# Englander Feeding too Fast?



## houset (Jan 8, 2012)

I have an Englander 25PDVC that's now 4 years old, and was having issues early on with the stove not burning correctly. Some of the issues i was experiencing was Lazy Flame, extremely fast glass residue, high content of ash compared to past years, burnpot filled up with ash quickly.

First off, Here is the maintenance schedule i follow:
1. Every other day, i do a quick shop vac of all ash in the burn pot, and stove where we dump the ash. I wipe the window clean of residue.
2. Once a week, i scrape the auger tip and auger tube of any buildup. i scrape the burn pot as well. I use a paintbrush and brush down all fly ash from interior of the stove.
3. Once a month, i vacuum behind the impingement plate, and clear out the outside vent can of any ash.

After some searching through the advice of articles posted on this forum, Here are a few things that i have since tried.

First, from the outside, i cleaned the outside vent pipe, and used a shop vac to get most of the ash in the pipe out all the way to the stove. Surprisingly, it wasn't too bad.very little ash in the pipe that extends from the stove through the wall.
Second, i did a thorough cleaning behind the plate, and vacuumed all that out. Used a paint brushto brush as much dust as possible out from the back.

Doing those two things did very little improvement.  After more research, i found an article about testing your pellets for moisture, thinking that could be the issue.
There was sweat on the plate when i microwaved them, however not enough to think that moisture was the issue.. Just very little beads of moisture. so i think my pellets are fine.

Finally, i found an article about REALLY getting behind the impingement plate, and attaching a garden hose to the vacuum, and sucking out as much ash as possible, citing a possible heat exchanger blockage.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/72190/

This did wonders. My fire is burning much better, the flame is dancing again.  it seemed to really have done the trick for short burns..

*So here is my issue now*: I still think my pellets might be feeding to fast, and i say that because after about 4-6 hours of a great burn, the fire tends to get lazy, and it shoots forward, essentially bouncing off the glass as if there's too much unburned fuel in the pot that accumulates over time; this causes the glass to build up a white residue at first, then essentially a black one to follow. The stove setting is typically kept on 4-4, or 5-5. i tend not to use the lower settings.

Inside hopper, there is a plate that can be adjusted, and i have it set to be as closed as possible.
My control settings on the stove are currently set to :  4 - 8 - 4.  

i believe i was told a while back that those numbers are only for settings 3 and below, so they don't matter at the higher settings.

Is there anything i am missing? do the control panel settings matter on the higher fan speeds, and do they look correct. i haven't intentionally changed them since in owned the stove, but there's no guarantee i didn't.  sometime i reach down accidentally push the wrong buttons.

I guess i can set the feed and fan settings to be different, but the manual doesnt' recommend this either. 

Thanks for your help. i am taking some video of my flame and hope to post that up as well.


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## russ79@hotmail.com (Jan 8, 2012)

I have the same stove and it is also 4 years old,  I am no expert be any means but by what I have read the last setting on the control panel is supposed to be 1 and only 1.  I think my settings are 4-7-1.  I do my cleanings once a week , which includes vaccumming out the ash cleaning burn pot and auger tips and remove and clean behind the rear plate.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Jan 8, 2012)

Check all of your gaskets.

If you have a leaf blower that can be used as a leaf vacuum attach that to your vent make certain it isn't pointed at any thing you don't want covered in ash.  Turn it on, go back inside with the leaf blower still running use a rubber mallet or a small block of wood and tap against the back of the fire box with the impingement plate removed while having someone watch the leaf blower.  You can also brush both sides of the area that the impingement plate rests in making certain you get the top and bottom and all the way to each side.  Do this with the leaf blower running.


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## chrisasst (Jan 8, 2012)

How long have you had your setting at 4-8-4? 

Need to change the AOT to 1. I think the LBA is too much air. Set that back a little.
What do you usually have the heat # at?
Try these settings 7-4-1  with heat # at 2 or 3. and blower at 6.

Report back


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## imacman (Jan 8, 2012)

As Chris mentions, those lower button settings are all wrong....the AOT is ALWAYS supposed to be on 1.  IMO, set the buttons at the factory setting (6-4-1) for a while.

Also, along with using the rubber hose inside the cavity (behind the impingment plate), try banging on the back steel wall with a mallet or small hammer....you'll be amazed at how much more crud falls down.

When was the last time the combustion blower was removed and cleaned/scraped and re-installed w/ a new gasket??  Removing it also allows you access to more of the exhaust system and more ash can be cleaned out.


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## houset (Jan 9, 2012)

imacman said:
			
		

> As Chris mentions, those lower button settings are all wrong....the AOT is ALWAYS supposed to be on 1.  IMO, set the buttons at the factory setting (6-4-1) for a while.
> 
> Also, along with using the rubber hose inside the cavity (behind the impingment plate), try banging on the back steel wall with a mallet or small hammer....you'll be amazed at how much more crud falls down.
> 
> When was the last time the combustion blower was removed and cleaned/scraped and re-installed w/ a new gasket??  Removing it also allows you access to more of the exhaust system and more ash can be cleaned out.




I removed the combustion blower and cleaned that about two years ago. Figured that was an every other year thing. I will do the mallet next cleaning, which is schedulded for Wednesday, and will adjust to the factory setting.. Thoughts on the suggest right above your post?


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## imacman (Jan 9, 2012)

houset said:
			
		

> I removed the combustion blower and cleaned that about two years ago. Figured that was an every other year thing.......



WHAT???   2 years ago????  WOW   The combustion blower should be removed & cleaned after 1 year *at a minimum*.  I clean mine after about 1 1/2 tons, or about 2 times each heating season.

