# Pellets not burning completely Englander PDVC



## mystove (Jan 8, 2015)

Pellets are burning into a pile of grit. I have cleaned the inside of the stove, removed and cleaned all of the exhaust. 

Does this sound like a convection fan issue? This is my next project to clean again. 

50 degrees in the house this morning


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## CladMaster (Jan 8, 2015)

Would help if we knew what stove you have !


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## stoveguy2esw (Jan 8, 2015)

incomplete combustion is not likely to be tied to the convection blower


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## mystove (Jan 8, 2015)

Englander PDVC


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## Polar Bear (Jan 8, 2015)

You have your OAK installed right?


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## CladMaster (Jan 8, 2015)

Poor pellets, some produce a hard gritty ash over some that produce soft fluffy ash.

Could also be damp pellets, when damp they burn poorly.


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## mystove (Jan 8, 2015)

Polar Bear said:


> You have your OAK installed right?


 Yes it is same install, have had this 4 years. Just started not long ago.


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## mystove (Jan 8, 2015)

CladMaster said:


> Poor pellets, some produce a hard gritty ash over some that produce soft fluffy ash.
> 
> Could also be damp pellets, when damp they burn poorly.



I have a new brand I bought a few bags of yesterday I can try. have been using Hearth Wood and they have been ok and then suddenly pile of ash and then pile of grit.


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## mystove (Jan 8, 2015)

OH and I don't know what you cal it but little sparks also flying  in the stove now since the grit issue began.


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## CladMaster (Jan 8, 2015)

mystove said:


> OH and I don't know what you cal it but little sparks also flying  in the stove now since the grit issue began.



Little sparks, it's called fly ash, this is normal, some stoves have lots of sparks / fly ash, other have very little.

Make sure you have the lower 3 buttons set to LFF 6, LBA 4, AOT 1.


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## mystove (Jan 8, 2015)

CladMaster said:


> Little sparks, it's called fly ash, this is normal, some stoves have lots of sparks / fly ash, other have very little.
> 
> Make sure you have the lower 3 buttons set to LFF 6, LBA 4, AOT 1.



How do I check those?


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## CladMaster (Jan 8, 2015)

On the control panel, the three buttons along the bottom LFF, LBA, AOT, when you press each one a number will come up in the left display. To change the number you use the up and down arrows under that number.

The AOT number must not be changed, it must always be set at '1'.


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## mystove (Jan 8, 2015)

CladMaster said:


> On the control panel, the three buttons along the bottom LFF, LBA, AOT, when you press each one a number will come up in the left display. To change the number you use the up and down arrows under that number.
> 
> The AOT number must not be changed, it must always be set at '1'.



ok double checked those


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## mystove (Jan 8, 2015)

Well convection blower cleaned and replaced but no change so far in burning issues, also using new pellets. Only thing I can think of to do is clean the combustion blower also.  It is burning now, freezing in here so that isn't going to happen right this second.


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## Lake Girl (Jan 8, 2015)

Pellets piling up is usually an air issue  ... follow the air path through the whole stove (internal exhaust pathways out to the end of the exhaust vent).  Combustion blower needs cleaning (new gasket on hand?).  Does it seem to be running as usual?

Use compressed air to blow out the motor windings for both convection and combustion blowers.  Check manual to see if they need lubrication....


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## mystove (Jan 8, 2015)

Lake Girl said:


> Pellets piling up is usually an air issue  ... follow the air path through the whole stove (internal exhaust pathways out to the end of the exhaust vent).  Combustion blower needs cleaning (new gasket on hand?).  Does it seem to be running as usual?
> 
> Use compressed air to blow out the motor windings for both convection and combustion blowers.  Check manual to see if they need lubrication....



This machine is the most frustrating thing ever. Yes it seems to be running the same as it has been except the pellets are burning into a pile of grit. At first I thought exhaust too and I'll get that other blower out as soon as I can and check see if I missed anything in the stove. 

Counting the days till spring lol.


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## Bill L (Jan 8, 2015)

You may also want to double check your OAK inlet to make sure it is not obstructed (snow, ice, dust etc)


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## johnboy89 (Jan 9, 2015)

I thought Pellets piling up was a normal occurence on these stoves due to the design of the burn pot? I know I can't run more than several hours without having to scoop some out? I guess if it's a new problem for you than something must have changed?


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## mystove (Jan 9, 2015)

johnboy89 said:


> I thought Pellets piling up was a normal occurence on these stoves due to the design of the burn pot? I know I can't run more than several hours without having to scoop some out? I guess if it's a new problem for you than something must have changed?



No this stove normally runs for 24 hours and I shut down and clean it out and restart. It should have ash in the pot but it should run fine for a day without having to be messed with. Mine is not now, I had to get up this morning and get a chunk of hard ash/partially burned pellets out of the pot and it still isn't burning right. 55 degrees in the house this morning.


