Internal firebox temps?

[SmokeyTheBear]

Many of these controllers are made by the same exact company(name slips me know. I'll post it and a link to their site when I get home!). Most have the DHC-3000 and some of the fancier units have the DHC-4000. The DHC-3000 and 4000 both have the same molex connector and wire pinout AFAIK.

I know the Enviros us them and have variable combustion blower. Also have trim adjustments. Look at them for one that has a 48 to 50K BTU rating. There are some others as well. I'll dig up some names if I get some time to play!

Inca also uses controllers from the same folks, they provide controllers that can operate on multiple fuel curves.

Funny, I just went looking in my bookmarks and see I didn't bookmark the site and Google is currently in shopping mode from the looks of the SERPS I'm getting.

 

[jtakeman]

What I am observing is that the auger will run thru 2-3 cycles without dropping any pellets (maybe one or two) and then it will drop a large qty. By the time it drops the pellets, the flames have all but died out and it then takes a second for the new pellets to catch. (this is most prominent on the two lowest heat settings) I have watched the motor/auger coupling and the auger moves, just does not feed.

I thought it was due to the amount of fines in the batch of Stove Chow I have and have since begun to sift every bag. I figured the fines were accumulating in the lower auger section robbing space that actual pellets should be filling. I ran the stove out of pellets and gave a thorough vacuuming to the hopper and auger. This did help some, however, the issue still exists.

I notice this on my stove too. Not as bad as yours, but it's there. I think most stoves are like this to varying degrees. I chalked mine up to the space between the auger and the tube it sits in. On mine, the auger is a round screw type. But the tube it sits in is not perfectly round and it is a lot bigger than the auger screw. I think this allows pellets to fall off the auger randomly, so sometimes the auger fins are full of pellets, sometimes not. Anybody know why they wouldn't make the tube the auger sits in a lot closer to the size of the auger itself?

The variance isn't only the stoves fault. It also has to do with pellet size and density. Long pellets kill it in 2 ways, They take up more room and leave lots of air gap. They also stahl the auger if they get pinched, These augers don't have all that much torque!

The gap is to give some room or play. As stuff gets drawn up with the auger it tends to get forced outwards. If it were to tight you would jam it more often. If a pellet gets caught, It allows for some room for them to slip out or fall away. Could also have other reasons.

 

[flynfrfun]

Thanks J, that makes sense.

 

[jtakeman]

Many of these controllers are made by the same exact company(name slips me know. I'll post it and a link to their site when I get home!). Most have the DHC-3000 and some of the fancier units have the DHC-4000. The DHC-3000 and 4000 both have the same molex connector and wire pinout AFAIK.

I know the Enviros us them and have variable combustion blower. Also have trim adjustments. Look at them for one that has a 48 to 50K BTU rating. There are some others as well. I'll dig up some names if I get some time to play!

Inca also uses controllers from the same folks, they provide controllers that can operate on multiple fuel curves.

Funny, I just went looking in my bookmarks and see I didn't bookmark the site and Google is currently in shopping mode from the looks of the SERPS I'm getting.

Controller manufacturere is ACE. Searched for the link buy no luck. I got it book marked at home!

 

[pell it]

Many of these controllers are made by the same exact company(name slips me know. I'll post it and a link to their site when I get home!). Most have the DHC-3000 and some of the fancier units have the DHC-4000. The DHC-3000 and 4000 both have the same molex connector and wire pinout AFAIK.

I know the Enviros us them and have variable combustion blower. Also have trim adjustments. Look at them for one that has a 48 to 50K BTU rating. There are some others as well. I'll dig up some names if I get some time to play!

Inca also uses controllers from the same folks, they provide controllers that can operate on multiple fuel curves.

Funny, I just went looking in my bookmarks and see I didn't bookmark the site and Google is currently in shopping mode from the looks of the SERPS I'm getting.

Smokey,

I just downloaded the manual for your Saranac to look over. Low and behold it is identical to the US Stove 5660 right down to some of the same illustrations being used!

I do notice the Saranac is rated 50,000 btu/hour @ 4.8lbs/hr and has very different auger timing sequences.

