Curran pellet issue?

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Chris1

New Member
Nov 1, 2014
4
Ontario
Yesterday I used a bag of Curran blend pellets in my stove on low. Thought there was a bit of a funky smell but thought it was just because a different brand of pellets than I normally use. Today, being a bit cooler, used a second bag and upped the heat setting to two. Within 20 minutes of turning it up I hear the C02 alarm going off. Check the stove and the hopper is full of smoke and it's seeping out around the edges. The smell is awful!!!! I have about 15 more bags of these Currans because the supplier was out of the regular brand and I thought I'd try these. So do I return these bags because they might be contaminated with some kind of chemical or risk burning them again?
 
I suspect a stove malfunction. The exhaust blower perhaps. Or your vent is clogged.
 
I've emptied the hopper of most of the Curran pellets and re-filled it with the original brand and have cranked it back up to the second heat level. The C02 monitor in the basement where the stove is has stopped going off but now the upstairs ones are going. Have all the windows opened and am watching the stove like a hawk. The Curran pellets smell odd right out of the bag but I have zero experience so don't know if different brands would have a different odor. This is my first year with the pellet stove and up until this point we've only used one brand of pellets.
 
Chris1 said:
I've emptied the hopper of most of the Curran pellets and re-filled it with the original brand and have cranked it back up to the second heat level. The C02 monitor in the basement where the stove is has stopped going off but now the upstairs ones are going. Have all the windows opened and am watching the stove like a hawk. The Curran pellets smell odd right out of the bag but I have zero experience so don't know if different brands would have a different odor. This is my first year with the pellet stove and up until this point we've only used one brand of pellets.
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I agree with Tim. Doesn't sound like the pellets if the hopper is full of smoke.
 
Even if you did stumble across the worst pellet on earth, all the smoke should be vented outside unless the stove isnt working properly.
 
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I agree, something isn't right but I suspect it is not the pellets. When is the last time you cleaned the stove and venting ?
 
I agree with Tim. How long has it been since a thorough cleaning of the vent piping? It would be very helpful if you included the make/model of your stove in your signature. Are the pellets dry, or are they swollen with moisture which would cause a foul smell? Smoke in the hopper sounds very dangerous. A hopper fire is a worse case scenario. Clean everything, check hopper lid seal. When you emptied the hopper, did you notice any evidence of smoldered or partially burned pellets?
 
The stove is cleaned weekly. Last time was Thursday. I checked the OAK and no obstructions and opened both chimney Ts and got nothing out of them. The pellets were dry and unswollen and nothing to indicate there was any type of combustion going on in there. It's been running now for a couple of hours with the original brand of pellets in it and no problems at all. When my husband came home first thing he wanted to know was what the smell in the house was because it doesn't smell like smoke - and that was after airing it out. He thinks the Currans smell like varsol or something. The smoke detectors in the house never went off so there wasn't that much smoke but the C02 monitors on both levels were triggered.
 
Carbon monoxide detectors going off suggest a serious problem is going on here. I doubt if the source of that is bad Curran pellets.
 
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Time to shut off the stove until it gets checked by a pro. I can't imagine that anyone here would encourage you to keep burning ANY pellets until a certified pro can confirm that it's safe to do so. Please just turn on the regular heat.

I hope you're safe.
 
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bcarton said:
Time to shut off the stove until it gets checked by a pro. I can't imagine that anyone here would encourage you to keep burning ANY pellets until a certified pro can confirm that it's safe to do so. Please just turn on the regular heat.

I hope you're safe.
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Agree x10

Dont mess around with carbon monoxide.
 
Chris1 said:
The stove is cleaned weekly. Last time was Thursday. I checked the OAK and no obstructions and opened both chimney Ts and got nothing out of them. The pellets were dry and unswollen and nothing to indicate there was any type of combustion going on in there. It's been running now for a couple of hours with the original brand of pellets in it and no problems at all. When my husband came home first thing he wanted to know was what the smell in the house was because it doesn't smell like smoke - and that was after airing it out. He thinks the Currans smell like varsol or something. The smoke detectors in the house never went off so there wasn't that much smoke but the C02 monitors on both levels were triggered.
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You opened the caps to the venting but did you run a brush through the venting ? The concern here of course is that we don't want you guys snuffing yourselves, this is a dangerous condition you have going on !
 
Thats kinda like spilling oil on your headers it will smolder assuming your pellets have something in them. Is it possible yes. Like I said my north americans smell kinda liks a pvc glue I did notice. Could it be smoldering off a hot hopper I guess it could but id get thing checked out personally co2 is no joke
 
Just an FYI
CO2 is carbon dioxide.
 
My wife's breath is pretty funky in the morning. It may not kill you but it sure does smell like something died.
 
TimfromMA said:
My wife's breath is pretty funky in the morning. It may not kill you but it sure does smell like something died.
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Have you tried running a brush through her venting?
 
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