Basic Harman Room Temp Question

[mepellet]

I apologize if this is a very basic question but I couldn't quite find the exact answer in searches.

First of all thank you to forum member lbcynya for his detailed write up on how Harman stoves work in room and stove temp modes. If you haven't read it you should definitely check it out here https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/83574/P22/#1009016

So now for my question.... In room temp the distribution blower seems to be turning on and off frequently. Right now I have the blower on or near "L" and it comes on every few minutes for a minute or so. Is the distribution blower only on when the room temp probe is not satisfied (calling for heat)? If so, does it sound like I need to find a better place for the room temp probe? I have a corner installation. The wall to the left of the stove is an exterior wall with a window real close by and the wall to the right of the stove is an interior wall that separates the room that the stove is in (living room) and the mudroom. Currently I have the probe temporarily taped to the other side of the door jamb of the opening between the living room and mudroom.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

Yes, I believe that is the case. I have two Harmans and the only time the distribution fan kicks on is when the probe tells the stove to produce heat.

Perhaps the probe is located where it is drafty or the temperature changes frequently? I would change the probe location and see what happens.

One suggestion is to put the probe directly under the stove where the air is being drawn in for the distribution fan. This is outlined in the owners manual and it often provides good results.

 

[OldBrit]

Yes, Cincinnati Kid is quite correct. I have the sensor of my Harman XXV connected to a conventonal digital timer thermostat. It uses the W and RH connections and works like a switch. The stove goes into error mode when the temperture is satisfied but it recovers just fine. Someone else just commented that they have extened the sensor wire without a problem which is another option. Either way, it's something that Harman needs to address since controlling the temperature with a 5 foot long cable is just not practical.

 

[mepellet]

So the distribution blower turning on and off frequently is probably caused by the probe location? When it is warmer outside and in room temp manual, the distribution blower stays off for long periods of time.

 

[subsailor]

I run my stove in stove temp mode, but based upon what I've read here, if the stove is in room temp manual, the blower won't come on unless your heat setting is very high, like 5. But don't quote me on that. The reason I run mine in stove temp is the very reason tou're asking about. It's a waste of pellets when the blower is off.

 

[fmsm]

In room temperature mode the blower will only come on when heat is being called for. Even if you have a good fire going it will throttle down/off when the desired temperature is reached.

 

[kcellwood]

My distribution blower runs constantly as long as the stove is burning. Once the ESP sees enough heat at cold start up the blower starts. It will also run for a short period time after the stove shuts down until the stove cools. I set the blower near low and it will ramp up and down based on the output of the stove. Hotter the stove gets the higher the blower will run.
Manual says you can extend probe up to 50' but recommend no more than 25'. I've taped my to the door jamb between my living room where stove is located and hallway that leads to kitchen. Had to add about 15' of wire to extend probe. This puts it near my central heat thermostat. Temp setting on stove track well with what I am seeing on my thermostat.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

So the distribution blower turning on and off frequently is probably caused by the probe location? When it is warmer outside and in room temp manual, the distribution blower stays off for long periods of time.

The distribution blower is turning on and off because you are running in ROOM TEMP mode and the ROOM TEMP setting has been reached. That is exactly what it is supposed to do.

On warmer days like we have been seeing this year in New England, the ROOM TEMP setting is reached sooner and therefore the stove stops calling for heat. Since you are running in manual mode and not auto, the stove throttles back (instead of automatically shutting off) and continues to burn (and waste) pellets. The distribution blower shuts off, the fire continues to burn and the combustion blower pushes all that heat right up the chimney/pipe.

All of this info is in your owners manual.........

 

[mepellet]

So the distribution blower turning on and off frequently is probably caused by the probe location? When it is warmer outside and in room temp manual, the distribution blower stays off for long periods of time.

The distribution blower is turning on and off because you are running in ROOM TEMP mode and the ROOM TEMP setting has been reached. That is exactly what it is supposed to do.

On warmer days like we have been seeing this year in New England, the ROOM TEMP setting is reached sooner and therefore the stove stops calling for heat. Since you are running in manual mode and not auto, the stove throttles back (instead of automatically shutting off) and continues to burn (and waste) pellets. The distribution blower shuts off, the fire continues to burn and the combustion blower pushes all that heat right up the chimney/pipe.

All of this info is in your owners manual.........

I realize what you say is in the manual. I have read about people like "Duke" above that say their distribution blower never shuts off and I just wanted to know if mine was shutting off because of the temp probe. Trying to work with the limited length of wiring that came with the room temp probe. I feel that for the money some of us pay for the Harman stoves that they should at the very least provide a much longer wire. 3 or 4 feet doesn't get you far enough away from the stove to get a good temperature reading for the room...

