The manual says to set the feed rate to 4 to start with. How do you know if it needs to be increased or decreased? I am burning the remaining pellets from last year with a reported ash content of 0.5%.
PF 100 Feed Rate Setting
- Thread starter accobra66
- 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
yes, initial setting is 4...all the ones I have seen have run fine at 4.....is yours having a hard time? Is there some issue?
exoilburner
Feeling the Heat
Been running my PF100 for over 1.5 years. Agree, 4 is a good setting.
I noticed when starting it cold that half burned pellets spill out of burn pot; I solved that by turning the FEED down to 2 until the Room Temp setting is met then return it to 4.
Sometimes the exhaust out of the vent pipe gets smokey. I'm going to try a lower FEED setting and see if it will cut down on the smoke.
There must be variations in pellet moisture.
I noticed when starting it cold that half burned pellets spill out of burn pot; I solved that by turning the FEED down to 2 until the Room Temp setting is met then return it to 4.
Sometimes the exhaust out of the vent pipe gets smokey. I'm going to try a lower FEED setting and see if it will cut down on the smoke.
There must be variations in pellet moisture.
Exoilburner:
Yes, I too have found that when the stove first fires up it smokes like all heck. Happens every morning. We turn our thermostat down every night. As soon as I get up in the morning and turn the thermostat back up there are clouds of smoke pouring out. Once the house warms up to the desired heat level it no longer smoke like this the rest of the day.
I am still working off last years pellet supply (only 5 bags left) of hard wood pellets. I tried some softer wood pellets at the end of the winter last year and liked the performance. So, that is what I purchased for this winter and will be switching to them this week.
It now makes sense to think that when it first fires up that is probably when half burnt pellets are falling into the pan. My suspicion is that once the furnace is warm it burns them completely.
I did have the igniter go out on the stove two days ago. Ran out to my dealer, picked up a new one and installed in 20 minutes or so. Very easy fix, I was very pleased (especially since I had family coming to town for Christmas.
Once thing I wish I would have done is install the stove up on two rows of cinder blocks. This would make daily dumping of pellets a bit tougher (would have to step up on a step stool) but would make the cleaning process so, so much easier.
Thanks for the comments.
Yes, I too have found that when the stove first fires up it smokes like all heck. Happens every morning. We turn our thermostat down every night. As soon as I get up in the morning and turn the thermostat back up there are clouds of smoke pouring out. Once the house warms up to the desired heat level it no longer smoke like this the rest of the day.
I am still working off last years pellet supply (only 5 bags left) of hard wood pellets. I tried some softer wood pellets at the end of the winter last year and liked the performance. So, that is what I purchased for this winter and will be switching to them this week.
It now makes sense to think that when it first fires up that is probably when half burnt pellets are falling into the pan. My suspicion is that once the furnace is warm it burns them completely.
I did have the igniter go out on the stove two days ago. Ran out to my dealer, picked up a new one and installed in 20 minutes or so. Very easy fix, I was very pleased (especially since I had family coming to town for Christmas.
Once thing I wish I would have done is install the stove up on two rows of cinder blocks. This would make daily dumping of pellets a bit tougher (would have to step up on a step stool) but would make the cleaning process so, so much easier.
Thanks for the comments.
wil lanfear
Feeling the Heat
I found on my pb105 boiler that if you set the dipswitch # 1 off, # 2 off, #3 on, less pellets fed into the burnpot, less smoke, quicker igniting of the pellets. When using these settings, the pellets do not fill the burnpot covering the igniter, rather just to the edge of the igniter location. You might try these settings to see if they will work for you.
exoilburner
Feeling the Heat
wil lanfear
Feeling the Heat
I have, at least 5 have been replaced, had a Harman factory rep come to look at it even. Harman now is going to install the new ignition system in my boiler. It is strange to me, some boilers are doing this and some aren't. My friend got one a short time after I got mine and he hasn't had a problem with the burnpot. I read somewhere that the pf100 has this issue with the burnpot too, at least some do. I reset the dip switches to the settings that I mentioned after I noticed the bubble starting to form in the burnpot I have now. This bubble hasn't got any bigger since so....... I don't know.exoilburner said:
Speaking of the "bump", are you referring to the burn-pot corroding above the igniter. If so, I had to replace my burn-pot last year after one year of service. Have not rubber necked my head into the furnace so far this year to check.
