Napoleon NPS45, cake forming in burn pot

[geek]

@Don2222 where did you get that 1.75 amp Gleason Avery exhaust blower and Large 11 Petal impellers?
What kind of cost are we talking about?
And do you know for sure this different hardware has been tried on the Napoleon NPS45 free standing?

I replaced the exhaust motor gasket and cleaned my Napoleon but still same issue...
I did the dollar bill test around the front door.
I called Napoleon and will be talking to them again tomorrow but there's gotta be something wrong going on.
I know this unit is not one of the "Cadillac" units you guys have but also I know it worked just fine a couple years ago or when it was new....so something is wrong.

I even tried some North Country softies the other day and had same cake formation issue after running it overnight.

Any help would be appreciated...

 

[geek]

After many un-returned calls Napoleon tech support told me the issue is the pellets in my "area" which have too much moisture content thus creating the issue....what?

I tried so many different brands and it seems like they have no clue....even asked me how I store my pellets...

Big sigh......

 

[Boondoggie]

Two years ago, I loved FSU's in my my Napoleon.

Last years behaved as you describe.

Ordered 3 tons this year, and they're back to being awesome. Is there a date-code on the single bag you bought? I wonder if they had a leftover partial pallet at the store that they set out for per-bag sales.

 

[geek]

These are this year's production, at least they got them at Home Depot recently.
No date that I can see....and honestly, this pellet has very low fines in the bag and not much ash that I can tell...

.

 

[geek]

My retailer spoke to Napoleon and someone said to him that another customer was having this issue as well and basically recommended this to fix the issue:

-caulk the seams where the pedestal meets the unit. They saw a couple units having a bit of an opening in that area.
-check also calk after removing the ash pan where pedestal meets the surrounding of the unit.

 

[geek]

caulking the seams in the ash pan area (ash tray removed) seems to have improved the air flow,not sure how much % but it definitely seems like it improved.
I will see how better it gets after replacing the glass door gasket later this week.

 

[geek]

My saga continues, still waiting for door gasket replacement as the last resource.
You wouldn't believe how bad this unit is working, just after a few hours of burning the burn pot is full of 'stuff'

 

[dawg1419]

Geek hope you get it fixed. Keep us posted please.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I think I'd be enlarging those tiny burn pot holes a bit. Look mighty small to me.............

 

[geek]

My seller advised me not to make any modifications as he insists there's an air flow problem somewhere and that he's sold so many of this model that he knows the stove runs fine.

If after replacing the gasket the issue doesn't go away, I hope I can sell it on CL and cover the hole on the wall as I'd be done.
Even though I'd consider the one Jay recommended from Pacific Energy.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Likely you need one or the other or both the feed and combustion blower trimmed to match up the stove to your vent situation and the pellets you are burning.

Page 30 in your manual covers that ground if needed.

Both feed down and air up.

But if you have a gasket issue fix that first.

Oh and SidecarFlip might be close if you haven't got those all of those burn pot holes totally clean like with a brass bore brush.

 

[geek]

Likely you need one or the other or both the feed and combustion blower trimmed to match up the stove to your vent situation and the pellets you are burning.

Page 30 in your manual covers that ground if needed.

Both feed down and air up.

But if you have a gasket issue fix that first.

Oh and SidecarFlip might be close if you haven't got those all of those burn pot holes totally clean like with a brass bore brush.

I did use the trim option and the unit has been running with feed lowest at 1 and air at the highest at 5.
The burn pot was brush cleaned with a drill really well, actually my friend used a bit just a hair bigger than the hole.

If not the front door gasket, I am giving up....

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

I did use the trim option and the unit has been running with feed lowest at 1 and air at the highest at 5.
The burn pot was brush cleaned with a drill really well, actually my friend used a bit just a hair bigger than the hole.

If not the front door gasket, I am giving up....

Well the a gasket being marginal or bad can definitely cause airflow issue as can ash pan door gaskets and any hole or crack that allows air to enter the firebox. Ash stuck in any interior pathway as well crap in the air intake doesn't help one bit nor will negative pressure in the stove room. Lots of things get into the act.