From the Englander owners manual: "the Combustion (exhaust) Blower should be removed annually"


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## superchips (Jan 9, 2012)

Not trying to be rude, but you need to go back and read the instructions. Like twice.
Also, what condition is your OAK in? Any tight bends? Any ice?


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## TLHinCanada (Jan 9, 2012)

I empty my fire pot and scrap the carbon off the grate daily.  Every second day I completely clean the stove including behind the impingement plate.  This might be because I'm semi-retired and bored or because the stove runs better.  I run the stove at 3-3-1 and 1 and 2.  Each different type of pellets require a different setting.  Each persons different requirements require a different setting.  No two people running this stove will have the same settings.  With that said, I think this is a very versatile stove.  I do believe it is the cheapest stove available and may not have all the options available (like an ash box) to those who paid more.  As krosser says clean and clean some more.  I know through experience that if with my settings and a simpsons vent I could be looking at a creosote buildup and a possible chimney fire.  This stove with factory settings will burn over a bag a day.  From viewing most posts, people are trying to cut the amount of pellets burned.  When you change the factory setting you should know what will happen.  Experiment as much as you want, but, remember if your trying to heat a two story house that is 2000 square feet you should have bought a bigger stove.


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## houset (Jan 10, 2012)

superchips said:
			
		

> Not trying to be rude, but you need to go back and read the instructions. Like twice.
> Also, what condition is your OAK in? Any tight bends? Any ice?



I love people who start out their sentences with not trying to be rude, but end up being just that. I guess you say that because it helps you sleep better at night.


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## houset (Jan 10, 2012)

imacman said:
			
		

> houset said:
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Thanks very much.. I burn about 1 1/2 ton annually, so i don't use the stove heavy, it's more a supplemental heat source than a primary. As a matter of fact, i do not keep my stove burning when we are all sleeping. I guess i am a bit gun shy.

After adjusting the factory settings back to 6-4-1, the stove is burning like when i first got it. . thanks for all the help on the forum.  I will in fact remove the combustion blower this weekend, and get that all cleaned and checked out. I have the gasket from my spring order that i can use when i remove and replace.

I appreciate all the advice and help i receive on the forum. Hopefully what i learned here will help others out in the future.

One final question.. Is the Hopper lid gasket from englander the same as the gasket that goes around the glass? they look to be identicaL I was hoping someone could confirm that.


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## houset (Jan 10, 2012)

TLHinCanada said:
			
		

> I empty my fire pot and scrap the carbon off the grate daily.  Every second day I completely clean the stove including behind the impingement plate.  This might be because I'm semi-retired and bored or because the stove runs better.  I run the stove at 3-3-1 and 1 and 2.  Each different type of pellets require a different setting.  Each persons different requirements require a different setting.  No two people running this stove will have the same settings.  With that said, I think this is a very versatile stove.  I do believe it is the cheapest stove available and may not have all the options available (like an ash box) to those who paid more.  As krosser says clean and clean some more.  I know through experience that if with my settings and a simpsons vent I could be looking at a creosote buildup and a possible chimney fire.  This stove with factory settings will burn over a bag a day.  From viewing most posts, people are trying to cut the amount of pellets burned.  When you change the factory setting you should know what will happen.  Experiment as much as you want, but, remember if your trying to heat a two story house that is 2000 square feet you should have bought a bigger stove.



My guess is that the control setting were adjusted by accident. And i agree. i am very satified with this stove at the price i paid. It's not fancy, but that is not why i got it. I do spend alot of time keeping it clean. and like i said in one my prior posts, the simpson duravent had very little creosote ash in it. It was this burning season where issues started to come up.


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## superchips (Jan 10, 2012)

houset said:
			
		

> superchips said:
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No, I really was being rude enough to say that because you are so smart to not have to read directions that you are too stupid to run a simple pellet stove without causing problems.
However, I said it in a way that other readers wouldn't take my comment as being rude. That observation was left for you, and only someone as smart as you.
Good luck.


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## houset (Jan 11, 2012)

superchips said:
			
		

> houset said:
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Yep.  Thanks.


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## pelletizer (Jan 11, 2012)

I have one of these 4 years old and have it set at 6/5/1 and clean it daily including removing impingement plate and vacuuming it out.
I remove the combustion blower and clean/scrape and re-installed w/a new gasket every ton burned and clean all pipes as well.
Have had no issues as of yet.


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## stoveguy2esw (Jan 11, 2012)

ok gang, lets be civil, no need to flame anyone over this, twas done is done, better to work on th eissue than argue about it.

to the OP, send me a PM with a daytime phone number and i'll try to get up with you to see if we can figure this out k?

i'll see it from work tomorrow if you get it posted to my inbox and i'll ge in touch. im a bit too punked out(tired) to think about it tonight

talk to you tomorrow hopefully and i'll get your questions answered


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## Dr.Faustus (Jan 11, 2012)

some great suggestions here. i have the same stove. do you use the oak? i vacuum the oak out with my regular cleanings using the garden hose method. then... i go outside. the oak has a screen on it. this screen likes to plug up with dust and whatnot. i hit it with compressed air.

also make sure the holes in your burnpot are clear and not built up with carbon. i use a drill bit the same size as the holes (esp on the sides of the burn pot) and manually twist it through to keep them open. then i run compressed air into those holes while the shop vac is on to catch the flying debris. its not pretty but it beats buying a lot of burn pot gaskets. its amazing what builds up inside the inner channels of the burn pot.

i hope this info helps you enjoy your stove better.


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## TLHinCanada (Jan 11, 2012)

No one should get upset about using this stove.  It invites changes to the parameters.  That's part of the fun of owning it.  Just remember when it stops working clean  it and put the settings back to factory.


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