# Programmable Thermostat for Harman Advance



## abrucerd (Oct 28, 2011)

Hey all,

I'm looking for recommendations on a programmable thermostat for my Harman Advance, as well as any documentation on how to hook it up (I found links in other topics to an oakstove.com site, but they appear to be defunct now).

I'm less interested in my stove maintaining a consistent room temperature, and more so in having it turn on/off automatically while I'm sleeping/traveling/working/etc.  I'm assuming I'll need a thermostat with a 7-day setting, but was curious if anyone here had suggestions.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## lbcynya (Oct 28, 2011)

I just ordered a Skytech 3301P  (wireless) and will be hooking it up this weekend.  Should be simple...  I have an XXV, so I'm only assuming your setup would be the same.  Essentially, the external thermostat simply opens/closes (like a switch) one leg of the Harman probe wires.  Contacts open = 4 blink status and the stove will shut down if on auto or go into maintenance burn if on manual.  Contacts closed = 4 blink status is automatically reset and the stove will light or ramp up to satisfy the setting point of the probe.  If you set the probe higher than the thermostat, then the thermostat is in control.  If you set the probe lower than the thermostat, then the probe is in control.  The auto/manual switch simply determines whether the stove shuts down or drops to idle.


----------



## AVIVIII (Oct 28, 2011)

I used the Honeywell 7500D and have very good luck with it. it is a 7-Day with 4 settings per day.

I'll try and dig out the old .pdf that I found on it from Harman, but in the meantime, the installation is pretty simple.

Find a good location for the t-stat. In the same room/area as the stove is best. Get it out of the immediate vicinity of the stove but within 25 feet. Run regular, 2 lead thermostat wire from the stove to the t-stat location, minimum 18ga (might have been 24ga min...).

Take your ESP probe wire and cut it leaving about 24 inches on the end with the probe. On the stove end, you can either splice the remaining ESP wire onto the thermostat wire, or you can solder/crimp new female blade connectors onto your new wire. I recommend the latter, but its up to you. Plug the wires into the stove at the ESP port, it doesn't matter which one goes in what slot.

At the thermostat is where the wiring gets a little tricky. Keep in mind that you are using the thermostat to make and break a circuit and that circuit must involve the end of the ESP probe. You need to make sure you have a place for the probe near the thermostat. Connect the white lead from the thermostat wire that you ran to the black lead from the ESP probe. At the thermostat, connect the Red lead from the t-stat wire to the 'R' terminal and connect the Red lead from the ESP probe to the 'W' terminal.


----------



## Trickyrick (Oct 28, 2011)

abrucerd said:
			
		

> Hey all,
> 
> I'm looking for recommendations on a programmable thermostat for my Harman Advance, as well as any documentation on how to hook it up (I found links in other topics to an oakstove.com site, but they appear to be defunct now).
> 
> ...



Set her in room temp mode and put the Tstat in line with the room sensor.  When you want the stove on program the Tstat for 80 degrees when you want it off program for 55 degrees.  

You can use any Tstat that is one off low voltage (not for electric heat) Mine is Honeywell 5-2 Day available from HD.


----------



## abrucerd (Oct 28, 2011)

AVIVIII said:
			
		

> I used the Honeywell 7500D and have very good luck with it. it is a 7-Day with 4 settings per day.
> 
> I'll try and dig out the old .pdf that I found on it from Harman, but in the meantime, the installation is pretty simple.
> 
> ...



Thanks AVIVIII,

I just found your post from over the summer as well:  https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/77686/ 
Great info!

Maybe I need to be at my stove (at work now, unfortunately), but I'm really confused by the wiring at the moment.  In the other thread, there's mention of a wiring instruction PDF (which was PM'd)... if anyone has that, please let me know... thanks!


----------



## abrucerd (Oct 28, 2011)

Another question,

Is there a difference between "idle mode" in room temperature mode, and having it set to stove temperature mode at it's lowest setting?


----------



## lbcynya (Oct 28, 2011)

abrucerd said:
			
		

> Another question,
> 
> Is there a difference between "idle mode" in room temperature mode, and having it set to stove temperature mode at it's lowest setting?



Probably not, but doing that nullifies any chance of letting a thermostat do the work for you...


----------



## AVIVIII (Oct 28, 2011)

abrucerd said:
			
		

> Another question,
> 
> Is there a difference between "idle mode" in room temperature mode, and having it set to stove temperature mode at it's lowest setting?



As far as pellet burn or effectiveness? Theres probably no difference in volume of pellets burned.

In effectiveness, there is a big difference. Leaving it at min burn/idle/low in Room temp mode (igniter to manual) will allow the stove to come back up to temp automatically. Also, durring the coldest part of the winter is the only time I leave the stove in that condition. Instead of setting the wall t-stat to its lowest setting (40) and letting the stove shut down or just idle all day, I set the wall t-stat to a lower temp that I want to maintain, usually 60-ish. I leave the stove set where I want it for normal operation (usually about 72-73). When the wall t-stat calls, the stove tries to satisfy the room temp setting, kicks the blowers up, feeds some more pellets and satisfies the wall t-stat first, sending the stove back to idle. I have found that durring the day, you don't use any more pellets doing that than leaving it idle and the house comes back up to temp a lot faster too, effectively saving you fuel.

When I get a chance, I'll take a picture of some of my wiring for you.


