Regency/Hampton GCI60 (Enviro M55)

Cheeks · Jan 20, 2014

Hi,
I had a GCI60 pellet insert installed this year, as some of you may know from a prior post. Based on a ton of reading on the hearth.com forums and other internet resources, I'm really questioning whether i'm getting the most out of my stove. I though i'd post a comprehensive list of questions and observations and hopefully another owner of this model might be able to help me sort things out. I think i've read so much that i'm confused.

Background info: I'm using green supreme pellets and i've heard they are not very good. The house is about 3000 sq feet with great air flow upstairs for half the house. I live in MA. I clean the stove about every 5 days. I've pulled the back plates off only once though, after we burned two tons. I have not pulled the stove out of the firebox. Initially I had the installer measure the pressure in the box, but he ran it on high for about 5-10 mins before they did it. I wonder since they didnt let it run for an hour (per manual) if this adjustment was then slightly off.

1. Air Flow adjustment rod - how do I get the left panel off to reach it? Right now i'm using a long metal rod from the front but it's really hard to control. Also, pulling the rod out lets more air into the stove, correct?

2. Air flow - my flames don't look like this at all.
Also, i'm now on my 102nd bag and we have more arctic air coming our way. Seems like a lot compared to other people. I've messed with the air flow adjustment and the flame just doesn't change much whether all the way in or all the way out. I have it out about 3/4" now which produces a bright flame but not very high.

3. Agitator - I currently have it on standard pellets (green light) so the agitator turns more. I've read that this might be pushing pellets out of the burn pot quicker. I do get some unburnt pellets in the ash pan but read this might be normal from bouncing. If I put it back on premium then the pellets might be blocking the air holes, from what i've read.

4. feed trim seeting - i've tried moving this up and down and don't really see much of a difference, so I now have it on default setting of 3. Is it possible I need more pellets (4 or 5) in order to get a larger flame? I'm assuming higher is more, the manual doesn't specify.

5. Combustion Fan trim - I've tried adjusting this too and don't see much of a change in things. Is higher more air into the burn area? I still have it on default 3 setting.

6. Soot on glass - I get black soot on the top right portion after several days. This has improved a lot since I pulled the air flow rod out a little. From what i've read this is normal. When I clean the stove there tends to be a black coating on the inside as well (and white in some places).

7. Ash - I tend to get a lot of ash. At one point it built up on the sides and into the burn pot so that my pellets backed up into the chute. I've since tried not to use heat setting 5 for long, and to clean it more often. I have to dump my ash pan every 4 or 5 days it seems. The ash appears brown and black. Normal?

Aside from "buy better pellets next time " and "keep tinkering" (both which i will be doing), any other advice to achieve the most efficient burn?

Sorry for the long email, but I greatly appreciate all input, as usual. I hope to be a contributor next year for newbies like me.

mikestod · Jan 20, 2014

There are others here who really know the ins and outs of these units. But I'll take a crack at answering your questions. I have the M55 insert:

1) The side panels just lift up slightly then out. They are only hooked on. That will allow you to access the slide damper. If I remember correctly, mine is most of the way in, but the best way to set is is with a magnahelic gauge or a digital manometer.
2) Don't worry as much about the flames. Adjust using the gauge. Follow the instructions in the manual after running a full hour on 5. That will get you mostly dialed in.
3) Run agitator on Premium Pellet mode unless you are burning really terrible pellets.
4) Feed trim is for fine tuning. If you feel like you are dropping too many pellets after the slide damper is set well, you can fine tune. Don't expect to to see a noticeable difference between each level, though there will be a difference from one end of the spectrum to another.
5) Combustion trim is also for fine tuning. After the slide damper is set and you've been running a while, you can fine tune the combustion air right to the proper inches of water column reading using this. Also, if you switch pellets you can use this to fine tune for minor differences. Just like feed trim, you are only going to see minor difference between levels.
6) Soot on the glass at the upper right is completely normal. It changes based upon the burn, so start with the proper damper settings and you might see an immediate difference. Other than that, fine tuning may help you in this department. its relative to efficient burning. However, if you are seeing creosote or any brown discoloration (other than black soot), this is an indicator that combustion isn't proper.
7) Ash is always going to vary from pellet brand and installation. That being said, ash in the burn pot building up to the chute is not the way the unit is supposed to be working. The agitator should be kicking it out into the pan. This could also be poor combustion related. For comparison, when I'm burning 1 to 1.5 bags per day, I will have ask built up close to the edge of the burn pot, not as high as the agitator rod, after 7 days. When I'm burning 2 bags per day or more (like during the last cold snap) I did have to increase how often I emptied the ash pan. But again, start with proper adjustment of the main damper and see what happens.

