Englander pdv-25 steel wool mod.

[Hot Foot]

I highly doubt you will ever see an after market pot. Those large holes were needed in order to satisfy the new emission regulations. If anything i think you are going to see these stoves discontinued before they risk failing testing. Just my opinion after reading thru the numerous hours of posts in the past.

Considering the number of owners who complain about overflowing unburned pellets, I would think that there would be a high demand for an aftermarket burnpot. It's really too bad that owners need to modify the original so much to improve efficiency. Otherwise, the stove really cranks out the heat.

 

[Cedarjunki]

Considering the number of owners who complain about an overflowing burnpot, I would think that there would be a high demand for an aftermarket burnpot. It's really too bad that owners need to modify the original so much to improve efficiency. Otherwise, the stove really cranks out the heat.

Get yourself a pdv made before 2001 and adapt your vacuum switches over to it. You will have what you are looking for

 

[Hot Foot]

I highly doubt you will ever see an after market pot. Those large holes were needed in order to satisfy the new emission regulations. If anything i think you are going to see these stoves discontinued before they risk failing testing. Just my opinion after reading thru the numerous hours of posts in the past.

Considering the number of owners who complain about an overflowing burnpot, I would think that there would be a high demand for an aftermarket burnpot. It's really too bad that owners need to modify the original so much to improve efficiency. Otherwise the stove cranks out the heat.

Get yourself a pdv made before 2001 and adapt your vacuum switches over to it. You will have what you are looking for

That's an interesting idea.

 

[Cedarjunki]

Considering the number of owners who complain about an overflowing burnpot, I would think that there would be a high demand for an aftermarket burnpot. It's really too bad that owners need to modify the original so much to improve efficiency. Otherwise the stove cranks out the heat.

That's an interesting idea.

As long as the board has been replaced already.. (very likely) then the board is capable of the switches and an ignitor

 

[jintoreedwine]

You may want to make some metal clips to prevent the plugs from falling out. I tried using RTV copper on them but they still fall out. The metal clips prevent that.

Hmmm, are you talking about just bending over a piece of steel or aluminum into a U shape, or something else? I haven't had mine fall out thus far, but I haven't had them installed that long either . I don't know if it is compatible with steel, but I have some high temperature furnace cement around the house as well that I sometimes need when I inspect the vent stack on my oil fire boiler -- that might also work to hold the plugs in -- it is good for some rather high temps.

 

[Dr.Faustus]

Considering the number of owners who complain about overflowing unburned pellets, I would think that there would be a high demand for an aftermarket burnpot. It's really too bad that owners need to modify the original so much to improve efficiency. Otherwise, the stove really cranks out the heat.

These days everything can be made better! from a burn pot modification to the fact that whenever you buy a new shower head or faucet you need to drill out the flow restrictor to get any water out of the dang thing. Its the epa... anyone use a gas can to fill your lawn equipment? the old ones worked fine, never spilled a drop. try using the new ones. more gas winds up in my driveway than in the equipment.

 

[Hot Foot]

Hmmm, are you talking about just bending over a piece of steel or aluminum into a U shape, or something else? I haven't had mine fall out thus far, but I haven't had them installed that long either . I don't know if it is compatible with steel, but I have some high temperature furnace cement around the house as well that I sometimes need when I inspect the vent stack on my oil fire boiler -- that might also work to hold the plugs in -- it is good for some rather high temps.

I cut two strips of steel to length and bent them over each side of the burnpot. Having done that, the Hillman plugs won't fall out. The shape is like an upside down U, only squared off. Г|

 

[Pete Zahria]

anyone use a gas can to fill your lawn equipment?

Don't get me started on those.....

 

[JohnRXL]

So I went ahead after reading this thread and plugged the two holes below the burn plate on my 25PDV and it has worked out really well. I did make a couple of adjustments thou. I ended up keeping one side completely plugged and drilling a 1/4" hole in the other steel plug. That way the stove could still get air above the burn plate when it started to really fill up after many hours of burning.
One thing I have been thinking about was to install a small computer fan on the intake tube at the back of the stove to increase air flow to the burn area. Does any one see a problem with doing that? Just an idea.

 

[Cedarjunki]

One thing I have been thinking about was to install a small computer fan on the intake tube at the back of the stove to increase air flow to the burn area. Does any one see a problem with doing that? Just an idea.

Bad idea. Focus on how to get what air you have thru the pellets instead. Some stoves are designed that way. These arent. If you can find the correct place ment of holes, along with the correct number of holes along with good pellets the stove will be more managable. Even some the best of stoves out there cant handle some of the chitty pellets. I found 3 brands of pellets out of about 25 or so that my pdv liked. Some were soso others i couldnt run unnatended for more than a few hours.

