Any Enviro owners try this

[kykel]

I gave my M55 cast fs a good cleaning today. When I got to the part where you open the two round ports on either side of the burn pot I noticed the whole plate lifted up. I was able to remove the plate completely.This allowed me to clean much better and also I was able to shove the vac hose into the exhaust shaft that pulls the exhaust through the combustion blower. Never would be able to clean this thoroughly by just opening the round ports and vacuuming them. Dont know why this method isnt in the manual. Give it a try if you havent already done so.

 

[jtakeman]

Interesting, Can you snap a few pic's for us?

 

[flynfrfun]

Yes, I remove the whole plate instead of opening the holes. It's easy and you are able to get ALL the ash out including into the area where the combustion blower is. Just be careful not to bump the draft gate or you will have to reset it. I marked mine with a sharpie so I can easily reset it w/out getting out the mag. I usually remove this plate every couple of months even though it could go longer during my Sunday cleanings.

While we are talking about good maintenance tips...I recently found out my pellet feed rate was being affected drastically by fines at the bottom of the auger. I thought with this style auger that vacuuming the fines was not necessary. I've owned this stove for 2yrs now which gave enough time for the fines to build up. If you find that the flame just doesn't seem to be as high or consistent check for fines blocking the pellet flow. Since cleaning out the hopper and vacuuming fines my stove is running MUCH hotter. I'm now hitting 275F convection air (measured at the 2nd tube from the left) on heat level 3 feed trim 3. In the past the best I could do with this same brand pellet was about 220F. I plan to vacuum fines during my spring "shut down" cleaning in the future.

 

[Brokenwing]

I was looking at my stove manual the other day, and it is in the book. on page 13. I did the same thing as you, i just opened the 2 ports until i reviewed the book during dinner and noticed it all comes out. I have the regency gc60 which is the same at the m55, so the manual maybe a hair diffrent.. They call it removing the firebox lower in the maintence section.

 

[nailed_nailer]

Great tips.
Thanks Guys
---Nailer---

 

[corkman]

i installed a vistaflame vf55 recently which is another clone of the m55 and in an attempt to educate myself on the innards of the stove i started taking things apart.thats when i noticed 4 slots,2 top and 2 bottom.i noticed it had a little play in it and realized it was removable.it was abear to get out but once i did it exposed the path to the combustion blower which was sweet.i put a dab of never seize on the slots so it should be a lot easier to remove next time.Peace ,Corkman.

 

[kykel]

Interesting, Can you snap a few pic's for us?

J I took a few pics but my cable is at work so im unable to post until monday.

 

[whlago]

I've noticed that "wall" wants to give but I never tried too hard to pull it up. I always felt like I was going to break something. Is there a trick to pulling it up out of the slot or is just pure brute force?

 

[kykel]

I've noticed that "wall" wants to give but I never tried too hard to pull it up. I always felt like I was going to break something. Is there a trick to pulling it up out of the slot or is just pure brute force?

whlago Mine moved very easily. Lift straight up until it hits the pellet drop tube. then roll the botton forward and out. youll be amazed how much more you can clean this way.

 

[whlago]

Thanks Kykel I'll give it a shot during next Saturdays cleaning.

 

[jgrz0610]

I've been doing that as well but it scares/frustrates me sometimes because it's stubborn going back in. I say to myself, "it came out so easy...why the heck can't I figure out how this thing goes back together?" Just be careful vacuuming or you'll be breaking out the mag gauge when you hit your damper with the vacuum and open it all the way up.

 

[Eatonpcat]

I do mine about once a month, It is in the manual. Good tip though!

 

[kykel]

I do mine about once a month, It is in the manual. Good tip though!

ok found it in the manual.I'll be doing mine a little more often then they recomend though. Its easy enough.

 

[Eatonpcat]

Had mine apart for cleaning, snapped a few pictures

All apart...



Close up...



Bottom plate reinstalled..



Back plate reinstalled...

 

[kykel]

Had mine apart for cleaning, snapped a few pictures

All apart...

View attachment 80757

Close up...

View attachment 80758

Bottom plate reinstalled..

