Burn Pot Pile Up?

[BillM2]

<Update>

OK, after about 24 hours with the air intake closed off about 1/2 and with the OAK reconnected, the rumble happens now very rarely. When it does, it's much more subdued and more brief. As far as the glass goes, there seems to be soot forming, about 20% more. It's also black than the brown stuff. I cleaned the unit out yesterday at 4pm and this morning, I though I could see the flame, a portion (less than half) of the glass was covered. I may adjust the air intake blower a bit and see if that helps.

Clinker formation is about the same, so perhaps the pile up is due to this batch of Hamer's. They certainly burn hot, but leave a good size clinker pile after 12 hours of operation.

It was -5 degrees this morning around 7am. Clear skies overhead and our low, valley location the culprit. My oil buner was engaged last night around midnight for about 45 minutes so not to freeze my baseboard and domestic water pipes. Yesterday's low temps caused my dishwasher's waste line to freeze -- a bit of a headscratcher initially since it was mid-afternoon and plenty warm in the house. But all's good -- for now!

 

[antmorin]

imacman I did pull out the combustion blower before the season started and cleaned it all out and put in a new gasket thanks for your response. Anything else?
Seems like when the pot gets filled up air is being pulled from the auger tube. Anyone replace the gasket on the auger motors? I replaced the hopper gasket and made sure it closes tight also checked for any openings in the hopper none.
Buildingmaint Hammers from Agway and TSC are different than Hammers Hot Ones, same company different product. Unless they do say Hot Ones on the bag.

 

[imacman]

.....My oil buner was engaged last night around midnight for about 45 minutes so not to freeze my baseboard and domestic water pipes......

Bill, you might want to consider a ThermGuard. Lot of forum members have gotten them (including me) to eliminate the frozen pipe problem while using pellet stove to heat house.

www.bearmountaindesign.com

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

imacman I did pull out the combustion blower before the season started and cleaned it all out and put in a new gasket thanks for your response. Anything else?
Seems like when the pot gets filled up air is being pulled from the auger tube. Anyone replace the gasket on the auger motors? I replaced the hopper gasket and made sure it closes tight also checked for any openings in the hopper none.
Buildingmaint Hammers from Agway and TSC are different than Hammers Hot Ones, same company different product. Unless they do say Hot Ones on the bag.

Fine it is wonderful that you pulled and cleaned the combustion prior to the start of the season, now did you also clean out the rest of the venting and stove, how many bags of pellets have you burned since then?

 

[nannyscriv]

The comment on hammers would make sense the hammers I bought during the summer I was fine, but when I started on the ton I bought in December is when I started having large clinker formations. I posted on here and someone suggested opening the draft on my stove and running a wire up the ash traps, I have done both and it helped but I am still getting some build up in the burn pot after about 24 hours. I may pick up some stove chow at lowes and just see if there is a difference. I will let you guys know if it does.

We just got done burning a ton of hammers...they were awful...it was a very long ton to burn...a lot of clinkers cause we just couldnt get enough air going through the burn pot to get them to burn right...always backed up...YES great heat..when they burned...Yes NOT a lot of ash...when they burned right...but it seemed 1 bag good 3 bags crap 2 good 4 crap...we will be going to a different brand ASAP...about to try maine's choice and lignetics ...we shall see! We have a very clean (and was happy LOL!) Avalon Astoria..we love it!

 

[BillM2]

.....My oil buner was engaged last night around midnight for about 45 minutes so not to freeze my baseboard and domestic water pipes......

Bill, you might want to consider a ThermGuard. Lot of forum members have gotten them (including me) to eliminate the frozen pipe problem while using pellet stove to heat house.

www.bearmountaindesign.com

Thanks, I might get one of these. Yesterday morning's headache (-5 degrees -- a big surprise) was my cold water domestic supply line froze in our second floor bathroom. That water line goes up from the unheated basement (I do get heat when the furnace is running) through a chase on a north facing exterior wall. Normally, when the boiler is on, there's a baseboard return in the chase which comes in close contact with both domestic water lines, and the heat keeps those pipes from freezing. I failed to keep a water drip in the cold line, thus the freeze up (the hot was dripping because it's on the list and thankfully hadn't got to it yet). I thought I'd have to tear into the chase to inspect, etc but thanks to a friend's suggestion, bought a $12 water pressure gauge, attached it to the washer supply line, and there was not a pressure drop. Whew! Last night wasn't nearly as cold, but kept a water drip going and set the boiler's t-stat to click on at 64 degrees. No problems. But, the day is young. Tonight's supposed to be the coldest to date a forecast low of - 7 degrees with a light westerly. I'm armed with a oil filled electric space heater for the crawl space, just in case, and some drippy faucets for the other end of this ol' house. Just a note: when renovating a house when it's 90 degrees in the shade, think ahead and use extra insulation in your projects.....

 

[antmorin]

Smokey I have cleaned the vent twice in the last 2 weeks and had it completely apart clean as a whistle from the cap to the combustion motor. Last night I decided to use my shop vac to force air into the intake to try to clean out some of the ashes in the burn pot without turning the stove off. When I did that smoke came pouring out of the top auger, at first I thought I blew it up, but then realized by doing what I just did I found an air leak. I will be ordering the auger gaskets from Englander and will replace as soon as I get it. This is why it looks like air is coming from the auger tube when the pot fills up, it is easier for the air to come in from the tube.
Will let you know what happens after I replaced the gasket.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Nothing quite like an air leak to make a mess of a burn.

 

[antmorin]

I have replaced the gasket but still have the same problem so after looking at it more carefully I see that the smoke is coming through the bearing. I have the auger block bearing on order and should get it on Tues. I assume that these are supposed to be air tight? I see many people here complaining about their pdv pdvc or their equivalents having similar problems, check for air leaks in your hopper or auger gaskets or auger block bearings, especially if it looks like your fire is being fed by air being pulled down the auger tube.

I know what the feed rate setting and blower setting are but what are the "bottom 3 settings" that I've seen people talk about here. How do I adjust them? How do they work?

 

[imacman]

....I know what the feed rate setting and blower setting are but what are the "bottom 3 settings" that I've seen people talk about here. How do I adjust them? How do they work?

You asked this in another thread, and I answered it....see post #32 here:

www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/65830/P22/#794084

 

[antmorin]

I have replaced the auger bearing block and have a much better fire and hardly and clinkers now. I am getting a little more heat out of it but nothing like last year. I have played with the 2 bottom left settings with no change, I have checked and it is set on mode c. I will be giving it a good cleaning tonight to see if I can get some more heat out of it.