Question About Harman Manual Igniter Position

[bags]

The key is to run room temp manual and find the sweet spot on the feed dial. Then just let the stove motor along at the same speed. Somewhat of a different cruise control with a governor on the carb / fuel rate. A little different than the standard set it and forget it Harman cruise control.

I know this is highly debated and contested but it works in my laboratory.................

 

[Tonyray]

It does work during shoulder season with the milder colds. When it drops and more heat is required then yes, you must bump up the feed rate to accommodate the extra heating demand to maintain a comfortable temp.

Only a minor draw back that I've experienced is some ash will want to slightly dam up in front of the burning pellets. Really doesn't affect anything. This is easily and quickly removed when you do the quick scrape and pot clean when you load a bag of pellets like I do. Or just on occasion when I feel it won't hurt or just because.

This is the most conservative in pellet use I have found. Room temp mode with manual igniter. Temp dial set at 5 or right close so the fan blows continuously ( I keep mine on high but you can pick your speed) and feed rate of 1 or slightly less but not on the red hash mark.

Not sure about stove temp because I simply do not use it but Cory has input on that. Probably much the same. BTW, my house is fairly tight but no super insulated craziness just typical stuff and lots of windows and glass doors. It is way better than some older balloon framed joints I've hung my hat in though without a doubt. On a 1 - 10 I'd give it about an 8 for insulation and envelope tightness.

When it gets real cold I do set it and forget it much the same way with feed rate somewhere between 3 to 4.

YEP.. Sounds about right there....

 

[F4jock]

You guys have pretty much confirmed what I've been playing with for a couple of years. As Cory and Bags found, you can run a Harman "off label" under certain conditions by choking the feed. IMNTBHO that is probably the most efficient way to go as, with the fan running constantly, the max amount of heat goes into the room. Problem is that it takes a lot of tweaking to maintain room temp as the outside temperature varies.

After all the messing with various settings I decided that the best way to go, for me, is Room / Auto. It maintains good heat distribution with acceptable pellet use and the least attention necessary. Gotta admit that the new Platinum board does a much better job than the old one in maintaining control.

 

[bogieb]

This is the most conservative in pellet use I have found. Room temp mode with manual igniter. Temp dial set at 5 or right close so the fan blows continuously ( I keep mine on high but you can pick your speed) and feed rate of 1 or slightly less but not on the red hash mark..

For some reason the P43 wouldn't cooperate the other night. Had it in room temp/manual, temp dial at 5, and the blower quit when it went to idle. Didn't need it to continue going, just remembered reading that the dial had to be 5 or above and thought it was a good time to experiment. Weird, maybe it has a slightly different control board. Or, thinking about it, maybe it is because I have it set with an in-line thermostat maybe? Or maybe I didn't give it enough chance to catch the pot change before I switched it to manual.

It seems to me the P61a does the same thing, but maybe not as I usually have the temp dial around 4 (in room/auto). And, since it just shut down (room/auto), I won't be finding out tonight.

These things can drive one batty

 

[bags]

When it starts complicating your life and driving you nuts then one MUST go room temp auto and adjust your temp dial to whatever de-stresses you. Time for the stove to do some thinking. That's what is nice about the set it and forget it stoves. Just feeding them once a day is about all you need to do with minimal cleaning and maintenance.

 

[bags]

Bogieb,
I'd say that's because you have a stat in place. I just use the room probe. I'm stupid so I keep it simple.

 

[F4jock]

Bo, did you try nudging the dial up past 5?

 

[bogieb]

Bo, did you try nudging the dial up past 5?

I didn't think of that, will try it again with the dial at 6.

Bogieb,
I'd say that's because you have a stat in place. I just use the room probe. I'm stupid so I keep it simple.

The further rooms cool off more quickly than the living room since they are over/closer to the under-house garage. Plus, the living room is over the P61a in the basement. So, the P43 (and Hastings before it) wouldn't fire as often as I would like in room/auto if I left it to the probe. The thermostat isn't in either of the bedrooms, but in my office - a nice mid-location that gets cold seepage from one side, and warm seepage from the other.

