If you own a Harman, don't do this

[gutlo]

Started using Stove Chow pellets. Better in every way than Green Supreme except one. Stove Chow is hard to light in my P43. So when I shut it off and re-lit it, I took out the Chow and put in some Supremes. I also covered the burn pot with starting gel, figuring it would burst into flame before the pellets, thus lighting the pellets more easily. Wrong. After 30 minrteutes. got a 5 blink code and a shutoff. Cleaned under the burn pot (hardly any dust), poked the holes (they were clean).

Started up again with the Supremes and no gel. Bingo. Started in 15'. The gel must have covered the air holes.

Hard to achieve ignition with no oxygen.

 

[railfanron]

My guess is the VOCs in the gel were evaporating from the heat of the igniter and thus cooling the pellets down instead of heating them up. Think of propane in a tank. When there is a high flow the tank will frost up.

 

[gutlo]

My guess is the VOCs in the gel were evaporating from the heat of the igniter and thus cooling the pellets down instead of heating them up. Think of propane in a tank. When there is a high flow the tank will frost up.

Excellent observation! The VOC (alcohol) was vaporized by the heat, leaving the gelling agent behind to clog up the air holes. I should have seen this coming. I am a paint chemist by profession. I deal with Volatile Organic compound

 

[gutlo]

Excellent observation! The VOC (alcohol) was vaporized by the heat, leaving the gelling agent behind to clog up the air holes. I should have seen this coming. I am a paint chemist by profession. I deal with Volatile Organic compound

compounds and their varying evaporation rates all day long.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I've found that generic hand sanitizer in the pump bottle works better than gelled fire starter and it's cheaper plus the pump makes it easier to apply it right where it's needed (and it smells nice too)...

 

[gutlo]

I've found that generic hand sanitizer in the pump bottle works better than gelled fire starter and it's cheaper plus the pump makes it easier to apply it right where it's needed (and it smells nice too)...

I used the generic cheap hand sanitizer. You're right-it works better than starter gel and pumps out easily.

 

[Marc S.]

Started using Stove Chow pellets. Better in every way than Green Supreme except one. Stove Chow is hard to light in my P43. So when I shut it off and re-lit it, I took out the Chow and put in some Supremes. I also covered the burn pot with starting gel, figuring it would burst into flame before the pellets, thus lighting the pellets more easily. Wrong. After 30 minrteutes. got a 5 blink code and a shutoff. Cleaned under the burn pot (hardly any dust), poked the holes (they were clean).

Started up again with the Supremes and no gel. Bingo. Started in 15'. The gel must have covered the air holes.

Hard to achieve ignition with no oxygen.

I read this forum every morning instead of a newspaper. I'm curious about your P43; I have an Absolute 43. Why do you have to use gel to start your stove? Don't the P series Harman's have an igniter? Just curious....

 

[rickwai]

I've found that generic hand sanitizer in the pump bottle works better than gelled fire starter and it's cheaper plus the pump makes it easier to apply it right where it's needed (and it smells nice too)...

Ill have to try that. I use the Imperial Squeeze and Light from Lowes for the St Croix. I use about $20 worth a season? 3 -16 oz. bottles. Some of the starter gel is to thick and seams to lay on top of pellets and not light them.

 

[rickwai]

I read this forum every morning instead of a newspaper. I'm curious about your P43; I have an Absolute 43. Why do you have to use gel to start your stove? Don't the P series Harman's have an igniter? Just curious....

Gutlo said they were really hard to get lit so he tried to help it by adding gel. Some pellets are harder to light than others. Not sure why

 

[MarkF48]

As an experiment after a routine cleaning I tried a handful of pine sawdust from the shop thrown in the burn pot with some pellets on top. Seemed to give a quicker start than just pellets alone. The air holes did blow around some of the ignited sawdust. Maybe try crushing up some pellets if no sawdust around. Small bits heat up and ignite quicker than large.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Ill have to try that. I use the Imperial Squeeze and Light from Lowes for the St Croix. I use about $20 worth a season? 3 -16 oz. bottles. Some of the starter gel is to thick and seams to lay on top of pellets and not light them.

Hit Wally World on the sale rack. You can sometimes pick the stuff up real cheap. Don't matter what the scent is, your pellet stove don't care or what color it is either. I used to use the Rutland stuff. Not any more. Cheap hand sanitizer.

 

[gutlo]

I read this forum every morning instead of a newspaper. I'm curious about your P43; I have an Absolute 43. Why do you have to use gel to start your stove? Don't the P series Harman's have an igniter? Just curious....

The P43 has an ignitor. Stove Chow pellets are hard to ignite. The burn pot filled to overflowing the last time I started it. I switched to Green Supremes and tried the gel to "ensure" starting.

 

[Dataman]

I just throw couple hand full of pellets in and let the stove light it. In less than 5 min it's going good. North Idaho Energy Logs Pellets. Harmon XXV on 2nd year

 

[Marc S.]

Gutlo said they were really hard to get lit so he tried to help it by adding gel. Some pellets are harder to light than others. Not sure why

So even with an auto ignite you still use gel? I just though all of the Harmans have an auto ignite.

 

[gutlo]

So even with an auto ignite you still use gel? I just though all of the Harmans have an auto ignite.

I got it started without gel, but had to switch to Green Supremes. Went back to my regular Stove Chows after it was lit.

 

[jp99]

I have used hand sanitizer to start fires, but even better is soaking your pellets for 5 minutes in kerosene. Drain, put pellets in pot, light, and it starts far better than sanitizers.

 

[Pete Zahria]

When shopping for the sanitizer.. look for the one that has the higher alky content..

 

[Overfireinthehole]

I just pour about one gallon of high octane gasoline in the hopper and throw a machine in so the pellets are already burning When they come out.

 

[johneh]

I just pour about one gallon of high octane gasoline in the hopper and throw a machine in so the pellets are already burning When they come out.

No gas smells and costs too much besides you get way to much smoke in the house
Then you have to contend with She who Must be Obeyed.

 

[Ssyko]

Everbody knows you never ever piss off “The Warden”!

 

[Oregun]

As an experiment after a routine cleaning I tried a handful of pine sawdust from the shop thrown in the burn pot with some pellets on top. Seemed to give a quicker start than just pellets alone. The air holes did blow around some of the ignited sawdust. Maybe try crushing up some pellets if no sawdust around. Small bits heat up and ignite quicker than large.

You are right. Tried a little sawdust under the pellets and it started in 2 minutes, usually it takes 5 or 6 minutes with just pellets.

 

[gutlo]

I just pour about one gallon of high octane gasoline in the hopper and throw a machine in so the pellets are already burning When they come out.

Thought about doing that, but my wife might find the gasoline smell objectionable. Tried lighting some pellets with a blow torch, like the the Wiseman non-electric stove. After around ten minutes my hand got tired, I dropped the lit torch on the rug, it caught fire and burned down the house. No more problems with the pellet stove.

 

[Dataman]

Why it took so long is you forgot LOX. Dump gallon of that in there and even the steel will burn quick

 

[gutlo]

Why it took so long is you forgot LOX. Dump gallon of that in there and even the steel will burn quick

What is LOX?

 

[Overfireinthehole]

Liquid oxygen