I have had this stove for a year now and have had soot on air vents from day one. I have check all the gaskets called Englander and was told it was normal to have some soot on the vents, we get high winds in Wyoming. I am now starting to notice gray spots on my ceiling. Is there anything I can check. I also can smell smoke sometimes through the vents. Could there be something wrong with heat exchanger.
ENGLANDER 25PDVC soot
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webbie
Seasoned Moderator
Possible, but more likely other things. Check the sticky in this forum room which show the suggestions about having some rise on the pipe - check yours.
Do you have outside air?
Is your vent pipe sealed very tightly to the stove and elsewhere with silicone?
There are probably ways to test a firebox or heat exchanger for leaks....like a smoke test. Maybe Rod or Mike will tell us how to check for this. However it is my understanding that most pellet combustion fans suck on the firebox, therefore even if there was a small pinhole smoke should not come out of it (only air should go in).
Also, if you regularly open and scrape the stove firepot that could create some dust, etc.
I once commented here that Pellet Stoves are dusty inside a home...and some disputed me. But I have found it to be the case.....not always because of smoke, but just having blowers going plus the dust from loading pellets and fiddling with the fire once in a while. BTW, I have found the same with coal stoves and wood stoves to a degree. Having a space heater in certain areas can get the convection currents moving, and with them moves dust.
Do you have outside air?
Is your vent pipe sealed very tightly to the stove and elsewhere with silicone?
There are probably ways to test a firebox or heat exchanger for leaks....like a smoke test. Maybe Rod or Mike will tell us how to check for this. However it is my understanding that most pellet combustion fans suck on the firebox, therefore even if there was a small pinhole smoke should not come out of it (only air should go in).
Also, if you regularly open and scrape the stove firepot that could create some dust, etc.
I once commented here that Pellet Stoves are dusty inside a home...and some disputed me. But I have found it to be the case.....not always because of smoke, but just having blowers going plus the dust from loading pellets and fiddling with the fire once in a while. BTW, I have found the same with coal stoves and wood stoves to a degree. Having a space heater in certain areas can get the convection currents moving, and with them moves dust.
Webmaster said:
Yes I have an outside air intake and the pipe is sealed. I do open the door once a day to clean the ash out.
HD41
Member
Wyoming is high country, elevation may be a factor. Does your stove heat well and burn clean with minimal soot inside the burn area? If not you may want to look at vent piping. Stove manufacturers recommend 4” above 4000, I wonder if calculations change at 5000’ or 6000’. I found this link very informative.
http://www.nevelsstoves.com/articles/Venting-your-pellet-stove.htm
http://www.nevelsstoves.com/articles/Venting-your-pellet-stove.htm
I have 4 inch pipe and 2 45s with about 12 feet of pipe on it, the stoves burns fairly clean, clean it out every week, I clean the pipe out once a month with just a little ash in it. I have burned less then 3 tons of pellets through it.
Just my 2 cents...I live in Cheyenne, Wy. I have the 25-PDV. I've been messing w/this since I put it in in Oct. I am so close to perfect IMO with the way the stove is burning that I'm very happy thus far. It takes time to tune one of these things from what I'm learning. You didn't mention if you have a 3 inch intake on the outside air...that helped my issues tremedously.
Eric
Eric
I have the 2 1/2 kit that came with the stove, it is only running about 2 feet. I don't have any problems with it burning, just getting some soot and wood smell when the wind is blow hard.
I too had the problem of soot. I had it on the outside of my house around the vent. I have 5 ft of rise inside then a 90 out with a hood. Is your soot inside the house or on the vent outside? I used the 2.5 line also but switched when Mike from Englander advised me to. Not sure if you stated what settings are, I run mine in C mode and have the 3 inch line hooked up. What type of pellets are you burning?
Eric
Eric
I have been using blazers and heartland from sutherlands. The heartlands burn hot but have alot of ash with them. What do you mean by c mode, my settings are 5-9-1.
I have no idea what the mode does other than providing a more drastic change that the bottom three buttons can't provide. When messing with the modes you need to talk with Mike. He is it when it comes to messing with these stoves. I have burned nothing but Heartland from Sutherlands also...with good results, not sure on the ash compared to others though.
Eric
Eric
HD41
Member
Appears your stove is working properly except for soot around the vents suggesting a possibility of unwanted flue gas leak. With a flashlight through the side and top vents I was able to get a good view of the exchanger top and back side including the exhaust blower connection and auger weld. Perhaps you can track the soot trail to its source.
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