Feed rate fun

[HP52NOVA]

This is my second year burning with my Harman Accentra insert. I wanted to share some of my experiments with feed rate and the results. Maybe we can compare notes.
Let me first say that I read the all manuals, all sticky notes and most of the posts here about feed rates on a Harman. I burn two major pellet brands: Turman and Hamer
On the turnans I can't go any higher then 3. I clocked the auger at 35 second cycles at this rate. Any higher and the stove over feeds.
On the Hamers, I can't go any higher then 2, maybe 2.25.(they are smaller). Up to 25 seconds every minute.
With that, the stove is happy as a clam. I get a nice 1inch ash lip at the pot and over 300f at the blowers, heat output is great. Mind you, I had two vent setups on the stove, same feed rates. Both with oak. Stove is cleaned regularly.

So, is this normal? Per all that I have read, I should be at 4, minimum is 3. So how come 2 is my best feed rate number? Am I missing output by setting it that low? If yes, my measurements don't show it. This is certainly not a "set and forget" notion. Took me a lot of fiddling around to find the magic number.

 

[rich2500]

not a Harman owner but it sounds like you have it dialed in for your particular application and pellets so I would not worry about what you read and stick with what is working.

 

[Bioburner]

There is other numbers that also change your feed rate. One is the amount of draft

 

[Tonyray]

This is my second year burning with my Harman Accentra insert. I wanted to share some of my experiments with feed rate and the results. Maybe we can compare notes.
Let me first say that I read the all manuals, all sticky notes and most of the posts here about feed rates on a Harman. I burn two major pellet brands: Turman and Hamer
On the turnans I can't go any higher then 3. I clocked the auger at 35 second cycles at this rate. Any higher and the stove over feeds.
On the Hamers, I can't go any higher then 2, maybe 2.25.(they are smaller). Up to 25 seconds every minute.
With that, the stove is happy as a clam. I get a nice 1inch ash lip at the pot and over 300f at the blowers, heat output is great. Mind you, I had two vent setups on the stove, same feed rates. Both with oak. Stove is cleaned regularly.

So, is this normal? Per all that I have read, I should be at 4, minimum is 3. So how come 2 is my best feed rate number? Am I missing output by setting it that low? If yes, my measurements don't show it. This is certainly not a "set and forget" notion. Took me a lot of fiddling around to find the magic number.

I have a free standing Harman w/OAK.
With smaller pellets like Lignetics, my feed rate was 2/half to 3....
with longer pellets my feed rate is 3/half to 4...
all in all, heat output is the same for us...ceiling fan at top of steps circulated goog heat upstairs.
u didn't mention what mode u run... sounds like you have a good setting but some here may argue that by running low feed rate, it's like putting a block of wood under your cars gas pedal... I used to think so also, but am happy with pellet consumption, heat, and the stove get's it's normal ash inside but no gunk of any kind. could also be from using good pellets....
btw:
I have stopped using room/manual mode as too many times I have watched the distribution blower shut off during maint burn, and stay off for as long as 30-45 minutes
therby sending all the heat up the exhaust and outside..

 

[Harman Lover 007]

I'm out....

 

[Tonyray]

Been using Room/auto and at setting of 74-75, seems to keep blowing heat most of the day during the cold spells especially over nite.

 

[HP52NOVA]

Been using Room/auto and at setting of 74-75, seems to keep blowing heat most of the day during the cold spells especially over nite.

I am using room temp/auto, same temp. Also using a ceiling fan. Works great. I felt like I am putting a brick under the gas pedal as well, but the results speak for themselves. I don't think it's a draft issue as I had two completely seperate vent setups on the same stove, both had good draft. The current one is a stright up 25ft run. I am heating almost 4000sqf with the stove, on feed rate 2, I see similar output (300+-) at the vent and better burn, less ash, etc. no over feeding. Ash lip looks great.
If I go to 2.5 or 3, i see much more ash, and over feeding at some point.
I can only think that Harman put that control there for a reason, I thought that going under 3 will kill my BTU output, but that does not seem to be the case.

 

[Tonyray]

I am using room temp/auto, same temp. Also using a ceiling fan. Works great. I felt like I am putting a brick under the gas pedal as well, but the results speak for themselves. I don't think it's a draft issue as I had two completely seperate vent setups on the same stove, both had good draft. The current one is a stright up 25ft run. I am heating almost 4000sqf with the stove, on feed rate 2, I see similar output (300+-) at the vent and better burn, less ash, etc. no over feeding. Ash lip looks great.
If I go to 2.5 or 3, i see much more ash, and over feeding at some point.
I can only think that Harman put that control there for a reason, I thought that going under 3 will kill my BTU output, but that does not seem to be the case.

yeah I agree...
in the previous shoulder season, I run what we call " renegade mode" which actually is to keep the distribution blower running all the time..[stove or constant mode doesn't work because it gets just too damn hot after a while... anyways,
what we do is run on room/Manual..[I know I said I don't use it] but in shoulder season, you put your temp setting at 75.. nothing less than that.
the key is to put the feed rate at #1... this keeps the dist blower running continuous because the stove cannot "catch up".. it is sort of like using the feed rate as a "govenor'.... with the blower on low speed it kick out just enough Constant heat without over powering your room as it would it stove or constant mode. this works very well during the fall shoulder days and nights.
room/auto during this time will ramp down or shut down causing the house to cool a bit thus loosing the heat it just got done distributing...

 

[HP52NOVA]

yeah I agree...
in the previous shoulder season, I run what we call " renegade mode" which actually is to keep the distribution blower running all the time..[stove or constant mode doesn't work because it gets just too damn hot after a while... anyways,
what we do is run on room/Manual..[I know I said I don't use it] but in shoulder season, you put your temp setting at 75.. nothing less than that.
the key is to put the feed rate at #1... this keeps the dist blower running continuous because the stove cannot "catch up".. it is sort of like using the feed rate as a "govenor'.... with the blower on low speed it kick out just enough Constant heat without over powering your room as it would it stove or constant mode. this works very well during the fall shoulder days and nights.
room/auto during this time will ramp down or shut down causing the house to cool a bit thus loosing the heat it just got done distributing...

This sounds interesting. I will have to give it a try when it gets warmer. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Tonyray]

This sounds interesting. I will have to give it a try when it gets warmer. Thanks for sharing.

btw:
forgot to mention that the reason for putting the temp at 75 is because any lower and the distribution blower will eventually shut off.
don't know why but 75 is the magic number here to keep it blowing.
this is a tried and true method..