Alternative to Room Temp Sensor?

[kilogulf59]

A follow up here...Gave her a good cleaning (while setting it to "Test"), used an old coarse paint brush to scrub the heat exchanger, used the chimney brush to gently clean the ESP in place, taped up the RTS on the back of the hopper, and it's working great (knock on wood). With these pellets, I feel it's best to clean it every ton or so. I've learned a lot on from this thread, and the forum in general, and I just wanted to say thanks to you all. I wish I found this place a few years ago.

 

[alternativeheat]

A follow up here...Gave her a good cleaning (while setting it to "Test"), used an old coarse paint brush to scrub the heat exchanger, used the chimney brush to gently clean the ESP in place, taped up the RTS on the back of the hopper, and it's working great (knock on wood). With these pellets, I feel it's best to clean it every ton or so. I've learned a lot on from this thread, and the forum in general, and I just wanted to say thanks to you all. I wish I found this place a few years ago.

Sounds good ! FWIW, I use a nylon bottle brush on the esp, it hasn't been out of the stove in about three years now.

One guy in the forum uses a brass gun bore cleaning brush.

 

[Pete Zahria]

On setting the stove to 80°, so that the new thermostat actually turns the stove off an on,
why do you need the stove's room temp sensor? Why can't you just run the new thermostat to the
stove? (Providing you want to use the stove with the thermostat all the time)

 

[railfanron]

You can't run a Harman directly on a thermostat Pete. It must be in series with the room temp sensor. What happens with the thermostat in series with the room temp sensor is when the thermostat breaks the circuit in sends the stove into shut down mode and triggers an error code which shows on a LED on the control panel. The stove stays in error mode until the thermostat calls for heat and this cancels the error condition and the stove goes into start up mode. Once started it relies on the room temp sensor for temperature control until the thermostat breaks the circuit and the process starts over again. That's why you set the room temp sensor higher than the thermostat.
Ron

 

[Mt Bob]

I am aghast,you lost a room temp sensor,that cost 27 dollars,yet you are complaining.For years,and many posts here,show how to hook a thermostat to a Harman.My God son,grow up.

 

[Pete Zahria]

You can't run a Harman directly on a thermostat Pete. It must be in series with the room temp sensor. What happens with the thermostat in series with the room temp sensor is when the thermostat breaks the circuit in sends the stove into shut down mode and triggers an error code which shows on a LED on the control panel. The stove stays in error mode until the thermostat calls for heat and this cancels the error condition and the stove goes into start up mode. Once started it relies on the room temp sensor for temperature control until the thermostat breaks the circuit and the process starts over again. That's why you set the room temp sensor higher than the thermostat.
Ron

So then the room sensor, must be a thermocouple, and is always sending a signal to the stove.
Where the thermostat is merely an on/off switch and would not be sending the stove any variable information..

 

[jp99]

So then the room sensor, must be a thermocouple, and is always sending a signal to the stove.
Where the thermostat is merely an on/off switch and would not be sending the stove any variable information..

Yes, and it's because pellet stoves have variable heat output that they can take advantage of the thermocouple signal. The farther off the actual temperature is from the set point, the harder the stove can run to bring the temperature back. Once at the requested temperature, the stove output can be reduced to maintain it.

Most furnaces tend to have one output level, so all you need is a signal to turn on or off. Telling a furnace how far off you are from the requested temperature wouldn't change how it operates.

 

[alternativeheat]

So then the room sensor, must be a thermocouple, and is always sending a signal to the stove.
Where the thermostat is merely an on/off switch and would not be sending the stove any variable information..

If the thermostat is simply on and off then how is that any different from disconnecting one leg of the room sensor, in which case the stove would hiccup as it does with no thermostat ? Or am I missing something here ?

 

[Ssyko]

You can't run a Harman directly on a thermostat Pete. It must be in series with the room temp sensor. What happens with the thermostat in series with the room temp sensor is when the thermostat breaks the circuit in sends the stove into shut down mode and triggers an error code which shows on a LED on the control panel. The stove stays in error mode until the thermostat calls for heat and this cancels the error condition and the stove goes into start up mode. Once started it relies on the room temp sensor for temperature control until the thermostat breaks the circuit and the process starts over again. That's why you set the room temp sensor higher than the thermostat.
Ron

Yes it errors but when it calls for heat it cancels the error out and starts the stove back up.

 

[Pete Zahria]

Yes, and it's because pellet stoves have variable heat output that they can take advantage of the thermocouple signal.

That's what I thought...

Dan

 

[scajjr2]

Skytech 3301p, no issues 5 seasons in, change the batteries every year that's it.

Sam