Ashby St. Croix turns off when I add pellets + more
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I posted pictures, I have no clue why you're saying it's not an Ashby. The model I have comes in two trims that I know of: gold and standard. I have the standard one since the gold one cost more money.
heat seeker
Minister of Fire
If it's made like my Afton Bay, the ignitor, if you have one, is in front of the burnpot, opposite the chute the pellets fall down. There is about a ½" hole in the front of the pot. You can see the ignitor's tip if you pull the burnpot out and use a mirror to look in the hole.
I understand that the Ashby doesn't have the "electronic ignition", but then how does the SmartStat setting work? How does the stove relight itself? I suppose that Croix uses only one control panel, and the SmartStat setting doesn't actually do anything. That would explain the manual start requirement.
What I can't figure out is where the heat is going. Hockeyfun, what level are you running the stove at? You probably have said already…level 5 should be cooking that room. Review my post #3 for output temps. You should be getting the same temps.
Your consumption seems correct, so I think the auger is feeding properly. The only thing I can come up with is that you're losing a lot of your heat up the chimney.
This is a real puzzler!
I understand that the Ashby doesn't have the "electronic ignition", but then how does the SmartStat setting work? How does the stove relight itself? I suppose that Croix uses only one control panel, and the SmartStat setting doesn't actually do anything. That would explain the manual start requirement.
What I can't figure out is where the heat is going. Hockeyfun, what level are you running the stove at? You probably have said already…level 5 should be cooking that room. Review my post #3 for output temps. You should be getting the same temps.
Your consumption seems correct, so I think the auger is feeding properly. The only thing I can come up with is that you're losing a lot of your heat up the chimney.
This is a real puzzler!
Xena
Minister of Fire
It sure looks like the Ashby to me. The stove in the St Croix video is a free standing
and looks like the Auburn so maybe that is where they are all confused when you
said your stove was the same as the one in the video. Wish I could help you but
my St Croix isn't a MF stove. Hopefully someone who knows those stoves will come
along and help you out.
and looks like the Auburn so maybe that is where they are all confused when you
said your stove was the same as the one in the video. Wish I could help you but
my St Croix isn't a MF stove. Hopefully someone who knows those stoves will come
along and help you out.
Heat seaker, I'm about 200F to 300F. I've kept it at level 5 (the highest). What were you using to measure your heat output? Were you using the same thing as me?
Can't blame it on the house's insulation if it isn't putting out the required heat it should.
Can't blame it on the house's insulation if it isn't putting out the required heat it should.
heat seeker
Minister of Fire
I got a wood stove magnetic thermometer and stuck it to the front of the stove so that it catches a bit of the hot air coming out. It's probably not all that accurate, but should be fairly close. I have checked it with an infrared thermometer, and it is pretty close. On level 5, the air coming out of the stove is so hot you can't keep your hand in it for more than a few seconds. Hardly scientific, I know.
You might want to check the Croix web site for the video about adjusting the draft. Too much draft, and you lose heat up the vent; too little you get a poor burn.
If you are venting up a long vertical run, you may have too much draft, which could suck your heat up the vent. Closing your draft down might help. Yes, the fire will get smaller, but more heat will stay in the stove. On level 5, my fire pretty much fills up the stove. My avatar shows about how level 4 looks on mine.
A couple of vids that might be helpful. Towards the end of the second one, they mention that if you have a really good draft (long vertical) you may have to close the damper some.
You might want to check the Croix web site for the video about adjusting the draft. Too much draft, and you lose heat up the vent; too little you get a poor burn.
If you are venting up a long vertical run, you may have too much draft, which could suck your heat up the vent. Closing your draft down might help. Yes, the fire will get smaller, but more heat will stay in the stove. On level 5, my fire pretty much fills up the stove. My avatar shows about how level 4 looks on mine.
A couple of vids that might be helpful. Towards the end of the second one, they mention that if you have a really good draft (long vertical) you may have to close the damper some.
It's getting late, I'll watch the videos in the morning. One quick note, this is a colonial, so it has a first floor, second floor, and attic, and then the chimney sticks out. So it's a bit of a run.
