Ash leak, help!

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Sasquatch76

Sasquatch76

Member
Jan 10, 2015
45
WV
Hi all, new here and this is my first year with a pellet stove, so I'm a noob. I have a Pleasant Hearth PH50CABPS Series Cabinet Pellet Stove.

Lately I've noticed a fine layer of white ash/dust coating some things in my house. This isn't good at all, my father has breathing problems and I need to resolve this. I've made sure the exhaust pipes are sealed properly with hi-temp silicone. What would cause this to happen? Do I need to increase the combustion air flow? Please help.
 
Is it ash or pellet dust? To keep down pellet dust, I "vacuum" my pellets and that pulls out a fair bit of dust and the fines. From another post I responded to...
The one I used:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/filter-fines-from-pellets.30591/#post-398528 (mjbrown)

Another one:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/my-diy-pellet-sifter.73263/#post-73263 (Dexter Day)

Since the first version, I use an adapter and heating duct boot (3") and got rid of the funnel... fernco coupler for the shop vac..

If it is ash, could it be from when you clean the stove?
 
Are you sure it is ash and not dust from pouring in pellets? If it is (and most likely is) pellet dust/fines you may want to screen your pellets outside before pouring them in the hopper. It's a good idea to do anyway.

And remember, some pellets have far more fines than others and the more you toss Em the more fines you'll have.
 
Lake Girl said:
Is it ash or pellet dust? To keep down pellet dust, I "vacuum" my pellets and that pulls out a fair bit of dust and the fines. From another post I responded to...
The one I used:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/filter-fines-from-pellets.30591/#post-398528 (mjbrown)

Another one:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/my-diy-pellet-sifter.73263/#post-73263 (Dexter Day)

Since the first version, I use an adapter and heating duct boot (3") and got rid of the funnel... fernco coupler for the shop vac..

If it is ash, could it be from when you clean the stove?
Click to expand...

It's a fine ,white ,ashy powder. The Lignetics pellets I'm using aren't very dusty at all.
I use a Shop-Vac ash vacuum, It doesn't seem to vent any ash when I'm using it, it's brand new.
 
Do you have a drywall filter in the shop vac?

Have someone pour in the pellets for you sometime and stand off to the side a bit - you'd be surprised by the dust...
 
Hmmmm, when you vac the stove are you using an ash vac or a proper filter?
 
I have a Shop Vac ash vacuum. I laid out some black trash bags to detect the ash residue earlier. Here's the pics I just took.

IMG_0064.jpg
IMG_0065.jpg
IMG_0066.jpg
 
Static from the plastic will attract the smallest of particulates. Can you run the combustion blower when you clean the unit? Pellet dust occurs even with vacuuming... Some forum members have fitted filters on the convection blower but it wouldn't capture that small of particles.

My father had nasty allergies so they had installed an electrostatic precipitator to the furnace/air conditioner they had. May have to look at some kind of air purification unit.
 
Lake Girl said:
Static from the plastic will attract the smallest of particulates. Can you run the combustion blower when you clean the unit? Pellet dust occurs even with vacuuming... Some forum members have fitted filters on the convection blower but it wouldn't capture that small of particles.

My father had nasty allergies so they had installed an electrostatic precipitator to the furnace/air conditioner they had. May have to look at some kind of air purification unit.
Click to expand...

No, the unit has to be shut down while cleaning, and it will not run with the door open.
 
Sasquatch76 said:
It's a fine ,white ,ashy powder. The Lignetics pellets I'm using aren't very dusty at all.
I use a Shop-Vac ash vacuum, It doesn't seem to vent any ash when I'm using it, it's brand new.
Click to expand...

Get a hepa filter for your shop vac. The standard paper filter is not fine enough thus allowing fine ash particulate to blast through the house every time you clean.
 
Sasquatch76 said:
The Shop Vac ash vacuum I have has a HEPA rated filter.
Click to expand...

Thats a good start. Some members here have recommended putting a wet rag over the exhaust port of the shop vac to capture any other little stuff that may be to small to be filtered.

Depending on where your stove it located you could try buying another hose and putting it into the exhaust port and directing the outlet air out a window.

Personally i am thinking about ducting the exhaust port of my vacuum outside using central vac pipe, essentially turning my shop vac into a mini central vac unit
 
seige101 said:
Thats a good start. Some members here have recommended putting a wet rag over the exhaust port of the shop vac to capture any other little stuff that may be to small to be filtered.

Depending on where your stove it located you could try buying another hose and putting it into the exhaust port and directing the outlet air out a window.

Personally i am thinking about ducting the exhaust port of my vacuum outside using central vac pipe, essentially turning my shop vac into a mini central vac unit
Click to expand...

I don't think it's my ash vacuum. I'm going to check the gasket on the exhaust blower to see if it's leaking.
 
Is there a humidifier in the house?
 
Not to be a SA, but I believe you need to go back to a central heat plant with a humidification unit and electrostatic precipitation filter, thats the only way you'll eliminate all your dust issues. I too have respratory issues but I've learned to live with some dust, it's inherent with a solid fuel stove and thats the way it is.
 
SidecarFlip said:
Not to be a SA, but I believe you need to go back to a central heat plant with a humidification unit and electrostatic precipitation filter, thats the only way you'll eliminate all your dust issues. I too have respratory issues but I've learned to live with some dust, it's inherent with a solid fuel stove and thats the way it is.
Click to expand...

Central heat plant? I have no idea what that entails or what an electrostatic precipitation filter is.

I did inspect inside the stove, some dust, but that's to be expected. The gaskets do not appear to be leaking. I have increased outside air flow, it does seem to be burning much better and cleaner. That leads me to believe it was a negative pressure issue. We'll see.
 
We have a Ionic Breeze airpurifier in the stove room and we are constantly cleaning it.Covered in that fine white dust.Never happened with the wood stove that was replaced by the pellet stove.I'm just assuming it's the dust from the pellets.Maybe have to start vacuuming the pellets,man this pellet thing is getting to be a lot of work. Open bag,pour in stove,clean burn pot,clean stove,now vacuum pellets. Just kidding I can't wait to replace the wood insert upstairs. Rusty
 
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Another thing is this. I think they got the trim adjustments listed wrong in the instruction booklet.

trim_adj-jpg.123710


It says, to increase turn conter-clock-wise, but that goes into the (-) numbers, to decrease turn clock-wise, that goes into the (+) numbers. Right now I have it on +2 and it seems to be burning much better, plus the air wash system is performing way better than it did.
 
kniffin50 said:
We have a Ionic Breeze airpurifier in the stove room and we are constantly cleaning it.Covered in that fine white dust.Never happened with the wood stove that was replaced by the pellet stove.I'm just assuming it's the dust from the pellets.Maybe have to start vacuuming the pellets,man this pellet thing is getting to be a lot of work. Open bag,pour in stove,clean burn pot,clean stove,now vacuum pellets. Just kidding I can't wait to replace the wood insert upstairs. Rusty
Click to expand...

It still beats busting butt to get enough wood for the winter, year after year, especially when you have a bad back like I do. I'll have to look into one of those Ionic Breeze purifiers. Thanks.
 
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