 

[Tonyray]

When it starts complicating your life and driving you nuts then one MUST go room temp auto and adjust your temp dial to whatever de-stresses you. Time for the stove to do some thinking. That's what is nice about the set it and forget it stoves. Just feeding them once a day is about all you need to do with minimal cleaning and maintenance.

yepper..
at least there is an alternative... pretty soon when real winter hits all this will be on mute till spring shoulder time.

 

[alternativeheat]

[QUOTE="bags, p4.[/QUOTE]
The P61a is the same. But don't let it drive you batty !! Life's too short for batty stuff.

FWIW, Stove temp Auto you can run the fan where you like. Or I have thus far anyway, that doesn't mean I've covered every condition. But don't let it drive you batty anyway, life is too short for batty stuff going on.

My go to is always room temp auto this time of year. It's fun to experiment though.

Edit: Guess I clipped too much of the quote, in fact all of Bogies !!

 

[Tonyray]

[QUOTE="bags, p4.

The P61a is the same. But don't let it drive you batty !! Life's too short for batty stuff.

FWIW, Stove temp Auto you can run the fan where you like. Or I have thus far anyway, that doesn't mean I've covered every condition. But don't let it drive you batty anyway, life is too short for batty stuff going on.

My go to is always room temp auto this time of year. It's fun to experiment though.[/QUOTE]
do you exspirience a bit more pellet use when you use stove mode in "any" part of the season?

 

[alternativeheat]

The P61a is the same. But don't let it drive you batty !! Life's too short for batty stuff.

FWIW, Stove temp Auto you can run the fan where you like. Or I have thus far anyway, that doesn't mean I've covered every condition. But don't let it drive you batty anyway, life is too short for batty stuff going on.

My go to is always room temp auto this time of year. It's fun to experiment though.

do you exspirience a bit more pellet use when you use stove mode in "any" part of the season?[/QUOTE]


Depends how I run it and what is going on outside. If I had used Stove mode in the last couple of days the stove would nave been running unneeded.. For instance Thankgiving day it shut off around 10 am and never came on again till in the overnight sometime ( relatively warm day, kitchen stove and oven in operation a good part of the day). Yesterday it ran maybe 4 times all day from 5 am till 6 pm, in Room temp. It would have run all day in Stove Temp and probably heated the house above my 72 deg I've been enjoying in this season.

On Wed I had an empty hopper. I put in pellets and fired teh stove around 2 in the afternoon. Tomorrow is Monday, by 2 in the afternoon I'm going to say I will have burned 5 bags and the house has been glued on 71-72 deg the whole, except the times I experimented with Stove Temp Mode and it went once to 75 and the other two times to 73. It's in Stove Temp Auto right now, feed rate 2, output just under 3, fan low/med. The dining room is 73.

 

[Tonyray]

do you exspirience a bit more pellet use when you use stove mode in "any" part of the season?

Depends how I run it and what is going on outside. If I had used Stove mode in the last couple of days the stove would nave been running unneeded.. For instance Thankgiving day it shut off around 10 am and never came on again till in the overnight sometime. Yesterday it ran maybe 4 times all day from 5 am till 6 pm, in Room temp. It would have run all day in Stove Temp and probably heated the house above my 72 deg I've been enjoying in this season.[/QUOTE]
how bout Flat out winter when stove is needed constant ..

