Whitfield Profile 20 Ignition Problem

Just in case you are doing the same dumb thing I did, you should check that the burn pot is not in backwards. The first time I cleaned my Profile 30 I put the burn pot in backwards, the burn pot would get warm, but the pellets would not ignite. I placed a service call to the dealer before I discover the problem on my own. I felt really stupid calling the dealer to cancel the service call.

I dont know if you pellet stove has a manuel draft contol on the cold air intake, my pel-pro does.
This is a lever, if i pull it out all the way, cold air input is fully opened and I get so much draft, it blows the pellets right out of the fire pot.

Under similar conditions, with that much draft, it is unreasonable to expect pellets to auto ignite.
Too much cold air being pulled into combustion chamber will cool down the igniter too much to light the pellets.

I normally run my stove 7/8 to 3/4 closed, while 7/8 closed gives me a slow & lazy flame & contributes to the fast formation of clinkers in the fire pot, as well as eary black window, 3/4 closed gives me a more active flame but not so much air that i am kicking unburned pellets out of the fire pot. And the window takes longer to turn black.

It is also very important to clean out the ash trap under the fire pot as this is part of the air flow system, & when it gets full,it is like shutting off the outside air pipe.

Not enough air can get though the combustion chamber for proper combustion.

This can be counteracted, up to a point, by opening the cold air intake more but the point is soon reached where the burn of the stove is controled not by the setting of the cold air intake damper , but by the ash accumulation under the fire pot.
This point is called CLEAN OUT TIME.

CLEAN OUT TIME: after the stove has cooled for 12 hours, without running, it is safe to vac out the ashes with a wet/dry shop vac set up as follows:

Fill the canester 20% with water to capture ashes & this could extinguish a spark,if one should be present.
NEVER VAC HOT ASHES,TURN YOUR VAC INTO a one time flame thrower.

Set the filters up as follows: corrigated paper automotive air cleaner type filter on the inside
and on the outside the paper bag filter.

The paper bag filter will get filthy but keeps the auto type paper filter inside clean enough to blow off & reuse. The water in the canester catches the lion's share of the ashes.

Jims said:

Just in case you are doing the same dumb thing I did, you should check that the burn pot is not in backwards. The first time I cleaned my Profile 30 I put the burn pot in backwards, the burn pot would get warm, but the pellets would not ignite. I placed a service call to the dealer before I discover the problem on my own. I felt really stupid calling the dealer to cancel the service call.

Click to expand...

That's twice you have been honest about your error. A few more and you will join the ranks of the few aqnd far between. Geeze, why can't we see the errors in our ways...........

Try setting the pellet feed at 3, Turn the room blower fan on Medium. Make sure pot is installed right.
Heating element should stay on for 10 min.

:coolsmile: I also have a Whitfield Profile 30 and was guilty of inserting the burn pot backwards during one of the first cleanings. It will get the metal on the pot extremely hot but WILL NOT ignite the pellets. This left me feeling a little foolish after I discovered my error. When the burn pot is inserted correctly there is a hole in the center that aligns with the ignitor.