Am I burning too good a pellet?

[Andy H]

you're sure the slide vent is not open too far? if it is the pellets will jump right out of the burn pot and the thing will put itself out.

when it shuts off is there still a fire going in the burn pot?

 

[olddawgsrule]

What lights are on and or flashing when it shuts down?

I get a beeping sound and the yellow light at the start button comes on.
All other lights, feed, blower and speed are off.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

How is that stove vented?

The reason I'm asking is that if there is back pressure in the venting it can eventually cause the thermals on the combustion blower to shut the blower off, which causes a loss of vacuum that shuts the stove off.

This would be sensitive to the burn rate and would happen sooner the higher the burn rate.

 

[olddawgsrule]

you're sure the slide vent is not open too far? if it is the pellets will jump right out of the burn pot and the thing will put itself out.

when it shuts off is there still a fire going in the burn pot?

The spent pellets jump right out but I still have a good fire going.
Since it's downstairs, I haven't notice if there's still a fire...
I do have burned pellets in the pot so I assume there is.

I see the slide is at the halfway point.

Finally got ahold of USSC and they're sending out all 3 sensors.

 

[DexterDay]

I was just Thinking vacuum myself. The stove can't be getting that hot, that soon. Along with what Smokey Said, have you checked all your gaskets lately?

 

[DexterDay]

If you got pellets jumping out of the pot, then its prob not your gaskets. Sometimes its the simple things. Can't rule anything out, until it checks out. Hope the new sensors fix it for ya. Those are nice stoves, kinda look like a new Enviro. Good luck

 

[Andy H]

and you're 100% sure those two top vents are cleaned? if you have burned more than 5 or 6 bags of pellets and have not cleaned them out then they are dirty. you can't see if they are dirty but when the stove is cool stick your finger up there, you'll feel the build up. the best way i've found to clean them is to stick the pointy adapter thing from vacuum right in there and suck all the ash out.

 

[olddawgsrule]

How is that stove vented?

The reason I'm asking is that if there is back pressure in the venting it can eventually cause the thermals on the combustion blower to shut the blower off, which causes a loss of vacuum that shuts the stove off.

This would be sensitive to the burn rate and would happen sooner the higher the burn rate.

I'm vented into my masonry chimney.

I do get downdrafts to the wood stove when the winds are high.
Though very seldom do the winds get that high.
It only seems to happen as the wood stove heats up.
Once a good draft has established, no problems in any wind.

 

[olddawgsrule]

I was just Thinking vacuum myself. The stove can't be getting that hot, that soon. Along with what Smokey Said, have you checked all your gaskets lately?

Yesterday!
Did a major cleaning, including dusting the vent pipes (wasn't that much in there).

The only thing I haven't done is seal all the joints on the vent pipe.

 

[DexterDay]

Is your pellet stove and wood stove vented through the same chimney?

 

[DexterDay]

I didn't mean vacuum, like shop vac. I meant vacuum, like in your stove. Negative pressure in your firebox, if you have a bad gasket. Then your stove will lose vacuum and shut itself down

 

[olddawgsrule]

and you're 100% sure those two top vents are cleaned? if you have burned more than 5 or 6 bags of pellets and have not cleaned them out then they are dirty. you can't see if they are dirty but when the stove is cool stick your finger up there, you'll feel the build up. the best way i've found to clean them is to stick the pointy adapter thing from vacuum right in there and suck all the ash out.

I'm assuming your speaking of the 2 openings in the feed tube you mentioned before.
To be honest, I couldn't see them then and just looked again with a mirror and flashlight.

What I see is an opening for the auger only and it's clear.
I have a 3/4 vacuum hose that runs through a water tank (my old drywall dust vacuum).
I run this up the tube each time I clean the stove as well as the ignitor and that lower vent hole.

I really doubt I have blockage...

 

[olddawgsrule]

I didn't mean vacuum, like shop vac. I meant vacuum, like in your stove. Negative pressure in your firebox, if you have a bad gasket. Then your stove will lose vacuum and shut itself down

Understood.
Was just stating that I checked everything I could think of as I did the major cleaning.

 

[olddawgsrule]

Is your pellet stove and wood stove vented through the same chimney?

No.
I have 2 flues and each has it's own.

With that said, the flue is 2 stories high and I see most pellet flues are not that tall.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Let's see if we can figure out the sequence of what is happening.

If you fire the unit on high you say it takes five minutes from fire to shutdown.

If you are up to it put it in high burn and listen to the sequence that the motors stop.

 

[Andy H]

and you're 100% sure those two top vents are cleaned? if you have burned more than 5 or 6 bags of pellets and have not cleaned them out then they are dirty. you can't see if they are dirty but when the stove is cool stick your finger up there, you'll feel the build up. the best way i've found to clean them is to stick the pointy adapter thing from vacuum right in there and suck all the ash out.

I'm assuming your speaking of the 2 openings in the feed tube you mentioned before.
To be honest, I couldn't see them then and just looked again with a mirror and flashlight.

