Igniting Oly-6 catalytic heater?
Manual puzzles me. It says:
6. After initial ignition (i.e. when pilot ignites) keep control knob depressed for 45-60 seconds max....
7. When ignition occurs, you will see small blue flames playing over the catalyst pad while it heats up. This flaming is normal during start-up"....
8. Turn control knob to High, etc, etc.
Those flames don't seem to stop if you keep pressing the knob for longer. I didn't notice any difference in subsequent work of the heater whether I release the knob and turn it to High after the first "puff", or after 5 or 10 of them. I understand that these puff-puff flames are "normal" but something tells me that catalyst pad is designed to process the propane with no flames. Hence - the less you let those flames playing and burning the pad - the better. So... being mistrusting, I've opted to turn it High after the very 1st "puff". Any thoughts?
Btw, I'm not thrilled with it. It is silent, yes. Sleeping with furnace on, one has to be either clinically deaf or really drunk. This Oly is silent. VERY easy on propane, too. Still I don't like it. It eats the oxygen up. So I let it please me :) after sunset when the desert cools down, until I go to bed, then shut it down. Better quality air and no waking up all sweaty - it's 50-60 in the night, and this thing has no thermostat, only 3 settings: High-Med-Low. Windows are open several times more than 24 sq.in. suggested by the manual. Oly is not "vented" but I doubt that venting would change the picture dramatically, given the existing inflow of fresh air.
6. After initial ignition (i.e. when pilot ignites) keep control knob depressed for 45-60 seconds max....
7. When ignition occurs, you will see small blue flames playing over the catalyst pad while it heats up. This flaming is normal during start-up"....
8. Turn control knob to High, etc, etc.
Those flames don't seem to stop if you keep pressing the knob for longer. I didn't notice any difference in subsequent work of the heater whether I release the knob and turn it to High after the first "puff", or after 5 or 10 of them. I understand that these puff-puff flames are "normal" but something tells me that catalyst pad is designed to process the propane with no flames. Hence - the less you let those flames playing and burning the pad - the better. So... being mistrusting, I've opted to turn it High after the very 1st "puff". Any thoughts?
Btw, I'm not thrilled with it. It is silent, yes. Sleeping with furnace on, one has to be either clinically deaf or really drunk. This Oly is silent. VERY easy on propane, too. Still I don't like it. It eats the oxygen up. So I let it please me :) after sunset when the desert cools down, until I go to bed, then shut it down. Better quality air and no waking up all sweaty - it's 50-60 in the night, and this thing has no thermostat, only 3 settings: High-Med-Low. Windows are open several times more than 24 sq.in. suggested by the manual. Oly is not "vented" but I doubt that venting would change the picture dramatically, given the existing inflow of fresh air.
