embers?

[unbidden]

As mentioned, I'd check the draft but first thing I'd try is a bag of different brand pellets.

 

[Deezl Smoke]

I think some folks mistakenly use the control panel to up the exhaust voltage instead of the trouble to take off the side panel and adjust the gate. This will make the fan run high speed with a half closed gate in attempts to adjust the flame character. High velocity air flow will carry embers a long way.

When running, you should only see sparks, not chunks of pellets flying out of the burn pot. When hitting the shut down button is the only time chunks of pellets should be jumping out of the burn pot. Even then, they should hit the ash pan and burn up long before they get out of the ash pan and into the exhaust piping.

I know it was said that the side flaps are down, but is the ash pan set off to one side a bit, allowing a larger gap between the left side flap and the ash pan panel?

If no one has made any adjustments to the air gate, I would suggest closely monitoring the flame characteristics and see if you can reduce the velocity some and gain volume by opening the air gate and lowering the exhaust voltage.
IMO.

 

[alternativeheat]

I think Deezl has the answer, I was thinking along the same lines only because I knew the stove has that mechanical gate in it, not because I know how to operate it, since I don't own one. But at any rate, you now have about three or four people agreeing that the draft is probably too strong, how ever that took place.

 

[Bioburner]

I would start with a proper venting cleaning. A partially restricted system can increase the velocity and blow some sparks out.
Some pellets just produce more sparks and fines can ignite after a drop and blow out too. A dirty stove can harbor carbon that will light and flake off and out the venting.
Good luck

 

[Marina1327]

Okay, here is what we did this morning. I got rid of anything resembling a combustible material near the termination cap, went to lowes and bought stones and put them down. Then I adjusted the air flow gate which is now half closed...it was almost totally open. It's running on setting three and no embers so far. I am going to try turning it up to the highest setting and see what happens. I know I can play with the voltage settings as well...

 

[Bioburner]

Sounds like you have gotten your ducks in a row. Your improvements should make the FM happier. Would me if I still was.

 

[alternativeheat]

Okay, here is what we did this morning. I got rid of anything resembling a combustible material near the termination cap, went to lowes and bought stones and put them down. Then I adjusted the air flow gate which is now half closed...it was almost totally open. It's running on setting three and no embers so far. I am going to try turning it up to the highest setting and see what happens. I know I can play with the voltage settings as well...

Marina, you probably need to clean the whole vent. To clean the venting you can run a brush through ( Lowes or HD will have that too most likely). Do you have a T inside with a cap on it ? if so you remove the cap and inner cap and run the brush up through. There will be ash and dust, I let it fall into an empty pellet bag and have the ash vac ready to turn on to get the airborne stuff. Done deal, close it back up.

I'm pretty sure you're on the right track with that air gate. You might even pick up a little more heat from the stove once that is set right..

 

[Marina1327]

Marina,you probably need to clean the whole vent. To clean the venting you can run a brush through ( Lowes or HD will have that too most likely). Do you have a T inside with a cap on it ? if so you remove the cap and inner cap and run the brush up through. There will be ash and dust, I let it fall into an empty pellet bag and have the ash vac ready to turn on to get the airborne stuff. Done deal, close it back up.

Maybe...I am looking at the stove pipe....I should take a picture....

 

[Lake Girl]

Recommended cleaning of stove internal exhaust pathways and exhaust venting is usually after every ton burned. Mine uses hours but often works out to roughly the same...

Edit: What's wrong with people?? Couldn't the neighbour have just talked to you if they were concerned about sparks?? I guess it did result in some good though ... you learned how to regulate your stove better and will likely clean your venting & the fire marshal will educate himself/herself on pellet stoves

 

[rich2500]

Marina here is a photo of vaccuming the exhaust chamber if you have never done that it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to do so.that leads right to the exhaust fan.I do mine once a week.

 

[Marina1327]

Marina here is a photo of vaccuming the exhaust chamber if you have never done that it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to do so.that leads right to the exhaust fan.I do mine once a week.
View attachment 171385

No I have never done that....I will try next shut down. I am pretty fanatical about cleaning it. I vaccuum the stove every 2 or 3 days. I just have to figure out how to clean the stove pipe...

 

[Lake Girl]

... and the stove internals. Your manual is your best friend!

 

[doghouse]

blows a column of embers 40' high like an ALCO,

I get the reference!

 

[Dr.Faustus]

Keep yer bush trimmed and get a spark bucket ...........................................

I was waiting for this HAHA

 

[alternativeheat]

I just have to figure out how to clean the stove pipe...

Do you not have a T before the vertical rise of your vent pipe at the back of the stove ? If so, open it up and run a vent brush up there, have your ash vac handy to suck the dust from the air. It does a great job. If you don't have a T you might want to think about that and add one in. 3" vent with relatively ashy pellets needs to be done about every ton, a bit less with really clean pellets. 4" vent can go longer, I do mine at about 2 tons ( 23ft vertical rise with 4" liner ).

How is your stove running with that damper/gate closed down a bit ?