 

[Dr.Faustus]

So I went ahead after reading this thread and plugged the two holes below the burn plate on my 25PDV and it has worked out really well. I did make a couple of adjustments thou. I ended up keeping one side completely plugged and drilling a 1/4" hole in the other steel plug. That way the stove could still get air above the burn plate when it started to really fill up after many hours of burning.
One thing I have been thinking about was to install a small computer fan on the intake tube at the back of the stove to increase air flow to the burn area. Does any one see a problem with doing that? Just an idea.

Computer fan would not make a difference - the combustion blower is way stronger than the computer fan. Even if it did, all you are doing is making the stove less efficient by sending more air out of the vent before the exchanger has time to pull out the heat. Best thing to do, like what cedar said tweak the setup so it burns better with the air you've already got.

 

[jjones139]

I plugged the lower 2 holes under my burn plate on both my PDV & PDVC well over a week ago and it's night / day change for the better. Glass stays clean and the increase in heat output in unreal. Great mod.... Thanks for the tip!

 

[Dr.Faustus]

I plugged the lower 2 holes under my burn plate on both my PDV & PDVC well over a week ago and it's night / day change for the better. Glass stays clean and the increase in heat output in unreal. Great mod.... Thanks for the tip!

I have used so many less pellets than i have last year. Partly due to this but cant overlook the fact that its been warmer.
We have had a few very cold nights below 0. In the past this would have meant keeping the stove on 8 for the night and hoping it kept up. With the holed plugged, the stove kept the temps up easily on 5.

 

[Hot Foot]

I have used so many less pellets than i have last year. Partly due to this but cant overlook the fact that its been warmer.
We have had a few very cold nights below 0. In the past this would have meant keeping the stove on 8 for the night and hoping it kept up. With the holed plugged, the stove kept the temps up easily on 5.

I've had the same experience. I ended up plugging the top and bottom large burnpot holes for my PDV-25. It was 19 degrees last night. I was able to reach 400 degrees on a heat setting of four. I've never seen the stove with such fine ash left over. It's like the burn efficiency increased 40%. No more unburned pellets or lumpy, crusty ash.

 

[Chrisnow86]

I also agree.. I run my stove so much slower now.. The heat just pours out of it

 

[jim3854]

how about a pic of the holes ?

 

[Chrisnow86]

I just permanently put the caps in.. Put some red rtv sealant on the caps and put them in.. Now they are definitely air tight

 

[Dr.Faustus]

I just permanently put the caps in.. Put some red rtv sealant on the caps and put them in.. Now they are definitely air tight

I sealed them too. I forgot what i used. It was some black goop I had a tube of in my box o' pellet parts. seems to be working well. been there a few weeks now, the plugs havent come off. I dont think its very hot under the burn plate. constant flow of cold air via the oak. fire heat goes up.

 

[Chrisnow86]

I sealed them too. I forgot what i used. It was some black goop I had a tube of in my box o' pellet parts. seems to be working well. been there a few weeks now, the plugs havent come off. I dont think its very hot under the burn plate. constant flow of cold air via the oak. fire heat goes up.

Ya I figured since the chrome on the plugs didn't get hot a crack off.. Red rtv is good for 600 degrees so it will hold no problem

 

[twpman]

All I used was round magnets, works fantastic

 

[Hot Foot]

All I used was round magnets, works fantastic

That sound's like a great idea!

 

[jjones139]

All I used was round magnets, works fantastic

Dam good idea! I covered the lower holes under the burn plate of my PDV & PDVC with round magnets and it works GREAT!

 

[jjones139]

Ever since i plugged the lower holes on my PDVC it's cranking heat like no other. Has anyone else noticed this? Although I have noticed increased heat output on my PDV, it's not as hot as the PDVC. I'm burning 1-2 with lower settings 6-4-1.

 

[Jigger]

I have a 25 PDVC and I have tried this mod. It certainly did make a difference in the way my stove is burning the pellets. The pellets I'm burning right now are from Tractor Supply and are hard wood. The pellets are making a complete burn. I have not had to scrape the ash out of the burn pot in the past 24 hours as the ash is being blown out of the burn pot. My pellet consumption has dropped considerable in the last 24 hours. Presently I,m running my lower numbers at 1-5-1 and my uppers at 1-7. My stove is kicking heat out like it never has.

 

[Pete Zahria]

Hang on to that stove...