Should it be Odorless or will there always be some Smell

[DexterDay]

I don't have any smoke smell inside or outside the house. I don't see any smoke coming out of the chimney either, just heat distortion, if I look at it from the right angle. Not having had a pellet stove before, I assumed that pellet stoves made no smoke, just odorless exhaust.

Do others see smoke coming from the pellet stove chimney?

Dave

If the stove is burning properly and getting enough air, there should be zero smoke coming from the chimney. The burn should be complete combustion. Smoke is a sign of smoldering conditions.

Again. I only have seen about 9 different models of stoves run (friends and family) the onlu one that smoked was a Baby Countryside (my buddies/Forum member barnyard840x) before he did his Mod to get more air through the burn pot, it smoldered and built up pellets, which resulted in smoke.

Start up is the only time smoke is evident in any of my Stoves. The Englander burns a little rich when I got it cranking, but thats at full bore and its an old analog stove. Once I get it up to temp and back the feed down a little, it burns with no smoke.

Interested in hearing if anyone has any smoke. Like I said, I have only seen so many stoves burn. There are many more out there. But my thinking is, once it lit and at temp, no sign of smoke should be seen.

 

[cuznvin]

It only smokes when starting. Before the pellets light, they smolder and smoke. I would think thats how any stove works. I saw a Lopi and an Avalon and they did the same thing

 

[New Hampshire Jim]

At start up Every once in a while when the stove and outside lined cinder block chimney is cold I get a lot of smoke in the stove. As soon as It lights off the smoke clears and everything is fine. I do get a small smell of smoke in the house but this goes away quickly.
I wonder If a small amount of smoke leaks out of the air wash on the glass door?
Any thoughts. Stove is a Harman Advance

 

[stellep]

I was thinking about my experience with this. At startup there is a lot of smoke that possibly can get inside the house due to the design of the stove, possible exhaust pinholes, maybe some coming in from outside, turbulence by the air wash etc. I get a slight smell of smoke myself and it bothers me philosophically somewhat. But, after having small leaks in the past that I could actually find and fix, there is no mistaking a slight startup smell from a problem leak. You just know when there is something wrong with the exhaust system.

 

[cuznvin]

I was thinking about my experience with this. At startup there is a lot of smoke that possibly can get inside the house due to the design of the stove, possible exhaust pinholes, maybe some coming in from outside, turbulence by the air wash etc. I get a slight smell of smoke myself and it bothers me philosophically somewhat. But, after having small leaks in the past that I could actually find and fix, there is no mistaking a slight startup smell from a problem leak. You just know when there is something wrong with the exhaust system.

After looking at the way it is installed, I think I am going to have them make some changes. First off, the outside air intake is a pipe with a sort of dryer vent at the end in which he punched holes in the flap. I want this changed to a pipe with a screen. Thats number one..

Number two, I think I want it changed to have a 3 ft vertical rise in the pipe instead of just straight out. After looking at the Enviro videos and seeing how the flame should look on setting 3 and setting 5, I know this is not right. My flame looks nothing like those flames.

Im getting pissed off now that I see these things, especially since he is the better dealer and installer than the other one here on the island. I dont want to start with putting a hold on the credit card payment, but if this isnt fixed in one week, thats what I am going to do. I dont think it will get to that because he did say to just call him with issues, however, when I did, I didnt get a call back until the next day and he wanted me to wait a week for him to come back..

 

[cuznvin]

Also is a vacuum gauge always used when it is installed and being set up? None was used on mine..

 

[jtakeman]

cuznvin,

What should have been used is a magnehelic gauge. And yes it should at least have been checked. I recommend getting one of your own if you can afford one. Lets you keep an eye on things. ;-)

 

[cuznvin]

How much do they cost?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Also is a vacuum gauge always used when it is installed and being set up? None was used on mine..

If the stove has a means of adjusting it to meet factory specifications it should be set to those. That usually requires a meter, some old hands can do an excellent job just by watching the fire. This takes a bit of time because the stove has to preheat and stabilize, then each adjustment needs time to stabilize before deciding if the last one helped or didn't.

