Extremely High Amount of Ash in Harman XXV

mdaniel · Dec 21, 2008

Hi all,

I need help to determine if my Harman XXV is working properly or if I have bad pellets. This is my 4th season with the Harman XXV; over the past winters I have burnt many different types pf premium pellets with about the same results. This season I purchased 3 skids (4.5 tons) of LG Granules from Pelletsales.com back in September. Normally I purchase 1 -2 tons at a time beginning in November, but with the shortage this year and with the price of oil high at the time I decided to take what I could get. The problem I have been having is unbelievably high ash compared to the previuos 3 years. I have already emptied my ash container 3 times and it has over flowed 2 of those times. In previous years I would have emptied the ash container 2 times for the entire winter. I went to Home Depot last week and got 2 bags of some no name brand pelllet I have never heard of and burnt them with about the same reults as the LG's. I am starting to think that my stove has a problem. The only noticeable issue I have with my stove is that the ignitor takes a long time to start a fire. When the stove is scraped and cleaned the time it takes the stove to ignite is ~ 20 - 25 minutes; if the stove is dirty it takes ~ 5 - 10 minutes.
I do not have fresh air intake, but have not had it in past years either. I have my feeder setting at 3.5 or so and have fooled with that a little. Either way what are my options to at least diagnose the problem? Are any of you having issues with LG Granules or is it just bad pellets as a whole this year? Any feedback or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

crausch · Dec 21, 2008

Since you have three years of burning under your belt, I will assume you have been thoroughly cleaning your stove (including under the pot in the chamber where the igniter is).That sure seems like a long time to ignite. Also seems odd that it takes longer to light when your stove is clean.

As for the excessive ash, I am correct in saying that you have been burning the LG Granulars for all three years in the past?

I have heard others mention about the "granulars" previously. The granulars from what I have heard would have a consistent smaller length then other pellets. I have a brand that I am burning that are considerably smaller than my previous pellets. They do create more ash and I found that I need to back off the feed rate some because their size allows them to fill the auger more than the larger ones. As long as you have a good flame (fuel/air ratio) going while you burn, then I would think that the problem would be with the pellets you got this year. Pellet batches can vary from batch to batch due to a number of variables. Sounds like your just going to need to perfofrm a little more maintenance this year. A bad batch of pellets could cuase the lengthy ignite also.

lakside · Dec 21, 2008

The problem is your pellets. A Harman is designed to burn any kind of pellets. You just have to clean it more often with low grade pellets. Even though a pellet bag may say "premium", the contents may not be. We have got the same pellets going in our 5 year old Accentra right now and the stove needs to be cleaned after just 20 bags. We have burned New England pellets for years and have had to clean after a full ton or more. There is less heat due to the ash, too. Be sure your chimney is not clogged also. Check the cap end of the venting and look for soot in the screening. It tends to gather there very quickly. Gook luck this winter.

Lobstah · Dec 21, 2008

"That sure seems like a long time to ignite. Also seems odd that it takes longer to light when your stove is clean. "

I think that's a big "hint"...at least in my mind.

Something wrong...has it had a complete, thorough, DEEP cleaning, including combustion blower, etc?
Is there a gasket leak somewhere? If the stove lights faster when it's dirty, it sounds like it's not getting the right amount (as in TOO MUCH) of air when it's clean.

Jim

mdaniel · Dec 21, 2008

This is my 1st year with the Granules; there was nothing else I could but at the time. I thoroughly cleaned the stove at the end of last season. It had some rust in the stove from the wet summer we had here in New England, but other than that everything seems normal. It it possible that there may be a gasket leak somewhere. The flame seems a little "lazy", but not too bad. If I can get my hands on a couple bags of good pellets that I have burned in the past then I will have a benchmark to verify if it is the pellets or something is wrong with the stove.

lakside · Dec 21, 2008

The deep cleaning comment got me thinking of the exhaust ports in the bottom corners of the firebox. Have you taken the brush that comes with the stove and driven it into the back rear corner? I cleaned one last summer that had never been probed that far. Got alot of moist ash (from condensation?) and the owner reports better performance. As I recall, we took the handle end of the brush and used it break thru the clog. The ash had been packed into the corner by brushing in. We reduced the vac hose to small plastic tube and sucked out all kinds of water and goo. Messy but thorough. Went through the hole behind the combution blower fan blades, also.
****
I have to apologise. I was thinking we were discussing an Acentra insert, not an XXV. Disregard those comments as to your problem. Sorry.

Bank · Dec 21, 2008

I noticed on my Harman Accentra that once a month I have to revmove the small panel under the burn pot by the igniter to clean the ash, you just vaccuum it out and it's good to go. It is held on by two wing nuts. If not the burn pot overflows with pellets and little or no ignition.

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Extremely High Amount of Ash in Harman XXV

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