 

[alternativeheat]

Depends how I run it and what is going on outside. If I had used Stove mode in the last couple of days the stove would nave been running unneeded.. For instance Thankgiving day it shut off around 10 am and never came on again till in the overnight sometime. Yesterday it ran maybe 4 times all day from 5 am till 6 pm, in Room temp. It would have run all day in Stove Temp and probably heated the house above my 72 deg I've been enjoying in this season.

how bout Flat out winter when stove is needed constant ..[/QUOTE]

With the stove as sole source of heat. Kind of a wash, again depends on what's happening outside. Let me just say that when it's extreme out there I'm going to burn up a bunch of pellets or not heat the house to my liking. General every day winter is a 1-1/2 -2 bag per 24 hour thing. If I set the stove in Stove mode to do what I want or if I want that to automate pretty much comes to a draw. The trick, is no guess work in Room Temp Auto, and it does a good job of feeling out the changing conditions. Now like this year where I probably will burn some oil, I can set the stove to be a one bag per day burn and let the oil pick up the slack, by using Stove Temp Mode.

I should add that by letting the oil fill in a bit, the oil burner really doesn't run much and it will still be a 1 bag day vs maybe a 3 bag day in severe cold. The extra heat of the stove really stretches the cycle times of the oil burner. And contrary to what people try to do by turning the oil down, I turn it up !! Because it's being off set by the stove. But I have cast iron radiators, they continue to radiate for quite a while after the burner shuts down. Obviously if i want the stove alone to heat the house I turn the burner thermostat down.

 

[Tonyray]

how bout Flat out winter when stove is needed constant ..

With the stove as sole source of heat. Kind of a wash, again depends on what's happening outside. Let me just say that when it's extreme out there I'm going to burn up a bunch of pellets or not heat the house to my liking. General every day winter is a 1-1/2 -2 bag per 24 hour thing. if I set the stove in Stove mode to do what I want or if I want that to automate pretty much comes to a draw. The trick, is no guess work in Room Temp Auto, and it does a good job of felling out the changing conditions. Now like this year where I probably will burn some oil, I can set the stove to be a one bag per day burn and let the oikl pick up the slack, by using Stove Temp Mode.[/QUOTE]
understand...
I have never tried to use both systems..
have a hard time wrapping my head around using both oil and pellets [especially when using say stove mode with the oil thermostat set to pick up slack as u say.
in that scenario with stove temp always on to some degree, I'm burning pellets and Oil at same time..
on paper it appears counter $$$$productive. my brain is telling me to use one or the other. not both at same time but I'm sure this works for you.. might also for me if/when I try that way.

 

[bogieb]

Bo, did you try nudging the dial up past 5?

This morning I made sure the P43's temp dial was just past 6 (I was running at just past 5 since it is running on the thermostat). Flipped it to room/manual and later it went to an idle and the blower shut down. Must be the thermostat thing. Doesn't really bother me any, just interesting that it is contrary to what others experience. And, just want to figure out if both stoves react the same with same settings

Naturally I keep forgetting to catch the P61 when it is firing. Hmm, think I hear pellets dropping form the basement so it should start pretty soon, I'll try to keep focus long enough to conduct this little experiment. Oh look, something shin . . , er Stove, I must go tend stove, shiny, NO - stove dang it

 

[bogieb]

Naturally I keep forgetting to catch the P61 when it is firing. Hmm, think I hear pellets dropping form the basement so it should start pretty soon, I'll try to keep focus long enough to conduct this little experiment. Oh look, something shin . . , er Stove, I must go tend stove, shiny, NO - stove dang it

Ha - caught it as it torched (I love a good show). Waited for the blower to come on, set the dial to 6 and flipped to manual. We'll see what this one does

 

[alternativeheat]

With the stove as sole source of heat. Kind of a wash, again depends on what's happening outside. Let me just say that when it's extreme out there I'm going to burn up a bunch of pellets or not heat the house to my liking. General every day winter is a 1-1/2 -2 bag per 24 hour thing. if I set the stove in Stove mode to do what I want or if I want that to automate pretty much comes to a draw. The trick, is no guess work in Room Temp Auto, and it does a good job of felling out the changing conditions. Now like this year where I probably will burn some oil, I can set the stove to be a one bag per day burn and let the oikl pick up the slack, by using Stove Temp Mode.

understand...
I have never tried to use both systems..
have a hard time wrapping my head around using both oil and pellets [especially when using say stove mode with the oil thermostat set to pick up slack as u say.
in that scenario with stove temp always on to some degree, I'm burning pellets and Oil at same time..
on paper it appears counter $$$$productive. my brain is telling me to use one or the other. not both at same time but I'm sure this works for you.. might also for me if/when I try that way.[/QUOTE]


Well it's ingrained in me, we burned coal ( radiant only) early on knowing it was to help out and if the season was right then no oil.