Ctcarl · Jan 20, 2014

I had a inviro ef3 and damper never worked well and when it was fixed still never noticed a differnce in flame change.from my experince with this stove witch I did not have a good experience. Traded it In after to many problems.Is if you get complete black glass that's hard to clean off and you see smoke coming out your chimney. These are sighns if a chimney fire brewing.i had 2 wit that stove in a 4 month period.Traded it I. For a harman night and day differnce good luck

The Radiator · Jan 20, 2014

I don't have your model stove, but I do have an insert and I would have pulled the back walls off to vacuum alot more than once. I usually pull the back wall every 3 weeks or so. It's pretty easy. I usually pull my stove out all the way to clean the horizontal flue section and clean out tee after about 1.5 to 2 tons. If your fire is lazy and the air adjustment does not make a difference odds are the stove is dirty.

stovelark · Jan 20, 2014

Hi cheeks- As someone said, the panels on the side lift off, putting back on is essentially "hooking" them on as well. Pellets matter, but green supreme have burned well this year for me, I'm more of a Spruce Pointe/Okanagan softwood blend person, but your stove should do well with them. The air control, about 1/4 to 3/8 inch open should be a good spot for most m55's open too much and stove will run cooler than it should. Still best to use factory settings on control board and set with a magnehelic if possible.

For Ct carl- don't know how the installer set your stove up or your operating habits, but EF3's have been around a long time, normally considered to be very effective, efficient heaters. The air damper is best around 1-1/4 inches of rod showing on the air damper. Sorry to hear you were disappointed with it, I've had mine for years, great stove- installed many and cleaned many of them. Black glass or smoke in the chimney almost only could be a very dirty stove,poor fuel or an exhaust blower not working properly. Hope your Harman works out.

smwilliamson · Jan 21, 2014

Cheeks said:
Hi,
I had a GCI60 pellet insert installed this year, as some of you may know from a prior post. Based on a ton of reading on the hearth.com forums and other internet resources, I'm really questioning whether i'm getting the most out of my stove. I though i'd post a comprehensive list of questions and observations and hopefully another owner of this model might be able to help me sort things out. I think i've read so much that i'm confused.

Background info: I'm using green supreme pellets and i've heard they are not very good. The house is about 3000 sq feet with great air flow upstairs for half the house. I live in MA. I clean the stove about every 5 days. I've pulled the back plates off only once though, after we burned two tons. I have not pulled the stove out of the firebox. Initially I had the installer measure the pressure in the box, but he ran it on high for about 5-10 mins before they did it. I wonder since they didnt let it run for an hour (per manual) if this adjustment was then slightly off.

1. Air Flow adjustment rod - how do I get the left panel off to reach it? Right now i'm using a long metal rod from the front but it's really hard to control. Also, pulling the rod out lets more air into the stove, correct?

2. Air flow - my flames don't look like this at all.
Also, i'm now on my 102nd bag and we have more arctic air coming our way. Seems like a lot compared to other people. I've messed with the air flow adjustment and the flame just doesn't change much whether all the way in or all the way out. I have it out about 3/4" now which produces a bright flame but not very high.

3. Agitator - I currently have it on standard pellets (green light) so the agitator turns more. I've read that this might be pushing pellets out of the burn pot quicker. I do get some unburnt pellets in the ash pan but read this might be normal from bouncing. If I put it back on premium then the pellets might be blocking the air holes, from what i've read.