Maybe I found my "replacement" control board afterall. I will now look into the replacement parts to see if any look familiar.

 

[jtakeman]

There are many within the 45 to 50K BTU range. If your gonna spend the cash on it might as well do the homework and get one with the most features. Having the auger and blower trim is a handy dandy feature for pellet variance!

Check out the Napolean NPS-45 Also has a nice purge feature to assist with pellets that are higher in ash content. ;-)

 

[pell it]

There are many within the 45 to 50K BTU range. If your gonna spend the cash on it might as well do the homework and get one with the most features. Having the auger and blower trim is a handy dandy feature for pellet variance!

Check out the Napolean NPS-45 Also has a nice purge feature to assist with pellets that are higher in ash content. ;-)

J

the 5660 and the Saranac appear to be one in the same stove with minor appearance changes and the differing auger cycle times.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Many of these controllers are made by the same exact company(name slips me know. I'll post it and a link to their site when I get home!). Most have the DHC-3000 and some of the fancier units have the DHC-4000. The DHC-3000 and 4000 both have the same molex connector and wire pinout AFAIK.

I know the Enviros us them and have variable combustion blower. Also have trim adjustments. Look at them for one that has a 48 to 50K BTU rating. There are some others as well. I'll dig up some names if I get some time to play!

Inca also uses controllers from the same folks, they provide controllers that can operate on multiple fuel curves.

Funny, I just went looking in my bookmarks and see I didn't bookmark the site and Google is currently in shopping mode from the looks of the SERPS I'm getting.

Smokey,

I just downloaded the manual for your Saranac to look over. Low and behold it is identical to the US Stove 5660 right down to some of the same illustrations being used!

I do notice the Saranac is rated 50,000 btu/hour @ 4.8lbs/hr and has very different auger timing sequences.

Maybe I found my "replacement" control board afterall. I will now look into the replacement parts to see if any look familiar.

Be very careful playing control board swap, you can get hung out to dry.

At 4.8 pounds it is closer to 45K max input with a pellet like Cubex maybe on a good day with no head wind if you get my drift.

Also pay particular attention to the size of the convection blower on such units, they tend to be on the low side to handle the job.

Gee I guess either USSC buys its sub assemblies from Canada or they import them from China, tricky huh???

 

[jtakeman]

Bear, Does the Saranac have feed trim and blower trim?

Those 2 stoves do look very similar!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Bear, Does the Saranac have feed trim and blower trim?

Those 2 stoves do look very similar!

Just feed and only on firing rate 1.

 

[pell it]

I found a site for the Chinese manufacturer

http://jhxinan.en.alibaba.com/produ...9/Pellet_Stove.html?tracelog=cgsotherproduct1

I have compared the two for feed rates and auger run times:

Saranac

1-on 4 sec off 12 sec = 1.6 lb/hr
2-on 6 sec off 10 sec = 2.4 lb/hr
3-on 9 sec off 9 sec = 3.2 lb/hr
4- on 10 sec off 6 sec = 4 lb/hr
5-on 12 sec off 4 sec = 4.8 lb/hr


5660

1-on 2 sec off 5 sec = 1.9 lb/hr
2-on 3 sec off 3 sec = 3.3 lb/hr
3-on 5 sec off 3 sec = 4.1 lb/hr
4-on 7 sec off 3 sec = 4.6 lb/hr
5-on 10 sec off 3 sec = 5.1 lb/hr

This is if the manual is correctly stating max rate. I guess I am going to have to fake out the low temp switch and measure the feed rates as best I can. Next warm day project!

Thanks to all for your help and insight. I made another slight adjustment to the draft flow last night and it seems to be helping with burn consistency. I also made a quick cardboard "gauge" and slipped it behind the ball valve handle to have a reference for adjustments.

With the stove running on #3 for @1 hr, the oven thermometer was at 425 degrees with this mornings @27-30 degree outside draft air.

Smokey-have you had to order any parts for your stove? If so, did you get them straight from HRSW? The timing sequences on your stove seem to make more sense than the 5660's. Also a more linear feed rate increase.