DVC-500 Owners... Need Advise

I'm two hours in to my second burn on my new DVC-500. First one was a short test just to make sure everything worked. Couple of questions:

1. It seems like I am pushing un burnt coal into the ash pan but is it really un burnt coal ! Being new to coal I expected the "ash" to be just that, ash where if I were to blow on it it would easily blow away. What I have looks like cooked rice coal, still solid, still close to it's original shape, just brown.

2. There is a feed rate adjustment and despite having read the manual and researched here and elsewhere, I don't understand the purpose of it nor the optimal setting. In otherwords, If I set the STOVE temp to a certain level, shouldn't it maintain whatever feed rate it needs automatically?

3. WIth the stove temp all the way up and the other knob set to high, what are the results of then moving the feed rate to the min vs the max.?

Of course I understand the definition of feed rate and what it supposed to do, I just cant figure out what the relationship is between it and the temp control options.

Other than that, we are roasting!! Two story colonial, stove located on the first floor, near middle of the house. The downstairs is toasty and we can feel the heat making its way up the stairs. Very pleased so far.

Thanks for any advise.
Andrew

Bought my dvc last year. Love it. I burned mine last year at a feed rate of 1.
Never changed it the entire winter Your other 2 settings for burning are room temp. or stove temp.
When setting is on room temp. I usually burned it on low. With this setting you are now controling the stove with the room temperature probe. Refer to figure 16 in manual. You can set your room temp by the degrees on the dial also.
It should not take you long to figure out the settings. You will see that you will be making only minor adjustments.
My first burn did produce some coal that wasn't burned to ash also. No big deal.

Thanks TCoal.

It's now 3 hours since "launch" I have the feed rate on 1 and everything else on the lowest settings as it's getting HOTTER in here by the minute!!

Here is what is falling into the ash bin. Look right?

**Broken Image Link(s) Removed**

Yup, that looks like mine. Also has a bit bigger bed of burning coal than I do. Your right, the heat output is great. Enjoy.

Ok, after getting off my butt and looking it seems my ash is full to the top of the grate. I hope someone else will know why.

ablumny wrote:
1. It seems like I am pushing un burnt coal into the ash pan but is it really un burnt coal ! Being new to coal I expected the "ash" to be just that, ash where if I were to blow on it it would easily blow away. What I have looks like cooked rice coal, still solid, still close to it's original shape, just brown.

2. There is a feed rate adjustment and despite having read the manual and researched here and elsewhere, I don't understand the purpose of it nor the optimal setting. In otherwords, If I set the STOVE temp to a certain level, shouldn't it maintain whatever feed rate it needs automatically?

3. WIth the stove temp all the way up and the other knob set to high, what are the results of then moving the feed rate to the min vs the max.?

To answer the first question, the coal is burning correctly. I too was a bit surprised to compare the end result to my definition of, "ash". For the second question, when your in STOVE temp mode, no the stove is not going to maintain automatically. This is the reason for stove temp mode, you are bypassing the automatic adjustment and telling the stove that you want as much heat (depending on what your feedrate is set to) as you can get. The temperature dial really only comes into effect when in ROOM temp mode. Obviously, if you set the dial to 80 and the probe detects that it is 75, then it is going to call for heat and, "automatically" adjust the feed to raise the room temperature.

When using the L vs. H setting in each, room or stove temp mode, I believe this is only adjusting how high the fan runs to push the heat out into the house (I may be wrong on this one but that's what I've experienced).

To answer the first question, the coal is burning correctly. I too was a bit surprised to compare the end result to my definition of, "ash". For the second question, when your in STOVE temp mode, no the stove is not going to maintain automatically. This is the reason for stove temp mode, you are bypassing the automatic adjustment and telling the stove that you want as much heat (depending on what your feedrate is set to) as you can get. The temperature dial really only comes into effect when in ROOM temp mode. Obviously, if you set the dial to 80 and the probe detects that it is 75, then it is going to call for heat and, "automatically" adjust the feed to raise the room temperature.

