Some smoke in stove is normal right?
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Really? Just to pinpoint location? The noise has subsided a bit it seems, since I cleaned everything up, but I can tell it's still not right.
Very cool. Never seen those before. Thanks. I just turned it off and on though and really paid attention. Exhaust blower alone was nice and smooth and quiet. It's the convection. As soon as the kicked on, boom. Noise.
So this is a bit disheartening...only 10 days later, and I think I'm back where I started. After only burning about a 1/2 ton, maybe less, since 3/12, I noticed last night that the flame on 5 was looking too big and dirty again. I gave the inside of the stove a nice cleaning (not the vent pipe), and fired it back up. This morning, it looks much the same as last night, dirty, and lazy. What the heck. Could the vent need a cleaning after only 1/2 ton? Or is it that even with the clean vent, I still am burning too dirty, and need more air (OAK)? I still have black fly ash, but it vacs right off, so not sure if that's a sign of anything, or just the type of pellet I'm burning (Geneva Super Premium Hardwood).
Any new advice? I certainly don't want to be cleaning the vent every 1/2-1 ton. 2 tons, sure, but not this soon. Thanks.
Any new advice? I certainly don't want to be cleaning the vent every 1/2-1 ton. 2 tons, sure, but not this soon. Thanks.
Well did you really get that stove system cleaned of ash?
Did you get the area between the combustion blower and the area above the burn pot? The exhaust system starts just above the burn pot and goes around and through the heat exchanger and towards the combustion blower usually via paths down behind the firebox wall frequently both on the right and left hand sides of the stove that come together in the middle and exit towards the combustion blower cavity.
Number of days or tonnage of pellets burned has nothing to do with it. It is the amount (volume and weight) of ash and where it ends up that is controlling.
Did you get the area between the combustion blower and the area above the burn pot? The exhaust system starts just above the burn pot and goes around and through the heat exchanger and towards the combustion blower usually via paths down behind the firebox wall frequently both on the right and left hand sides of the stove that come together in the middle and exit towards the combustion blower cavity.
Number of days or tonnage of pellets burned has nothing to do with it. It is the amount (volume and weight) of ash and where it ends up that is controlling.
First, thanks for helping again.
I'm trying to visualize the area you are talking about. The area just above the burn pot for me is just the firebox liner panel. I cleaned that, and behind it, and the two air tubs that are INSIDE the burn pot itself (one on each side of the igniter tube).
Short of cleaning the whole thing with a toothbrush, I really felt like I cleaned it all very thoroughly. The entire exhaust tube channel, the fans, the entire inside of the stove (including removing the firebox liner, pot, etc,), the heat exchanger tubes (as best I could, hard to get up between them), the vent pipe, etc.
I'm trying to visualize the area you are talking about. The area just above the burn pot for me is just the firebox liner panel. I cleaned that, and behind it, and the two air tubs that are INSIDE the burn pot itself (one on each side of the igniter tube).
Short of cleaning the whole thing with a toothbrush, I really felt like I cleaned it all very thoroughly. The entire exhaust tube channel, the fans, the entire inside of the stove (including removing the firebox liner, pot, etc,), the heat exchanger tubes (as best I could, hard to get up between them), the vent pipe, etc.
Between the back of the fire box inside wall and the wall on the back of the fire box there are exhaust paths these get ash filled.
There are usually access covers behind whatever is used to be a fake fire bricks. You have to get into that area when you clean the stove.
Ask yourself where does the exhaust go in order to get out of the stove?
You have to follow that air flow and clean everywhere that the exhaust goes because ash is precipitating out of the air flow everywhere it goes even when it finally gets outside of the vent system.
This usually will involve thumping the firebox wall to knock ash down so you can get it vacuumed out.
You vacuum, thump and vacuum again, repeated thumping and vacuuming until no more ash drops down.
I never kid about cleaning.
Think like the combustion air flow, follow in its path and you'll understand what has to be cleaned.
Cleaning the first part and the last part of the combustion air path does not get the stove clean.
Speaking of toothbrushes brass bore brushes can work wonders around the heat exchanger. .
You may have done so, but did you remove the lower firebox and clean behind that? It is the piece that surrounds the ignitor and air tubes, has two rotatable covers over round cutouts, and the fluted liner sits on top of it. When you remove the lower firebox, you expose the opening to the exhaust fan, and your damper. I open my damper all the way, then brush and vacuum out the POF sensor and channel. Also use a bottle brush and push laterally under and diagonally between the ignitor and air tubes. A lot of ash collects around those tubes. What I like about the M55 is that one can expose the entire air pathway, from air tubes to exhaust pipe.
