Feed Rate

[Ohio P43]

Anyone have any thoughts on whether to burn smaller, cooler fires at slower feed rates that last longer or hotter fires at faster feed rates that cycle on and off more often. I have a P43 and I'm still getting used to it. First time with pellet stove. Also, someone said that burning on stove temp mode reduces the amount of pellets you use. How would that be?
Thanks in advance.

 

[tjnamtiw]

I've also been wondering the same thing. I've tried it both ways. Just running hot enough to maintain temp and also running on high and letting it cycle on and off. I'm leaning toward the high temp/on and off right now. Especially since the igniters are still under warranty. ) I really don't see much difference in pellet usage. It's too much either way!

 

[jtakeman]

I've also been wondering the same thing. I've tried it both ways. Just running hot enough to maintain temp and also running on high and letting it cycle on and off. I'm leaning toward the high temp/on and off right now. Especially since the igniters are still under warranty. ) I really don't see much difference in pellet usage. It's too much either way!

Same here. Using just about the same both ways. Guess it takes X amount of BTU's overall to heat this place. Doesn't matter how its done. A small amount constant, or a large amount here and there. But my experiance is a more stable temps makes us feel warmer. The Auto/Off swing is noticable anyway.

 

[LIpelletpig]

I am a control freak when it comes to some things so I like to run my stove in stove temp mode. I found running it in room temp it was cycling high/low all the time and the blower was adjusting itself and it was annoying. I also feel I have better control over the feed rate when running in stove temp. An example, if I set the dial to 4 I know I'll burn 1.5 bags a day. If I set the dial to 6/7 I'll burn through 2 bags a day. In room temp you can't really control feed rate since it's based on room temperature and not whole house temperature. I guess it's a personal thing.

 

[HEMI]

Anyone have any thoughts on whether to burn smaller, cooler fires at slower feed rates that last longer or hotter fires at faster feed rates that cycle on and off more often. I have a P43 and I'm still getting used to it. First time with pellet stove. Also, someone said that burning on stove temp mode reduces the amount of pellets you use. How would that be?
Thanks in advance.

I heat the entire house with my p43 (2200 sq ft) so i use the stove temp for the constant heat output...right now it's 17 outside, i have my feed rate set between 4 & 5 and stove temp set to 5 house is 73 downstairs, 70 upstairs burning lignetics....when i tried the ROCKY'S i had to turn the stove temp down to 4 because they burned so hot, in turn burned less pellets with a different brand, but had a nice fire and a warm house!

 

[tjnamtiw]

I would be nice to find a feed/burn rate that would keep going and also keep the house temp steady but with my Quads, I only have Hi/Med/Lo so there's not a lot of adjustment. I wish I could adjust the room fan speed manually but it's controlled by the feed rate. On Medium, it just seems like the fan doesn't blow fast enough for me and I wonder how much heat is wasted.

 

[poconoman]

Anyone have any thoughts on whether to burn smaller, cooler fires at slower feed rates that last longer or hotter fires at faster feed rates that cycle on and off more often. I have a P43 and I'm still getting used to it. First time with pellet stove. Also, someone said that burning on stove temp mode reduces the amount of pellets you use. How would that be?
Thanks in advance.

I heat the entire house with my p43 (2200 sq ft) so i use the stove temp for the constant heat output...right now it's 17 outside, i have my feed rate set between 4 & 5 and stove temp set to 5 house is 73 downstairs, 70 upstairs burning lignetics....when i tried the ROCKY'S i had to turn the stove temp down to 4 because they burned so hot, in turn burned less pellets with a different brand, but had a nice fire and a warm house!

Wow, 2200sqft with ONE PC43? I have my PC45 on the second fl with Master bedroom loft and it heats very well. Maybe, I should've installed it downstairs. :lol:

From start up, I have it set to 4 feed, Stove Temp high, using Barefoot. Once it heated everything to 68-70, I reduced the feed to ONE, Stove Temp low and it maintained the floor temp of 68. Outside temp was in the upper 20's.

 

[Swaybar]

I run my P43 in room temp and put the switch on manual once it starts, it will idle down but not shut off and restart. The fire is real low when it idles down, and kicks up pretty hot when the thermostat call for heat. I am burning about 1.25 bags a day with temp set at 68. I have not tried stove temp as this seems to be working for me.

 

[poconoman]

I run my P43 in room temp and put the switch on manual once it starts, it will idle down but not shut off and restart. The fire is real low when it idles down, and kicks up pretty hot when the thermostat call for heat. I am burning about 1.25 bags a day with temp set at 68. I have not tried stove temp as this seems to be working for me.

I THINK, you'll save on pellets with Stove Temp because the flame will be constantly the same.

