Let's see how much better my 25-PDVC burns now...

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fyrfyter4

New Member
Jan 4, 2012
22
NW NJ
About a year ago I moved into a house with a 25-PDVC already installed. I burned about 1.5 tons of Stove Chow through the rest of the winter, burning the stove from the time we got up until we went to bed. Since we sleep with the bedroom doors closed (I'm a fireman, so it's been ingrained in me to sleep with doors closed), I shut the stove down at night and let the boiler run.

Throughout last winter, I wasn't terribly happy with how the stove burned. The glass was black within 4-5 hours and the flame was a bit lazy. I made some adjustments to the stove with some help from this site, but nothing that made a big difference. I also tried 10 bags of Barefoots and 10 bags of Lignetics. Again, a slight improvement, but nothing earth-shattering. One thing that really bothered me was that when the stove was installed, the vent was run straight through the wall with absolutely no rise (and no cleanout), and it was blowing right on the OAK vent.

This spring, I took the stove apart and gave it a thorough cleaning. The vent was loaded with black, fluffy soot. I had meant to add some rise to the vent, but ran out of daylight (and promptly forgot about it all summer long).

Fortunately, the remaining pieces from the vent kit had been left in the cellar. So, this morning I assembled 3 sections with the cleanout and cap and added them to the vent. Now that the stove can get some fresh air, and the vent has a bit of a draft, let's see how much better it burns.

Now come spring, I'll have to try to clean the soot off the siding!
 
Because the stove was used? Have you checked to see what "code" the control board is set to? Also have you checked to see what your bottom 3 buttons (LBF LBA AOT) are set at? These play a key role in the burn of the stove.

Either call Englander, or post the info here and someone will get you squared away. Also gonna need the Year of the stove. (Thats if you have not checked into this already).

A black sooty burn is a rich burn and fuel needs decreased or air increased. Should be a grey/white/light brown (pellet quality) ash within the unit.

Hope it burns better for ya....
 
The stove was built 10/2008. The bottom 3 buttons are at 4-6-1. I adjusted these earlier in the season. At low burn (1 or 2) the stove burns great. The glass stays clean, and the flame looks good. It's only at the higher ranges that the glass gets dirty quickly. In fact, now that I hooked it up with a t-stat I noticed that when the stove drops down to a low burn it burns off some of the soot on the glass from when the t-stat was calling for heat. The ash is mostly gray with some black soot on the impingememt plate and in the vent (although I think that had more to do with the half-assed install. When I had it apart this morning, it was after burning almost a ton so far this season.
 
okay lets be honest, right now I'm running a 3-3-1 and I'm watching for creosote. Its a wonderful stove but lets be honest its cheap. I clean the vent every 6 weeks. This stove performs best at above 3 settings. This is not a knock it's a reasonable estimate of the stoves capabilities. That said with a close watch I have managed for 2 years to burn between 1/2 and 3/4 of a bag a day.
 
fyrfyter4 said:
About a year ago I moved into a house with a 25-PDVC already installed. I burned about 1.5 tons of Stove Chow through the rest of the winter, burning the stove from the time we got up until we went to bed. Since we sleep with the bedroom doors closed (I'm a fireman, so it's been ingrained in me to sleep with doors closed), I shut the stove down at night and let the boiler run.

Throughout last winter, I wasn't terribly happy with how the stove burned. The glass was black within 4-5 hours and the flame was a bit lazy. I made some adjustments to the stove with some help from this site, but nothing that made a big difference. I also tried 10 bags of Barefoots and 10 bags of Lignetics. Again, a slight improvement, but nothing earth-shattering. One thing that really bothered me was that when the stove was installed, the vent was run straight through the wall with absolutely no rise (and no cleanout), and it was blowing right on the OAK vent.

This spring, I took the stove apart and gave it a thorough cleaning. The vent was loaded with black, fluffy soot. I had meant to add some rise to the vent, but ran out of daylight (and promptly forgot about it all summer long).

Fortunately, the remaining pieces from the vent kit had been left in the cellar. So, this morning I assembled 3 sections with the cleanout and cap and added them to the vent. Now that the stove can get some fresh air, and the vent has a bit of a draft, let's see how much better it burns.

Now come spring, I'll have to try to clean the soot off the siding!
Click to expand...

These stove do not need a draft to operate... that's why they have a combustion blower. The "rise" will be of help tp draw out any smoke should you have a power outage. A sraigt horizontal vent is perfectly acceptable... many here prefer a vertical rise, and that's fine, but it is not needed in most installs.
 
krooser said:
These stove do not need a draft to operate... that's why they have a combustion blower. The "rise" will be of help tp draw out any smoke should you have a power outage. A sraigt horizontal vent is perfectly acceptable... many here prefer a vertical rise, and that's fine, but it is not needed in most installs.
Click to expand...

I'm going to pick-up my 25-PDVC tomorrow. Regarding the straight horizontal piping/vent, what pieces of pipe do I need to purchase if I go that route (assuming I mount it inside as close as specs allow)? How far does it need to extend from the house? Thanks!
 
I have one of these 2008 models and I have experienced power outages with the 3 ft plus pipe set up outside and I tell you that the stove pulls a draft when power goes out as I have actually seen the remaining pellets burn and get no smoke in the house never.
Now also helping could be the down wind wall location of the stove VS being on the prevailing wind side of the house which could push smoke in the house.
 
kale said:
I'm going to pick-up my 25-PDVC tomorrow. Regarding the straight horizontal piping/vent, what pieces of pipe do I need to purchase if I go that route (assuming I mount it inside as close as specs allow)? How far does it need to extend from the house? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Englander recommends at least 15" from outside wall to end of the cap. All the info you'll need will be in the owners manual, which you can look at ahead of time on the englander website, and if you have any questions, call the tech help line:

www.englanderstoves.com/manuals/25-PDVC.pdf
 
kale said:
krooser said:
These stove do not need a draft to operate... that's why they have a combustion blower. The "rise" will be of help tp draw out any smoke should you have a power outage. A sraigt horizontal vent is perfectly acceptable... many here prefer a vertical rise, and that's fine, but it is not needed in most installs.
Click to expand...

I'm going to pick-up my 25-PDVC tomorrow. Regarding the straight horizontal piping/vent, what pieces of pipe do I need to purchase if I go that route (assuming I mount it inside as close as specs allow)? How far does it need to extend from the house? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Englanders states in the manual, to use at least 36" vertical. A direct vent termination can be done with an Englander, but just know that it will be installed incorrectly. So if you need to have anyone look at it (inspector or insurance agent), it may not be up to snuff..


The stove will run without it. But if someone needs to check it out? Or if something ever happens?? Definitely read the manual a couple times..

Just sayin...
 
virtually every applicable code involved in installing a pellet stove starts out witrh somthing to the effect of unit must be installed in accordance with manufacturers spec's ESW units do NOT list a straight through and terminate type installation as acceptable, the unit must have a minimum 3 ft rise to meet manufacturers specs as a correct installation. therefore a straight through and terminate install is not legal with this unit
 
That makes sense, thanks everyone for the quick replies. I just read through the manual. I'll swing by Lowes and get the Dura-Vent kit as that seems to be the best option to do it the right way.
 
A wise man told me to make a cardboard cut out of the stove with the clearances needed. It helped a lot to move the cardboard around to see how I wanted to place the stove.

You will also want to make a cardboard cut out for cleaning.

Good luck
 

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