OAK?

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MommyOf4

MommyOf4

Feeling the Heat
Oct 4, 2012
361
Southern MD
My dealer said he found the reason our stove is having the shut down issue. He doesn't believe that it is a pinched wire, but a lack of air going into the stove. He suggested an open air kit. Our stove is located in the basement.

Does this sound right to you?
 
Do you have a window in your basement? If you do, you could see if air starvation is causing the problem, by opening the window and seeing if the problem goes away.

Dave
 
If your stove is shutting down because you do not have an OAK it would be th first time that I have heard of this. I am not saying that he is wrong, as I am not there to actually diagnose the problem, but WOW! If this is the case, then your house has to be wrapped up tighter than a frog's backside! Many air issues and lazy, sooty burns are solved by OAK's! If he says it will fix it, and it does...then perfect! Good Luck.
 
I honestly don't think it's the problem, because our basement is VERY drafty but I don't know what else it could be. If we leave the side panel to the motors open then it works longer and better. I think I will try to open a window to see if it will help first.

Is there any thimbles that I could use for the venting AND OAK without drilling another hole?
 
MommyOf4 said:
I honestly don't think it's the problem, because our basement is VERY drafty but I don't know what else it could be. If we leave the side panel to the motors open then it works longer and better. I think I will try to open a window to see if it will help first.

Is there any thimbles that I could use for the venting AND OAK without drilling another hole?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately you will need to drill a new hole. An OAK may be required per code, or under certain installation specs (ie mobile homes). An OAK reduces or eliminates the negative pressure created in a house with a venting device. As your stove exhausts the combustion gasses, the removed air must be replaced in order to establish equilibrium.

I too disagree that this is your issue. When was the last time the exhaust and vent pipe were cleaned?
 
stoves need oxygen to burn. it gets it from the room its in, thus pullingoutside cold air into your house through drafts OR, it has an oak pipe, and there is no draw in other than on the pipe. and oak will make your home feel warmer if its drafty.

but, it won't really fix your burn issues if opening a window doesn't change anything.
 
john193 said:
Unfortunately you will need to drill a new hole. An OAK may be required per code, or under certain installation specs (ie mobile homes). An OAK reduces or eliminates the negative pressure created in a house with a venting device. As your stove exhausts the combustion gasses, the removed air must be replaced in order to establish equilibrium.

I too disagree that this is your issue. When was the last time the exhaust and vent pipe were cleaned?
Click to expand...

The vent pipe were last cleaned a couple days ago. How would one clean an exhaust pipe? I vacuumed inside the stove a couple days ago.
 
MommyOf4 said:
The vent pipe were last cleaned a couple days ago. How would one clean an exhaust pipe? I vacuumed inside the stove a couple days ago.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure I understand your response. The terminology of vent and exhaust pipe are used interchangeably. To clean the exhaust pipe, the easiest solution would be to use a brush and a shop vac to remove as much ash as possible. Take off the termination cap and give it a quick cleaning. If the stove improves, I'd give it a deeper cleaning. Cleaning via the termination cap could result in some ash being pushed into the stove, so be sure to double check that.

The dealer may be right that your stove can't breathe because of a clogged exhaust.
 
john193 said:
I'm not sure I understand your response. The terminology of vent and exhaust pipe are used interchangeably. To clean the exhaust pipe, the easiest solution would be to use a brush and a shop vac to remove as much ash as possible. Take off the termination cap and give it a quick cleaning. If the stove improves, I'd give it a deeper cleaning. Cleaning via the termination cap could result in some ash being pushed into the stove, so be sure to double check that.

The dealer may be right that your stove can't breathe because of a clogged exhaust.
Click to expand...


I thought the exhaust pipe was something different.
 
MommyOf4 said:
I thought the exhaust pipe was something different.
Click to expand...
Yes, the exhaust pipe is where the combustion gasses flow, not where the fresh air comes from. Give the exhaust pipe a cleaning.
 
john193 said:
Yes, the exhaust pipe is where the combustion gasses flow, not where the fresh air comes from. Give the exhaust pipe a cleaning.
Click to expand...

I cleaned the vent pipe out a couple days ago. It's the same thing as the exhaust pipe right?
 
vent/exhaust = where the smoke leaves your house to the outside
 
I did a hard reset and cleaned out the entire venting system. I opened the side panels on the stove a bit for more air and de-winterized my basement. My stove seems to burn better. Let's see if this helps.

My baffles were completely black from the burning issues, but they seem to be getting lighter.
 

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Look up Simpson Durvents Thimbles. They allow you to replace the existing thimble with one, that has an OAK in it.

You will have to drill a 2.5"-3" hole, in the lower corner. But, there won't be two visible holes. Just one thimble.

Flame looks big and lively. But any black is a bad indication. IMO
 
I am for an OAK, however I would crack open a window just to be sure its not the problem.... why all of a sudden there is an air issue unless something was done to the basement to make it air tight..... does not sound right to me...

MommyOf4 said:
I opened the side panels on the stove a bit for more air and de-winterized my basement.
Click to expand...
You think the side panels are restricting the air and what does de-winterized mean ??
 
Dinger said:
How long have you had this stove? It functioned for a while right? I can't see a system failure a year in due to lack of OAK? I'm all for OAK 's but just saying.
Click to expand...

We've had it since mid September, but we've only really used it from Nov-mid Dec. I've realized that I winterized my basement around mid December as well so it may have been the extra insulation. I've removed some of it and have the side panels just hanging off the bolts. It seems to be working better right now...not much of a orange fire. I got a little black ash on the window currently.

When I woke up I realized the hopper was empty and the burn pot was full of ash.
 
gfreek said:
I am for an OAK, however I would crack open a window just to be sure its not the problem.... why all of a sudden there is an air issue unless something was done to the basement to make it air tight..... does not sound right to me...


You think the side panels are restricting the air and what does de-winterized mean ??
Click to expand...

I put weatherstrips to where we had a major draft on the door and insulated the windows.
 
MommyOf4....I've got to tell you, I have been reading your threads and following all of your issues and am disheartened by all of the problems that you are having with this thing. This many issues with one stove in such a short amount of time is very atypical of the experience that most pellet burners experience. Your situation is one of those that make me wish that I had a magic wand that I could wave and just make everything O.K.
I wish you the best. Good luck.
 
So it seems you did make some changes that may have affected the tightness in your basement at around the same time you started having these issues? You don't say whether or not you opened a basement window as part of your "de-winterizing" though. Unfortunately you cleaned the vent and "de-winterized" at the same time so it's hard to tell if either of those may have caused the problem.

Bottom line to me is that by winterizing the basement it appears to me that you are trying to make it warmer and more comfortable there. That alone tells me you should install an OAK. Not sure if not having an OAK is causing your issues but the benefits of having one are many, especially if you are trying to eliminate drafts in the basement. You shouldn't have to take off your side panels and clean your vent pipe every two weeks to have your stove working properly. Good Luck!!
 
CT Pellet said:
MommyOf4....I've got to tell you, I have been reading your threads and following all of your issues and am disheartened by all of the problems that you are having with this thing. This many issues with one stove in such a short amount of time is very atypical of the experience that most pellet burners experience. Your situation is one of those that make me wish that I had a magic wand that I could wave and just make everything O.K.
I wish you the best. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks,CT!
 
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