eco 55 drolet pellet stove

  • 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.
  • Hope everyone has a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here

Bose

New Member
Dec 8, 2022
14
Brownsburg Quebec
I got this stove this summer and quite my wood stove gym membership, my problem is I also bought an Energizer 4800 inverter generator to power it in case of a power lose.It will not do its job.Touched base with Drolet and they bent over backwards to help me even changing out the control panel.Any help I could get would be much appreciated.Havent touched base with Energizer yet. tks. By the way first time user
 
Welcome. It should run it.
What happens when you plug in the stove to generator???
 
Morning what happens is the convection blower comes on stays on and thats it no fire no anything else they think its dirty power but this generator states that its a pure sine inverter .All otherappliances work ,modem , computer, tv etc
 
From the specs of that geny. it should run the stove with no problem.
Your stove runs OK on house power?
 
Maybe borrow a different pure sine wave generator and try that...see what happens..
 
Yep went out and rented one same effect so back to Drolet ,they are taking to engineering as apparently this is a first just my luck o well better bad luck then no luck at all
Thanks for the update. Wonder if anyone else here has this same issue with Drolet or Eco 55 ...
 
Well, I don't see that Drolet will get excited about it, as it runs as designed. @ thoughts--1 your electronics will not operate on inverted power. This is not a rare occurrence. 2 the gen. may not have the ground and neutral bonded. If you modify the gen. it is at your risk. I would try your stove on a regular generator, non inverter. Anyway, here is more to read, is about furnaces, but technically the same--

The Furnace Can’t Run on Inverted Power

You’ll feel frustrated if you turn the furnace on only to realize that the generator isn’t supplying any power. Let’s see why this can happen.

Compare your furnace power requirements to the features of the generator.

You may find that there are certain functions that the furnace relies on or something it’s not compatible with — the generator doesn’t meet the needs of the HVAC system.

Many generators use inverted power to deliver efficient levels of electricity to your devices.

Unfortunately, this is also where you may face compatibility issues. The thing is, not all furnaces are compatible with inverted power. Some rely on standard power, and when the generator uses an inverter to convert power to AC, the furnace may not power on when connected to the generator.

[Hearth.com] eco 55 drolet pellet stove


How To Fix

The fix for this issue depends on the type of generator you have. Look at the model number and brand name. Skim the manufacturer’s website or owner’s manual for information.

The manual should give you details on whether the generator uses an inverter. If the generator uses inverted power, check if this is the problem by looking at the furnace’s power requirements.

Sometimes, it may be possible to switch the inverter on or off. If your generator has an inverter switch, try switching it off. Now, try to start the furnace again to check if that solved your issue.

If the generator doesn’t have an off switch for the inverter, you’ll probably have to get a different generator.

It’d be a good idea to see if you can find another generator just for testing purposes. Perhaps a friend owns a generator that doesn’t use inverted power. Try their generator with your furnace to see if that fixes the problem.

No Bonding Between Neutral and Ground

Another possible reason for a furnace not running on a generator may be related to the bonding between the neutral and ground lines. This issue is more common than you might think.

New generators, particularly portable ones, don’t have a connection between ground and neutral. This is a problem, as the furnace uses the bonded connection as a safety measure when it’s turned on.

In this situation, no power will run to the furnace. However, other devices connected to the generator will run without any issues.

[Hearth.com] eco 55 drolet pellet stove


How To Fix

While a common problem, the fix may not be as easy as you were hoping it would be. The issue lies within the generator — particularly in the electrical wiring found inside the device.

If you want to bond neutral and ground lines, you’ll have to open up the generator. If you have experience working with electrical systems and wiring, you can do this yourself. If not, get an electrician to do it for you.

Here’s a brief rundown of what you have to do:

  1. Switch off the generator.
  2. Open the generator’s main panel.
  3. Identify the neutral and ground wires.
  4. Bond the two wires. How exactly you do this depends on the model in question.
  5. Put the cover back on.
Now, connect the generator to the furnace again and power it on. See if this process fixed the problem. If the furnace still won’t light up, the problem lies elsewhere in the system. You’ll need to investigate further to determine the issue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VintageGal
Well, I don't see that Drolet will get excited about it, as it runs as designed. @ thoughts--1 your electronics will not operate on inverted power. This is not a rare occurrence. 2 the gen. may not have the ground and neutral bonded. If you modify the gen. it is at your risk. I would try your stove on a regular generator, non inverter. Anyway, here is more to read, is about furnaces, but technically the same--

The Furnace Can’t Run on Inverted Power

You’ll feel frustrated if you turn the furnace on only to realize that the generator isn’t supplying any power. Let’s see why this can happen.

Compare your furnace power requirements to the features of the generator.

You may find that there are certain functions that the furnace relies on or something it’s not compatible with — the generator doesn’t meet the needs of the HVAC system.

Many generators use inverted power to deliver efficient levels of electricity to your devices.