 

[HEMI]

Anyone have any thoughts on whether to burn smaller, cooler fires at slower feed rates that last longer or hotter fires at faster feed rates that cycle on and off more often. I have a P43 and I'm still getting used to it. First time with pellet stove. Also, someone said that burning on stove temp mode reduces the amount of pellets you use. How would that be?
Thanks in advance.

I heat the entire house with my p43 (2200 sq ft) so i use the stove temp for the constant heat output...right now it's 17 outside, i have my feed rate set between 4 & 5 and stove temp set to 5 house is 73 downstairs, 70 upstairs burning lignetics....when i tried the ROCKY'S i had to turn the stove temp down to 4 because they burned so hot, in turn burned less pellets with a different brand, but had a nice fire and a warm house!

Wow, 2200sqft with ONE PC43? I have my PC45 on the second fl with Master bedroom loft and it heats very well. Maybe, I should've installed it downstairs. :lol:

From start up, I have it set to 4 feed, Stove Temp high, using Barefoot. Once it heated everything to 68-70, I reduced the feed to ONE, Stove Temp low and it maintained the floor temp of 68. Outside temp was in the upper 20's.

my floor plan on the first floor is open so that helps...should have stated that in my post

 

[kinsmanstoves]

I like the ability to control the unit rather than the stove going from hi to low or on and off. In the Harmans you have control of the feed rate on stove temp. I think it better to let them run.

Eric

 

[Swaybar]

I run my P43 in room temp and put the switch on manual once it starts, it will idle down but not shut off and restart. The fire is real low when it idles down, and kicks up pretty hot when the thermostat call for heat. I am burning about 1.25 bags a day with temp set at 68. I have not tried stove temp as this seems to be working for me.

I THINK, you'll save on pellets with Stove Temp because the flame will be constantly the same.

You are probably correct. But I did buy the pellets to burn, and as long as the heat is not wasted I don't mind putting in what is needed.

If the outside temp would stay stable, I would be more inclined to try it, and I also get a good amount of solar heating when it is sunny outside the inside house temp will approach 75-80. So I am am inclined to think that with stove temp - the inside temp would be even harder to regulate.

It seems to me by keeping the room temp setting and maintaining the house at 68, I am only asking for the amount of heat necessary and burning the amount of pellets needed.

I may try stove temp this week-end though and see how it works out.

 

[poconoman]

I run my P43 in room temp and put the switch on manual once it starts, it will idle down but not shut off and restart. The fire is real low when it idles down, and kicks up pretty hot when the thermostat call for heat. I am burning about 1.25 bags a day with temp set at 68. I have not tried stove temp as this seems to be working for me.

I THINK, you'll save on pellets with Stove Temp because the flame will be constantly the same.

You are probably correct. But I did buy the pellets to burn, and as long as the heat is not wasted I don't mind putting in what is needed.

If the outside temp would stay stable, I would be more inclined to try it, and I also get a good amount of solar heating when it is sunny outside the inside house temp will approach 75-80. So I am am inclined to think that with stove temp - the inside temp would be even harder to regulate.

It seems to me by keeping the room temp setting and maintaining the house at 68, I am only asking for the amount of heat necessary and burning the amount of pellets needed.

I may try stove temp this week-end though and see how it works out.

This just proves that EVERY home has different requirements. There's no right or wrong. It's all trial and error. In my case, Room Temp didn't cut it for ME because the blower would shut and the stove cooled down. When it called for heat, it had to burn a lot of pellets to bring it back to temp and THEN, the blower would go on. This irked the hell out of me. On Stove Temp, it maintained the flame and blower on. Not a massive flame, but a nice, consistent burn. Again, it worked for ME. ;-)

 

[Swaybar]

Ahhh, that is a difference....I don't live in the room by stove is in, so the high-low doesn't bother me. If it was in my living or another occupied room, I think I would run it in stove temp, just so the heat, noise, and fan would remain constant. But you did convince me to try stove temp, as now I am curious.

On my old stove I had to manually adjust feed rate, combustion air, as well a convection fan speed constantly. This new fangled automatic stove is making me spoiled as now all I do is feed and clean, everthing else takes care if itself.

 

[poconoman]

Yep, they're great stoves. :coolsmile:

Keep me updated when you do the your Stove Temp experiment.

 

[Souzafone]

In room temp mode the feed rate adjusts automatically to maintain a constant room temperature. No matter how loud the blower gets, it sounds way better than the furnace kicking on!

 

[Swaybar]

In room temp mode the feed rate adjusts automatically to maintain a constant room temperature. No matter how loud the blower gets, it sounds way better than the furnace kicking on!

In room temp mode, My P43 adjusts the convection blower as well, sometimes it shuts off completely.

Copied from the manual:

"In the Room Temperature Mode, the distribution blower speed can be increased or decreased by adjusting the Room Temp/Off/Stove Temp dial between L and H. As output of the stove increases, the speed of the blower will increase automatically to insure that more heat is transferred out into the room. The distribution blower will shut off as the room reaches the set temperature, this will prevent overheating of the room."

