Menard's. They seemed fine last year but did produce a bit more ash then I expected. The stove kept the house comfortable for the 1 + tons I burned last season.
Fast Forward. this season when the cold spell hit sub zero temperatures and highs in the single digits I can not keep the house warm. Switch from room temp to stove temp. I set heat set point to max. Adjusted the feed rate to try and keep the pellet back from the burn edge by approximately 1 inch. Distribution blower set to top of scale. I have had to throttle back the feed rate to 3.25 to keep pellets from dropping off the burn pot edge. I woke up this morning the stove was running full throttle fire partially burned pellets not many but some were dropping off the edge. Turned the feed rate back to 3 to keep the pellets from dropping over the edge. I'm going through close to 3 bags of pellets a day. The house will only stay comfortable with the outside air temp in the mid to upper teens. I don't believe I am operating the stove outside it's design limitations.
I'm thinking the stove is capable of doing better and the pellets well they are just ceeerap! Problem is here in Kansas City Mo there just isn't too many choices of pellets or places to buy them. I have Menard's, Tractor Supply and Orschlen's as large suppliers and that is it. Menard's offers a softwood but minimum buy is 1 ton and 5.99 a bag. Not really wanting to get stuck with a pallet of crappy softwoods.
Am I expecting to much out of this insert?

 

[dotman17]

Am I expecting to much out of this insert?

No. I have a 2100 sq/ft house as well with a vaulted ceiling upstairs and my stove is downstairs and it (my Accentura) heats the whole house. I go through about an average of a bag a day during the burn season, and when the temps drop below 32 degrees, about a bag and a half or sightly more. But then I burn soft douglas fir pellets up here in the PNW and that gives me a 10-20% gain or more. I run at '3' too. I'm guessing it is your fuel type.

 

[dotman17]

Regarding your fuel type -- $5.99 is highway robbery. Check to see if your Tractor Supply carries Olympus pellets and if so buy them. Also, Tractor Supply is a national chain and they carry Olympus pellets all around here. If you're going to pay that rip off price -- then at least pay that rip off price and secure a good pellet. I'll bet you can work out an arrangement with them to distribute some out your way.

 

[Mt Bob]

Do you have OAK hooked up?

 

[Icemanxxxv]

Do you have OAK hooked up?

Yes

 

[Mt Bob]

well,that is a lot of fuel,would seem possibly your house has more leaks than you thought?Anyway,you might want to take some pictures,of the flame on high,while unburned pellets are falling.

 

[dotman17]

House insulation is key

 

[dotman17]

I also suspect though that temps in the teens or lower for him are going to be at least 2 bags.

 

[Icemanxxxv]

well,that is a lot of fuel,would seem possibly your house has more leaks than you thought?Anyway,you might want to take some pictures,of the flame on high,while unburned pellets are falling.

After the audit the house went from 57% air turn over to 23%. The auditor commented that the improvement was one of the best he had seen in his 15 years of energy auditing homes and put my house in the 90% range of homes. Granted the attic and garage ceilings have R51 I can not speak for the walls.. More then likely just fiberglass batting.
I'll try to get a few pictures tonight. If the glass is clean enough for good pictures. The insert has not been off long enough to clean the glass for a week.

I also suspect though that temps in the teens or lower for him are going to be at least 2 bags.

Pretty much 2 bags a day. The lows have been -8- -10 and highs between 3 and 7 for the last three days. Today its a balmy 20 for a high.
Just thinking the stove is not reaching it's full potential max operating temperature because of the fuel source. Kansas City Really blows for pellet dealers and selection. Lowe's and Home Depot have Treager Pellets for smoking meat Tractor Supply, Orschelns, Menard's, Southerlands and Feldman Farm and Home. I'm going to start experimenting with other options for pellets.

 

[Mt Bob]

2 bags a day not bad.Softwood pellets tend to be hotter,but burn faster.You may have to have a Harman Tech hook up the Harman tester,and do some testing for on high burn.

 

[dotman17]

I am not promoting Tractor Supply. I have never bought a pellet from them. But they do sell Olympus and I am promoting Douglas Fir pellets and the mill that make them. Olympus, Sierra Supreme, and Cascade pellets are QUALITY pellets. They are one of the hottest and cleanest pellets out there.