4. feed trim seeting - i've tried moving this up and down and don't really see much of a difference, so I now have it on default setting of 3. Is it possible I need more pellets (4 or 5) in order to get a larger flame? I'm assuming higher is more, the manual doesn't specify.

5. Combustion Fan trim - I've tried adjusting this too and don't see much of a change in things. Is higher more air into the burn area? I still have it on default 3 setting.

6. Soot on glass - I get black soot on the top right portion after several days. This has improved a lot since I pulled the air flow rod out a little. From what i've read this is normal. When I clean the stove there tends to be a black coating on the inside as well (and white in some places).

7. Ash - I tend to get a lot of ash. At one point it built up on the sides and into the burn pot so that my pellets backed up into the chute. I've since tried not to use heat setting 5 for long, and to clean it more often. I have to dump my ash pan every 4 or 5 days it seems. The ash appears brown and black. Normal?

Aside from "buy better pellets next time " and "keep tinkering" (both which i will be doing), any other advice to achieve the most efficient burn?

Sorry for the long email, but I greatly appreciate all input, as usual. I hope to be a contributor next year for newbies like me.

Where do ya live cheeks? You may not have a mag guage but for a cup of joe I'll stop by and set the draft for ya if you live close by.

Cheeks · Jan 21, 2014

Thanks for all the replies!

Mikestod: I'm having trouble getting my panel off. I'm guessing that maybe the GCI60 is set up slightly different than the M55. I'll try again later but I put some muscle into it and it didnt budge. I put my agitator back to premium pellet setting and adjusted the air again (I put it in a little from where i had it) and things seem to be burning better.

Radiator: I am going to pull the back plates off more often, but even after I did this it didn't change anything. The flame isnt so much lazy as it is small. It seems to struggle to get higher and then it goes back down. I feel like there could be more heat too. I have a wood insert that kicks out about twice as much heat.

Stovelark: I might have had it open too much. I've adjusted it down and it seems to be working better. Didnt realize there was a "too much air" possibility.

SMWilliamson: I'll email you at your contact email. Thanks for the offer.

Two other things I'm curious about:
8. Is it not odd to have my flame mostly on the left side most of the time? What could be causing this?

9. How high do your flames go, and how hot is the air being blown out? On 5 my flames are barely hitting the top plate. On 3 it seems to go between below the top of the burn pot and maybe half way to the top of the stove. On 5 I can hold my hand in front of the hot air for 30 seconds. It doenst burn but gets uncomfortable at that point.

Thanks again

mikestod · Jan 21, 2014

Cheeks said:
Thanks for all the replies!

Mikestod: I'm having trouble getting my panel off. I'm guessing that maybe the GCI60 is set up slightly different than the M55. I'll try again later but I put some muscle into it and it didnt budge. I put my agitator back to premium pellet setting and adjusted the air again (I put it in a little from where i had it) and things seem to be burning better.

Two other things I'm curious about:
8. Is it not odd to have my flame mostly on the left side most of the time? What could be causing this?

9. How high do your flames go, and how hot is the air being blown out? On 5 my flames are barely hitting the top plate. On 3 it seems to go between below the top of the burn pot and maybe half way to the top of the stove. On 5 I can hold my hand in front of the hot air for 30 seconds. It doenst burn but gets uncomfortable at that point.

Thanks again

Yeah, I guess the side panels could be mounted differently. But mine are just hanging on tabs. I just slide the hopper lid forward, lift the side panels straight up about 1/2" and pull straight out. Check the manual...it should tell you how to remove them?

If I remember correctly my slide damper is in most of the way, but everyone's setup is different so you really have to check it with a gauge or manometer. Worst case you could always try to convince the installer to come back out and check it as a courtesy because they didn't follow the setup instructions and wait for the full hour on level 5 when setting it. My installer did not either, but luckily I was able to borrow a manometer from work to set mine.

8) I'm not sure why your flame is mostly on the left side. Mine is even. Unless your chute is directed to one side and creating uneven distribution of pellets into the burn pot?