Ok, smokey, I'm 99% sure I'm following you. And I believe you are referring to the same plate ohbix is referring to, when he talks about cleaning behind the "lower firebox" which has the two rotatable cutouts. If you are referring to something such as that, yes, I always clean there too. When I'm doing a quick clean, I just rotate the cutouts and clean it out. When I'm doing a weekly deeper clean, I remove the actual firebox lower and really clean behind there. I can actually, when it's out, see the sliding damper plate and the exhaust tube right back to the exhaust blower.
Now what's interesting is that last night, the flame looks good again. No issues. I am wondering that maybe it overfed a bit (smaller bunch of pellets) and I just happened to catch it at that point. I'll watch closely tonight again.
I heard too, that Enviro did ship a replacement convection blower and agitator under warranty, so that's good. But they didn't send/cover (at least not yet) the slightly warped exhaust tube baffle. What are your thoughts on that part and it being a bit bent? Does it even matter really, as long as it slides without issue?
Thanks
Now what's interesting is that last night, the flame looks good again. No issues. I am wondering that maybe it overfed a bit (smaller bunch of pellets) and I just happened to catch it at that point. I'll watch closely tonight again.
I heard too, that Enviro did ship a replacement convection blower and agitator under warranty, so that's good. But they didn't send/cover (at least not yet) the slightly warped exhaust tube baffle. What are your thoughts on that part and it being a bit bent? Does it even matter really, as long as it slides without issue?
Thanks
You have to get that entire area all the way to the top of the back of the firebox clean. This usually requires brush work and/or repeated thumping and vacuuming and/or the application of a high airflow device. But since you have an insert and likely don't care to remove the insert to outside or climb up on to the roof ....
Right, no easy way to get this thing outside, but easy to at least roll out of the firebox.
When you talk about "the back of the firebox" and thumping, are you talking about something I can't actually see/get to? Meaning, behind the back firebox liner wall, the wall where the hole where the pellets drop through? If so, yes, no easy way to get access behind that back wall, once I remove the liner that protects it (it clips in front of it).
When you talk about "the back of the firebox" and thumping, are you talking about something I can't actually see/get to? Meaning, behind the back firebox liner wall, the wall where the hole where the pellets drop through? If so, yes, no easy way to get access behind that back wall, once I remove the liner that protects it (it clips in front of it).
Remember I'm talking stoves in general
Yes, the area behind the firebox's rear inside wall and the true rear wall. Some stoves only have access ports that make it difficult to really get in there, Nailed Nailer (who has a 55) made a vacuum cleaner hose adapter so he could get into that area. Some stoves have two ports when they really need three (older St. Croix units come to mind). Some stoves actually completely expose this area on both sides and give you a clear shot at getting it clean (mine does remove one screw on each side and have at it) . Thumping and the use of flexible shafts can go a long way in getting that area clean (as can a high air flow device).
Ok yeah, I know what you're talking about on my stove. Yes, I can get into that area. The enviro has two ports, one on each side below the rear firebox liner (which you can remove as well). You can get a hose in there, or just take the piece out altogether.
Once both those pieces are out though, you can't get any further back. I thought you meant further back. Here's an enviro video showing the liner removal and cleaning.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/y-0I307J56o?rel=0
Is that what you're talking about? I can't get further back than that rear wall once it's removed.
Also, I put the new convection fan in yesterday. Wow. Finally, that annoying noise is gone. I just hope this one lasts longer than 5 months. And I put the new auger in too. Crazy to see how quickly the original once wore down. I literally could have snapped it in half like a twip in the middle 1/3 of it. Horrible.
Now just waiting to hear on the baffle plate.
Once both those pieces are out though, you can't get any further back. I thought you meant further back. Here's an enviro video showing the liner removal and cleaning.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/y-0I307J56o?rel=0
Is that what you're talking about? I can't get further back than that rear wall once it's removed.
Also, I put the new convection fan in yesterday. Wow. Finally, that annoying noise is gone. I just hope this one lasts longer than 5 months. And I put the new auger in too. Crazy to see how quickly the original once wore down. I literally could have snapped it in half like a twip in the middle 1/3 of it. Horrible.
Now just waiting to hear on the baffle plate.
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Nope, just the area behind the firebox wall, that stove exposes the entire area that is normally not exposed, you should even be able to get to the heat exchanger tubes with a brush. And since you have a cast unit you can't do any thumping anyway.
A new auger or a new agitator?
A new auger or a new agitator?
Sootmaster1990
Member
you are seriouslly overthinking the stove just let it do its thing instead of watching it like a tv
New agitator, sorry. Somehow missed that you posted this a few weeks back. Also, the dealer isntalled the new baffle plate too. I wish I was there to see how he did it.
LOL. I hear you. At the time I posted that I still was seeing new things, as a pellet stove was new for me. Now I have a season under my belt and know what to be looking for...
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