This is my first pellet stove and have a few questions. Whats the most efficient way to run my insert? Right now on the lowest setting I can get 15 hours max out of a bag but it is still fall. Would I be better off on the highest setting and then turning insert off when hot enough, or slow and steady heat day and night?
Saranac insert questions
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jtakeman
Minister of Fire
I really think you'll need to do your own experimenting to find out whats best for you. We have had some interesting comments in the past. But it seems there are pro's and con's for both versions. There are also many variables that are unique to your situation!
I also felt my stove eat to much on low for me to be a steady 24/7 burner. And I had many days in the shoulder season that the house got way too warm before I could shut the stove down. My feeling was the stove has that option so I might as well use it. So I leaned towards the stat to keep my house a nice steady temp. But I worried my igniter would get over worked, So once it gets below 30ºF daytime high I still use the stat but switch my stoves control to hi/lo to help save the igniter.
One feature of the stat I like is the programmable features. I can set the house temp back while away/sleeping and have it raise the temp just before we get home/wake up. I try not to go more than 6ºF below what I want my home/awake temps. I feel this is also helping me to save a bit of fuel.
Another note is my stove has no issue raising my house temps even in the cold season. I can easily get 3ºF of temp rise per hour with outside temps in the low 20's. A stove that has trouble over coming the heat loss is probably best just left in a steady state to keep up.
I also felt my stove eat to much on low for me to be a steady 24/7 burner. And I had many days in the shoulder season that the house got way too warm before I could shut the stove down. My feeling was the stove has that option so I might as well use it. So I leaned towards the stat to keep my house a nice steady temp. But I worried my igniter would get over worked, So once it gets below 30ºF daytime high I still use the stat but switch my stoves control to hi/lo to help save the igniter.
One feature of the stat I like is the programmable features. I can set the house temp back while away/sleeping and have it raise the temp just before we get home/wake up. I try not to go more than 6ºF below what I want my home/awake temps. I feel this is also helping me to save a bit of fuel.
Another note is my stove has no issue raising my house temps even in the cold season. I can easily get 3ºF of temp rise per hour with outside temps in the low 20's. A stove that has trouble over coming the heat loss is probably best just left in a steady state to keep up.
Is it normal to go through a bag in 15 hours or less on the lowest setting than? The stove company claims it can go 35 hours on one bag, not that I really believe that!
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
fsmith29 said:
On the lowest setting a bag should last longer than 15 hours but the lowest setting is not setting 1 it is 1- lights 1 + 4 lit on the controls , there are three actual settings on level 1 1- , 1 , and 1+ (lights 1 + 5 lit) .
Check your auger on and off times there is a chart in the manual.
jtakeman
Minister of Fire
fsmith29 said:
That depends on many variables of the pellet your burning. 15 hours does seem like to much IMHO. What brand are you burning?
I'm burning pellets from Premium Pellet Ltd, and I can't get my stove to go on 1+4 setting, just the other two
jtakeman
Minister of Fire
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
When you have the 1 light lit press the auger trim button until 1 + 4 is lit it cycles between 1 lit, 1 + 5 lit and 1 + 4 lit.
If you can't get it to cycle through all of them your controller is likely bad, as I said earlier check the timings, if the controller is out to lunch there is little you can do to control the unit.
I spend most of my time with the unit on one of the three level one settings until the temps get down and then it goes to level two where it spends most of its time (I manually control my stove).
How long a bag will last also depends upon how dense the pellets are as j-takeman was talking about, short highly dense pellets will fill the auger quite well and a fuel dump will contain more of a weight of pellets.
The stove makers keep talking about weight for pellet feeds but it is volume that is actually taking place. Consider a hooper full of small glass marbles and run the device until the hoper is empty then repeat for lead balls of the same size as the glass marbles the'y go through the system in the same amount of time. The lead balls will however out weight the glass marbles.
If you can't get it to cycle through all of them your controller is likely bad, as I said earlier check the timings, if the controller is out to lunch there is little you can do to control the unit.
I spend most of my time with the unit on one of the three level one settings until the temps get down and then it goes to level two where it spends most of its time (I manually control my stove).
How long a bag will last also depends upon how dense the pellets are as j-takeman was talking about, short highly dense pellets will fill the auger quite well and a fuel dump will contain more of a weight of pellets.
The stove makers keep talking about weight for pellet feeds but it is volume that is actually taking place. Consider a hooper full of small glass marbles and run the device until the hoper is empty then repeat for lead balls of the same size as the glass marbles the'y go through the system in the same amount of time. The lead balls will however out weight the glass marbles.
My controller must be bad, with 1 light lit and pressing auger trim my only options are 1 + 5 lit and back to just 1 lit, the 1 + 4 never comes up 
hh:
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IHATEPROPANE
Minister of Fire
I did some quick math using your manual. It looks like on avg. you should be burning 1.6lbs/hr on setting 1.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
If the controller is out to lunch that manual is not reflective of what is likely going on.
I don't know if the stove is new or used if new then the warranty applies if used then everything is not necessarily by the book.
This includes the possibility that even the auger motor is not original specification.
I don't know if the stove is new or used if new then the warranty applies if used then everything is not necessarily by the book.
This includes the possibility that even the auger motor is not original specification.
