This is a question for any pb105 owners....was wondering what you have your feed rate set at for the most efficiency and least amount of pellets used. I know that the computer in the boiler actually controls the feed rate, and the dial tells it the max time it can run at once, but i seem to burn the same amount of pellets with it on 3 or on 6. Please help me out on this one....
PB105 Feed Rate???
- Thread starter pearlset79
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
in that case why not 6?? so in case it needs a lot of pellets it can have it?? from what i know, the feed rate controls how long the feeder feeds at one time when there is a large call for heat. the computer still controls the feed rate, and the nob only limits the max amount of time that it will feed. basically 6=60 seconds of of auger moving at one time before it stops....it does seem as though i am using less pellets with it on 6 than when it was on 3 or 4....what's your experience with different settings??
AndrewChurchill
Minister of Fire
Pearlset, The feed rate is used to adjust to the differences in the amount of BTUs each type of pellet produces. Ideally, you want to set it so the ash from the burned pellets end up about an inch from the end of the burn pot. Last year I when I was burning hardwood pellets I had it set at 6.
This year I switched to softwood pellets and I had to back it down to 5 because I was pushing partially burned pellets into the ash pan. Partially burned pellets are a waste of BTUs. I turned it down to 5 1/2 at first, but I still had pellets falling into the burn pot so I lowered it to 5 and I've been good to go since then.
Andy
This year I switched to softwood pellets and I had to back it down to 5 because I was pushing partially burned pellets into the ash pan. Partially burned pellets are a waste of BTUs. I turned it down to 5 1/2 at first, but I still had pellets falling into the burn pot so I lowered it to 5 and I've been good to go since then.
Andy
your logic is correct, there's not many reason why you can't leave it at 6. The only thing I could say is that leaving it a 6 provides for the potential for over feed. If the 105 goes from the off state through ignition and then into high burn there is a chance that the unit will feed faster than it can increase combustion (size and quality of pellets play a part in that).
summit
Minister of Fire
Andrew Churchill said:
thats pretty much it, some pellets burn up faster than others, slower burning pellets need a lower feed rate to keep from pushing usable fuel out of the burn pot.
The feed adjust basically controls how long the auger will cycle at intervals, and this number will fluctuate based on esp probe temp readings. For example: after initial startup on the pb105, when I plug the DDM into the board while the esp probe is only reading 200 deg exhaust temps (enough to key the ignitor to shut down, but the fire aint reallly cranking yet) and the feed adjuster is set to "6" the auger will run in 15.2 second intervals. As the firebox temp (and therfore esp temp) rises, the feed intervals slow down to 11 sec, 10sec, 9.2, 6.4, etc. When the esp probe starts to drop, and the min temp set has not been reached yet, it will cycle up to 15.s secs again... On a feed setting of "4" the max interval the auger will cycle is 10 sec, so it will run at 10 sec, then 8, then 6, then 4 and then back up to 10 secs as the esp probe drops temp. The feed times run back and forth, but will not exceed the setting you have on the feed adjustment. make sense?
- Status
Similar threads
