Cold corner in fire box

[maple1]

I would be very surprised if you can find wood to buy right now that is seasoned & ready to burn right now.

 

[Woodcutter Tom]

It seem that you and I have pretty much the same stove. Yours has a pedestal base and is approved for mobile homes. Mine is not.
I also experience a 'cold' spot on the right side of the stove. I noticed it this morning, and it is happening right now. The middle and left side will burn and go to coals, while the right side looks under burned. Pics below show the firebox; also how the firebox was loaded for that burn. I let it 'coal' for a while, then since I wanted more heat, I went and broke up the coals. The bigger pieces broke up but not as small as what was burnt more. I added more wood, pretty much filling the firebox. The right side again is burning cooler. I recently cleaned the entire stove. But I did not attempt to clean the passages that carry the primary air. I'll have to look into that .

Mine does not have a blanket with the baffle. I called the mfg when I got the stove since this manual discusses the blanket. I was informed that blanket is no longer used. Make sure your baffle is pushed back to the rear. In the Quick Reference Maintenance Guide (page 16 in my manual) baffle placement is discussed. There was also a separate sheet that discussed baffle placement.

 

[begreen]

That's very helpful Tom. I think some of the confusion is that they didn't update the whole manual so there is at least one vestigial reference to the blanket that should be removed.

It may be the photo, but it appears like the airwash deflector is higher on the left side than on the right. If so, that might be contributing to the uneven burn.

 

[task]

It seem that you and I have pretty much the same stove. Yours has a pedestal base and is approved for mobile homes. Mine is not.
I also experience a 'cold' spot on the right side of the stove. I noticed it this morning, and it is happening right now. The middle and left side will burn and go to coals, while the right side looks under burned. Pics below show the firebox; also how the firebox was loaded for that burn. I let it 'coal' for a while, then since I wanted more heat, I went and broke up the coals. The bigger pieces broke up but not as small as what was burnt more. I added more wood, pretty much filling the firebox. The right side again is burning cooler. I recently cleaned the entire stove. But I did not attempt to clean the passages that carry the primary air. I'll have to look into that .

Mine does not have a blanket with the baffle. I called the mfg when I got the stove since this manual discusses the blanket. I was informed that blanket is no longer used. Make sure your baffle is pushed back to the rear. In the Quick Reference Maintenance Guide (page 16 in my manual) baffle placement is discussed. There was also a separate sheet that discussed baffle placement.

Thanks for the info. Your problem does sound exactly like mine. I do believe mine is doing much better, so much so that it doesn't appear to be cold on the right side at all anymore. I keep waiting for another burn to prove my problem is still present, but it's going well after blowing out the air intake and fixing the baffle.

The bad part is I don't remember how the baffle was sitting when I was having problems. I just reached up and it moved and then I poked my head in and got it seated - but I don't know how it was oriented before I did that. So...I don't know if blowing out the air tubes was the fix or the baffle placement. Since you're still having issues, maybe it was the air intake after all?

What we did was use a compressor with a blow tip and just stuck it in the air intake damper as best we could and pointed it to that little slot opening for the air - you may or may not even be able to see it with flash light - and then blew it out. We could see material coming from the air wash opening. We also blew it from the air wash opening as well, but it did not seem to be as effective as the air intake.

It was messy. But worth it.

 

[begreen]

So...I don't know if blowing out the air tubes

Some ash may have been pulled into the primary air intake, but it is unlikely that was the issue. Blowing out the tubes is even less likely for what fixed it. It sounds like getting the baffle installed correctly is the solution for your case. If smoke and flames can bypass the baffle then most of the heat and unburned smoke goes up the flue. Regardless, it's good to hear that the stove is burning well now.

 

[Woody Stover]

now we're going to have to buy some seasoned firewood while mine seasons for next year or so....

The stove will heat much better with dry wood. Beware, all wood sellers claim their wood is "seasoned" but it is seldom dry enough to burn well in a modern stove. You might get some 100% hardwood compressed bricks and mix 'em with your wetter wood to get you through until you can get your stacks dry. If your stacks have a lot of Oak, it takes longer to dry. I usually keep that separate from the quicker-drying stuff I get. You could also get some soft Maple now, split (not too big) and stack, and it should be fairly dry by fall...especially when "the wind comes sweepin' down the plain."

 

[task]

The stove will heat much better with dry wood. Beware, all wood sellers claim their wood is "seasoned" but it is seldom dry enough to burn well in a modern stove. You might get some 100% hardwood compressed bricks and mix 'em with your wetter wood to get you through until you can get your stacks dry. If your stacks have a lot of Oak, it takes longer to dry. I usually keep that separate from the quicker-drying stuff I get. You could also get some soft Maple now, split (not too big) and stack, and it should be fairly dry by fall...especially when "the wind comes sweepin' down the plain."

All of my hardwood is oak. I have oak trees and cedar trees. That's pretty much all I have. I stacked them separate and I mainly use the cedar in the backyard fire pit, saving the oak for home heating with the stove.