exoilburner
Feeling the Heat
accobra66 said:
My PF100 burn pot bump looked like a carbon build-up or corrosion above the igniter when I first noticed it. But it degraded to this after 6 months use:
Had the burn pot replaced last fall but a bump started forming after about 4 months of use this season. Stopped using the igniter because of the excessive smoke. Since manually starting it the bump has not gotten worse.
In spite of this issue I like this furnace and the nice distribution of heat it puts out. It's a much more comfortable and even heat.
Ahh, yes...same deal.
I wonder if we could have the burn-pot made out of stainless steel (custom, local fabrication) and if that would rot out like the carbon steel.
I agree, the furnace does a nice job of heating and is problem free 99% of the time throughout each winter season. In today's world though, anything less than 100% per year with the exception of being down once every 10 years like on a normal furnace is unacceptable.
I wonder if we could have the burn-pot made out of stainless steel (custom, local fabrication) and if that would rot out like the carbon steel.
I agree, the furnace does a nice job of heating and is problem free 99% of the time throughout each winter season. In today's world though, anything less than 100% per year with the exception of being down once every 10 years like on a normal furnace is unacceptable.
Second year for the PF100. The first year had the smoke and the unit trying to jump all over
the place.
This year the dealer told me to change the dip switches....I have #1 on, #2 off, and #3 on.
Fills the burn pot only half way up and ignites fast and with little smoke. Migh just turn off
the #1 switch for a test.
My vent pipe is horzontial, with a T for clean out. The cap takes some time to get off. I tried something
and it worked wonderfully.
I took the end of my vac and put it up against the cap on the T and traced it. Cut out a hole a little bigger
so I could get my brush and rod into, attached to drill, turned on the vac and had my vent pipe cleaned as
new in 5 minutes. Bigger piece of metal screwed over the hole, put the gook on, and as good as new.
Now all I have to do is remove the screws and pull of the plate, and ready to clean.
the place.
This year the dealer told me to change the dip switches....I have #1 on, #2 off, and #3 on.
Fills the burn pot only half way up and ignites fast and with little smoke. Migh just turn off
the #1 switch for a test.
My vent pipe is horzontial, with a T for clean out. The cap takes some time to get off. I tried something
and it worked wonderfully.
I took the end of my vac and put it up against the cap on the T and traced it. Cut out a hole a little bigger
so I could get my brush and rod into, attached to drill, turned on the vac and had my vent pipe cleaned as
new in 5 minutes. Bigger piece of metal screwed over the hole, put the gook on, and as good as new.
Now all I have to do is remove the screws and pull of the plate, and ready to clean.
May be worth mentioning:
After I do a cold start (auto ingniter switch) on, and the fire gets going, I move my
igniter switch to "manualswitch'.
For me, this allows the PF100 unit to always stay on, burns 24/7. This way I hardly
use my auto igniter switch at all.
My dealer was not aware of this procedure to work.
The only time that I have a cold start is when I clean/dump the burn chamber ash.
Always have that wonderful heat coming out of the registers, even when on slow
burn.
Have a large house to heat, and this procedure works great, always nice and warm.
As far as the feed rate setting; yes, on 4 also.
After I do a cold start (auto ingniter switch) on, and the fire gets going, I move my
igniter switch to "manualswitch'.
For me, this allows the PF100 unit to always stay on, burns 24/7. This way I hardly
use my auto igniter switch at all.
My dealer was not aware of this procedure to work.
The only time that I have a cold start is when I clean/dump the burn chamber ash.
Always have that wonderful heat coming out of the registers, even when on slow
burn.
Have a large house to heat, and this procedure works great, always nice and warm.
As far as the feed rate setting; yes, on 4 also.
- Status
Similar threads