Unfortunately, this is also where you may face compatibility issues. The thing is, not all furnaces are compatible with inverted power. Some rely on standard power, and when the generator uses an inverter to convert power to AC, the furnace may not power on when connected to the generator.

[Hearth.com] eco 55 drolet pellet stove


How To Fix

The fix for this issue depends on the type of generator you have. Look at the model number and brand name. Skim the manufacturer’s website or owner’s manual for information.

The manual should give you details on whether the generator uses an inverter. If the generator uses inverted power, check if this is the problem by looking at the furnace’s power requirements.

Sometimes, it may be possible to switch the inverter on or off. If your generator has an inverter switch, try switching it off. Now, try to start the furnace again to check if that solved your issue.

If the generator doesn’t have an off switch for the inverter, you’ll probably have to get a different generator.

It’d be a good idea to see if you can find another generator just for testing purposes. Perhaps a friend owns a generator that doesn’t use inverted power. Try their generator with your furnace to see if that fixes the problem.

No Bonding Between Neutral and Ground

Another possible reason for a furnace not running on a generator may be related to the bonding between the neutral and ground lines. This issue is more common than you might think.

New generators, particularly portable ones, don’t have a connection between ground and neutral. This is a problem, as the furnace uses the bonded connection as a safety measure when it’s turned on.

In this situation, no power will run to the furnace. However, other devices connected to the generator will run without any issues.

[Hearth.com] eco 55 drolet pellet stove


How To Fix

While a common problem, the fix may not be as easy as you were hoping it would be. The issue lies within the generator — particularly in the electrical wiring found inside the device.

If you want to bond neutral and ground lines, you’ll have to open up the generator. If you have experience working with electrical systems and wiring, you can do this yourself. If not, get an electrician to do it for you.

Here’s a brief rundown of what you have to do:

  1. Switch off the generator.
  2. Open the generator’s main panel.
  3. Identify the neutral and ground wires.
  4. Bond the two wires. How exactly you do this depends on the model in question.
  5. Put the cover back on.
Now, connect the generator to the furnace again and power it on. See if this process fixed the problem. If the furnace still won’t light up, the problem lies elsewhere in the system. You’ll need to investigate further to determine the issue.
 
Cant say that I agree with you as using a none inverted gen when the appliance attached to it is using sensitive electronics such as computer boards, as this stove has, for that matter most equipment now adays has, you run a high risk of burning the control board with dirty power, as for the grounding (earthing ) already done with no effect. thanks for the help thought,Drolet tech is taking it to engineering and if thats not fruit full with be suppling a new stove
 
Older electronics had trouble with power supplies burning out. Most newer electronics now use "switching" power supplies, so variations in voltage becomes mostly irrelevant, to a point. The biggest thing about inverter gens is they are much easier on electric motors. No more burned up drills,saws, refrigerators,etc. However, inverter gens are bad for some things, like plugging in a laptop battery charger.
Steady voltage is important, pure sign wave is important, but, there are no laws governing what companies advertise and sell, that have "thee", nor do manufacturers/importers get checked and tested.
Also note, inverters inherently create more electrical "noise",along with distortion. the cheaper the unit, the bigger chance.
Today's newer electronics are actually quite tough, and when they see something they don't "like", components just shut down, then things do not work. Ya, we could take a step back, and remove such protections.
As far as neutral/ground bonding, larger gens are not, the reason is, many are used to plug right into a house/building,etc, by contractors,home owners, rv-ers,etc, and having this "floating ground" allows curcuit protection devices to work. Which is why some electronics do not work on "floating grounds".
Anyway, good luck.
 
Kind of wonder, don't think I've seen a posting on this forum that there was an issue with a stove not able to run off a generator , sine wave no less.......
 
Kind of wonder, don't think I've seen a posting on this forum that there was an issue with a stove not able to run off a generator , sine wave no less.......
Um, last one I remember was a Quadrafire CB1200, would not run on generator.
 
Older electronics had trouble with power supplies burning out. Most newer electronics now use "switching" power supplies, so variations in voltage becomes mostly irrelevant, to a point. The biggest thing about inverter gens is they are much easier on electric motors. No more burned up drills,saws, refrigerators,etc. However, inverter gens are bad for some things, like plugging in a laptop battery charger.
Steady voltage is important, pure sign wave is important, but, there are no laws governing what companies advertise and sell, that have "thee", nor do manufacturers/importers get checked and tested.
Also note, inverters inherently create more electrical "noise",along with distortion. the cheaper the unit, the bigger chance.
Today's newer electronics are actually quite tough, and when they see something they don't "like", components just shut down, then things do not work. Ya, we could take a step back, and remove such protections.
As far as neutral/ground bonding, larger gens are not, the reason is, many are used to plug right into a house/building,etc, by contractors,home owners, rv-ers,etc, and having this "floating ground" allows curcuit protection devices to work. Which is why some electronics do not work on "floating grounds".
Anyway, good luck.
Thanks for the reply, any knowledge on how I would go about grounding this gen or is it as easy as hammering a galvinized pipe into the earth attaching a 14 gauge wire to it from the grounding on the genny
 
Have you tried a UPS? I have a Drolet ECO 65 that runs off an iPower 3800W inverter generator with a CyberPower UPS in between. I haven't tried to run the stove off the gen without a UPS.
 