 

[dozerdean]

Back ground info: The house 2100 sq ft. reverse story and a half with tall Vaulted ceiling to the upstairs. Southern exposure R51 in the attic and sealed up tight. (energy audit done and hit lit complied with) Reduced the air turn over in the house by half. Unheated unfinished basement.Ceiling fans running in all the rooms upstairs and the main room where the insert is.
I had this stove installed last February. Stove was cleaned before this season and after the first 3/4 tons this season due to ash being produced. Did not clean the ESP. For the most part the insert never really got pushed hard last season as it was pretty mild. I burned Pure Heats from my Local Menard's. They seemed fine last year but did produce a bit more ash then I expected. The stove kept the house comfortable for the 1 + tons I burned last season.
Fast Forward. this season when the cold spell hit sub zero temperatures and highs in the single digits I can not keep the house warm. Switch from room temp to stove temp. I set heat set point to max. Adjusted the feed rate to try and keep the pellet back from the burn edge by approximately 1 inch. Distribution blower set to top of scale. I have had to throttle back the feed rate to 3.25 to keep pellets from dropping off the burn pot edge. I woke up this morning the stove was running full throttle fire partially burned pellets not many but some were dropping off the edge. Turned the feed rate back to 3 to keep the pellets from dropping over the edge. I'm going through close to 3 bags of pellets a day. The house will only stay comfortable with the outside air temp in the mid to upper teens. I don't believe I am operating the stove outside it's design limitations.
I'm thinking the stove is capable of doing better and the pellets well they are just ceeerap! Problem is here in Kansas City Mo there just isn't too many choices of pellets or places to buy them. I have Menard's, Tractor Supply and Orschlen's as large suppliers and that is it. Menard's offers a softwood but minimum buy is 1 ton and 5.99 a bag. Not really wanting to get stuck with a pallet of crappy softwoods.
Am I expecting to much out of this insert?

I noticed on Craigslist in Buckner mo there is a guy selling pur heat pellets for 160.00 pr ton. Hardwood pellets..

 

[Icemanxxxv]

Here is a picture of the fire. I had the wife dial down the feed rate to 3.125 to keep the pellets from dropping over the edge.

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[Icemanxxxv]

I noticed on Craigslist in Buckner mo there is a guy selling pur heat pellets for 160.00 pr ton. Hardwood pellets..

Those are what I’m burning now. Got mine from Menard’s. I can see why he is selling them at that price. So far the ones I got average less then a 1/ 4 inch in length. Have in my opinion to much dust and fines. I clean my pellets through my DIY pellet cleaner so the fine dust doesn’t coat the inside of the house.
Thank for the heads up.


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[Mt Bob]

Flame perhaps a bit dirty,not terrible,might be because you said the pellets are so small,I'm starting to think(as others have pointed out),try some different pellets.I find,usually,5 bags is a good test.

 

[Peterfield]

If I turned my 52i up as high as that, the flame would be whitish and cover the whole back plate area and fan out much more than your flame.

 

[fmsm]

Your stove AND your ESP need to be cleaned. Burning crap pellets doesn’t help your situation. Start with a clean stove and trouble shoot from there. Clean the stove, all passages, your ESP, venting, fines box, and burn pot.

 

[Icemanxxxv]

Your stove AND your ESP need to be cleaned. Burning crap pellets doesn’t help your situation. Start with a clean stove and trouble shoot from there. Clean the stove, all passages, your ESP, venting, fines box, and burn pot.

Saturday will be warm enough to shut the stove down and clean it. I have burned a 3/4 ton in it since the last cleaning. I haven't cleaned the ESP since new. About 2.5 tons through the stove.

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[bags]

My guess is the ESP is dirty and not reading correctly. Plus you said you have never cleaned it. That is really what senses how the stove is running and relays info to the board. It is a very key element for a stove to perform properly.

 

[dotman17]

My guess is the ESP is dirty and not reading correctly. Plus you said you have never cleaned it. That is really what senses how the stove is running and relays info to the board. It is a very key element for a stove to perform properly.

Cleaning is important and one of the tasks the newcomer doesn't necessarily fully appreciate the value they are adding. I'm not saying this is the case with the OP but I personally have noticed a big difference when I use my stove. With these Harman inserts, there are really 3 layers of cleaning that need to be done. The first layer is cleaning the burn pot thoroughly of clinkers (black carbon deposits/buildup), ensuring the pot holes are clean, and vacuuming out fly ash in the ignition chamber behind the plate on the front of the stove with the wing nuts. Keeping the burn pot and ignition chamber clean almost ensures no issues with restarts. I scrape the burn pot 3 times a week and vacuum out the chamber once a week. This takes between 5-10 minutes.

The second layer of cleaning is removing the cast iron plates behind and to the left and right sides of the burn pot. I do this about once every 3 months. This may be the main area Icemanxxxv really gains. By removing the plates and using a paint brush (should have gotten one issued to him when he purchased the stove) to remove all the fly ash and gunk on the heat exchanger walls, and vacuuming out the exhaust, he may see immediate gains in the stove performance. This takes about 30 minutes as those plates can be a bear to reinsert.

Level 3 of cleaning that stove is opening the hitching clasps on both sides of the stove and pulling it out to get at the pellet feeder and fans and all the rest of the mechanical goodies. I have not owned my stove for even a year yet myself and have not done this -- but I know buildup can occur here. A Harman techy told me the following: the stub or full liner should be cleaned once a year, at least, and this can't be done with the stove in place. Fans should be vacuumed, ESP cleaned off, feeder weldment cleared out, and intake damper checked for optimal opening/closing. None of these can be done without undocking the stove from the subframe and pulling it out. I've got time slotted immediately after the burn season to do this. Iceman may want to do it sooner.