 

[Swaybar]

Here is the whole section describing room temp mode:

Room Temperature Mode

Most consumers use the stove in the Room Temperature Mode because it is the easiest and most efficient method of keeping the room at a given temperature. In the Room Temperature Mode, the Room Sensing Probe constantly monitors room temperature. As the weather changes outside and your home needs varying amounts of heat to be at a desired temperature, the stove will automatically increase fire size and heat output so that a constant even temperature is maintained. If the weather warms up and no heat is required, the stove will gradually shut down. When the house cools down, the stove will automatically bring the room temperature to the precise temperature you desire.

In the Room Temperature Mode you can select either Auto or Manual modes for the igniter, using the igniter toggle switch. When the toggle switch is in the Auto position, the igniter, located inside the burn pot, is ready to automatically light the fire when required. When the toggle switch set to the Manual position the stove can be lit manually with either a gel or a wax type fire starter. (see lighting instructions on page 19.) With the igniter toggle switch set in the Manual position the stove will automatically adjust heat output, but the stove will not automatically shut down if no heat is required. Instead it will go to its lowest setting and remain there. The Manual position on the igniter toggle switch lets you light the stove manually, should the igniter fail for any reason. Secondly if you are using the Harman battery back up system, the Manual setting will prevent the stove from turning off and on during a power failure, which would drain the back up battery, and possibly cause damage to the back-up or the stove.

In the Room Temperature Mode, the distribution blower speed can be increased or decreased by adjusting the Room Temp/Off/Stove Temp dial between L and H. As output of the stove increases, the speed of the blower will increase automatically to insure that more heat is transferred out into the room. The distribution blower will shut off as the room reaches the set temperature, this will prevent overheating of the room.

 

[maglite67]

Run your harman at the highest feed rate you can. The reason the knob is there is to back off the feed rate so you don't get unburnt pellets dropping off the front of the pot. Each pellets are diffrent sizes from diffrent pellet companies. The smaller the pellet the more pellets you can put in the aguer and would need to slow the feed rate. If you turn your p43 to #3 and it is able to run at #6 you just turned it into a p21 1/2 lol. Also the lower you run the feed rate the more chance you have for creosote and a vent fire.

 

[Swaybar]

Yep, they're great stoves. :coolsmile:

Keep me updated when you do the your Stove Temp experiment.

Have set at stove temp 3 - burns 1 bag a day. Feed rate 5, blower high. Liking this setting so far, house was 69 degrees this am, outside temp was 7 degrees

 

[poconoman]

Yep, they're great stoves. :coolsmile:

Keep me updated when you do the your Stove Temp experiment.

Have set at stove temp 3 - burns 1 bag a day. Feed rate 5, blower high. Liking this setting so far, house was 69 degrees this am, outside temp was 7 degrees

Glad it's working out!

Did you noticed if you're consuming more or less in comparison to Room mode?

 

[Swaybar]

Less, I was burning 1.5 to 2 bags a day in room temp, at these settings in stove temp, I burn 1 bag per day, which was my target.

 

[poconoman]

Less, I was burning 1.5 to 2 bags a day in room temp, at these settings in stove temp, I burn 1 bag per day, which was my target.

I guess, you're a believer now. ;-)

 

[THE ROOSTER]

Run your harman at the highest feed rate you can. The reason the knob is there is to back off the feed rate so you don't get unburnt pellets dropping off the front of the pot. Each pellets are diffrent sizes from diffrent pellet companies. The smaller the pellet the more pellets you can put in the aguer and would need to slow the feed rate. If you turn your p43 to #3 and it is able to run at #6 you just turned it into a p21 1/2 lol. Also the lower you run the feed rate the more chance you have for creosote and a vent fire.

I wonder why mine doesn't come close to pushing unburnt pellets out the front??? Right now my feed rate is on 7 and the stove is on 2.5 and it's not even close to the edge...

 

[DannMarr]

I would be nice to find a feed/burn rate that would keep going and also keep the house temp steady but with my Quads, I only have Hi/Med/Lo so there's not a lot of adjustment. I wish I could adjust the room fan speed manually but it's controlled by the feed rate. On Medium, it just seems like the fan doesn't blow fast enough for me and I wonder how much heat is wasted.

On our inserts, the control box controls both the feed rate together with the fan speed. If we can isolate the fan with its own dedicated switch (115V High, 94V Medium, 84V Low) we then can control the fan independently from the feed rate. This would also include adding the snap disk to this circuit and capping off the old circuit.
The drawback; when you set the feed rate on low and the fan on high, you will get cool/warm air or the feed rate high and the fan speed low, you will lose heat up the exhaust.
Our units are set that way for a reason, for the best efficiency.