9) On level three my flames are just licking the top plate. On 5 they are rolling off the top plate and into the heat exchanger tubes. Even on 5 though it isn't so hot that I will burn my hand unless I'm right up against the stove. But its warm enough I don't want to stand in front of it for any long period of time.

whlago · Jan 21, 2014

I have a free-standng M55 and agree with most Mikestod's points above, only I think the whole pull rod/ damper thing may be set differently with the insert (not sure). Regarding point 8; I have the same issue with the flame being on the left mostly and this has been discussed previously on the forum. It may have something to do with the turn of the auger and where it drops most of the pellets. Some have modified the chute but it doesn't really bother me.

My flames, depending on the pellet, are more like how Mikestod describes his as. I know you've heard it before.....but try some dfferent pellets. You will see a difference. Otherwise things don't seem all that unusual.

Realtor · Jan 21, 2014

I have the same stove. I've had it about 1 month. I ran it for a week or so before the damper was adjusted. It did not produce good heat until the install technician set the air flow with his magnehelic gauge. That made a world of difference. I also blocked the chimney around the flue pipe with insulation to keep cold air out. Both of those things made a big difference. Prior to that I was thinking the stove was a waste of time and money.
I am going to install an OAK as soon as possible. I think that will take the performance of the stove up another notch. My glass gets dirty in the same manner. It seems that lower stove settings produce more build up on the glass. It is now in the low to mid teens here and my stove is begging for mercy. I have it running on setting 4 and 5 pretty much all day long.

mikestod · Jan 21, 2014

Realtor said:
I am going to install an OAK as soon as possible. I think that will take the performance of the stove up another notch.

Outside air!! That's an interesting point...

Cheeks, how is your available air? Insufficient make-up air will also result in inefficient combustion. Do you have a tightly sealed house? Are there other appliances competing for air? I notice you have a wood insert as well? Are you burning them the same time?

If the damper is set correctly as we have already discussed in prior posts, insufficient combustion air could also be the main problem or compounding the problem, and if severe enough manifest itself in high soot and ash due to poor combustion. First, make sure the air intake opening on the rear of the insert isn't blocked or right up against your firebox. Once making sure the air intake is clear (its about a 2" diameter pipe on the rear if its like my M55 insert), try testing your pellet insert with your wood stove, furnace, water heater or any other appliances that use combustion off so there is no competition for available air in your home. You can even try cracking a window in the room with the pellet insert to see if that helps. If this assists you you may have to have an Outside Air Kit (or OAK) installed to supply enough air directly to the pellet insert.

Cheeks · Jan 22, 2014

I'm pretty sure my left panel is secured to the rest of the stove. Does anyone above have the GCI60?

Pellets on left: I'm fine with it as long as i'm getting good heat.

Flames: mine don't seem as high, but like someone else said - worry about the heat, not the flames.

So, as i mentioned previously, i made an adjustment to the air flow and it seems to be running better now. We used about 1.5-2 bags yesterday and it was really cold. Then again, we had the oil/radiators kicking in every so often, and the wood stove going all day.

Outside air is interesting Mike... my insert is in a small fireplace with no outside air. Also, we have an oil furnace in the basement, and a wood stove in the kitchen. The house was built in the 1960's so it's definitely not airtight but also not drafty. I'm going to contact the installer and try to get another magnehelic reading (after burning on high for an hour), insulation (as Realtor mentioned) and ask about outside air. I just hate to spend any more money on this right now.

Spikell75 · Jan 22, 2014

there's 2 torx t-25 screws on the left side of the door on the front of the panel then you'll be able to pull it up out of the slots

Search

Search

Regency/Hampton GCI60 (Enviro M55)

Cheeks

Member

mikestod

Member

Ctcarl

Feeling the Heat

The Radiator

Member

stovelark

Minister of Fire

smwilliamson

The Stove Guy

Cheeks

Member

mikestod

Member

whlago

Feeling the Heat

Realtor

New Member

mikestod

Member

Cheeks

Member

Spikell75

New Member

Similar threads