Issue with pellet stove venting for Magnum Baby Countryside

Hello

I need some ideas here. My friend has a Magnum Baby Countryside with the upgraded exhaust blower with the larger impeller and we got running really good. But the 4" diameter venting which is on a 45 in back of the stove and straight thru the wall. On the outside is the cleanout T and it goes up approx 3 one foot sections to a 90 degree elbow and a direct vent cap. The issue is that it gets plugged up so much every 1.5 months that the stove is un-useable!

The venting is on an outside corner of the north east or the house near the seacoast on a high hill. There are many spurious wind currents along the house! A drafting nightmare.
The venting easily gets caked up and really full at the very top before it turns down to the exit cap. See pics below.

Any ideas? Answer found! See last post. The installers (Dealer is now gone) installed the venting improperly according to the MANUAL. See last post! CASE CLOSED

gymrat0663 said:

I'm definitely a newbie when it comes to stuff like this, but would there be a benefit in reducing the length of the 3'-4' pipe to help the blower exhaust more efficiently? Certainly, just my $.02 and I will wait with you to hear what the more experienced here have to say.

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You need a minimum vertical rise of 3 feet to keep sparks from flying out and setting the house on fire. Not code but highly recommended. I am learning the history of these stoves to understand the basics. Years ago some of the first pellet stoves did not have an exhaust blower, they required a full chimney to create a proper draft. Now an inside chimney (Internal to the house like a center chimney with top near the peak of the roof) has better drafting than an outside chimney on the end of a house.

jtakeman said:

Hey Don,

Are they running the stove on low mostly? And about how much fuel are they burning in that amount of time?

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THey run the stove on medium all thru the night. I would say 2 - 3 tons per season

Lorne41 said:

Hi Don,
That termination cap isn't the best for that type of install, the horizontal square one is much better for windy situations. It might even run better with a 3 inch pipe rather than the 4 inch pipe. The Magnum combustion motor might not have enuf' power to push the ash out a 4 inch pipe. In reading thru some past forum posts, I've found a few that state the Magnum has air flow problems, one of the best is here:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/magnum-baby-countryside-many-issues.83395/

The Duravent horizontal cap ( pic below) will help with the outside air currents, but you might have to shorten up the exhaust pipe to help reduce the ash buildup. Just my 2 cents.
View attachment 64715

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That hood type Term cap is a good idea. I will suggest that.

DexterDay said:

Why not just clean the vent every month (or ton) of fuel like they should? Sounds like they may have the damper opened to much, which allows the fly ash to make it to far??

Im with Defiant. My buddies is Direct vent. As long as its above grade and you keep a 1/2" rise per ft. Should be good.

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I think they do not want to pay for my gas to come by every month. They do not have any tools!

smoke show said:

Extend above roof line???

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I do agree there should be more vertical rise!

SmokeyTheBear said:

Don,

First off I can't tell if you have an up bubble on that stack at the horizontal portion before the cap, it must be up bubble.

It also looks to be that the vertical section is leaning, it should not be.

It also looks like the horizontal section going out the wall is not going up bubble, it should be.

Every one of those will cause problems getting the crud through the venting.

What does that screen look like on the termination cap?

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What do you mean by up bubble? An upward slope?

The screen is just a few bars going across to make squares.

SmokeyTheBear said:

Those ninety degree bends frequently put the venting over what a 3" can be used for, especially if the combustion fan isn't particularly strong.

You have to consult the manual and be careful about the direction you are venting into when using 3" stuff.

If the manual allows for a straight out vent and the stove is OAKed that may be the best option.

Also the type of ash produced will have a large part to play.

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Hi Smokey
Thanks alot Smokey you helped me find the REAL answer in the manual see RED circle in diagram below on Page 18
Warning: Unless the venting is enclosed and insulated, this installation will cause poor venting,
excess ash buildup, premature failure of exhaust system, staining of the house siding and serious
creosote buildup. This installation should not be used in a cold climate area.

Here is what the Magnum Baby Countryside manual states on page10 under venting. The 2nd paragraph below seems to imply that the venting must be cleaned very often! I recommended a double T for $180 but that is alot of money at this time for my friend. The chart on page 11 states 3" or 4" pipe diameter should be fine. In fact 4" can go alot higher so extending the 4" is acceptable and would create a much better draft! Also there is a properly installed OAK on this stove.
http://www.americanenergysystems.com/Stock/LibraryFiles/magnumbabycountryside-manual-2005.pdf

Termination must exhaust above air inlet elevation. It is recommended that at least 3 ft. of vertical pipe be installed
when the appliance is vented directly through a wall or in a basement. This will create some natural draft to prevent
the possibility of smoke or odor during appliance shutdown and to keep exhaust from causing a nuisance or hazard from
exposing people or shrubs to high temperatures. In any case, the safest and preferred venting method is to extend the vent
through the roof. Do not connect this unit to a chimney flue serving another appliance.

It is recommended that a single or double clean-out “tee”, for cleaning the vent in both directions, be installed at every 90 Deg
junction to enable collection of fly ash and to permit periodic cleaning of the exhaust system. 90 Deg elbows accumulate flyash
and soot thereby reducing exhaust flow and performance of the stove.
Total length of horizontal vent must not exceed 10 feet / 3,000 mm. All joints in the vent system must be fastened by at
least 3 screws, and all joints must be sealed with RTV silicone sealer to be airtight.