Jotul Katahdin DV propane stove thermostat question

[Chris Desrochers]

Hello, I have a Jotul Katahdin DV stove propane fuel. Unit is only about 8 months old. I purchased the Jotul remote package with the stove. I have an issue with the remote receiver. I have replaced the batteries 3 times in 8 months (stove has only been used for heat since November, prior to that house was warm enough and thermostat never needed to kick on), so technically since November I have gone through 3 sets of batteries in the receiver box. Remote batteries are fine but replaced them as well. The red light blinks in the receiver box after 1 week of new batteries. My house froze up because of this. The stove didn't kick on. Luckily only the pee trap in bathroom sink froze and cracked. I am in the process of getting the Jotul wall thermostat to wire in and use that instead of the remote. My questions are: 1. I know the wall thermostat runs on Millivolt system produced by the pilot. So it is just 2 wires I need to run from the stove to the wall thermostat? I am thinking they are just going to replace the 2 wires that the receiver box is wired to is this correct? I still want to keep my manual control of burner on stove in case I need to override thermostat. 2. Does the wall thermostat have a battery backup or does it only rely on the millivolt for power. I NEED to make sure this doesn't happen again. It is my only source of heat for 750 sq ft home. thanks again
Chris

 

[Chris Desrochers]

Forgot to add that the remote and receiver do work. No frequency issues or anything like that. I am just blowing through batteries awfully fast and seeing it is a vacation home I am not there to keep an eye on it. I need a system that is more reliable.

 

[DAKSY]

Hello, I have a Jotul Katahdin DV stove propane fuel. Unit is only about 8 months old. I purchased the Jotul remote package with the stove. I have an issue with the remote receiver. I have replaced the batteries 3 times in 8 months (stove has only been used for heat since November, prior to that house was warm enough and thermostat never needed to kick on), so technically since November I have gone through 3 sets of batteries in the receiver box. Remote batteries are fine but replaced them as well. The red light blinks in the receiver box after 1 week of new batteries. My house froze up because of this. The stove didn't kick on. Luckily only the pee trap in bathroom sink froze and cracked. I am in the process of getting the Jotul wall thermostat to wire in and use that instead of the remote. My questions are: 1. I know the wall thermostat runs on Millivolt system produced by the pilot. So it is just 2 wires I need to run from the stove to the wall thermostat? I am thinking they are just going to replace the 2 wires that the receiver box is wired to is this correct? I still want to keep my manual control of burner on stove in case I need to override thermostat. 2. Does the wall thermostat have a battery backup or does it only rely on the millivolt for power. I NEED to make sure this doesn't happen again. It is my only source of heat for 750 sq ft home. thanks again
Chris

First of all, you're probably overheating the receiver, that's why you're killing the batteries. Some units have heat shields available, but if yours doesn't one can easily be bent out of aluminum sheet. Another option would be to remove the receiver from under the unit & place it on the hearth. You are correct in that the wiring can go to the same terminals as the remote. TH & TH-TP (or TP-TH) are the terminals. Think of TH as THermostat. Whether or not your unit has a battery back up depends on the unit you buy. A simple set-back thermostat will work as long as it's millivolt driven, & it won't have (or need) a battery.

 

[Chris Desrochers]

Thanks, I was hoping you would reply. So if I folded up some aluminum foil and curved it over the receiver box would that be enough to shield the heat or should I Get a thin piece of sheet metal and cut it to fit over the box? I read in manual it said to not put receiver in fire box but my installer said he does it all the time. In your opinion what would be more reliable for a vacation home, the remote set up like I have now, or a wired wall thermostat? Keep in mind its a vacation home in NH that we visit once every 3 weeks or so and is only source of heat. Thanks for your help!

 

[DAKSY]

Thanks, I was hoping you would reply. So if I folded up some aluminum foil and curved it over the receiver box would that be enough to shield the heat or should I Get a thin piece of sheet metal and cut it to fit over the box? I read in manual it said to not put receiver in fire box but my installer said he does it all the time. In your opinion what would be more reliable for a vacation home, the remote set up like I have now, or a wired wall thermostat? Keep in mind its a vacation home in NH that we visit once every 3 weeks or so and is only source of heat. Thanks for your help!

The foil should work, but leave an air space 1/4' min all around the receiver. I've seen heat shields made from thin aluminum, but they had a very thin laminate of fiber insulation glued to the inside. I've also seen them made from plastic as well, with NO additional insulation. A set back thermostat is pretty well fool proof, but you should be able to get by with the remote. I have one on each of my LP units & almost never have battery issues. In fact I use re-chargeables in the receivers & the sending units. HTH...

 

[Chris Desrochers]

Thanks. I will try the foil trick fold it over like an upside down U and leave enough space so not to have the foil right against the receiver. Right now if you are facing the front of the stove I have the receiver under the left side where there is space, is it cooler under the right side? I think the btu range on the Katahdin is 26k-33k, I turned down the burner to low setting (26k) but it is running 24/7 right now until I can get up there next week to work on it. Any idea on how much propane I am blowing through daily right now running it continuous like this? I have a 250 gallon tank but I need to make sure I don't run out.

 

[DAKSY]

Thanks. I will try the foil trick fold it over like an upside down U and leave enough space so not to have the foil right against the receiver. Right now if you are facing the front of the stove I have the receiver under the left side where there is space, is it cooler under the right side? I think the btu range on the Katahdin is 26k-33k, I turned down the burner to low setting (26k) but it is running 24/7 right now until I can get up there next week to work on it. Any idea on how much propane I am blowing through daily right now running it continuous like this? I have a 250 gallon tank but I need to make sure I don't run out.