 

[alternativeheat]

Ha - caught it as it torched (I love a good show). Waited for the blower to come on, set the dial to 6 and flipped to manual. We'll see what this one does

Let it settle down from the start up overload of pellets.

 

[F4jock]

understand...
I have never tried to use both systems..
have a hard time wrapping my head around using both oil and pellets [especially when using say stove mode with the oil thermostat set to pick up slack as u say.
in that scenario with stove temp always on to some degree, I'm burning pellets and Oil at same time..
on paper it appears counter $$$$productive. my brain is telling me to use one or the other. not both at same time but I'm sure this works for you.. might also for me if/when I try that way.

I found that setting the oil four degrees lower than the pellet gives me good backup operation. Pellet controls at 69 /70 and oil 65 / 66.

In the bedrooms, as we like it cooler, I keep the temp at 68 during the day and 66 at night. Good snuggling!

At those settings I never noticed the systems fighting each other but I've had no success when I've tried to use on or the other system as a "helper."

 

[bogieb]

So, the P61a does keep the blower going as long as the temp dial is at 5 while in room/manual. So, that argues the possibility that the way the P43 acts (fan wise) is due to being hooked up to a thermostat. I will just have to keep that in mind when it gets deep into winter - that each stove reacts differently. Maybe one day I will be so curious (or bored) that I will disconnect the thermostat and test out the P43 again, but I don't see it happening soon.

 

[Tonyray]

So, the P61a does keep the blower going as long as the temp dial is at 5 while in room/manual. So, that argues the possibility that the way the P43 acts (fan wise) is due to being hooked up to a thermostat. I will just have to keep that in mind when it gets deep into winter - that each stove reacts differently. Maybe one day I will be so curious (or bored) that I will disconnect the thermostat and test out the P43 again, but I don't see it happening soon.

just curious to what fan speed your all using while the fan is constant and temp is set to 5 with the low feed rate..

 

[F4jock]

So, the P61a does keep the blower going as long as the temp dial is at 5 while in room/manual. So, that argues the possibility that the way the P43 acts (fan wise) is due to being hooked up to a thermostat. I will just have to keep that in mind when it gets deep into winter - that each stove reacts differently. Maybe one day I will be so curious (or bored) that I will disconnect the thermostat and test out the P43 again, but I don't see it happening soon.

I would say yes Bo, that seems to be the difference in the equation. The thermostat will break and this will likely end up turning off the fan.

I considered installing a separate thermostat but extended the probe far enough away from the stove so that it worked fine. For my purposes anyway.

 

[Tonyray]

I would say yes Bo, that seems to be the difference in the equation. The thermostat will break and this will likely end up turning off the fan.

I considered installing a separate thermostat but extended the probe far enough away from the stove so that it worked fine. For my purposes anyway.

I have been using stove or constant/auto all day.. feed at 1/half, temp at #5.. blower set at half way..
dist blower has not shut off all day... 1st time I have used stove mode since I had the stove.. keeping us plenty warm..
we will see how it goes..

 

[Cory S]

I have been using stove or constant/auto all day.. feed at 1/half, temp at #5.. blower set at half way..
dist blower has not shut off all day... 1st time I have used stove mode since I had the stove.. keeping us plenty warm..
we will see how it goes..

If you are in constant burn auto, the distribution fan always runs. If you turn down the temp down lower, there should be no change in auger cycle time, and the heat output should be the same. I keep my temp dial at 2, and regulate the heat output (auger cycle "on" time) with varying the feed rate from 1-2....