 

[forya]

I extended my Thermostat switch and ran it through my floor into the basement and up behind the couch i sit in, so It feels what I do. seems to be pretty accurate. I have it set between 70 and 75 and it seems to keep the temp at 72-73.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

So the distribution blower turning on and off frequently is probably caused by the probe location? When it is warmer outside and in room temp manual, the distribution blower stays off for long periods of time.

The distribution blower is turning on and off because you are running in ROOM TEMP mode and the ROOM TEMP setting has been reached. That is exactly what it is supposed to do.

On warmer days like we have been seeing this year in New England, the ROOM TEMP setting is reached sooner and therefore the stove stops calling for heat. Since you are running in manual mode and not auto, the stove throttles back (instead of automatically shutting off) and continues to burn (and waste) pellets. The distribution blower shuts off, the fire continues to burn and the combustion blower pushes all that heat right up the chimney/pipe.

All of this info is in your owners manual.........

I realize what you say is in the manual. I have read about people like "Duke" above that say their distribution blower never shuts off and I just wanted to know if mine was shutting off because of the temp probe. Trying to work with the limited length of wiring that came with the room temp probe. I feel that for the money some of us pay for the Harman stoves that they should at the very least provide a much longer wire. 3 or 4 feet doesn't get you far enough away from the stove to get a good temperature reading for the room...

I agree with you on the temp wire but it's only a few bucks to extend it as far as you want. I believe the reason your stove may be operating differently than Duke's or mine for that matter is that you are running RT mode manual ignite. Why are you doing that?

 

[kcellwood]

From what the Harman rep said recently at the seminar I attended the distribution blower is there more to protect the stove from overheating then anything else. Thus as the stove heats up the blower will also increase.

I do run my stove in Room Temp/Auto. Never have to touch it except to put pellets in it once a day. This time a year with these temps it rarely shuts down just goes to a very low burn. The temp hold rock steady in the room.

 

[mepellet]

So the distribution blower turning on and off frequently is probably caused by the probe location? When it is warmer outside and in room temp manual, the distribution blower stays off for long periods of time.

The distribution blower is turning on and off because you are running in ROOM TEMP mode and the ROOM TEMP setting has been reached. That is exactly what it is supposed to do.

On warmer days like we have been seeing this year in New England, the ROOM TEMP setting is reached sooner and therefore the stove stops calling for heat. Since you are running in manual mode and not auto, the stove throttles back (instead of automatically shutting off) and continues to burn (and waste) pellets. The distribution blower shuts off, the fire continues to burn and the combustion blower pushes all that heat right up the chimney/pipe.

All of this info is in your owners manual.........

I realize what you say is in the manual. I have read about people like "Duke" above that say their distribution blower never shuts off and I just wanted to know if mine was shutting off because of the temp probe. Trying to work with the limited length of wiring that came with the room temp probe. I feel that for the money some of us pay for the Harman stoves that they should at the very least provide a much longer wire. 3 or 4 feet doesn't get you far enough away from the stove to get a good temperature reading for the room...

I agree with you on the temp wire but it's only a few bucks to extend it as far as you want. I believe the reason your stove may be operating differently than Duke's or mine for that matter is that you are running RT mode manual ignite. Why are you doing that?

To save on igniter usage.

 

[fmsm]

So the distribution blower turning on and off frequently is probably caused by the probe location? When it is warmer outside and in room temp manual, the distribution blower stays off for long periods of time.

The distribution blower is turning on and off because you are running in ROOM TEMP mode and the ROOM TEMP setting has been reached. That is exactly what it is supposed to do.

On warmer days like we have been seeing this year in New England, the ROOM TEMP setting is reached sooner and therefore the stove stops calling for heat. Since you are running in manual mode and not auto, the stove throttles back (instead of automatically shutting off) and continues to burn (and waste) pellets. The distribution blower shuts off, the fire continues to burn and the combustion blower pushes all that heat right up the chimney/pipe.

All of this info is in your owners manual.........

I realize what you say is in the manual. I have read about people like "Duke" above that say their distribution blower never shuts off and I just wanted to know if mine was shutting off because of the temp probe. Trying to work with the limited length of wiring that came with the room temp probe. I feel that for the money some of us pay for the Harman stoves that they should at the very least provide a much longer wire. 3 or 4 feet doesn't get you far enough away from the stove to get a good temperature reading for the room...

I agree with you on the temp wire but it's only a few bucks to extend it as far as you want. I believe the reason your stove may be operating differently than Duke's or mine for that matter is that you are running RT mode manual ignite. Why are you doing that?

