Powervent a VF 3000

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Salemcoal
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Post by Salemcoal » Sun. Nov. 23, 2008 8:58 pm

I am in the process of installing a Harman vf 3000 in my garage. I just burried the pipe today. I have an swg power venter that I bought last winter for my Alaska Channing III but never installed. Would this setup work on the Harman boiler? Thanks

 
Matthaus
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Post by Matthaus » Sun. Nov. 23, 2008 9:03 pm

It should, I power vented several magnums which have the same stoker mechanism with a SWG power vent. You will need a WM0-1 safety switch and a rheostat for control. I wouldalso recommend a manometer to monitor draft and allow check of the overfire pressure (draft) in the stove.

 
Salemcoal
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Post by Salemcoal » Sun. Nov. 23, 2008 9:43 pm

Thanks, I don't want to sink money into a chimney if I don't have to. It came with a safety switch so I would just have to get a rheostat.

 
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Freddy
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Post by Freddy » Mon. Nov. 24, 2008 4:46 am

If you're in Maine the payments on a financed chimney would be about the same as the payment to the electric company, but, the electric payments never stop.


 
Matthaus
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Post by Matthaus » Mon. Nov. 24, 2008 7:21 am

The average PV costs 69 KWH per month, just how much are you paying for power Freddy? :) Or maybe I should say how cheap do they build a chimney up there in the great white north? :lol:

The above number is based on data collection with a Kill-a-watt over a year using Alaska, Harman, and Keystoker stoves. I definitely agree that a chimney is a better solution if you can afford it, but I ran the numbers when I was considering solutions for my stove, even with the hassle of cleaning and regular maint the PV was cheaper hands down.

 
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cArNaGe
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Post by cArNaGe » Mon. Nov. 24, 2008 8:58 am

How much does a PV cost?

I'm not trying to sway anyone into anything.

I have $600 in my chimney. Its 45' tall. This includes the cap and footer. 68 block and 22 flue! Well 24 flue. I broke two!

 
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Freddy
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Post by Freddy » Mon. Nov. 24, 2008 9:24 am

Maybe a direct vent only draws 95 watts (69 kwh a month), but a power venter draws 150 (108KWH month). A direct vent is built for that stove and uses less, a power venter is generic and has to be tuned down to run most things, hence the more power.

69KWH would cost $12.73 here. But make that $20 & it makes a payment toward a mason chimney. Also, cost of power is going up this Feb. I think 3% for homes & 25% for businneses.

The bottom line....everyone that has a powerventer eventually gets a mason chimney, or wishes they could. Don't get me wrong, if you need to powervent, OK , you'll still be saving a bunch of money over oil, it's just if you have a choice, a chimney is a better way to go.

 
Matthaus
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Post by Matthaus » Mon. Nov. 24, 2008 9:45 am

Freddy wrote:Maybe a direct vent only draws 95 watts (69 kwh a month), but a power venter draws 150 (108KWH month). A direct vent is built for that stove and uses less, a power venter is generic and has to be tuned down to run most things, hence the more power.
A DV is usually run full speed with a fixed orifice for bleed while a PV uses a Baro and rheostat. So actually it is the opposite from what you said. :)


 
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Freddy
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Post by Freddy » Mon. Nov. 24, 2008 10:40 am

Hmmmm... I guess it's how you think about it. I view it as the baro is how it's "tuned down". I've not seen a powerventer with a speed control....something new?

 
Matthaus
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Post by Matthaus » Mon. Nov. 24, 2008 11:22 am

Actually if the speed control is set right you will never see an open baro on a PV, that is the beauty. Not one extra watt of energy is consumed over what is needed to keep the proper draft. With a DV, as you said the unit is sized correctly for the stove, however it needs to be slightly oversized to adapt to all possible conditions, so extra power is used.

Many users of PVs do not use a rheostat and therefore waste electricity, but this is not necessary. :)

 
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WNY
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Post by WNY » Mon. Nov. 24, 2008 12:18 pm

my Keystoker DV uses a sliding plate on the inlet from the stove to set the draft. Not sure what my DV runs for power, but I know the whole stove uses about 200-250 watts (2amps).

You have to loosen a hex screw and push/pull a T-handle that attaches to the plate to get the proper draft on the stove. It basically varies the area of the openings to the exhaust.

 
Matthaus
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Post by Matthaus » Mon. Nov. 24, 2008 12:23 pm

Oh yeah, forgot, the newer Keystokers have the adjustable plate. The older units only have a fixed orifice. Dave sounds like your V uses about the same as the PV I was using, less than 100W.

Bottom line to all this discussion, chimney better, PV/DV not a bad alternative as long as you regulate the speed to prevent using more power than needed. :)

 
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VigIIPeaBurner
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Post by VigIIPeaBurner » Mon. Nov. 24, 2008 1:38 pm

I'm planning on using a PV on a Koker so I'm real interested in keeping the speed to a minimum per this thread. I always thought a rheostat controlled the device by creating a resistance and making heat with the electricity not going to the controlled device. I checked it out and found that a modern rheostat, called an called a SCR - Silicon Controlled Rectifier for DC, or a Triac for AC controlling ac power does save electricity I ends up working like a switch, turning the flow on and off several hundred times per second to reduce the motor speed. Learn something ever day from this forum. :)

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