Hudson River West Point or Any Top Feed Auger Air Leak issue?

[Don2222]

Hello

On the HR West point when I first fired it up, I noticed the fire pulling toward the Top Feed drop chute. I believe it may have been after the convection blower started. Thanks Smokey for alerting me to this!

The back of the fire box around the drop chute is a double wall. However it is NOT very well sealed. So on the inside of the stove where the drop chute goes thru the 1st layer of the double wall there is quite a gap all the way around the drop chute!

Now the room blower is 140 CFM so when kicking it up, It may be pulling some air out of the burn box. I do not see any smoke. The inner fire box wall near to the flame is tight around the opening of the drop chute.

First, I cleaned the edge with a rag and some fantastic.
Then I got a small piece of rope gasket and coated it with Hi Temp Clear Silicon and put it in the gap all the way around the drop chute. Then added more silicon on top.

As you can see in the before fix pic, there is a hole in the flame. Also when on the low # 1 or 2 setting the flame really pulls towards the drop chute opening.

The ash traps on the outside of the unit look fine, so I do not think they are an issue.
However if removed then adding a gasket may still help them being re-seated properly.

Then next time I fire it up, I will see how the flame reacts.
Has anyone else done this? What changes in the flame did it make?

 

[IHATEPROPANE]

Looks good....I had put some hi temp silicone in the same area...maybe not exactly...will look and try to upload a pic later today

 

[Don2222]

Looks good....I had put some hi temp silicone in the same area...maybe not exactly...will look and try to upload a pic later today

Thanks, Like to see pics! Maybe of your stove too?

I pulled the right ash trap and took a pic. It looks like that leak inside the stove is actually going right into the exhaust and then up the flue vent. The is when the exhaust blower is higher than the room blower! Otherwise pellet ash would be pulled into the back of the stove and then blown into the room! ! !

Either way, that cannot be good. See yellow arrows in pic below ! ! ! !

 

[IHATEPROPANE]

So the picture shows that perhaps I have an air leak in the same spot. I never noticed before. I used hi temp silicone where I could see a flicker of the flame. I also used some silicone on my combustion motor where the crimps were a little loose

 

[Don2222]

So the picture shows that perhaps I have an air leak in the same spot. I never noticed before. I used hi temp silicone where I could see a flicker of the flame. I also used some silicone on my combustion motor where the crimps were a little loose

Well that is interesting, I will check there too. It looks like I may have a small leak there too! Did you seal the bottom edge and other side?
You do have the same gap around the drop chute as I do! I will let you know how mine works. I think I may have found another problem where the top of the Auger Cover is inside the hopper! I think that may be a big air leak into the chute. I can also see pieces of pellets wedge in there so that may be why the flame is pulling in towards the chute. See yellow arrow in pic below!

Also if the crimp on the motor case is loose, the best way to handle it is to use a Nail Set and bang the crimps with a hammer. That will tighten them and stay snug so no vibration. It worked well with the convection blower on my US Stove!

 

[IHATEPROPANE]

I sealed a gap there as well. The silicone worked great on the motor.

 

[Don2222]

I sealed a gap there as well. The silicone worked great on the motor.

Hello

I just fired the stove up and I could definately see the flame where you put the red sealant! So when it cools I will seal those two places! Thanks alot!

Glad the Silicon worked on the motor. That is good to know.
Are you going to seal the gap that I sealed too?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Well that is interesting, I will check there too. It looks like I may have a small leak there too! Did you seal the bottom edge and other side?
You do have the same gap around the drop chute as I do! I will let you know how mine works. I think I may have found another problem where the top of the Auger Cover is inside the hopper! I think that may be a big air leak into the chute. I can also see pieces of pellets wedge in there so that may be why the flame is pulling in towards the chute. See yellow arrow in pic below!

Also if the crimp on the motor case is loose, the best way to handle it is to use a Nail Set and bang the crimps with a hammer. That will tighten them and stay snug so no vibration. It worked well with the convection blower on my US Stove!

That is the place where the flight cover meets the u shaped end plate and it should be sealed (a gap there makes the stove burn worse as the pellet level drops (surprise)).

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

So the picture shows that perhaps I have an air leak in the same spot. I never noticed before. I used hi temp silicone where I could see a flicker of the flame. I also used some silicone on my combustion motor where the crimps were a little loose View attachment 70089

You need to seal the boundary where the joint is that the bolts go through.

In addition you should check where the feed chute goes through the firebox wall, it is possible for an incomplete weld to hide out there. Be sure you use more than 500 stuff there, it is possible for a leak there to lead to early convection blower motor death.

 

[IHATEPROPANE]

You need to seal the boundary where the joint is that the bolts go through.

In addition you should check where the feed chute goes through the firebox wall, it is possible for an incomplete weld to hide out there. Be sure you use more than 500 stuff there, it is possible for a leak there to lead to early convection blower motor death.

Thanks Smokey I will give it a look

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Ok, Sealed those 2 spots. Will fire it up later to see how it runs. Thanks again guys! ! !