smell of wood burning from my enviro ef3?

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stinger68

stinger68

Member
Nov 30, 2008
38
cape breton N.S Canada
Hi guys i have my enviro ef3 stove i had it out of the house this year to install new flooring.I had it in the garage and did a full complete cleaning of both motors.The stove runs fine but i get a smell of wood burning now it seems it comes from the heat blower fan where the heat blows from the heat tubes.I checked the exaust blower and i replaced the gasket last season so its still good-i also placed hi temp silicone all around the outside of the exaust blower incase of a leak checked the pipes no luck either?
When i did my complete cleaning i had my air compressor and i blew the air gun up inside of the burn chamber and lots of soot blew out.I replaced the door gasket last season also any ideas on what to check for ?The smoke dectector dont go off plus i have a co2 detector also and it dont go off either i cant see any smoke either??


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Thats funny I have the exact same symptoms with my avalon stove.

I just put it in.

Cleaned out the whole stove thoroughly put in the wall thimble with fresh air intake hose and used the red RTV to seal the adapter pipe. The smell is coming from the heat tubes fan. I have checked for leaks in the door gasket and the exhaust for hours at a tinme with the stove running. Used a flashlight and even a laser pionter. No smoke anywhere and have carbon and smoke detectors which have not gone off at all.

Wondering if I add 3 feet of verticle outside if this will fix the problem? It;s the only thing I can think of. Any suggestions?
 
I have heard different points of view on this topic. Personally, I think it is completely normal to smell a little wood burning. You are, in fact, burning wood. That said, if you smell a lot of smoke, there's probably a leak somewhere.

I don't think you have anything to be concerned about if you're smelling wood burning.
 
I get the wood smoke smell at startup when just before the pellets ignite the whole stove fills with smoke. All of the smoke clears within seconds of the pellets igniting and the smoke smell goes away until the next startup. Pulled the stove apart this summer for a good cleaning and found the stove was pretty clean (thanks to the leaf blower), the pipes all seal well so I'm assuming the small amount that gets past the airwash gap in the glass is what causes the smell on startup

Aaron
 
not trying to cause a stir but i have to differ......should not smell andy smoke or woodsy smell
 
I smell no wood smell from my install. Unless I open the door when stove is still warm.

I would dim the lights and get a bright light and inspect those pipes and connections. Best to check right at start up.

Do you have a CO detector?
 
On my Sante Fe, if you open the left door, there is an fabricated hole about a 1/2" in diameter, I noticed it because I noticed light coming from under the door when i was crawling around checking things out. When my stove starts up, thers a slight smoke odor. Not coming from my exhaust connections, but from the interior of the stove... I think originating from this opening. It looks to be fabricated this way....and the smell is so slight that Im not even goign to worry about it.
 
I have an EF3 and smell no smoke during normal operation. I would think you do have leak somewhere that should be fixed.

The ONLY time I smell smoke is when the stove burns the hopper empty and shuts off: The hopper isn't sealed, so smoke will find its way up the auger shaft and out.

Pellet stoves are sealed so well, and generally ventilate so well, you shouldn't be smelling anything in my opinion with the odd exception as above.
 
stoaf88 said:
.....Wondering if I add 3 feet of verticle outside if this will fix the problem? It;s the only thing I can think of. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Even if it doesn't "fix" the problem, it's probably a good idea to do anyway. Most stove manufactures recommend at least 3' of vertical rise outside. Will help during power outages too (unless you have a UPS).
 
Well my smell is coming from the heat tubes and there are no outside leaks at all.

Dooes anyone know how to fix this?
 
I already had the collar/adapter sealed on with red RTV but it was actually barely leaking back there especially at startup making the smell.

I just loaded the RTV all the way around the joint making it seal up and now everything is fine!
 
Well i just replaced the exaust gasket and i still smell a burning smell in the house and its driving me crazy.Its seems as it comes from the heat tubes when the heat blower fan is going.Anyone else have any suggestions a hole in heat tube seems not likely? should i replace the door gasket?Will replacing door gasket make sence?
 
stinger68 said:
Well i just replaced the exaust gasket and i still smell a burning smell in the house and its driving me crazy.Its seems as it comes from the heat tubes when the heat blower fan is going.Anyone else have any suggestions a hole in heat tube seems not likely? should i replace the door gasket?Will replacing door gasket make sence?
Click to expand...

I don't know if this is what is happening in your case stinger68 but it is something to think about.

The source for the air pushed out by the convection blower includes the interior of the stoves shell. Any small leak in the exhaust system can be sucked into the fan and blown out the heat exchanger tubes.

I'd check every single seal in the exhaust system, this includes the gasket for the exhaust blower.

I had a very small leak when the exhaust blower was replaced after the blower ran for a couple of hours. I noticed it seeming to come out of the exchanger tubes. A slight turn on the nuts holding the blower solved that issue.
 
Ok i sealed the adapter pipe on the stove well-extra tape more silicone also i ckecked my pipes also turned lights out check with light i see no smoke at pipes.I will try and move the exaust blower on the stove to a different position i guess to see if that helps?
 
on my new Santa Fe i always smell that wood smell or it seems like the smell is like heat, something very hot, like the hot air coming out of the tubes is making the smell.

I checked my piping at night with all lights off (very dark) and then used a flash light and see no smoke at all......

wondering if that is normal...........