 

[Icemanxxxv]

Cleaning is important and one of the tasks the newcomer doesn't necessarily fully appreciate the value they are adding. I'm not saying this is the case with the OP but I personally have noticed a big difference when I use my stove. With these Harman inserts, there are really 3 layers of cleaning that need to be done. The first layer is cleaning the burn pot thoroughly of clinkers (black carbon deposits/buildup), ensuring the pot holes are clean, and vacuuming out fly ash in the ignition chamber behind the plate on the front of the stove with the wing nuts. Keeping the burn pot and ignition chamber clean almost ensures no issues with restarts. I scrape the burn pot 3 times a week and vacuum out the chamber once a week. This takes between 5-10 minutes.

The second layer of cleaning is removing the cast iron plates behind and to the left and right sides of the burn pot. I do this about once every 3 months. This may be the main area Icemanxxxv really gains. By removing the plates and using a paint brush (should have gotten one issued to him when he purchased the stove) to remove all the fly ash and gunk on the heat exchanger walls, and vacuuming out the exhaust, he may see immediate gains in the stove performance. This takes about 30 minutes as those plates can be a bear to reinsert.

Level 3 of cleaning that stove is opening the hitching clasps on both sides of the stove and pulling it out to get at the pellet feeder and fans and all the rest of the mechanical goodies. I have not owned my stove for even a year yet myself and have not done this -- but I know buildup can occur here. A Harman techy told me the following: the stub or full liner should be cleaned once a year, at least, and this can't be done with the stove in place. Fans should be vacuumed, ESP cleaned off, feeder weldment cleared out, and intake damper checked for optimal opening/closing. None of these can be done without undocking the stove from the subframe and pulling it out. I've got time slotted immediately after the burn season to do this. Iceman may want to do it sooner.

Thanks for the information

My stove is less then 3 weeks from a Level 3 cleaning with the exception of the ESP and the intake damper checked Going to shut it down Saturday and do it again. I'm thinking with the lousy pellets this full blown cleaning may need to be done at every half instead of every 3/4 to 1 ton interval. The only question is what is the best way to check the intake damper?

 

[dotman17]

Thanks for the information

My stove is less then 3 weeks from a Level 3 cleaning with the exception of the ESP and the intake damper checked Going to shut it down Saturday and do it again. I'm thinking with the lousy pellets this full blown cleaning may need to be done at every half instead of every 3/4 to 1 ton interval. The only question is what is the best way to check the intake damper?

Yeah, I posted that EXACT same question to the guy in another forum! I've been good on level 1 and 2 cleanings but we're in the same boat when it comes to pulling out the stove and doing the 'deep' cleaning. I will post any information I receive here.

 

[dotman17]

Thanks for the information

My stove is less then 3 weeks from a Level 3 cleaning with the exception of the ESP and the intake damper checked Going to shut it down Saturday and do it again. I'm thinking with the lousy pellets this full blown cleaning may need to be done at every half instead of every 3/4 to 1 ton interval. The only question is what is the best way to check the intake damper?

FWIW, and I'm burning douglas fir pellets only. I have completed burning about 3 tons of pellets in my Harman and have yet to see an issue with performance like your seeing and still haven't done a level 3 cleaning. I'd like to say it's quality of fuel... but if so... then you must have some REALLY CRAPPY pellets. Makes me think perhaps you do have something else going on?

 

[fmsm]

Thanks for the information

My stove is less then 3 weeks from a Level 3 cleaning with the exception of the ESP and the intake damper checked Going to shut it down Saturday and do it again. I'm thinking with the lousy pellets this full blown cleaning may need to be done at every half instead of every 3/4 to 1 ton interval. The only question is what is the best way to check the intake damper?

What do you mean by intake damper? Harman’s Are controlled electronically with the exception of an altitude adjustment. That is one of the functions of the ESP.

FWIW, and I'm burning douglas fir pellets only. I have completed burning about 3 tons of pellets in my Harman and have yet to see an issue with performance like your seeing and still haven't done a level 3 cleaning. I'd like to say it's quality of fuel... but if so... then you must have some REALLY CRAPPY pellets. Makes me think perhaps you do have something else going on?

No offense but you are giving bad advise. In my opinion NO stove no matter how good a pellet is being burned should go 3 tons without a deep cleaning never mind more than one. That being said the amount of ash from a good Douglas Fir is about a third the ash of a quality hardwood. Furthermore, when you clean a stove you are doing more than just getting rid of ash, gasket checks, fines removal, and blower maintenance are just a few items you are servicing.

 

[NHcpa]

Right now, this minute - pic. Burning Cleanfire (just got). Stove on manual, fan full throttle and pellet feed on 5 - usually run at 3. Start up at 3 and fan at 1/4.