View attachment 80759

Back plate reinstalled...

View attachment 80760

 

[kykel]

do you have a baffle on youre stove?

 

[Eatonpcat]

Not sure what a baffle is...So I will guess no, But truthfully I have no idea!

 

[kykel]

Not sure what a baffle is...So I will guess no, But truthfully I have no idea!

us freestanders have a steel plate that sits below the heat tubes and is removable. Yours is a half and is attached to your rake. when you pull your rake forward it releases the back liner for removal. I just read this on another post. Not sure why they are different

 

[Eatonpcat]

I do have what I call the tube scraper! Thanks for the info!

 

[Millsk]

Thank you for the tip. I did this today and found lots'o ash. Since the beingging of this season my flame has been burning on the left side of things. I cleaned today and it's right in the middle, where it's supposed to be.

Also, man your damper isn't open much. The distance you have closed is probably what I have open.

Question- How do you guys clean the plate above the heat exchanger tubes??

 

[whlago]

Ok I removed the wall today and cleaned a nice portion that was previously missed, Now the exhaust port on my stove doesn't have the draft gate on it and is wide open. I'm thinking it is a Free Standing/Insert/Cast/Steel difference in how they are set up. I believe my draft gate is on the other side on the inlet...never touched it....always liked my flame.

 

[flynfrfun]

Thank you for the tip. I did this today and found lots'o ash. Since the beingging of this season my flame has been burning on the left side of things. I cleaned today and it's right in the middle, where it's supposed to be.

Also, man your damper isn't open much. The distance you have closed is probably what I have open.

Question- How do you guys clean the plate above the heat exchanger tubes??

The only way I have found to clean that plate is to use the small brush Enviro included with the stove and push it between the tubes.

It is pretty normal for these stove's fire to favor the left. After much thought and experimentation, I figured out it is because more pellets fall to the left in the burn pot. I built a simple pellet diverter which deflects some of the pellets more to the right and now my flame is centered for the most part. I feel this also heats the heat exchanger more evenly across all the tubes instead of the left tubes getting most of the heat. It is a simple piece of sheet metal bent in a "U" shape. I bend the left side towards the right which deflects some of the pellets to the right. It fits under the pellet chute. I widen up the portion that goes behind the back fire plate so that it can't fall into the burnpot...that would be bad. Works great and doesn't require any drilling or mods to the stove.

 

[bostonfan49]

The only way I have found to clean that plate is to use the small brush Enviro included with the stove and push it between the tubes.

It is pretty normal for these stove's fire to favor the left. After much thought and experimentation, I figured out it is because more pellets fall to the left in the burn pot. I built a simple pellet diverter which deflects some of the pellets more to the right and now my flame is centered for the most part. I feel this also heats the heat exchanger more evenly across all the tubes instead of the left tubes getting most of the heat. It is a simple piece of sheet metal bent in a "U" shape. I bend the left side towards the right which deflects some of the pellets to the right. It fits under the pellet chute. I widen up the portion that goes behind the back fire plate so that it can't fall into the burnpot...that would be bad. Works great and doesn't require any drilling or mods to the stove.

 

[bostonfan49]

Flynfrfun, I like that setup...what gauge aluminum did you use? Also is it that the pellets fall more to the left? Or is it that the agitator rotation pushes the pellets to the left? I use the premium pellet setting all the time so, low agitation use. Bill

 

[Eatonpcat]

The only way I have found to clean that plate is to use the small brush Enviro included with the stove and push it between the tubes.

It is pretty normal for these stove's fire to favor the left. After much thought and experimentation, I figured out it is because more pellets fall to the left in the burn pot. I built a simple pellet diverter which deflects some of the pellets more to the right and now my flame is centered for the most part. I feel this also heats the heat exchanger more evenly across all the tubes instead of the left tubes getting most of the heat. It is a simple piece of sheet metal bent in a "U" shape. I bend the left side towards the right which deflects some of the pellets to the right. It fits under the pellet chute. I widen up the portion that goes behind the back fire plate so that it can't fall into the burnpot...that would be bad. Works great and doesn't require any drilling or mods to the stove.

Nice job...