Breckwell Big E problem

[tmielke]

I am having a bit of a problem with my Big E stove that I haven't been able to figure out here using the search and it really isn't addressed in the troubleshooting part of the manual.

The stove is 2 1/2 months old. I have gone through a little less than 2 tons of pellets. It is cleaned at least weekly including the chamber behind the burn pot. I have not cleaned any blower blades yet. It is vented with 4" pipe with 17 feet of rise.

The problem occurs when running the stove on 4. After a couple of hours or so, the flame gets very lazy like it isn't getting any air. Moving the dampner doesn't make a difference. Normally the dampner is at least half way out. It looks the same as it does when you open the door to scrape the burn pot except taller. Pellets continue to feed. This happens in about 45 minutes on 5. I don't run the stove for extended period on 5. I would like to run it on 4 as 3 just doesn't cut it when the temps outside drop below about 22 degrees. I am running the stove on manual. Also the control panel locks up when this happens and will not respond when trying to adjust the feed rate or turn the stove off. I thought it may be a malfunction of the switch that turns the stove off after you leave the door open to long but the stove will still shut down if the door is left open to long.

Currently my solution is to leave the front door open until the stove starts to shut down on its own. I let it cool about half way down, unplug the stove and plug it back in and restart. Everything works fine again. My only idea is to clean the fans but everything seems to work ok after restarting.

Any ideas?

 

[kinsmanstoves]

I am having a bit of a problem with my Big E stove that I haven't been able to figure out here using the search and it really isn't addressed in the troubleshooting part of the manual.

The stove is 2 1/2 months old. I have gone through a little less than 2 tons of pellets. It is cleaned at least weekly including the chamber behind the burn pot. I have not cleaned any blower blades yet. It is vented with 4" pipe with 17 feet of rise.

The problem occurs when running the stove on 4. After a couple of hours or so, the flame gets very lazy like it isn't getting any air. Moving the dampner doesn't make a difference. Normally the dampner is at least half way out. It looks the same as it does when you open the door to scrape the burn pot except taller. Pellets continue to feed. This happens in about 45 minutes on 5. I don't run the stove for extended period on 5. I would like to run it on 4 as 3 just doesn't cut it when the temps outside drop below about 22 degrees. I am running the stove on manual. Also the control panel locks up when this happens and will not respond when trying to adjust the feed rate or turn the stove off. I thought it may be a malfunction of the switch that turns the stove off after you leave the door open to long but the stove will still shut down if the door is left open to long.

Currently my solution is to leave the front door open until the stove starts to shut down on its own. I let it cool about half way down, unplug the stove and plug it back in and restart. Everything works fine again. My only idea is to clean the fans but everything seems to work ok after restarting.

Any ideas?

WOW, you are working the stove that is for sure.

I would check the exhaust but with a 4" you should be good if it is a 17' vertical run. "It is vented with 4" pipe with 17 feet of rise." Tell me what you mean by this. If it is horizontal, "Houston we have a problem".
Where is this stove in your house? What type of house is it? Do you have an outside air kit?
You might try removing the rear panel (3 screws that you loosen to remove it) might need to cool a little more since you are running it like you are. You can also try the right side panel (3 screws on the back of the stove to remove it). Leave the left panel alone.

Please get back with me.

Eric

 

[tmielke]

WOW, you are working the stove that is for sure.

I would check the exhaust but with a 4" you should be good if it is a 17' vertical run. "It is vented with 4" pipe with 17 feet of rise." Tell me what you mean by this. If it is horizontal, "Houston we have a problem".
Where is this stove in your house? What type of house is it? Do you have an outside air kit?
You might try removing the rear panel (3 screws that you loosen to remove it) might need to cool a little more since you are running it like you are. You can also try the right side panel (3 screws on the back of the stove to remove it). Leave the left panel alone.

Please get back with me.

Eric

The vent t's out the back of the stove goes up 8 ft turns horizontal for 2 feet then goes up 9 ft

The back panel is off

1640 sq ft remodeled farm house

stove is in a room about 20 x 25 with a very high ceilin with ceiling fans

no oak

I hope this helps. My answer is a bit abbreviated as I am replying from my phone.

thanks for your help.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

WOW, you are working the stove that is for sure.

