Harman 52i runs all day?

[Irish916]

Hey, pellet newb here that installed this 52i in September 2014. This is our first season using the stove and I had some basic questions based on the recent stove behavior. This may all be attributed to the first sustained cold weather of the season.

I've been burning Hamers/Barefoots since early November. I run the stove in Room Temp mode, set around 75 degrees. Up until last week, what would normally happen is the stove might come on 4-5 times a day and run for about 40mins to an hour each time. It would warm up the space and then shut down and restart as needed. Our average temps were between 30-40 degrees. Now our average temps hovered around 20 degrees over this past week, with single digit temps at night and daytime highs in the teens. I've noticed that the stove has been running all day long. I wanted to confirm if this is normal? It seems to be holding the space at 73 degrees. What's interesting is the stove spends the majority of time with a lower flame and low fan speed. If someone holds the door open, obviously the stove gets angry and fires up again. It has kept the room super comfy- but I wanted to check with folks to see if this was their experience as well. I was just taken back a bit because the stove never ran all day long before- but then again, the temps have never been that cold yet, so I'm hoping all is normal.

 

[DAKSY]

Perfectly normal operation for a Harman. My P61A has been a pellet-eating monster
during this current cold snap.

 

[dradam1]

Sounds normal, she is just hungry when it gets cold.

 

[F4jock]

Yup. Mine does the same. No worries. Just keep her fed, clean and enjoy.

 

[Tonyray]

we had a warmup somewhat yesterday and the stove actually shut down after approx 7 days non-stop.
40 degrees but lots of Sun cover our house..
using room temp/Manual during those coldest days...
was on room/auto yesterday when the stove shut down.

 

[alternativeheat]

Same thing here, it's just trying to keep you warm !! And it's amazing how automatically the Harman's do that when in Room Temp Mode.

 

[woodmakesheat]

Same here, hadn't seen my stove go into standby mode for a while until it did last night.

 

[Tonyray]

Same thing here, it's just trying to keep you warm !! And it's amazing how automatically the Harman's do that when in Room Temp Mode.

bucket load of ash yesterday when I cleaned the stove..seemed like anyways..

 

[HP52NOVA]

Same here, it would not shutdown when its cold. I guess it can sense not just the temperature, but also how fast its changing, so if its slow it would not cycle down all the way.

The only thing I do differently, is to switch it from automatic to manual after that first ignition. I just don't want it cycling on and off and reigniting all the time when I know we need to heat, helps spare the igniter the extra work on the mid-cold days. I only fully shutdown when its over 50 and we don't need any heat or for cleaning.

 

[alternativeheat]

Same here, it would not shutdown when its cold. I guess it can sense not just the temperature, but also how fast its changing, so if its slow it would not cycle down all the way.

The only thing I do differently, is to switch it from automatic to manual after that first ignition. I just don't want it cycling on and off and reigniting all the time when I know we need to heat, helps spare the igniter the extra work on the mid-cold days. I only fully shutdown when its over 50 and we don't need any heat or for cleaning.

In my house that is anywhere in the 30'sF outside and colder, it won't complete shutdown before it relights. So I switch to manual then. It might do a combo low burn and maintenance burn all day but the igniter won't light up either. I don't know, it's been mostly on low burn today and it's 22 deg out, go figure. All I know is in Room Temp it works like magic holding the house at 73. Stove Temp is more of a gamble what the house will read.

 

[F4jock]

In my house that is anywhere in the 30'sF outside and colder, it won't complete shutdown before it relights. So I switch to manual then. It might do a combo low burn and maintenance burn all day but the igniter won't light up either. I don't know, it's been mostly on low burn today and it's 22 deg out, go figure. All I know is in Room Temp it works like magic holding the house at 73. Stove Temp is more of a gamble what the house will read.

I just coined a term "Ignigterphobia" for all you guys who insist that switching to MANUAL actually substantially saves your igniter.

 

[alternativeheat]

I just coined a term "Ignigterphobia" for all you guys who insist that switching to MANUAL actually substantially saves your igniter.

I don't really think that but I don't need it lighting up for nothing either. It's more just habit though.

 

[deercamp]

Sounds to me like it might be on manual and not auto. I switched to room temp manual once the cold weather hit a couple of weeks ago. The temp throughout the houses seems to be more consistent running it this way with my 52i.

 

[Jason845845]

Another nice thing about room temp and the Harman in general, is I can just walk up to my miscellaneous pile of garbage pellets, grab whatever bag, and not have to adjust anything manually.

 

[HP52NOVA]

We all need to say this now: my name is ___ and I have igniterfobia. Nothing like group therapy

 

[fmsm]

I switch to stove temp when it gets cold, no cycling and steady temperature.

 

[fire451]

my 52i operates the same as the OP's,
stove temp mode holds and even 71 degrees.
can't use manual mode because it shuts down the distribution fan, don't like that.unless somethings wrong with my stove, during low maintenance burn there should be low distribution fan.

 

[HP52NOVA]

my 52i operates the same as the OP's,
stove temp mode holds and even 71 degrees.
can't use manual mode because it shuts down the distribution fan, don't like that.unless somethings wrong with my stove, during low maintenance burn there should be low distribution fan.

My fan still runs while on manual and in maint mode. The only difference I see in overall operation is that the stove would not shut all the way down when not calling for heat and just stay on very low flame. The fan will only fully stop when the temp difference is too big, and resume as soon as it calls for heat again... Maybe a sensor placement question.

 

[Tonyray]

My fan still runs while on manual and in maint mode. The only difference I see in overall operation is that the stove would not shut all the way down when not calling for heat and just stay on very low flame. The fan will only fully stop when the temp difference is too big, and resume as soon as it calls for heat again... Maybe a sensor placement question.

yes... sensor placement makes a difference.

 

[Tonyray]

I don't really think that but I don't need it lighting up for nothing either. It's more just habit though.

don't think the Igniter will fire up for nothing".. A call for heat from the probe is the reason it will light up. but u know that..

 

[bogieb]

This weekend I turned it to manual ignition, after it was going of course, still in room temp at 75 degrees. Not trying to save the igniter, but being in a mostly uninsulated basement, it keeps the temps farther away from the stove at a more constant temp. The walls closest to the stove are the insulated walls, so there would be a fairly large temp drop at the other end of the basement before the stove would turn back on. Now the whole basement is a more constant temp. Once the temps rise again (this weekend), I will turn it back to automatic ignition and let it cycle on and off.

 

[alternativeheat]

don't think the Igniter will fire up for nothing".. A call for heat from the probe is the reason it will light up. but u know that..

Relighting after maybe ten minutes from shutdown completion in my view is considered for nothing. I.E. might as well have run in maintenance mode and avoid re-ignition. If the stove was going to be off for a couple of hours that's another matter.

 

[Tonyray]

Relighting after maybe ten minutes from shutdown completion in my view is considered for nothing. I.E. might as well have run in maintenance mode and avoid re-ignition. If the stove was going to be off for a couple of hours that's another matter.

actually yes..If u look at it that way...
your point being, why bother shutting down if to only re-light in 10 minutes.

 

[F4jock]

Relighting after maybe ten minutes from shutdown completion in my view is considered for nothing. I.E. might as well have run in maintenance mode and avoid re-ignition. If the stove was going to be off for a couple of hours that's another matter.

So the relighting costs what? Replaced one igniter in seven years = 2.7 cents a day. Worth not having to play with the stove.

 

[Tonyray]

So the relighting costs what?

think most here are concerned[ maybe overly] about xtra wear and tear of the Igniter..
Harman Igniters I've seen for 69.00 15 fin..
I'll buy/ change my own when time comes.