Quote:
Originally Posted by Taz
Can you tell me what sq footage you are heating with P 43? Old or newer structure with good or poor insulation, airsealing ect. I am asking because I just purchased, had professionally installed P 43 in a duplex style ski condo in Bartlett. Installed in open concept living room, dining room, kitchen (one room guessing 800 - 1000 sq feet) with master bedroom bath off of that room and then there is a staircase beside the stove for 2 bedrooms and bath upstairs and closed doors to upstairs bedrooms because not being used. Total sq footage 1364. There is no upstairs over the over master bedroom but there is a higher cathedral type ceiling in the master bedroom.
1st weekend last weekend, super cold and windy but it took what seemed to me a long time to get up to 65 - 70. Originally set at 70 but only got to 65, turned up to 75, only got up to 67. From Friday after install 12 noon to Sunday 10 am, used 3 bags of pellets and started 4th bag but most of that is left as left around 11 am. I don't think its that well insulated or sealed, built in 87 and probably not built that well but not spending money on that for ski weekends in winter only. Now wondering if should have went with P 61. Still trying to learn how to use it.
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I originally bought the P-43 as a supplemental heat source in a finished basement that is around 700 Sq. Ft. I soon found that I could easily use some of this heat to help with the additional 2200 sq. ft. of living space on the upper levels simply by leaving the basement door open. Currently if I set the stove thermostat so the basement temp is 69 degrees, the main floor living area which is open concept will stay around 65 degrees and the upper bedroom floors stay around 60 degrees. I burn about a bag a day when it is cold. My home is fairly new (2008) and very tight with spray in foam insulation and quality doors and windows.
The P-43 is rated for I believe a maximum of 2400 sq ft. so with me trying to fully heat 2900 sq ft just is not going to happen but it does supplement very nicely and keeps the main living areas and bedrooms right where we like it. Until the price of pellets comes down, your probably still currently better off financially burning oil than pellets unless the ambiance of the pellet heat is a preference.
Regarding your heat and pellet usage....It sounds to me like you have a couple things going on.
#1. It sounds like you may be getting a lot of air leakage from the exterior. If that's the case, yes you may have been better with the P61 as the P43 simply cant keep up with the inefficiency of your home.
#2. I have found with the P-43 that running it on high all the time simply waste pellets and doesn't do much for extra heating and this is most likely true with any pellet stove. Usually burning a bag every 24 hours seems to be the right rate to optimize pellet usage and heat, at least with my P-43 stove.
I am by no means an expert on pellet stoves and have only had one for a few years now but I am super impressed with the Harman P43 thus far!
Dan