What happens if power goes out?

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Tim_M

Tim_M

Burning Hunk
Mar 28, 2010
248
Halifax, NS
I have an old Harmon Invincible T, and it's my first season burring pellets. So far so good, but I'm a bit concerned about what will happen if we lose our power, which we usually do 2 or 3 times a winter. If the stove is running when the power goes out, will the pellets that are in the firebox continue to burn? Will the smoke be drawn up the chimney (my stove is vented into a 30' masonry chimney) or will it escape into the house? And most concerning of all, is there a chance the fire could burn back into the auger (it's a bottom-feed stove), eventually reaching the hopper?

I've purchased a generator for back-up, but I may not be home when the power goes out. I'm thinking of pulling the plug on my stove as a controlled experiment, just to see what happens, even though the manual cautions against doing this. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
the pellets will smolder and most if not all the exhaust should just be pulled up the chimney. if you open the door during this activity smoke will surely come into your room, just to taunt you.
 
Pull the plug and standby..I have done this with two different stoves to BE SURE the smoke will go up the chimney. Mine were inserts with a fully lined chimney and it worked fine. Better to know now than when it happens. I also have battery backup BUT you never know when even that MIGHT let you down. If there is an Ice storm possible I will shut the stove down and use oil just in case things fail.
 
Depends on chimney rise as well as exhaust and combustion intake locations. The combustion intake vent should be in a lower location compared to where the exhaust pipe comes out from the house.
 
Tim_M said:
.....Will the smoke be drawn up the chimney (my stove is vented into a 30' masonry chimney) or will it escape into the house? And most concerning of all, is there a chance the fire could burn back into the auger (it's a bottom-feed stove), eventually reaching the hopper?.....
Click to expand...

If the chimney is nice & warm, most of the smoke should go up. The remaining pellets will probably just burn slowly, and eventually go out due to lack of the burn air from the combustion blower.....I doubt it will go up the auger.
 
Thanks everyone, based on your comments it doesn't sound like I have too much to worry about. My chimney has always drafted well and I have 5' of vertical rise before my vent goes through the wall into the chimney.
 
I had a power outage last night and woke up to a house full of smoke! Scared the beejeezus out of us initially! (still not sure why the smoke alarms didn't go off!)

I have a Lopi Pioneer (just put in service this mont) exhaust vented per instruction straight through the wall. Intake vent is not outside. Would venting the intake to outside air prevent this?

I have been thinking of a UPS, but that only helps if I am home.
 
Need to go up for proper draft, at least 5 ft would be nice.
 
Cobra1365 said:
I had a power outage last night and woke up to a house full of smoke! Scared the beejeezus out of us initially! (still not sure why the smoke alarms didn't go off!)

I have a Lopi Pioneer (just put in service this mont) exhaust vented per instruction straight through the wall. Intake vent is not outside. Would venting the intake to outside air prevent this?

I have been thinking of a UPS, but that only helps if I am home.
Click to expand...

The addition of an OAK can substantially reduce incidences of smoke back.

I have no idea about how your vent is setup on the outside it should never be into the prevailing wind direction at your location. You also need make certain that the termination cap is kept clean.

Smoke alarms have to reach a certain concentration before they sound off. There can be a huge difference between that and your ability to smell or see smoke. Then there is also the possibility that the detector is really a heat detector.

There are standard smoke emitters that are used to test smoke detectors, talk to your local fire department to find out who might be available to test your units.
 
My stove has a very good flue/drafting set-up install. This season I installed an outside air-kit (OAK). Previously if there is a power outage, smoke will exit the easiest way out, which is through the air-intake port on the back of the stove and into the living space. As well, the stove now performs better with a controlled outside air set-up (also this is per factory manufacturer installations for most newer pellet stoves)
Que now for the postings that don't believe in/need and/or just don't want to intall an outside air set-up.
 
I have a 3 ft horizontal exhaust; outside air (OAK) surrounding exhaust. Lost power for the first time while stove was running and no smoke nor smell in the house.
 
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