P61 feed rate

[Spaz]

Just curious if I drop the feed rate from 4-3, will it lower my mininum running temp. I'm already on 1, just want to run it all the time, but at 40 degrees it gets to hot. I'm trying to not shut it off and restart it as it's a manual. It's running on stove temp. Haven't tried room temp yet, as my understanding is it will shut off when it gets to hot. 42 outside equals 74 to 76 inside, I've enclosed a photo of a temp gauge on top of the stove showing the room temp and the external thermocouple hanging from a curtain rod. This is early in the day. It's suppose to go up to 55, so if I were to leave and come back 8 hours later it would be baking in here.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Just curious if I drop the feed rate from 4-3, will it lower my mininum running temp. I'm already on 1, just want to run it all the time, but at 40 degrees it gets to hot. I'm trying to not shut it off and restart it as it's a manual. It's running on stove temp. Haven't tried room temp yet, as my understanding is it will shut off when it gets to hot. 42 outside equals 74 to 76 inside, I've enclosed a photo of a temp gauge on top of the stove showing the room temp and the external thermocouple hanging from a curtain rod. This is early in the day. It's suppose to go up to 55, so if I were to leave and come back 8 hours later it would be baking in here.

The feed rate setting is more for the fuel quality. I have mine set as low as I can go without going into the test section. I believe it does help keep the fire size at the minimum, but it won't cause the stove to run cooler. You might not be correct about room mode, in your case, as you have no igniter. I have a new P43 and in room mode if I select igniter off, in room mode it will keep the fire going. I'm not sure what the stoves that never had an igniter would do....it seems strange to me that the controls would allow the fire to go out?
Even at what the stove thinks is a minimum fire, it can certainly get too hot in the room. I have been making good use of room mode so far this year, however when I got it last Feb, I was running 24/7 in stove mode with the lowest settings and trying to heat the whole house.

 

[Spaz]

The feed rate setting is more for the fuel quality. I have mine set as low as I can go without going into the test section. I believe it does help keep the fire size at the minimum, but it won't cause the stove to run cooler. You might not be correct about room mode, in your case, as you have no igniter. I have a new P43 and in room mode if I select igniter off, in room mode it will keep the fire going. I'm not sure what the stoves that never had an igniter would do....it seems strange to me that the controls would allow the fire to go out?
Even at what the stove thinks is a minimum fire, it can certainly get too hot in the room. I have been making good use of room mode so far this year, however when I got it last Feb, I was running 24/7 in stove mode with the lowest settings and trying to heat the whole house.

Yaa I ran it a couple of hours and didn't see any change other then up, when the sun came out.

 

[Spaz]

I've decided to take a leap, I switched it to room temp, and set it for 77. The status light went out and the fire is dieing. I did more research and find it will die down but not go out. When I put it back to 80 status light comes on. It starts up again, so I'm assuming that's the temperature it's reading now.

 

[Spaz]

Well that was scarey, all the fans shut off, almost went out. There was no flame at all just some embers, then it started piling pellets in. So I switched it back to stove temp and it sprung back to life. Going to wait and see if that was what was suppose to happen, before I do it again. .

 

[Whitenuckler]

Well that was scarey, all the fans shut off, almost went out. There was no flame at all just some embers, then it started piling pellets in. So I switched it back to stove temp and it sprung back to life. Going to wait and see if that was what was suppose to happen, before I do it again. .

If you don't have an igniter, then it sounds like it thinks it has one. Maybe someone changed the card? If the combustion fan goes off it thinks the fire is out, and should not be feeding more pellets. Very strange. You can add the igniter if you have the new card.

 

[Spaz]

If you don't have an igniter, then it sounds like it thinks it has one. Maybe someone changed the card? If the combustion fan goes off it thinks the fire is out, and should not be feeding more pellets. Very strange. You can add the igniter if you have the new card.

I agree, I do have the new card, but trying to get my local dealer to find the parts is like pulling teeth. Apparently the wiring harness is the problem.

 

[bogieb]

Both of my stoves have igniters so I usually let the stoves turn themselves on and off as needed. even then, I usually keep the feed rate at 2. Otherwise, they will heat the house up in a very short time and then shut down - which does not allow the exhaust to heat up as it should.

In the deep of winter, I will turn both of them to stove temp, manual so they never go out - otherwise they will start up again just a few minutes after shutting down (as in, the fans are still going and there may still be embers in the pot). When on stove temp, manual, there are times I will set the feed rate at 0.5 and they do fine. I would caution if going that low, once a day you should let it get up to a good flame for 30-45 minutes to help keep the exhaust clean.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I agree, I do have the new card, but trying to get my local dealer to find the parts is like pulling teeth. Apparently the wiring harness is the problem.