I have been warned many times about buying "seasoned" wood. Not sure what to do about it other than to question them, pay a little more for drier wood and test some of it with the moisture meter.

 

[Grizzerbear]

Not sure what to do about it other than to question them, pay a little more for drier wood and test some of it with the moisture meter.

Really thats all you can do. If you find a supplier with some wood that is considerably drier than other suppliers i would buy enough to get you through next year as well so the wood you are gathering off your place has more time to season.

 

[Ludlow]

Split it smaller to get through.

 

[Woody Stover]

I have been warned many times about buying "seasoned" wood. Not sure what to do about it other than to question them, pay a little more for drier wood and test some of it with the moisture meter.

For sure, ask around about who's got dry wood.
If you've read about dry wood a bit, you know to pick some big splits and get them to room temp for a couple days before re-splitting and testing. They say that cold wood will give false low readings.
Ask various sellers if they have anything other than Oak. Most buyers will demand Oak, so you may even get some quicker-drying stuff at a discount. You could also split the wood you get smaller so it will dry quicker..as long as your setup gives you good control over the air, and your stove doesn't "go to the moon" if you feed it small splits.
If you can stack single-row top-covered in a windy location, rows perpendicular to the prevailing wind, maybe you can get some non-Oak dry pretty fast.

 

[jetsam]

Burn it hot, split big splits up, dry the surface of the next couple loads in front of the stove, inspect and sweep the flue often.

You actually can burn awful wood in modern stoves. It's a lot more work and a waste of wood, but it does get the house warm.

 

[Das Jugghead]

WARNING: A lot of ranting below along with some useful observations

Another member here and I both have the non-mobile home version of the OP's stove and it seems everyone I have communicated with who owns this particular stove has had issues. Here is the thread I started about my experiences with the stove as well as trying to get answers from the manufacturer.

I have nothing nice to say about Pleasant Hearth's lip service "customer service" other than it is far worse than trying to trouble shoot a computer issue over the phone with someone from a foreign country. If you dig around on you tube I am the guy who calls them out for their absolute idiocy and incompetence . . . . many of those comments have been taken down (presumably by Pleasant Hearth) but I periodically repost my comments to front them out. The "insulation blanket" was an issue that took two days of arguing with customer service and multiple emails to sort out - only to discover that the "insulation blanket" was discontinued years ago yet the manual was never corrected or updated. When I asked them why they had not updated or corrected the manual they said they did not need to fix the manual because people could call customer service with questions. No matter that it literally takes hours to get a live person on the phone and when you do get someone on the line they have to go ask someone or check on that and get back to you.

The observation of the secondary tubes being out of level is something I missed when I inspected my stove. I just took a look at mine and although I am unable to measure with any accuracy while to stove is burning, a quick visual check confirms that they are indeed higher on the right side than on the left by approximately a quarter of an inch. Furthermore the holes in the middle tube are not in a straight line; they twist up higher around the circumference of the tube from left to right. I worked as a tool & die maker at the beginning of my career many moons ago and finished out my career in a machine shop. I can tell you unequivocally that this is lack of quality control pure and simple. With the technology that is standard in any production shop these days this is indicative of laziness and a vacuous absence of any degree of pride in workmanship. It is inexcusable. You can literally take someone off the street who has never run a machine and train them to do this correctly in the course of one day. You can train someone to inspect their production work in 30 seconds.

Bottom line is that this manufacturer produces absolute trash and they have no interest in improving or correcting their work - nor do they have any interest in providing meaningful customer service after the sale. Absent an earth-shaking change of course as it regards quality control and customer service I would dissuade anyone, IN THE STRONGEST OF TERMS, from purchasing a stove from Pleasant Hearth. Having said that we must acknowledge that this is a cheap stove costing far less than the average quality wood stove. I burn seasoned hardwood and I have a relatively tall insulated stainless steel chimney liner. These two factors seem to compensate for most of the stove's deficiencies. The stove and liner have already more than paid for themselves here in two seasons' of heating and I will probably keep the stove until my son finishes high school. At that time we will make the tough decision of whether to stay in this house and community or to downsize and move somewhere else. If we stay here I will replace the stove with something far better as well as redesign the hearth - if we move I will build the house around the hearth and have an excellent stove. A better stove will be more expensive but honestly I see the cost offset through improved efficiency and quality.

My two coppers for whatever they are or are not worth.

 

[task]

Very interesting. I also did not think to check the level of the secondary tubes. And we're sure that they are supposed to be level?

I'll check on that and the holes in the tubes when I get home, very curious if mine is the same.

We have basically decided to get another stove for next year. May look for deals on pre-2020 stoves here in the spring before May. But we have a better idea of what we want, anyway, including a fire box that doesn't require me to chop 16" logs in half to run them North-South.

Our stove is running better though. Filled it up this morning, saw the thermometer get up to 600 degrees, almost scary.

 

[Woodcutter Tom]

It may be the photo, but it appears like the airwash deflector is higher on the left side than on the right. If so, that might be contributing to the uneven burn.
View attachment 254604

Begreen,

Although it appears that the airwash deflector is higher on the left side than on the right, it is actually the secondary air tubes that are higher on the right side than the left.