The stove is brand new, however I thought I was buying a Tasman Insert, and received a saranac insert, I guess their the same? The warranty should still be good I'll have to phone
Inca Metals tomorrow. Thanks so much for all the quick replies!
Inca Metals tomorrow. Thanks so much for all the quick replies!
fsmith29 said:
What was your soulution to this? I just installed a Saranac insert on saturday and I'm experiencing the same issue you are with not being able to change the auger trim on the lowest setting. I also have observed the auger on and off times to be about half of what is listed in the manual. Did you have any luck with the warranty from Inca Metal?
Thanks
Dave
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
barbedwiredave said:
I know of at least two different controllers (I think there are three but can't confirm the third one) used on those stoves one works on an 8 second fixed cycle and the other on a 16 second fixed cycle.
Each of these controllers also has three different sets of timings available on them.
The controllers have to have the proper RPM augur motor to dispense the correct amount of pellets and be setup for the correct timing set.
Can you tell me what the timings you are seeing are and post a picture of the controller panel.
These are approximate times
position 1 - on 2 sec off 5-6 sec
2 - on 3 sec off 5 sec
3 - on 4-5 sec off 4 sec
4 - on 5 sec off 3 sec
5 - on 6 sec off 2-3 sec
I hope the pic attatchment works. It didn't
I could email it to you
position 1 - on 2 sec off 5-6 sec
2 - on 3 sec off 5 sec
3 - on 4-5 sec off 4 sec
4 - on 5 sec off 3 sec
5 - on 6 sec off 2-3 sec
I hope the pic attatchment works. It didn't
I could email it to you
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
barbedwiredave said:These are approximate times
position 1 - on 2 sec off 5-6 sec
2 - on 3 sec off 5 sec
3 - on 4-5 sec off 4 sec
4 - on 5 sec off 3 sec
5 - on 6 sec off 2-3 sec
I hope the pic attatchment works. It didn't
You have the 8 second controller, would you please attach it as part of a PM to me.
I suspect that you have the controller that only has one instead of two firing rate 1 trim settings.
There is a testing lab plate on the stove, likely on the hopper lid on the insert can you find the date information on it.
Your manual likely has 4 on and 12 off for the heat range one timing that is for the DHC3000/REV-DSVH3001 controller.
I slid the lid open and looked behind and underneath the front, I was unable to locate the plate. The stove is being fired so it is a bit toasty to the touch.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
I got the pic, yep that is the 8 second, no second trim setting on firing rate 1 control board.
Where did you buy the unit from?
If it was a dealer see if you can get them verify the controller, auger motor, and auger flight cover are correct on that stove.
These stoves don't actually feed by weight and pellets are not all the same density so you can get a lot of variation in actual feed rates when manually firing them.
The timing determines how much the auger turns in a minute, that and actual RPM (not the nominal RPM) will determine how long it takes the auger to do 1 revolution and the auger flight cover determines how much of the au8ger is available for loading during that time, couple that with the pellets density and lengths will determine the actual weight of pellets dispensed in a minute/hour/etc .... This can vary quite a bit.
I get a bit better than 1 day on a 40 lb bag at heat setting 1 lowest trim. The only way to reduce this is to run on a t-stat in start/stop mode.
Where did you buy the unit from?
If it was a dealer see if you can get them verify the controller, auger motor, and auger flight cover are correct on that stove.
These stoves don't actually feed by weight and pellets are not all the same density so you can get a lot of variation in actual feed rates when manually firing them.
The timing determines how much the auger turns in a minute, that and actual RPM (not the nominal RPM) will determine how long it takes the auger to do 1 revolution and the auger flight cover determines how much of the au8ger is available for loading during that time, couple that with the pellets density and lengths will determine the actual weight of pellets dispensed in a minute/hour/etc .... This can vary quite a bit.
I get a bit better than 1 day on a 40 lb bag at heat setting 1 lowest trim. The only way to reduce this is to run on a t-stat in start/stop mode.
I purchased it from a dealer in Waldorf MD called seasonal distributors. It was advertised as a Hudson River Saranac insert and billed as the same, but the box looks to be re labeled as a Savannah (for 1150 out the door I wasn't complaining). It has a external knob for cleaning the heat pipes. Everything looked packaged brand new except I noticed some fresh pellets in the burn basket, I'm not sure if this is normal from testing at the factory. I just wanted to verify that my board is not bad as the listed timings are different from what I have observed. Thank you for all of your help Smokey.
Smokey,
Could you give me a idea where the serial number might be located on my insert? I am filling out the warranty card and it is required on it.
Thanks
Dave
Could you give me a idea where the serial number might be located on my insert? I am filling out the warranty card and it is required on it.
Thanks
Dave
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
barbedwiredave said:
On my freestanding it is on the side panel with the control. I would suspect that it might be on the hopper lid on the inserts but don't know for certain.
barbedwiredave said:
I'm still trying to find a solution, the bigger the pellets, the longer they will last. Is your stove an insert or freestanding? How long does a bag last for you?
i have the insert. on the lowest setting and a colder day like today i think i will get between 17 and to ours on a bag. i will p.m. you a picture of my controller to see if your controller matches as i am unable to change the lowest auger setting.
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