To save on igniter usage.

AND the electric bill

 

[bad0351]

I have been running my P61-A in RT on auto with the probe coiled right where it was the day I got it behind the stove....I keep it set at about 73 deg. and my entire house stays at 72 deg. except the upstairs stays at about 69.
which is great for the bedrooms.
I add fuel once a day and clean it once a month....this is the best thing I have bought in 10 years

Dale

 

[Harman Lover 007]

So the distribution blower turning on and off frequently is probably caused by the probe location? When it is warmer outside and in room temp manual, the distribution blower stays off for long periods of time.

The distribution blower is turning on and off because you are running in ROOM TEMP mode and the ROOM TEMP setting has been reached. That is exactly what it is supposed to do.

On warmer days like we have been seeing this year in New England, the ROOM TEMP setting is reached sooner and therefore the stove stops calling for heat. Since you are running in manual mode and not auto, the stove throttles back (instead of automatically shutting off) and continues to burn (and waste) pellets. The distribution blower shuts off, the fire continues to burn and the combustion blower pushes all that heat right up the chimney/pipe.

All of this info is in your owners manual.........

I realize what you say is in the manual. I have read about people like "Duke" above that say their distribution blower never shuts off and I just wanted to know if mine was shutting off because of the temp probe. Trying to work with the limited length of wiring that came with the room temp probe. I feel that for the money some of us pay for the Harman stoves that they should at the very least provide a much longer wire. 3 or 4 feet doesn't get you far enough away from the stove to get a good temperature reading for the room...

I agree with you on the temp wire but it's only a few bucks to extend it as far as you want. I believe the reason your stove may be operating differently than Duke's or mine for that matter is that you are running RT mode manual ignite. Why are you doing that?

To save on igniter usage.

I hear ya and there are those on this board that will have you running scared worrying about over use of the igniter. I personally would rather not waste the pellets running the stove on a 50 degree day when it doesn't need to run and my combustion blower and distribution blower will last longer too. It makes no sense to me to push heat up the chimney and burn pellets you don't need to burn just to save the igniter. All a matter of personal preference but your stove is going to act the way it does unless you choose to do it differently.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

So the distribution blower turning on and off frequently is probably caused by the probe location? When it is warmer outside and in room temp manual, the distribution blower stays off for long periods of time.

The distribution blower is turning on and off because you are running in ROOM TEMP mode and the ROOM TEMP setting has been reached. That is exactly what it is supposed to do.

On warmer days like we have been seeing this year in New England, the ROOM TEMP setting is reached sooner and therefore the stove stops calling for heat. Since you are running in manual mode and not auto, the stove throttles back (instead of automatically shutting off) and continues to burn (and waste) pellets. The distribution blower shuts off, the fire continues to burn and the combustion blower pushes all that heat right up the chimney/pipe.

All of this info is in your owners manual.........

I realize what you say is in the manual. I have read about people like "Duke" above that say their distribution blower never shuts off and I just wanted to know if mine was shutting off because of the temp probe. Trying to work with the limited length of wiring that came with the room temp probe. I feel that for the money some of us pay for the Harman stoves that they should at the very least provide a much longer wire. 3 or 4 feet doesn't get you far enough away from the stove to get a good temperature reading for the room...

I agree with you on the temp wire but it's only a few bucks to extend it as far as you want. I believe the reason your stove may be operating differently than Duke's or mine for that matter is that you are running RT mode manual ignite. Why are you doing that?

To save on igniter usage.

AND the electric bill

He's not saving anything on the electric bill if his stove runs all the time.

 

[mepellet]

It sounds like with my current setup (short temp probe wire) if I run in room temp auto the stove would be cycling on and off quite a bit then since my distribution blower turns on and off frequently. Is that a true statement?

 

[Harman Lover 007]

It sounds like with my current setup (short temp probe wire) if I run in room temp auto the stove would be cycling on and off quite a bit then since my distribution blower turns on and off frequently. Is that a true statement?

Thats kind of hard to answer since I don't all the variables in your home such as age, insulation, room size and setup, drafts etc. I still have the short temp probe wire although I've been meaning to lengthen it. My stove has been running today at a constant 72* in RT auto mode and it's about 36* outside. The distribution blower has slowed only twice in that time. It never shuts off completely it just slows down.

To directly answer your question, you won't know until you try it.

 

[mepellet]

To directly answer your question, you won't know until you try it.

Very true! I will try it out tomorrow I guess! Happy new year!

 

[Harman Lover 007]

To directly answer your question, you won't know until you try it.

Very true! I will try it out tomorrow I guess! Happy new year!

Same to you