Harman P61 thermostat questions

[codybrown]

So I have been running my stove in room temp mode for the past year and a half, but I wanted to have the temp probe further away from the stove and also have a programmable feature. I installed the thermostat and temp probe next to each other and ran a 18/2 wire from them back to the stove. The thermostat and probe are wired in series, and the room temp knob is set at ~75 degrees with the stove set in manual ignition. I have my thermostat set at 72 degrees, which is the temp I like keeping my house. The thermostat/stove are working properly, and when the thermostat calls for heat the stove kicks up. When the need is met it shuts off and the stove goes into maintenance burn and I get the 4 blink status light.

When the thermostat calls for heat, the stove fires up and starts burning pretty hard. Once demand is met, it will die back down and go into maintenance mode again. Here's my question: Can I somehow control how it fires up so it's not running so hard? I thought if I kept the room temp knob turned just a little higher than the thermostat it would just feed a little bit of pellets to get a smaller fire going but that doesn't seem to be the case.

My feed is currently set at 3, and my pellets are burning a little more than an inch from the edge of the pot.

 

[DAKSY]

Don't think you can do anything about that.
It's the way Harmans are designed to burn...
Hot & heavy & satisfy the T-stat quickly.

 

[bogieb]

I'll get jumped on for this, but here goes - the only way you can come close to controlling it is using the feeder knob. Turn it down to 1 (you'll have to experiment at what works for what you want). However, you will probably also have to mess with the feed rate when the temp swings outside.

 

[codybrown]

I'll get jumped on for this, but here goes - the only way you can come close to controlling it is using the feeder knob. Turn it down to 1 (you'll have to experiment at what works for what you want). However, you will probably also have to mess with the feed rate when the temp swings outside.

I thought about this, but then I figured if I did it this way the demand for the heat would be greater and the thermostat may never shut off the demand for heat. I'd just be choking the fire out and probably running inefficiently.

 

[jackhammer]

I'll get jumped on for this, but here goes - the only way you can come close to controlling it is using the feeder knob. Turn it down to 1 (you'll have to experiment at what works for what you want). However, you will probably also have to mess with the feed rate when the temp swings outside.

I was told the same thing (that I’d get jumped on by the long time Harman owners) when I tried this, but that’s how I run my stove almost all the time. It works for me. Igniter auto, room temp, temp knob 75-80. I only adjust the pellet feed rate. The higher the number (for me never above 3 1/2), the warmer it gets. If it gets too warm in the house, simply turn the feed rate down. Since the the temp set point never gets to 75-80, the stove is always running. That’s the way I like it. Cody, I don’t run a separate thermostat, but I think this would work for you.

 

[bogieb]

Don't know how it can get any less efficient, or have the fire choke out, than letting it burn at idle. But if that mode isn't for you, then I'm out of suggestions.