I would check the exhaust but with a 4" you should be good if it is a 17' vertical run. "It is vented with 4" pipe with 17 feet of rise." Tell me what you mean by this. If it is horizontal, "Houston we have a problem".
Where is this stove in your house? What type of house is it? Do you have an outside air kit?
You might try removing the rear panel (3 screws that you loosen to remove it) might need to cool a little more since you are running it like you are. You can also try the right side panel (3 screws on the back of the stove to remove it). Leave the left panel alone.

Please get back with me.

Eric

The vent t's out the back of the stove goes up 8 ft turns horizontal for 2 feet then goes up 9 ft

The back panel is off

1640 sq ft remodeled farm house

stove is in a room about 20 x 25 with a very high ceilin with ceiling fans

no oak

I hope this helps. My answer is a bit abbreviated as I am replying from my phone.

thanks for your help.

Here is the EVL on the venting
tee 5
8' vertical 4
90 elbow 5
2' horiz 2
90 elbow 5
9' vertical 4.5
total well over anything to consider 3" but 25.5 is a lot even for a 4".
Have you cleaned the venting recently? Not just the tee cap but ran a brush the entire venting.

Eric

 

[tmielke]

Here is the EVL on the venting
tee 5
8' vertical 4
90 elbow 5
2' horiz 2
90 elbow 5
9' vertical 4.5
total well over anything to consider 3" but 25.5 is a lot even for a 4".
Have you cleaned the venting recently? Not just the tee cap but ran a brush the entire venting.

Eric

25.5 is what I figured as well when I purchased the vent. The price for all that in 4" surprised me to say the least.

I have done nothing with the vent yet. I was hoping that I would be good til spring. Maybe not?

The stove has been running for 7 hours now on 4 with no problems. I will be shutting the stove down for a cleaning this evening, will will clean out the tee as well. Do you sell a brush that I can run to the top? Does it matter if this is done from the top or bottom? I am sure I can rig something up to prevent a big mess if I run it from the bottom.

Thanks
Tom

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Here is the EVL on the venting
tee 5
8' vertical 4
90 elbow 5
2' horiz 2
90 elbow 5
9' vertical 4.5
total well over anything to consider 3" but 25.5 is a lot even for a 4".
Have you cleaned the venting recently? Not just the tee cap but ran a brush the entire venting.

Eric

25.5 is what I figured as well when I purchased the vent. The price for all that in 4" surprised me to say the least.

I have done nothing with the vent yet. I was hoping that I would be good til spring. Maybe not?

The stove has been running for 7 hours now on 4 with no problems. I will be shutting the stove down for a cleaning this evening, will will clean out the tee as well. Do you sell a brush that I can run to the top? Does it matter if this is done from the top or bottom? I am sure I can rig something up to prevent a big mess if I run it from the bottom.

Thanks
Tom

Usually you use a brush and a rod but with your length I would use a small rope and the brush. It will have a hard time going around the elbows so you might have to take it apart. I would bet that is your problem and will continue to be the problem until you shorten the length.



Eric

 

[tmielke]

Usually you use a brush and a rod but with your length I would use a small rope and the brush. It will have a hard time going around the elbows so you might have to take it apart. I would bet that is your problem and will continue to be the problem until you shorten the length.

Eric

To decrease the vent length would require me to move the stove and patch a wall and the roof. I have already been thinking of a second stove for the living room. Moving the existing stove would make a lot of sense if I did this. In any case, it is a project for next summer.

The stove has been running since 10:30 this morning on 4 with no problems, just the back removed. I removed the cap on the cleanout tee and there was about a tablespoon of ash in the tee. The house is holding about 53 degrees above outside temp. right now. At 15 degrees outside with an 8 mph breeze, I am happy with this. Much more breeze or a drop in temp. will require some propane assistance.

Eric, I appreciate the info you share on this forum. If I start looking for a second stove, I will contact you.

Thanks
Tom