Problem with Whitfield Advantage/Advice on replacement stoves

[susb8383]

Well, problem solved. Turns out with the Advantage Plus, there are two plugs, one on either side of the fire box. I think it's the Advantage Plus' answer to cleaning out the ash baffle without removing the fire bricks. When I popped off those plugs, there was a ton of ash behind them. I vacuumed them out and now both side of the burn pot are fine!

But you have a good point about the heat exchanger tubes. Mine are kind of corroded.

--Susie

 

[Kevin Willis]

How cool is that...a clean stove is a happy stove..

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Well, problem solved. Turns out with the Advantage Plus, there are two plugs, one on either side of the fire box. I think it's the Advantage Plus' answer to cleaning out the ash baffle without removing the fire bricks. When I popped off those plugs, there was a ton of ash behind them. I vacuumed them out and now both side of the burn pot are fine!

But you have a good point about the heat exchanger tubes. Mine are kind of corroded.

--Susie

You need to check them out if you can get some smoke pellets, you can light one up inside the fire box and close the door. You can also shine a strong light into the heat exchanger tubes and check from the insides of the tubes.

I was sure that those traps were there. I'd clean it up and check it out as it shouldn't cost you much to do that. Just go over it with a fine toothed comb. Most of these stoves can be brought back to working condition.

We have cases of folks doing that on here every year.

There are a number of very skilled folks that show up here.

 

[susb8383]

Hi Smokey,

Not quite following how those heat exchanger tubes work. Are you saying that somehow that air passes through them? Not sure how I shine a light into them. How do I get access to one end?

When we had the sparks coming out, one time I was there to see it, one time I wasn't. The time I was there the sparks were actually shooting out the side of the stove in a very odd place. It was right near where the lower hinge attaches to the body. I wanted to get a video of it, but by the time I got my camera it had stopped.

When I put my hand in front of this spot, I could feel a little bit of air blowing out.

Could having those ash traps clogged for years caused the air to find its own path out?? Now that I've cleaned the ash traps, I don't feel air coming out in that spot.

The second time was somewhere up near where the air blows out of the stove, but I wasn't there to see it.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Was that the lower door hinge or a side panel hinge?

 

[Bill Ludwig]

Thanks for all your good advice everyone.
I Just ordered a 4" chimney brush with 20' flex rod's. I have never brushed the chimney pipe / vent. This is a vertical 4"- 15' high vent.
The cap is a square chimney cap with a 1/2" square hole's screen around it .
I will let you all know if this corrects the problem.

 

[susb8383]

Was that the lower door hinge or a side panel hinge?

side panel hinge if you can believe it. That little bugger got somewhere it really shouldn't have.