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## jmorgtwo (Jan 10, 2015)

mystove said:


> No this stove normally runs for 24 hours and I shut down and clean it out and restart. It should have ash in the pot but it should run fine for a day without having to be messed with. Mine is not now, I had to get up this morning and get a chunk of hard ash/partially burned pellets out of the pot and it still isn't burning right. 55 degrees in the house this morning.


I am having nearly identical problems to this.  Just started monday when we got hit with a cold spell (northern pa).  Running the stove on 4, my burn pot is over flowing in about 4 hours.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Jan 10, 2015)

mystove said:


> No this stove normally runs for 24 hours and I shut down and clean it out and restart. It should have ash in the pot but it should run fine for a day without having to be messed with. Mine is not now, I had to get up this morning and get a chunk of hard ash/partially burned pellets out of the pot and it still isn't burning right. 55 degrees in the house this morning.



Was it like this 
	

		
			
		

		
	




	

		
			
		

		
	
 that is called a clinker, welcome to the clinker collectors club.

To get rid of these you have to make sure that all gaskets are good, all doors are properly closed and latched, that the wear plate isn't worn or inserted into the stove incorrectly, that the entire combustion air path is clean (starts outside before the OAK and ends outside after the vent termination) cleaning should involve lots of elbow grease, brush work, high air flow devices, and then making sure that the stove is in the proper mode and the lower 3 are whatever they should be.

It also helps if you burn a low ash pellet.


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## chrisasst (Jan 10, 2015)

mystove said:


> How do I check those?



Did you say you had your pdvc for 4 years?  This is the first time for pellet build up ?


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## mystove (Jan 10, 2015)

chrisasst said:


> Did you say you had your pdvc for 4 years?  This is the first time for pellet build up ?



No it has done it once before I believe but I am unsure what the fix was, it has been a while. Last year we had the auger issues, in the middle of a cold snap of course. This is an 06 model and we bought it used.


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## Lake Girl (Jan 10, 2015)

Has the combustion blower ever been changed out?


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## mystove (Jan 10, 2015)

SmokeyTheBear said:


> Was it like this
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yep I am blessed with those now. I want to get into the combustion fan and I thought I had a spare gasket that now cannot be found. I'll keep plugging away at it and see what works. Or it might make a nice planter in the yard


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## mystove (Jan 10, 2015)

Lake Girl said:


> Has the combustion blower ever been changed out?


Never changed, just removed and  cleaned up.


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## mystove (Jan 10, 2015)

Anyone know for sure if this will fit my englander PDVC?
http://www.amazon.com/Pellet-Stove-Gasket-Combustion-Exhaust/dp/B00L4HODAG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1420925529&sr=8-5&keywords=pellet stove gasket englander#productDetails

Or maybe this one, does anyone know what size it takes?
http://www.amazon.com/Envirofire-Pe...bs_auto_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1TXNPNFZ8PFRCHGD0BG5


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## SKOAL MAN (Jan 10, 2015)

It takes this and 3 hrs!


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## CladMaster (Jan 10, 2015)

Make your own gaskets -- it's cheaper too.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...ower-hi-temp-lytherm-gasket-from-sheet.86680/


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## Chrisnow86 (Jan 10, 2015)

When was the last time the combustion  fan got a good cleaning?


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## mystove (Jan 10, 2015)

Chrisnow86 said:


> When was the last time the combustion  fan got a good cleaning?



toward end of last season.


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## mystove (Jan 11, 2015)

CladMaster said:


> Make your own gaskets -- it's cheaper too.
> 
> https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...ower-hi-temp-lytherm-gasket-from-sheet.86680/


Thanks!


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## barger44 (Jan 12, 2015)

I was having the same issue for about a month...cleaning everything, tear it apart, blame all kinds of things. Finally I had a breakthrough...I was using a piece of garden hose attached to my vac (which I had tried a few times already) and went up heat exchanger from inside the ash tray hole and found a blockage...really heard the vac bog down. Then I ran the leaf blower trick and cleaned the exhaust blower (dont forget a gasket) and we are back to a sharp flame with no build up! Even blowing more heat now since the exchanger has better air flow.


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## mystove (Jan 12, 2015)

barger44 said:


> I was having the same issue for about a month...cleaning everything, tear it apart, blame all kinds of things. Finally I had a breakthrough...I was using a piece of garden hose attached to my vac (which I had tried a few times already) and went up heat exchanger from inside the ash tray hole and found a blockage...really heard the vac bog down. Then I ran the leaf blower trick and cleaned the exhaust blower (dont forget a gasket) and we are back to a sharp flame with no build up! Even blowing more heat now since the exchanger has better air flow.



 I really want to get a leaf vac and do that. I used my shop vac with a modified piece of hose I bought from the local farm store and got it as clean as I could with that. Seems that my combustion blower is having a big issue now. I have ordered a new one so hopefully that will take care of some of this problem. Glad yours is running better, it makes life so much nicer lol.


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