Pellet Stove power outage

[Stickyfrog41]

I just bought a house and learned how to use my Harman P43 this fall (Manual Light, auto light is broken i think). We have a snowstorm coming up in the northeast this weekend and below freezing temperatures. What happens if my stove is running full blast and the power goes out? Does smoke come out of the stove or will it vent. My exhaust vent does not go directly up , rather horizontal from the stove.

Thanks!

 

[jackman]

The smoke will back up into the living space. It's best to use a UPS which will keep the stove running long enough to either shut it down or get the generator going.

 

[Stickyfrog41]

The smoke will back up into the living space. It's best to use a UPS which will keep the stove running long enough to either shut it down or get the generator going.

That is not what I wanted to hear! What would be the best course of action if that happened? Scrape the smoldering pellets into ash box and run it outside?

 

[jackman]

In my case I just opened a window a crack and let it air out. Your idea would help but don't start a fire where you dump the hot coals.

I'd strongly recommend putting a UPS on the stove right away. If your stove is dated later than November 2010 the UPS may do an automatic shutdown of your stove which is convenient if you're not home. Check your manual for more info.

 

[Dataman]

Aims 1250 Inverter

• Dataman
• Sep 17, 2018
• 3

Aims Inverter with 100ah battery

I put Inverter along with 100AH battery on mine. It's demonstrated 6 hours of run time when power goes out. I have Generator and 2nd Battery.

Less than $700. It picks up the load in 10ms. My stove does not put smoke in the house if power goes out too. I have 8" pipe outside from Woodstove. Best test for that is pull the plug when running and see what happens.

 

[jerrieric]

Smoke will most likely come back through the stove into your house if you don't have a tall chimney. If you have a tall chimney that creates a natural draft which will not allow the smoke to go back into the house.

 

[johneh]

My stove does not back smoke into house .
does your stove have an OAK ?
Try unplugging your stove with it going and see what happens
if smoke comes in just plug it back in
and you will know what is going to happen

 

[fmsm]

If you have an OAK the smoke should “loop” instead of coming into your house. Who did the install? They should have given at least a little rise in the exhaust.

 

[Stickyfrog41]

If you have an OAK the smoke should “loop” instead of coming into your house. Who did the install? They should have given at least a little rise in the exhaust.

The original paperwork says "Hearth and Home Of Syracuse" . I believe there is a "OAK" Since there are two pipes running horizontally into the wall.

Would a UPS "APC UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector 650VA / 390W Backup Battery Uninterruptible Power Supply" Be strong enough to plug into the wall and the pellet stove into the battery backup to keep it running until shutdown?

 

[Dataman]

You use about 110w with fan running. More important is what model and type? But yes. Harmon has list I will try to post

 

[Dataman]

(broken link removed)

The Dealer will have to change jumper setting or such if you buy Non Sine Wave. They need Pure Sine Wave.

"simple stove setting changes from a Harman dealer."

Unless you get PSW Inverter that will most likely cost you some $$$ unless you do it.

Me I got Pure Sine Wave Inverter/Charger for about $440 plus battery.

(broken link removed)

One they recommend is about same $$$ (Out of Stock)
https://www.connection.com/product/...ine-wave-output/aps1012sw/13523821?cac=Result
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...7826&cjevent=49aa9d0f19a211e9819f00060a1c0e12

 

[Pelleting In NJ]

You can get a Pure Sinewave UPS for $199...these often go on sale for $150 to $180.

CyberPower has a few models, model # is like CPXXXXPFCLCD. The cheaper Cyberpower models, that are NOT pure sinewave don't have the "PFCLCD" in their model number.


This $199 1500VA model will run your stove for about half an hour before the battery dies. You can wire a car battery to it (replace the internal battery) and this will run your stove for 4 to 8 hours.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842102134

See the below link to the automatic shutdown system I installed on my stove.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/ups-with-auto-shutdown-of-stove-during-a-power-failure.171584/

 

[Lifeline25]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FN8G0S/?tag=hearthamazon-20

This is the one the Harman Absolute 63 Users Manual Recommends. I am going to buy it today for the same concerns. It appears it is able to send a signal to the harman control panel via electrical frequency, that allows the stove to shut down. It pulses the combustion fan for over 40 minutes, enough time for either the fire to go out or a generator to be hooked up.

I'm wondering- with any of the non recommended UPS systems out there, like the Cyber Link with the digital screen, would it have the same capability or would the stove just keep running until the battery dies out in a few minutes?

 

[Stickyfrog41]

I am wondering same thing. I do have one 650VA / 390W , i am just not sure if it is enough to shut the stove down to remove the smoke

 

[jimkberry]

I've read someone else in a different thread suggest that you just unplug your stove while it's running and see what happens before you shell out a bunch of money for a solution, and I agree.

We lost power for about 8 hours last week while both a Quad cb1200i and a Pleasant Hearth Ph35Ps were running full blast and didn' t notice any smoke - no OAK on either. After about an hour I fired up an inexpensive 3600w backup generator and ran a couple of heavy extension cords into the house and powered both stoves and some appliances and lights until power came back. ymmv

-jim

 

[Havilcek stole the ball]

We have a Honda generator to keep the stove going through power outages but no UPS. If the seals on the door and hopper are not too bad the smoke backup into the house is pretty minor. I'll drag out the generator if the power stays off for a while. We have 9V CO detectors all over and they've never gone off when the power goes out.

 

[jerrieric]

I had a ups battery backup for my computer. Backup the pretty expensive and the batteries only last a year or two. Best backup is a generator.

 

[Dataman]

Unless your on automatic generator the downside is SMOKE if your stove emits smoke into the room when shut down suddenly. Both options have their place. My Generator is manual. Have to hookup cable to transfer panel and hook that cable with one thru the wall (capped off most of the time). Takes some time and effort. Smoke won't wait

 

[Connecticut Yankee]

I have 20-25' from the stove outlet to the top of the chimney. That should be enough draft, right? The OAK isn't going in until spring.

 

[NowhereMan]

I had a ups battery backup for my computer. Backup the pretty expensive and the batteries only last a year or two. Best backup is a generator.

I second this. Our electricity goes out regularly, usually for about half a day, but it has been longer than 4 consecutive days. We've got a Briggs & Stratton standby generator and about 300 gallons of propane (when tanks are full), so we're ready. In fact, we considered the generator to be an essential part of our pellet setup...

 

[Darkwing]

I have mine an an APC SMART-UPS 1500 which is fed by two Marine batts from Tractor Surprise...
Lasts full day on Batts and due to Smart UPS its also safe since sinus wave is real...
Little bit of info:
(broken link removed)

 

[Tim_M]

I have 20-25' from the stove outlet to the top of the chimney. That should be enough draft, right? The OAK isn't going in until spring.

Both my stoves vent into a 25’ chimney and I’ve never had a problem with smoke coming into the house during outages.

 

[Connecticut Yankee]

Good to know, thank you.