Well, I don't see that Drolet will get excited about it, as it runs as designed. @ thoughts--1 your electronics will not operate on inverted power. This is not a rare occurrence. 2 the gen. may not have the ground and neutral bonded. If you modify the gen. it is at your risk. I would try your stove on a regular generator, non inverter. Anyway, here is more to read, is about furnaces, but technically the same--

The Furnace Can’t Run on Inverted Power

You’ll feel frustrated if you turn the furnace on only to realize that the generator isn’t supplying any power. Let’s see why this can happen.

Compare your furnace power requirements to the features of the generator.

You may find that there are certain functions that the furnace relies on or something it’s not compatible with — the generator doesn’t meet the needs of the HVAC system.

Many generators use inverted power to deliver efficient levels of electricity to your devices.

Unfortunately, this is also where you may face compatibility issues. The thing is, not all furnaces are compatible with inverted power. Some rely on standard power, and when the generator uses an inverter to convert power to AC, the furnace may not power on when connected to the generator.

[Hearth.com] eco 55 drolet pellet stove


How To Fix

The fix for this issue depends on the type of generator you have. Look at the model number and brand name. Skim the manufacturer’s website or owner’s manual for information.

The manual should give you details on whether the generator uses an inverter. If the generator uses inverted power, check if this is the problem by looking at the furnace’s power requirements.

Sometimes, it may be possible to switch the inverter on or off. If your generator has an inverter switch, try switching it off. Now, try to start the furnace again to check if that solved your issue.

If the generator doesn’t have an off switch for the inverter, you’ll probably have to get a different generator.

It’d be a good idea to see if you can find another generator just for testing purposes. Perhaps a friend owns a generator that doesn’t use inverted power. Try their generator with your furnace to see if that fixes the problem.

No Bonding Between Neutral and Ground

Another possible reason for a furnace not running on a generator may be related to the bonding between the neutral and ground lines. This issue is more common than you might think.

New generators, particularly portable ones, don’t have a connection between ground and neutral. This is a problem, as the furnace uses the bonded connection as a safety measure when it’s turned on.

In this situation, no power will run to the furnace. However, other devices connected to the generator will run without any issues.

[Hearth.com] eco 55 drolet pellet stove


How To Fix

While a common problem, the fix may not be as easy as you were hoping it would be. The issue lies within the generator — particularly in the electrical wiring found inside the device.

If you want to bond neutral and ground lines, you’ll have to open up the generator. If you have experience working with electrical systems and wiring, you can do this yourself. If not, get an electrician to do it for you.

Here’s a brief rundown of what you have to do:

  1. Switch off the generator.
  2. Open the generator’s main panel.
  3. Identify the neutral and ground wires.
  4. Bond the two wires. How exactly you do this depends on the model in question.
  5. Put the cover back on.
Now, connect the generator to the furnace again and power it on. See if this process fixed the problem. If the furnace still won’t light up, the problem lies elsewhere in the system. You’ll need to investigate further to determine the issue.
 
Well your right. The ground has to be bonded to neutral ran a 14 gauge up to my neutral bar on the panel,this gen has a premade attachment from ground for this, tried it with the stove and besides a few bugs fires up the stove. With the storm going thru now very happy for the fix.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mt Bob
Have you tried a UPS? I have a Drolet ECO 65 that runs off an iPower 3800W inverter generator with a CyberPower UPS in between. I haven't tried to run the stove off the gen without a UPS.
Hi I just bought a Cyber Power Lx1500gu running 900w The stove is plugged in thru it working fine for now but I havent tried the battery time length yet when I do I will let you know.
 
I have only tested it once by unplugging the UPS from grid power then plugging it into the gen while the stove was running. I use the 30A outlet with an adapter that splits it to two 15A ends. I don't think it should matter since the draw is only 4A for the ignition cycle.
 
Hi how are you getting it into the house thru a window?I am curious cause I use a thru the wall outlet from Reliance controls and the stove doesnt like it it will, sofar, only accept the 20a side with a single 12/3 plug. I say sofar cause the adapter taking me from 30a ,3 prong female on the genny to the 4prong male on the thru the wall kit comes from Energizer and may not be compatable so I got another from princess auto that comes from Reliance and will try it after this storm
 
I have two 15A lines drilled thru an exterior wall with male ends that plug into the gen. The inside ends of the line connect to two separate junction boxes that are then wired to a few outlets in the house. This makes each line on their own circuit as well as separate from grid power. I don't know the electrical code regarding this, so use your own judgement.