There are approximately 92K BTU in a gallon of LP, so 92/26 = 3.5 Hrs per gallon...

 

[Chris Desrochers]

Yikes I better get my arse up there soon!! Thanks for all your help, greatly appreciated!!

 

[Chris Desrochers]

A few more questions I thought of. Would I be better keeping it on CPI or IPI? I know IPI saves fuel but installer said keeping it on CPI will keep thermocouple from having to be replaced from moisture sitting in when in IPI mode. Maybe during warmer months when stove doesn't kick on at all I should keep the pilot going on CPI to prevent moisture build up and or spiders, but in the winter when the stove is turning on and off so many times I will save some fuel on IPI? What do you think? Also I was thinking that if a draft blew out my pilot on CPI it won't reignite but seeing there is no standing pilot on IPI, I will never have an issue with the pilot getting blown out. And if I lose power the remote will still work with the receiver and there is a back up battery ignition right? Just wondering what would be best setting to leave on. I am going to buy or make a heat shield and move the receiver out from the fire box so hopefully that solves my battery issue. Thanks again for all your answers!!

 

[DAKSY]

A few more questions I thought of. Would I be better keeping it on CPI or IPI? I know IPI saves fuel but installer said keeping it on CPI will keep thermocouple from having to be replaced from moisture sitting in when in IPI mode. Maybe during warmer months when stove doesn't kick on at all I should keep the pilot going on CPI to prevent moisture build up and or spiders, but in the winter when the stove is turning on and off so many times I will save some fuel on IPI? What do you think? Also I was thinking that if a draft blew out my pilot on CPI it won't reignite but seeing there is no standing pilot on IPI, I will never have an issue with the pilot getting blown out. And if I lose power the remote will still work with the receiver and there is a back up battery ignition right? Just wondering what would be best setting to leave on. I am going to buy or make a heat shield and move the receiver out from the fire box so hopefully that solves my battery issue. Thanks again for all your answers!!

To be honest, Jotul didn't offer CPI when I last installed or sold them, so I'm not familiar with it. In fact, they didn't even offer IPI. I assume that there's a battery back up in the system, so if the power goes out, it should switch to battery power immediately, as long as the batteries have a good charge. In a previous post, you indicated that the unit hardly ever shutdown during the winter months, so there doesn't seem to be an issue with what mode you have it in. I turn both of MY pilots off at the beginning of May & don't have issues with spiders or bees in the vent system...

 

[Chris Desrochers]

Does turning the pilots off during summer months allow moisture to build up and prematurely degrade the thermocouple? I heard to leave it on so not to allow moisture to build up, but it is a waste of fuel and unnecessary/unwanted heat in the summer months. The CPI is your standard pilot that just stays on all the time. Having the IPI if I switch it to IPI it will turn off pilot when desired temp is reached and relight the pilot every time the unit calls for heat. Yes there is battery backup in case of power failure although the hardwired blower will not work in power failure.

 

[DAKSY]

Does turning the pilots off during summer months allow moisture to build up and prematurely degrade the thermocouple? I heard to leave it on so not to allow moisture to build up, but it is a waste of fuel and unnecessary/unwanted heat in the summer months.

Never heard of it happening. Sounds like a crock of doodoo to me...Spiders & bees, yes. Moisture on the T-C? WTF...

The CPI is your standard pilot that just stays on all the time.

If you're worried about your pilot blowing out, keep the unit on IPI. I have one of each, standing pilot & IPI, but I keep the IPI pilot on all winter, as it helps to keep the box warm.

Having the IPI if I switch it to IPI it will turn off pilot when desired temp is reached and relight the pilot every time the unit calls for heat. Yes there is battery backup in case of power failure although the hardwired blower will not work in power failure.

 

[Chris Desrochers]

Well I moved the receiver to a cool area. Replaced batteries with new ones and still get flashing red battery light on receiver. It is functioning properly on and off with the temp on remote. I am just not comfortable leaving it like this. All connections to stove are tight. Right buttons pressed. Should I try to get a new remote system from jotul. Its only 8 months old.

 

[DAKSY]

Well I moved the receiver to a cool area. Replaced batteries with new ones and still get flashing red battery light on receiver. It is functioning properly on and off with the temp on remote. I am just not comfortable leaving it like this. All connections to stove are tight. Right buttons pressed. Should I try to get a new remote system from jotul. Its only 8 months old.

"NEW" ones. How "NEW?" Did you put a multimeter on them & check the actual charge? Some of these remotes are ULTRA sensitive. My Skytech remote receivers have 4 AA batteries in them. The total voltage available needs to be 6vDC or they act hinky...So if I have 3 at 1.5vDC & 1 at 1.49vDC my remote may not work. I like to make sure my batteries are ALL at 1.6vDC before I use them. With a lower charge they'll work fine most anywhere else, but not in the remote...

 

[Chris Desrochers]

Ok ill give it a shot with multimeter. What voltage should a AA battery have? And seeing the system is working properly except for the flashing battery light can I rule out that it needs to be relearned? I should just get a skytech remote. I have one on my VC and it works flawlessl.

 

[DAKSY]

Ok ill give it a shot with multimeter. What voltage should a AA battery have? And seeing the system is working properly except for the flashing battery light can I rule out that it needs to be relearned? I should just get a skytech remote. I have one on my VC and it works flawlessl.

AA batteries are supposed to provide 1.5vDC. I'd make sure that they're all higher than that. I'm not famliliar with the Jotul remote. What exactly does the flashing light indicate? Loss of communication with the sending unit or low battery?

 

[FanMan]

You're not using rechargeable batteries, are you? Some of them are only 1.2V, and some electronics don't like that.