Ok. You have an Ashby MF. Did you set the control board to run program3? If you have read the manual like you claim it explains the procedure to do so. If you haven't you should just to eliminate that as a possibility close your damper down some but do it in small increments Your dealer screwed you by using too small of an exhaust and you should feel free to let him know it
I remember the control board three option awhile back. It's always been there.
I've played around with the damper all day. No difference, only makes it worse.
I looked at my chimney outside. My eyes aren't great but I see two things sticking out of it. One for the pellet stove and one probably for the natural gas furnace and natural gas water heater. Since they share the same chimney, but not the same pipe (ie. the pellet stove has its own dedicated exhaust pipe going through the chimney), is that an issue?
I also lowered the heat setting by two notches and it feels like the air condition is on. Blows cool air. Really???
I've played around with the damper all day. No difference, only makes it worse.
I looked at my chimney outside. My eyes aren't great but I see two things sticking out of it. One for the pellet stove and one probably for the natural gas furnace and natural gas water heater. Since they share the same chimney, but not the same pipe (ie. the pellet stove has its own dedicated exhaust pipe going through the chimney), is that an issue?
I also lowered the heat setting by two notches and it feels like the air condition is on. Blows cool air. Really???
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Did you take the sides off the burn pot? They are only used for fuel other than pellets. Auto ignite might be available in program 3. Try making sure it is running program 3 for pellets and not 1 or 2 for other fuel.
What sides? I don't think anything comes off unless they already are. It's set to pellets since that's all I use and I was told they give the best performance (heh).
krooser
Minister of Fire
I'll chime in…
I have an older St Croix Pepin in my home… it's been bulletproof and will melt your face if you crank it up.
Three years ago I bought a used St Croix Greenfield multi fuel stove for my shop. Private party sale. After two frustrating seasons trying to get this stove to heat my shop I traded it for two tons of pellets… it just wouldn't put out any heat. I talked to my local dealer who I have been dealing with for eight years and he concurred… the St Croix multi fuel stoves work best with corn not pellets.
I had a corn pot and pellet pot… the pellet pot is too small to generate enough BTU's to provide sufficient heat. The corn pot isn't ideal for pellets. St Croix does offer an improved style pellet pot that you may want to try… it's fairly cheap so it may be worth a try.
I think you are stuck with a stove that is going to be very tough to get to work well with pellets. St Croix builds a great pellet stove… and a great corn stove… just not both in one stove!
I have an older St Croix Pepin in my home… it's been bulletproof and will melt your face if you crank it up.
Three years ago I bought a used St Croix Greenfield multi fuel stove for my shop. Private party sale. After two frustrating seasons trying to get this stove to heat my shop I traded it for two tons of pellets… it just wouldn't put out any heat. I talked to my local dealer who I have been dealing with for eight years and he concurred… the St Croix multi fuel stoves work best with corn not pellets.
I had a corn pot and pellet pot… the pellet pot is too small to generate enough BTU's to provide sufficient heat. The corn pot isn't ideal for pellets. St Croix does offer an improved style pellet pot that you may want to try… it's fairly cheap so it may be worth a try.
I think you are stuck with a stove that is going to be very tough to get to work well with pellets. St Croix builds a great pellet stove… and a great corn stove… just not both in one stove!
I will ask the dealer if they're able to "upgrade" it to the improved style pot. Never tried corn but the dealer told me it wouldn't do as good as pellets. I think I might want to ask a different dealer for their view on my setup too, but there aren't many in the area.
Does corn produce an odor when burned? I go to some people's houses who have pellet stoves and it smells burnt/smokey inside. Kind of annoying. The pellets I use don't produce any odor. Not sure why.
Does corn produce an odor when burned? I go to some people's houses who have pellet stoves and it smells burnt/smokey inside. Kind of annoying. The pellets I use don't produce any odor. Not sure why.
It's because your exhaust venting is sealed properly. You should not be smelling smoke from a pellet stove.
krooser
Minister of Fire
Corn burns hotter than pellets but also produces a big clinker in the burn pot that has to be addressed everyday.