 

[cuznvin]

Well, I read somewhere it needs to burn at the highest level for one hour before checking and it didnt burn that long before he left. Plus my flame does not look like the enviros videos...

 

[Eatonpcat]

Also is a vacuum gauge always used when it is installed and being set up? None was used on mine..

My experience sounds similar to yours, the installer came and put it in, But any issues after the fact have been handled by the service tech at the dealer. In my situation, the installer was just a guy that does installs and chimney sweeps, etc... I worked out the price for the install and paid him directly, He was just a contractor and is not an employee of the fireplace shop. The service tech is an employee of the company and he comes when I call with issues. I do have a little smoke smell on occasion at startup, but I think I am going to wait until I do a major cleaning before I address this.

 

[jtakeman]

Well, I read somewhere it needs to burn at the highest level for one hour before checking and it didnt burn that long before he left. Plus my flame does not look like the enviros videos...

They probably won't because of the fuel variation. And I think they want them to look blasting(like added bling). They probably have the feed trim at the max setting. And The pellets they are using is a high end Douglas Fir.

How much do they cost?

I paid less than $40 for my gauge on ebay. The one I have is Dwyer part #2000-00.

 

[cuznvin]

Thanks. How do you actually use it? I am clueless!

 

[cuznvin]

Also is a vacuum gauge always used when it is installed and being set up? None was used on mine..

My experience sounds similar to yours, the installer came and put it in, But any issues after the fact have been handled by the service tech at the dealer. In my situation, the installer was just a guy that does installs and chimney sweeps, etc... I worked out the price for the install and paid him directly, He was just a contractor and is not an employee of the fireplace shop. The service tech is an employee of the company and he comes when I call with issues. I do have a little smoke smell on occasion at startup, but I think I am going to wait until I do a major cleaning before I address this.

The guy that installed mine was the owner of the shop. I think he will make it right. I just hate feeling like some things were not done how they should have been because maybe he thought I didnt know too much.. WRONG!

 

[cuznvin]

Well, I read somewhere it needs to burn at the highest level for one hour before checking and it didnt burn that long before he left. Plus my flame does not look like the enviros videos...

They probably won't because of the fuel variation. And I think they want them to look blasting(like added bling). They probably have the feed trim at the max setting. And The pellets they are using is a high end Douglas Fir.

How much do they cost?

I paid less than $40 for my gauge on ebay. The one I have is Dwyer part #2000-00.

I put the feed trim on 5 also to see if that would help. Honestly, I think the draft needs to be adjusted. Do you think its necessary to have him change the exhaust pipe to a vertical rise instead of straight out like it is now? The dryer vent with the holes punched in it is DEFINITELY going to be changed for sure Doing that is what really pissed me off!!

 

[jtakeman]

Have the installer come by and set the draft with the mag. Watch him and see what he does. Later get one for your self. Then you can check it here and there. I check mine at least once a month.

Adding the extra rise is good insurance for power outages, But he'll probably charge you more for piping.

 

[cuznvin]

Im not too worried about the extra money at this point. I just want it to be right. Would loss of power be the only reason to change the pipe to a vertical ?

 

[kykel]

Have the installer come by and set the draft with the mag. Watch him and see what he does. Later get one for your self. Then you can check it here and there. I check mine at least once a month.

Adding the extra rise is good insurance for power outages, But he'll probably charge you more for piping.

J does the extra rise really work to draft if you lose power. I used to run out of pellets with old stove and some times a few left pellets would fall just before the stove would shut off. they would smoke and that smoke would go up the drop tube into the hopper and out into room. Nothing visible but you could smell it. I had a 3'rise and it didnt seem to work

 

[jtakeman]

Im not too worried about the extra money at this point. I just want it to be right. Would loss of power be the only reason to change the pipe to a vertical ?

Most add it for prevention, But its been know to benefit the stoves draft. Hard to say for sure with all the stove variables. Sometimes 3 feet isn't enough and it requires more to be added. But yet I have seen direct vents no smoke the house up when power was pulled in simulations.

Seems the sure way to prevent smoke in the house is a backup power source. Along with something that puts the stove in shutdown(usually breakes the thermostat cicuit). There are a few threads on it here.