When using the L vs. H setting in each, room or stove temp mode, I believe this is only adjusting how high the fan runs to push the heat out into the house (I may be wrong on this one but that's what I've experienced).

Thanks Marvin. I thought in Stove Temp Mode, the inside scale of the temp dial acted as a thermostat, reading the stove temp thus adjusting feed rate, etc.?? No?

After re-reading page 15 of the manual, that would be a correct statement......now I'm confused!

hmm. I guess I will call Harman or the dealer. If I get a reasonable rely I'll post it. My main concern was the condition of the burnt coal and it seems like this is what Rice looks like.

thx again all

"I thought in Stove Temp Mode, the inside scale of the temp dial acted as a thermostat, reading the stove temp thus adjusting feed rate, etc.?? No?"

When in stove temp mode, it stands for feed rate.

Hi Andrew. Congrats on getting up and running! I'm no expert, and it's been 40 yrs since I saw coal burn, but I do remember the ash. It is quite unlike other ash. For the most part It is not sooty, black, messy. It is crunchy, gravely. People with dirt driveways use it for traction or just to add fill. The one guy I knew that burned coal had a long dirt driveway. For years and years he spread his ash on it.

When in stove temp mode, it stands for feed rate.

Does that mean that it overrides the feed rate adjuster?

Hi Andrew. Congrats on getting up and running! I'm no expert, and it's been 40 yrs since I saw coal burn, but I do remember the ash. It is quite unlike other ash. For the most part It is not sooty, black, messy. It is crunchy, gravely. People with dirt driveways use it for traction or just to add fill. The one guy I knew that burned coal had a long dirt driveway. For years and years he spread his ash on it.

Thanks Freddy. It seems what I have is normal, at least for Rice. I'm waiting for my neighbors who have nut and Pea to produce something for me to look at now !

Appreciate the replies as usual...

What your neighbor's stoves or coal burning appliance's will have for ash will be completely different unless they are the same stoker mechanism.. You mention pea and nut coal.. those usually are in hand feed stoves, where the weight of the coal and the shaking action of the shaker grates, grinds up the ash into a powder. Your stove has a fixed grate that the coal is pushed across as it burns, there is nothing to compress or grind up the ash.. so it stays about the same size and shape as the coal going into the hopper..

Your ash looks perfectly normal. I wouldn't be concerned..

Greg L

In stove temperature mode the stove will maintain steady output relative to the setting on the left dial marked in degrees. Want a hotter stove move the temp dial to a larger number, room temperature will not have any effect on the output. The L and H refer to fan speed. In room temp mode the stove senses room temp by the thermister on the end of the room temp lead plugged into the back of the stove. The stove output will vary with changing room temperature. As the correct temperature is approached in either mode the stove automatically reduces both feed rate and fan speed. The feed rate set on the feeder adj knob is the maximum rate the stove will burn at and is usually adjusted for the correct fire at full output.

Your ash looks ok for a stove burning at a low firing rate. Break up some of the ash and see if there is any unburned coal inside of the cinders

I've spent the past two days experimenting with the temperature dial in stove temp mode and it does in fact adjust the temperature of the stove. I believe the first question on this thread has not been answered and it appears to be a damn good one; "What is the difference between the manual feed adjustment dial and the temperature dial?" Meaning, that if they both have the same result, then what's the point of having two?

I would like to add that after experimenting with the temperature dial in stove temp mode, I have been able to get the perfect heat output for my house; not too hot, not cold at all. I was initially using only the feed adjustment and even down at one, the heat was unbearable. Obviously I did not pay attention to the temp dial, as I thought it only pertained to Room temp mode. Now, I too have absolutely no idea what I'm benefitting from with the feed rate dial. I currently have the feed at one and the temp at one and the house is very comfortable.

Thanks to all for sharing, great info.