You could start playing with the dip switches as there appears to be a setting for for no igniter, but probably not worth it if stove mode is good enough. Might as well wait.

 

[Spaz]

You could start playing with the dip switches as there appears to be a setting for for no igniter, but probably not worth it if stove mode is good enough. Might as well wait.

Super thanks, the new board has the manual/automatic switch which I flip on once it gets warm enough. I know that played a role when I first got it. I'm been having a chat with my tech for the last year about it. He also said that it would shut down back when I got it. It's a 1998, with a new board. I was also thinking about starting it in room mode so it doesn't have to shut down (I think). Like it did last night as it had a 7 degree temp difference. My guess.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Super thanks, the new board has the manual/automatic switch which I flip on once it gets warm enough. I know that played a role when I first got it. I'm been having a chat with my tech for the last year about it. He also said that it would shut down back when I got it. It's a 1998, with a new board. I was also thinking about starting it in room mode so it doesn't have to shut down (I think). Like it did last night as it had a 7 degree temp difference. My guess.

Oh OK, I should have known a new board would have a switch. In Manual it should keep the fire going, but of course that can get the room too hot.

 

[Spaz]

One final thought, can I run it with out the blower running? When I switch it to manual, it goes off.

 

[Whitenuckler]

One final thought, can I run it with out the blower running? When I switch it to manual, it goes off.

In Room Mode or Stove Mode I believe the distribution blower will run if the stove gets too hot, with the igniter switch in manual.
I know when I start in Room Mode, and then switch to manual, it keeps running until the room gets hot. In stove mode it will run if you select a high temperature (which I have never needed)

 

[Spaz]

I don't want to try it and melt something. Still get to much heat out of it on 1. At least to run it all day. It would have to be in the mid 20s to run it all day. Damn thing just won't cool down.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I don't want to try it and melt something. Still get to much heat out of it on 1. At least to run it all day. It would have to be in the mid 20s to run it all day. Damn thing just won't cool down.

I have the same issue. All spring, summer and fall I ran it in room mode / enabled otherwise it would get too hot in my basement. Now that the colder weather is here I can use Room/off but it's still not quite cold enough. I have two heat pumps I run upstairs right now too.

 

[Spaz]

I have a Quadrafire CB 1200, with a remote thermostat. I turned it off to early today, as the temperature is dropping. Fired up the P61 on 1 and it warmed up to 77 inside. It's dropped from 50-39 right now outside and it's only dropped 2 degrees inside. 🥵 So I'm thinking just turn the fan off for an hour and it will drop a bunch more, with out having to turn off, clean it and restart it manually . Just worried about harming something inside. Let it drop a few degrees and turn the fan back on.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I have a Quadrafire CB 1200, with a remote thermostat. I turned it off to early today, as the temperature is dropping. Fired up the P61 on 1 and it warmed up to 77 inside. It's dropped from 50-39 right now outside and it's only dropped 2 degrees inside. 🥵

Mine's in the basement so if it gets too hot it's not a problem. I did use stove mode on low for two months in Feb/March and had no issues.
Then I run my circulation fan which blows cool air into the basement behind the stove. I don't use the heat pumps at all, just some convect electric heaters if required. Winter seems to have arrived in Southern Ontario, so I'm sure it's coming.

 

[Spaz]

Went to bed around 10, still hadn't dropped below 76, with it being 36 out. 5:30 this morning it's 74-71 inside and 28 out. Way to weird.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Went to bed around 10, still hadn't dropped below 76, with it being 36 out. 5:30 this morning it's 74-71 inside and 28 out. Way to weird.

Good house insulation?

 

[Spaz]

That's what I hope, I just spent $30k on that, windows and siding. But it seems too good. 🤐

 

[Spaz]

After doing more tests, it's quieter (less auger noise) and less ash. So there's the plus. 🥳

 

[Whitenuckler]

After doing more tests, it's quieter and less ash. So there's the plus. 🥳

I have been enjoying igniter off too. I go down to the basement around 3, and turn it on. Then I set my timer to 30 minutes. The igniter will be off, and then I switch to manual/off. Now that it's cold outside I'm not overheating. The room fan does not come on much. Maybe it will later when it gets colder. When I got my stove in Feb I ran in stove mode, but now might try room mode.