Looks like Jugghead has the same issue,

Task, Is yours this way also???

 

[Ludlow]

Begreen,

Although it appears that the airwash deflector is higher on the left side than on the right, it is actually the secondary air tubes that are higher on the right side than the left.

Looks like Jugghead has the same issue,

Task, Is yours this way also???

Is it possible that was done on purpose for some reason? How does a person mess up the same way every time?

 

[Das Jugghead]

Is it possible that was done on purpose for some reason? How does a person mess up the same way every time?

It is possible someone did this on purpose but unlikely in my experience. Someone disgruntled and aiming to take it out on the company usually shoots their mouth off about it enough to the point that they get taken out of the process. Either way the ultimate buck stops with whoever was responsible for QC. Fixtures and jigs should be inspected every shift, random batch inspection of parts runs as well as (and especially) work contracted out to subcontractors . . . it just bespeaks a company not really prepared or willing to do their best.

Here's a thought: if this is an EPA certified stove then this could be a serious issue for the company. I have noticed flame in the upper right edge of my firebox behaves differently than the rest of the firebox. After reading this thread I now wonder if this is because the baffle board is higher there and does not make as good (or any) seal as the back and left edges of the baffle board. If so, then the burning characteristics and emissions of the stove would be effected and thereby not what the EPA tested ad certified. The stove is being marketed and sold as an EPA certified stove but IF there is a manufacturing defect such that it changes the fundamental operation of the stove then Pleasant Hearth would be selling a stove that actually is not EPA certified.

As a test I am letting my stove burn out today so I can inspect more closely and install some rock wool along the left, back, and right edges of the baffle board as a test. I will observe how the flames react/change as well as note any other differences in burn behavior and burn time.

 

[Woody Stover]

My two coppers for whatever they are or are not worth.

Even if you have a top-line stove, it still helps to be mechanically inclined. There are problems that come up with any stove, and in the event that your dealer isn't too good, you are on your own.

 

[begreen]

There are problems that come up with any stove, and in the event that your dealer isn't too good, you are on your own.

That's why we're here. A good dealer is a real asset, but sometimes the customer is caught in between the company saying that one must go through the dealer and the dealer being of little help.

 

[Woody Stover]

That's why we're here. A good dealer is a real asset, but sometimes the customer is caught in between the company saying that one must go through the dealer and the dealer being of little help.

Yep, if I hadn't stumbled onto this place I might still be trying to burn Red Oak that was split and stacked six months.
And thanks again for your tireless work in helping all wood-burners toward a better experience. We can't thank you enough!
That said, there are some companies that will respond to problems, Woodstock and Buck being the ones that I have first-hand experience with. BK and Kuma will apparently address problems directly as well.

 

[task]

Begreen,

Although it appears that the airwash deflector is higher on the left side than on the right, it is actually the secondary air tubes that are higher on the right side than the left.

Looks like Jugghead has the same issue,

Task, Is yours this way also???

When I get home this evening I'm going to check that out, including the consistency of the air holes in the tubes.

 

[begreen]

When I get home this evening I'm going to check that out, including the consistency of the air holes in the tubes.

Something is out of square, but it is hard to tell which piece from the picture.

 

[Woodcutter Tom]

Task and Toby,

Look at the frame that holds the end of the tubes. I did not see that the holes were drilled in different locations, rather the frame is higher on the right side. I am curious about your findings.
I'll let mine burn out so we can compare findings.

 

[Das Jugghead]

Task and Toby,

Look at the frame that holds the end of the tubes. I did not see that the holes were drilled in different locations, rather the frame is higher on the right side. I am curious about your findings.
I'll let mine burn out so we can compare findings.

Hey Tom,

I let my stove burn out and did some looking inside there. The holes for the secondary tubes are cut in the correct location in reference to the assembly and do not affect the position of the baffle board. It appears that the assembly on the right is welded in about a quarter of an inch higher than the assembly on the left.

I attempted to install some rock wool along the edges of the baffle board but that approach did not work. I might be able to fit some flat gasket tape in there but that would be a project for another day. With temperatures in the low 20's here tonight I needed to get back up and running fairly quick. Even so I am not sure if having the edges sealed would make much of an improvement in performance.

 

[task]

Ok, so I checked mine and they, too, are not level. Lower on the left side, higher on the right. Also, about a quarter inch. The holes in the tubes do look straight, though.

So...I'm assuming that secondary tubes are to be level? And if they're not, what difference does that quarter inch make?

Seems like they made a jig in the shop to line up tubes, figured it was close enough and haven't looked back, ha ha.

 

[Woodcutter Tom]

I filled out a Customer Support form on their website. I asked about three things.
1. Replacement gaskets for the door and glass. I had previously seen these parts available on the site for purchase. Now they are not there.
2. I have an inward dent on the right side of the door opening on my stove. Concerned about air leaking in there.
3. The tubes being higher on the right ride. I explained the frame situation. The frame being the square tubes that the secondary air flows thru to get to the tubes.

We will see what happens.