How do I use a Pellet Burner?
Quick Answer: Using a pellet burner is straightforward once you understand the basic controls. The burner automatically feeds wood pellets into the combustion chamber and controls the fan speeds to keep the fire going.
Starting the pellet burner
Before starting, make sure you observe the following:
- You have read the manufacturer's operating manual.
- The air inlet is clear from obstruction.
- The combustion chamber is clean and the ash pan is empty.
- There are enough pellets in the hopper.
- The mains supply is switched on and the control panel is lit up ready to operate.
Switching ON
Warning: The start-up process is automatic and must not be interrupted.
The ignition system lights the pellets automatically. You do not need to light the fire by hand.
When you start the burner, you will hear the fans running, the auger dropping pellets into the burn pot, and occasional clicking from internal components. These are all normal and are part of the appliance's automated operation.
When you switch the appliance on, it does not produce an immediate flame. Instead, the burner begins a carefully controlled start-up sequence. Pellets are fed into the burn pot, an electric igniter lights them, and the appliance gradually establishes the fire.
Depending on the model, this process can take several minutes, so be patient.
Allow the burner to start
The burner will go through its normal start-up sequence. Pellets are fed into the combustion chamber and fan speeds are adjusted automatically as the control panel establishes the flame.
Once the fire is established, the burner will begin operating normally and you can start using the controls.
Automatic control is one of the main differences between a pellet burner and a traditional wood-burning stove.
How do I control the heat output?
Pellet burners normally allow you to adjust the heat output at the control panel in two different ways, by controlling the power setting or setting a control temperature. A higher setting burns more pellets to produce more heat, while lower settings reduce the heat output, the choice is yours.
Control by power setting: By adjusting the power level you are setting the power output of the burner and it will continue at this level until you change it, regardless of room temperature.
Control by temperature setting: By adjusting the temperature level you are telling the stove to burn as efficiently as possible until the room temperature sensor reaches your set control temperature. At this point the burner will modulate, adjusting the power settings automatically to maintain the set temperature.
What is Standby or Eco mode?
This mode is a maximum temperature setting which will automatically shut down the stove when the Standby/Eco mode set temperature is reached. (N.B. This is totally separate from your normal temperature control). The stove will perform it's normal automatic shutdown procedure but does not switch off completely. The stove continues to monitor room temperature and when it detects a set difference in temperature the control panel will automatically restart the stove to it's normal operating condition.
When should I add more pellets?
Keep an eye on the pellet level in the hopper and refill it when necessary. My Real Life Take: I always fill my pellet burner on a morning when I carry out my daily checks. A full hopper lasts me at least a couple of days.
How often should I clean the burner?
A pellet burner needs regular cleaning to operate efficiently. Our article Do I have to Clean inside my Pellet Burner every day? goes into more detail.
The combustion chamber, burn pot and other accessible areas should be cleaned before use. The frequency depends on how much the burner is used and the type of pellets being burned.
Switching OFF the pellet burner
When you want to stop the stove, you must use it's normal shutdown control.
Warning: Do not switch off the mains power supply until the burner is completely shut down.
The burner will stop feeding pellets, speed up the extractor fan and continue operating while it safely completes the automatic shutdown procedure and cools down.
Once the shutdown cycle has finished, the burner can be safely switched off.
Is a pellet burner easy to use?
Yes. Once it has been correctly installed and set up, everyday operation is largely automatic.
The main things the owner needs to do are:
- Keep the pellet hopper supplied.
- Select a comfortable heat setting.
- Remove ash and clean the burner regularly.
- Follow the manufacturer's cleaning and maintenance instructions.
With those simple tasks, a pellet burner can provide controllable heat with considerably less hands-on work than a traditional wood-burning stove.
What to do next
Still unsure about using your pellet burner? Contact us today for FREE advice, or pop into our showroom in Ciudad Quesada for a chat and see the stoves in action.