----------



## abrucerd (Oct 28, 2011)

The reason I ask is because I've always used STOVE temp mode, and keep it at it's lowest setting during the day.  I'm curious if the ROOM temp idle mode is essentially the same, or if it produces even less heat (and uses less pellets).

I've also read that the constant cycling (on and off of auto ignite ROOM temp mode) will kill the igniter, and I'm wondering what you guys think of that... is it better just to keep it in idle mode.


----------



## lbcynya (Oct 28, 2011)

abrucerd said:
			
		

> The reason I ask is because I've always used STOVE temp mode, and keep it at it's lowest setting during the day.  I'm curious if the ROOM temp idle mode is essentially the same, or if it produces even less heat (and uses less pellets).
> 
> I've also read that the constant cycling (on and off of auto ignite ROOM temp mode) will kill the igniter, and I'm wondering what you guys think of that... is it better just to keep it in idle mode.



Yes, igniters have a cycle life.  In a lab, it might be 1000 cycles, but in the stove it could be far less due to the ash build up, heat cycles of the stove itself (hot/cold/hot/cold, etc).  Since a pellet stove is a space heater, I believe it's better to keep a tighter swing on temperature fluctuations since it takes a lot of time and energy to reheat the structure.  Since the temps/humidity/wind outside are always changing it's really hard to pin down what makes the most sense relative to pellet consumption.  

I plan to set back to high 60's during the day and low 70's while occupied.  Either way, since heat demand is always necessary during the winter, I will only shut my stove off on Saturday mornings for a good vacuum and brush down to keep things clean and efficient. 

Shoulder seasons are more challenging, IMO.  I have been turning the stove on  from 4 PM to 11 PM and that seeems to keep it comfortable while keeping pellet useage in check.  By morning the basement is still 68 degrees (well insulated) which is very doable for me.


----------



## AVIVIII (Oct 28, 2011)

ibcynya- That is very close to how I operate my stove. I find that it works very well, shoulder and deep/dark winter.


----------



## abrucerd (Nov 6, 2011)

Alright, so I bought a Honeywell 7500D, but now I'm at a loss with the wiring.  

Can anyone dumb it down for me?

The Room Sensor Probe (Thermistor Probe?) wire I have is very short... 3-5 feet maybe.  I'd like to get a longer one, but the wiring I saw at home depot didn't seem to match.

I also ripped the connectors off by accident (I'm super strong)... see attached.  I didnt see anything that looked like these at home depot either.

This will be a first thermostat/wiring project for me, so please speak slowly and avoid big words in your replies.

Thanks all!


----------



## abrucerd (Nov 7, 2011)

Also, does anyone have a copy of the Harman Thermostat Bulletin that came out a few years ago?  There's references to it everywhere, but I can't find an actual copy (the oakstoves.com link that had it at one time is no longer valid)


----------



## silverfox103 (Nov 7, 2011)

Here is the Harmon bulletin, I copied from "Parrot Head"

This is from Harman

Technical
Bulletin
MODEL
Pellet
3/26/2007
Adding a programmable set back thermostat for all Harman Pellet Stoves
Thermostat must be:
1) Millivolt compatible
2) Gold Contacts
3) Low Voltage
4) Low current
Recommended Honeywell Thermostats.
RTH230B
RTH6300B
These thermostats are available at hardware stores and home improvement retailers.
Note: If there is a jumper between Rh and Rc it must be removed from the thermostatï¿½s terminal block. Use
minimum 2- conductor 24 gauge twisted pair wire to connect the thermostat.
Connect the thermostat in series with the room sensing probe using the Rh and W terminals on the
thermostat. (See Fig. 1) The set back thermostat must be used in conjunction with the room sensing probe
(except the P38).
Thermostat Settings:
Occupied Mode:
In occupied mode program the thermostat to its maximum temperature setting. (i.e. 82 Deg. F) The stoveï¿½s
room sensing probe will control the room temperature. Set the stoveï¿½s temperature dial to the desired room
temperature. (i.e. 72 Deg. F)
Unoccupied mode:
In unoccupied mode program the thermostat to the desired set back temperature. (i.e. 60 Deg. F) When the
thermostat opens (is satisfied) the stove will go into a 4-blink status. If the stove is an auto ignite stove and
the auto-manual switch is in auto mode the stove will shut down. When the thermostat closes (calls for heat)
the 4-blink status will automatically reset and the stove will ignite.
If the stove is a manual ignite stove or an auto ignite stove with the auto-manual switch in manual mode, the
stove will go into a 4-blink status when the thermostat opens (is satisfied) and the stove will go to a
minimum burn and stay there until the thermostat closes (calls for heat). When the thermostat closes (calls
for heat) the 4-blink status will reset automatically.
Note: A 4-Blink status is described in the ownerï¿½s manual. The status light on the stove will blink 4 times,
pause, and blink 4 times continually. This error code is the board recognizing that the room sensing probe is
not connected or has failed. Breaking one leg of the room sensing probe wiring with the thermostat, as we
are doing here, causes the 4-blink status. This error automatically resets when the board recognizes the room
sensing probe has been reconnected.


----------



## lbcynya (Nov 7, 2011)

Or, you can buy yourself a Skytech 3301 P and save yourself all kinds of grief, IMO.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/82285/


----------