 

[Marina1327]

Do you not have a T before the vertical rise of your vent pipe at the back of the stove ? If so, open it up and run a vent brush up there, have your ash vac handy to suck the dust from the air. It does a great job. If you don't have a T you might want to think about that and add one in. 3" vent with relatively ashy pellets needs to be done about every ton, a bit less with really clean pellets. 4" vent can go longer, I do mine at about 2 tons ( 23ft vertical rise with 4" liner ).

How is your stove running with that damper/gate closed down a bit ?

I think I do...I am going to look at it tomorrow...unfortunately...having to be at work so early gets in the way of everything. It looks like it's sealed from what I can see which is why I didn't want to pull anything off the stove yet until I can get down on the floor and really get up close and personal..

 

[Marina1327]

I think I do...I am going to look at it tomorrow...unfortunately...having to be at work so early gets in the way of everything. It looks like it's sealed from what I can see which is why I didn't want to pull anything off the stove yet until I can get down on the floor and really get up close and personal..

It seems to be running okay....I watched outside and no embers.....so maybe closing the gate slightly helped.

 

[alternativeheat]

It seems to be running okay....I watched outside and no embers.....so maybe closing the gate slightly helped.

It should have.

 

[Deezl Smoke]

It seems to be running okay....I watched outside and no embers.....so maybe closing the gate slightly helped.

Can I ask what your exhaust voltage is set at? My setup and only running on low, I have one set at 80 and the other when the wind blows, I go up to 85.

 

[Marina1327]

Can I ask what your exhaust voltage is set at? My setup and only running on low, I have one set at 80 and the other when the wind blows, I go up to 85.

I would be lying if I said I knew what it was set at. I honestly have not changed it since I installed it. I wasn't having any issues with embers until the stove started running at lvl 4 and 5 when it dropped in temperature. Previously to this week I was basically running the stove at the lowest settings and not having issues with excess draft pushing unburned pellets out. I think it will take some tinkering now with it when I want to run the stove at higher settings.

 

[rich2500]

Marina try closing the airgate 3/4 of the way and see how it burns if the flame is lazy open the gate another 1/4 of an inch, do this until you have a blow torch flame,the further you can keep the airgate closed and achieve the blow torch flame the less heat your gonna blow out the exhaust,once you find that setting for the airgate you should not have to touch it unless you switch Pellet brands. And even then I don't have to touch mine.

 

[alternativeheat]

Marina try closing the airgate 3/4 of the way and see how it burns if the flame is lazy open the gate another 1/4 of an inch, do this until you have a blow torch flame,the further you can keep the airgate closed and achieve the blow torch flame the less heat your gonna blow out the exhaust,once you find that setting for the airgate you should not have to touch it unless you switch Pellet brands. And even then I don't have to touch mine.

Yah, I don't know this stove very well but I do know that most people who have stoves with mechanical dampers or Gates as it seems to be called with this one, tend run with it not over 1/3 open generally speaking. So if she left it where she had it yesterday it sounds like she could close it down a bit more ( she said she closed it from almost wide open to just under half open as I recall).

Good info Rich ! Sometimes I wish I had one of these stoves where you get to play with air gates and such, the Harman's aren't much fun in that regard.

 

[Deezl Smoke]

I would be lying if I said I knew what it was set at. I honestly have not changed it since I installed it. I wasn't having any issues with embers until the stove started running at lvl 4 and 5 when it dropped in temperature. Previously to this week I was basically running the stove at the lowest settings and not having issues with excess draft pushing unburned pellets out. I think it will take some tinkering now with it when I want to run the stove at higher settings.

Well, I cant say it will not take some tinkering, but it should not. Your control panel is programmable and if you get the programs set up right for each heat setting, you should not have to do anything but touch the button to go up and down in heat settings.

At your control panel, on the right there is a cross with four buttons. If you hit the left button and hold it down for about 3 seconds, you will hear it beep and the screen will change to what you stove settings are. There will be a blinking cursor at the top setting. Hit the arrow down button and the cursor will go the next setting. Once you see exhaust voltage which should be #5, touch the left button again. This will show what your voltages are for each heat setting. Record them and if you would, post them here. Then hit the right button to exit each screen without making any changes.

You can make changes once you are comfortable with how the control panel works.

 

[rich2500]

Yah, I don't know this stove very well but I do know that most people who have stoves with mechanical dampers or Gates as it seems to be called with this one, tend run with it not over 1/3 open generally speaking. So if she left it where she had it yesterday it sounds like she could close it down a bit more ( she said she closed it from almost wide open to just under half open as I recall).

Good info Rich ! Sometimes I wish I had one of these stoves where you get to play with air gates and such, the Harman's aren't much fun in that regard.

Mine is no fun either anymore lol. I tinkered to fine tune it when I first got it and haven't touched any settings since then, that was 3 years ago and many different Pellet brands.

 

[Marina1327]

Yah, I don't know this stove very well but I do know that most people who have stoves with mechanical dampers or Gates as it seems to be called with this one, tend run with it not over 1/3 open generally speaking. So if she left it where she had it yesterday it sounds like she could close it down a bit more ( she said she closed it from almost wide open to just under half open as I recall).

Good info Rich ! Sometimes I wish I had one of these stoves where you get to play with air gates and such, the Harman's aren't much fun in that regard.

Okay there is the beginning of my venting that comes out of the exhaust pipe of the stove....I don't think it comes apart or if it does...you have to seal it back up.