Start up differences in pellet stoves???

[fortisi876]

Hello all!

I learned a few years back that newer pellet stoves run differently than my Whitfield Advantage Optima3.

My stove cycles on and off as it calls for heat which apparently puts a beat down on my igniter, new one from last season and it's burnt out already. Ugh!
BTW- I'm 99% certain it's an igniter problem since the stove seems to run properly after I hand start it. Problem is once temp is achieved, it shuts down and you know the rest....

It's my understanding that newer stoves have a variable speed auger that is controlled by the current need, if it's heat it spins as quickly as needed, if no heat then it runs just fast enough to keep a constant flame....is this correct?

If yes, my question is, is there anyway to modify my stove so it continuously feeds a flame, thus eliminating the need for an igniter?

 

[Delta-T]

hmmm, you could remove the thermostat and place a "jumper" in its place to give you manual control over the unit, but I do not think there is a factory mod for your stove to give it High/Low modulation via thermostat.

 

[SwineFlue]

A thermostat with a larger "swing" (more degrees between turning off and then turning back on) can reduce the number of times your igniter gets used.

My Quad works the same way... a lot of times, we'll just flick the t-stat to the max and then manually switch the stove between hi/med/low to control the room temperature. To me, it's more comfortable when it runs continuously vs cycling on and off. (An analog control from the t-stat to the heat level settings would be great IMO.)

 

[DexterDay]

Run your stove on a lower setting, run the stat on a higher setting, or run the stove in manual and not t-stat mode.

As for the stove sensing the temp. Harmans do this and will adjust the flame accordingly. Other stoves may do just as yours (On/Off) or some do High/Low (goes to level 1 when stat is satisfied, then goes to selected heat range when there is a call for heat)

 

[fortisi876]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen!

Dexter- I think it was the Harmans that I recall do that, I was hoping some retired intelligent engineer may have come up with some modification to run on/ff stoves as such.....bummer!