We are new owners of a Harman Accentra Insert installed in 2008. Saw a huge jump in our electric bill when heating season started and are trying to tease out the pellet stove's role. (We have solar, oil radiation, and mini splits as well as the pellet stove.) Can anyone help me locate the Watt Kwh specs for Ignition and then running for this older insert? We have a Kill A Watt to measure usage and it is not looking good.
Electric Use for older Harman Accentra Insert? Kwh
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I believe that the igniter runs at just over 300 watts when it's in use. Once the stove is "up to temp" the igniter should cut out and the stove ought to cruise along. Total draw after the stove is up to temp and the igniter cuts out is on the order of 60-120 watts depending on your blower setting. The computer board can fail in a way that keeps the igniter on all the time and that will greatly increase average wattage.
YMMV,
Hugh
YMMV,
Hugh
I fear this is what is happening. Only 1 day in to our usage measuring.
But seems to be on Stove Temp Mode, High Setting, Feed rate on temp dial at about 6, with ignition toggle turned to manual after start. Averaging about 180 Watts per hour.
We also can't seem to stop the stove from running by turning the mode to off. Maybe a control panel issue. My work around for that, create a draft in the hopper that stops the feeder, then the pellets can burn out. Then disconnect the electric.
We had repaired the room temp sensor we thought, but can't get it working, another reason we think perhaps the control panel.
If I were to project our monthly usage based on 1 day of measuring, would be about 130 Kwh.
Our Electric Bill/usage is complex because we have several heat options, as well as solar panels that generally reduce the bill. But from Oct to Nov we went from a total KWh usage of 50 kwh (that was with solar offset) to 1000kwh(with solar offset). The heating is the only thing we can attribute this jump to. Trying to tease out the various variables. First year in this 100 year old home.
Hmmmmmm, if the igniter was stuck on continuously, I'd expect the wattage to run 300+ per hour rather than 180. It seems appropriate to test each of the blowers via your Kill-A-Watt . Perhaps watch the watts when running in test mode. IIRC the igniter doesn't fire ....or shouldn't fire in test mode.
Mt Bob
Minister of Fire
"Stove Temp Mode, High Setting, Feed rate on temp dial at about 6, with ignition toggle turned to manual"
Your stove is then running at almost full power, usage will be high.
Your stove is then running at almost full power, usage will be high.
Perhaps this thread is worth reading https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/harman-accentra-insert-power-consumption.66952/
ManitobaSky
Burning Hunk
Thanks! I will try and do some of this testing too.
We are considering a new stove purchase anyway as this one is undersized for our house. But I sure wish we could figure if this is main reason for huge increase in energy consumption.
We shut the mini splits almost completely down after the huge bill as the temperature was such that they likely were not effective. That was our first thought of the higher electric bill when it increased by almost 900kwh.
We now only run one 2 hours per day to preheat our bathroom. That move did seem to drop a 1500 power usage to a 1000 usage.
Washed-Up
Minister of Fire
This will give you an idea of if it’s your stove or not.
Suraielec Watt Meter, Plug-in Socket Power Meter, Auto Cost Calculator, Backlit Large Display, Overload Protection, Kilowatt Wattage Voltage AMP Tester, Electricity Usage Electrical Energy Monitor
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Suraielec Watt Meter, Plug-in Socket Power Meter, Auto Cost Calculator, Backlit Large Display, Overload Protection, Kilowatt Wattage Voltage AMP Tester, Electricity Usage Electrical Energy Monitor
Amazon product
ManitobaSky
Burning Hunk
The wattage is in the install manual, even if it was stuck on the max is would only account for 316 kWh per month.
We have it plugged into a Kill A Watt, similar device. Logging second 24 hours paring attention to the various cycles.
Thank you, I think I tossed the install manual when we moved in. I will put this page in my files. I guess we are going to need to slowly and methodically all the electrical use in our house using my little Kill A Watt gadget.
ManitobaSky
Burning Hunk
Here is the link to the complete manual https://downloads.hearthnhome.com/installManuals/Accentra_Insert.pdf
Thanks, this has lots more detail than my "user manual". Stored now in my electronic manual folder!
I'm in the same position, a mini split installed last year and mostly off during January of this year (because it was so cold). But our electric bill was almost double what it was last year?!
I'm thinking that our Mitsubishi split has a pan heater or some other phantom draw that is keeping the compressor oil warm when the temps are low. Perhaps you're having the same experience. Even if the remote is off, the unit is still drawing power unless you've killed it at the breaker. I've reached out to our installation tech to see if this could be a possibility.
I'm thinking that our Mitsubishi split has a pan heater or some other phantom draw that is keeping the compressor oil warm when the temps are low. Perhaps you're having the same experience. Even if the remote is off, the unit is still drawing power unless you've killed it at the breaker. I've reached out to our installation tech to see if this could be a possibility.
I highly doubt it is from the stove. I run a Harman and a St Croix stove 24/7 along with 4 refrigerators and a deep freezer and normal lighting ect and my usage was 719 kwh in Jan and 509 kwh in December. All my other heating appliances are propane. range, clothes dryer furnace ect.
stoveliker
Minister of Fire
I have a Mitsubishi minisplit and do not see much change (about 11 kWh per day when not heating or cooling with the minisplit), suggesting that if this is indeed an issue here, it is model dependent.
Yes, we have ruled out the stove. Put on a Kill A Watt and it came out in the range as projected. I made a more detailed post in the "Green Room" asking for ideas and all the crazy variables involved in this electricity mystery!
@WHat is your rate up there? Mine is about $.09-.10/KWH. Including taxes fees ect
Our rate is $.10, but by the time taxes, delivery charges and such, it TOTALS to about $.23 per Kwh. Attached the bill portion that shows all the add ons based on Kwh usage.
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