..
 
stinger68 said:
Ok i sealed the adapter pipe on the stove well-extra tape more silicone also i ckecked my pipes also turned lights out check with light i see no smoke at pipes.I will try and move the exaust blower on the stove to a different position i guess to see if that helps?
Click to expand...

The inside of some of these pellet stoves is not a 100% sealed system. There is a tiny gap around the pull rod for the convection tube scraper thing. If your stove has this pehaps that is your issue?
Mike -
 
We just installed a new EF3 unit a week ago and noticed a burning smell right way. Initially we thought it was due to having a new unit. We had a Whitfield stove for the past 14 years and never had a smell. So we had the installer back and he thought there may have been a leak in the main exhaust pipe that goes up the chimney. After fixing things we still have the wood burning smell. It is strong enough that it is the first thing you notice when you open the door and enter the house. It seems to be burning well otherwise but like the other posting we do not feel comfortable with this smell. Any luck fixing the problem since your posts in November. We are going to get in touch with the installer again.
 
when trying to find a smoke leak on a negative pressure stove (where the exhaust fan pulls the exhaust out of the stove as opposed to blowing air in) your leak will be between the combustion fan and and where the exhaust leaves the house. the rest of the stove is under a vaccum. if a door gasket is bad or window glass is leaking, the air in your room is going to be sucked in to the stove. if you smell smoke coming of the heat exchanger it is a very good possibility the leak is coming from where the pipe connects to the tail piece.
 
rickwa said:
when trying to find a smoke leak on a negative pressure stove (where the exhaust fan pulls the exhaust out of the stove as opposed to blowing air in) your leak will be between the combustion fan and and where the exhaust leaves the house. the rest of the stove is under a vaccum. if a door gasket is bad or window glass is leaking, the air in your room is going to be sucked in to the stove. if you smell smoke coming of the heat exchanger it is a very good possibility the leak is coming from where the pipe connects to the tail piece.
Click to expand...

Not always the case rickwa, if there is a leak in the system prior to the combustion blower or at the combustion blower itself the convection blower can suck the smoke into the heat exchanger under proper pressure conditions. Otherwise I'd agree with you. Your theory is correct as far as it goes, however in practice the stove vacuum is only partial and not all that hard to oppose with another fan running in the vicinity.

In priority order you need to start with the exhaust piping joints and proceed backwards to the air intake, paying a lot of attention to tees and adapters.
 
I find looking for a smoke leak can be a PITA.

I know with my EF-2, the cleanout cap was leaking at the "T"

I found it using a dark room and a bright flashlight.

It would probably be easier if you could spool down any fans and look for a gentle leak. It doesn't take much to make a lot of smoke smell in the house.

Also make sure your CO detectors are working.


---Nailer---
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
rickwa said:
when trying to find a smoke leak on a negative pressure stove (where the exhaust fan pulls the exhaust out of the stove as opposed to blowing air in) your leak will be between the combustion fan and and where the exhaust leaves the house. the rest of the stove is under a vaccum. if a door gasket is bad or window glass is leaking, the air in your room is going to be sucked in to the stove. if you smell smoke coming of the heat exchanger it is a very good possibility the leak is coming from where the pipe connects to the tail piece.
Click to expand...

Not always the case rickwa, if there is a leak in the system prior to the combustion blower or at the combustion blower itself the convection blower can suck the smoke into the heat exchanger under proper pressure conditions. Otherwise I'd agree with you. Your theory is correct as far as it goes, however in practice the stove vacuum is only partial and not all that hard to oppose with another fan running in the vicinity.

In priority order you need to start with the exhaust piping joints and proceed backwards to the air intake, paying a lot of attention to tees and adapters.
Click to expand...

99 times out of a hundred it is between the combustion fan and where it leaves the house and not on the negative pressure side
 
thanks for all the replys to my first posting. Still waiting to hear back from the installer. Xmas concerts tonight and back to the phone in the morning. I need to get this resolved as the smoky smell is not something we can live with. Will keep you posted how it works out.
 
rickwa said:
SmokeyTheBear said:
rickwa said:
when trying to find a smoke leak on a negative pressure stove (where the exhaust fan pulls the exhaust out of the stove as opposed to blowing air in) your leak will be between the combustion fan and and where the exhaust leaves the house. the rest of the stove is under a vaccum. if a door gasket is bad or window glass is leaking, the air in your room is going to be sucked in to the stove. if you smell smoke coming of the heat exchanger it is a very good possibility the leak is coming from where the pipe connects to the tail piece.
Click to expand...

Not always the case rickwa, if there is a leak in the system prior to the combustion blower or at the combustion blower itself the convection blower can suck the smoke into the heat exchanger under proper pressure conditions. Otherwise I'd agree with you. Your theory is correct as far as it goes, however in practice the stove vacuum is only partial and not all that hard to oppose with another fan running in the vicinity.

In priority order you need to start with the exhaust piping joints and proceed backwards to the air intake, paying a lot of attention to tees and adapters.
Click to expand...

99 times out of a hundred it is between the combustion fan and where it leaves the house and not on the negative pressure side
Click to expand...

Which means that one time out of a hundred it ain't, which is exactly the reason why I said to start on the exhaust side, however my end point was at the air intake.

When searching for a smoke leak you can frequently see an ash deposit where the leak is, in fact the deposit is usually in somewhat of a V shape with the bottom of the V being where the leak actually is.
 
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