Many corn stoves have a pot stirrer to break up the clinker. St Croix has a sliding cutter (for lack of the correct term) that allows you to "cut" the clinker in half keeping the fire going and not interrupting the burn.
I figured something out I think... the fire pattern seems to go in cycles... looks good, goes down, looks good, goes down, etc. If it's running for 5+ hours, then the fire isn't very good anymore. If I hold down the auger feed button for 20 seconds so it dumps in more pellets, then the fire is HOW IT SHOULD BE.... but it only lasts for about a minute, then it's not as good anymore. If I keep doing auger feed, then it gets good again. I also found if I have to fill the unit with pellets while it is burning them, and then the fire goes down, all I have to do is auger feed and the fire looks how it should. How do I get it to STAY HOW IT SHOULD?
TimfromMA
Minister of Fire
heat seeker
Minister of Fire
I don't know if this has been mentioned - hold down the auger feed button, and count how long it takes the auger to make 1 or 2 turns, thus determining the actual RPM of the auger. I believe all ST Croixs are 2 RPM augers. My auger motor was sluggish and the heat output was low, and at idle, the fire ended up going out. My auger was turning about 1.5 to 1.75 RPM - too slow. A little oil on the auger motor bushings, and RPMs are up to 2, and the fire is much larger and hotter, therefore the heat output is outstanding again. That little difference in the RPM made a large difference in the pellet delivery rate.
Holding the auger feed button had the same effect on my stove, BTW - a temporary improvement.
My manual does not mention oiling the auger motor or the VersaGrate motor, yet both have oil ports, which are near impossible to see or get at.
Holding the auger feed button had the same effect on my stove, BTW - a temporary improvement.
My manual does not mention oiling the auger motor or the VersaGrate motor, yet both have oil ports, which are near impossible to see or get at.
How do I determine how many RPMs the auger is going at? I don't hear anything, I just hear a pellet drop through every few seconds. The rate that it goes through pellets seems normal though.
heat seeker
Minister of Fire
The only way I know of is to watch the auger itself (perhaps at the motor end) and time it with a stopwatch. One revolution in 30 seconds, say, is 2 RPM. If yours is an insert, that could be difficult. Mine was, IIRC, taking about 1¼ minutes to make 2 revolutions. That 15 seconds extra made quite a difference.
Lake Girl
Moderator
Do you know if the installer used 3" or 4" exhaust venting? Is it terminated in the chimney or does it go all the way to the top? Is the venting rated only for pellets or for multi-fuel?
I don't know if it's 3 or 4". Isn't 4" code?
It goes all the way to the top. Venting should be rated for both since they put a whole new dedicated one in the chimney.
It goes all the way to the top. Venting should be rated for both since they put a whole new dedicated one in the chimney.
Lake Girl
Moderator
With the length of your run up the chimney, 4" should have been used. Wondered if it is a multi-fuel liner so you could try corn if you wanted. A 50-50 mix of pellets and corn might be interesting as corn is supposed to produce more heat...
Do you get any blink codes when it shuts down? May want to go through the Combustion Air Damper procedure on page 37 of the on-line manual again. Make sure you only move damper 1/16" and allow time between each change. http://stcroixstoves.com/pdf/Ashby-P-Manuals.pdf
As to the cycling up and down, that is fairly normal as it depends on auger cycle. You either have too much combustion air or not enough pellets per feed cycle. Is there a feed gate in the hopper or on the auger system that can be opened more?
Also you should do a good clean including the exhaust tee clean-out and heat exchanger/baffles (page 43). Should get the chimney liner done at the end of the season...
Keep us posted...
Do you get any blink codes when it shuts down? May want to go through the Combustion Air Damper procedure on page 37 of the on-line manual again. Make sure you only move damper 1/16" and allow time between each change. http://stcroixstoves.com/pdf/Ashby-P-Manuals.pdf
As to the cycling up and down, that is fairly normal as it depends on auger cycle. You either have too much combustion air or not enough pellets per feed cycle. Is there a feed gate in the hopper or on the auger system that can be opened more?
Also you should do a good clean including the exhaust tee clean-out and heat exchanger/baffles (page 43). Should get the chimney liner done at the end of the season...
Keep us posted...
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