What I see is an opening for the auger only and it's clear.
I have a 3/4 vacuum hose that runs through a water tank (my old drywall dust vacuum).
I run this up the tube each time I clean the stove as well as the ignitor and that lower vent hole.

I really doubt I have blockage...

No, open the door and look at the spot the pellets come out of and then look up about 8".... above the fire bricks. on the very top of the inside you'll see a small square on the left and right side..... of those are not cleaned out your stove will run like crap and may do exactly what you're describing. Why the manual doesn't even mention these two vents, I have NO idea.

 

[olddawgsrule]

and you're 100% sure those two top vents are cleaned? if you have burned more than 5 or 6 bags of pellets and have not cleaned them out then they are dirty. you can't see if they are dirty but when the stove is cool stick your finger up there, you'll feel the build up. the best way i've found to clean them is to stick the pointy adapter thing from vacuum right in there and suck all the ash out.

I'm assuming your speaking of the 2 openings in the feed tube you mentioned before.
To be honest, I couldn't see them then and just looked again with a mirror and flashlight.

What I see is an opening for the auger only and it's clear.
I have a 3/4 vacuum hose that runs through a water tank (my old drywall dust vacuum).
I run this up the tube each time I clean the stove as well as the ignitor and that lower vent hole.

I really doubt I have blockage...

No, open the door and look at the spot the pellets come out of and then look up about 8".... above the fire bricks. on the very top of the inside you'll see a small square on the left and right side..... of those are not cleaned out your stove will run like crap and may do exactly what you're describing. Why the manual doesn't even mention these two vents, I have NO idea.

With the assistance of the smarter half of this marital arrangement (my wife, but don't ever tell her I said that, I never live it down) she found it!
It's now clean, well as far as I could stuff the tube in...
Now I wonder how much is in there and how the heck I can get at anything else.

I'm thinking right now of making an adapter to the 'shop vac' and sucking it through.
This is if what I believe is true....
These 2 holes are the vent exhaust?
And if so, then burning a ton and never cleaning this...
How much is in there???

I see no excess to the chamber and figure the vent outlet is the only way to get the lower regions.
I've seen the videos of guys using a leaf blower to clean the pipe and stove.
Really cool idea!
If this test run doesn't work, that's my next step.
Not the leaf blower, but an adapter.

 

[olddawgsrule]

Forgot to say it...

Thank You Andy!

 

[DexterDay]

A lot of people have adapters to hook to there Shop vacs. Just pipe it down to a small rubber hose (your choice in size). To what fits your needs best. Also I have an arrangment of brushes that I use for all the Nooks and crannys. (Between heat echangers, etc)
The leaf blower trick is the best thing I have in my arsenol. After you do a full cleaning. It gets the stuff that likes to hide. Opening and closing the door a few times while the leafblower is running and tap lightly with a hammer against stubborn areas of the stove (using a block of wood and being VERY careful) will get out any remaining loose fly ash. Hope it works for you this time. Good luck

 

[olddawgsrule]

A lot of people have adapters to hook to there Shop vacs. Just pipe it down to a small rubber hose (your choice in size). To what fits your needs best. Also I have an arrangment of brushes that I use for all the Nooks and crannys. (Between heat echangers, etc)
The leaf blower trick is the best thing I have in my arsenol. After you do a full cleaning. It gets the stuff that likes to hide. Opening and closing the door a few times while the leafblower is running and tap lightly with a hammer against stubborn areas of the stove (using a block of wood and being VERY careful) will get out any remaining loose fly ash. Hope it works for you this time. Good luck

I do wish the 'leaf blower' was practical for me and my find a way to add it my arsenal.
Real good to hear I'm not off the far edge here.

My summertime cleaning may get 'a new little friend" now.
Winter cleaning will resolve to the shop (30 feet in air seems a bit much in 2 plus feet of snow).

Thank you for the response.

PS Hour into the test and running on medium.
Still running.
A bit scared of running on high right now...
Goes another hour and I'll try... maybe....

 

[DexterDay]

Without the restriction, your heat should be finding its way out much easier. Hope you can Crank it up here in a bit. Gonna be looking for that post.

 

[olddawgsrule]

Without the restriction, your heat should be finding its way out much easier. Hope you can Crank it up here in a bit. Gonna be looking for that post.

Ran great on medium yesterday and all the way through the load.
Heading down there next to clean and go for the high mode.

Have to admit to the 'dumb ass' moment...
Vac'ed those exhaust tubes, thought quite well.
Then had this thought of blowing them out....
After clearing the face and throat of dust...
Well, you get the picture.
Not one of my best moments...

Kinda where the vac adapter idea came in.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

A clean stove is a happy and safe stove ;-) .

 

[olddawgsrule]

I won't call it yet, but just under an hour on high and trucking!

For the first time so far, the pot was crusted with spent pellets.
I re-adjusted the inlet vent to a clean burn and nice 'dance' of pellets.

I'm feeling good again, but I'm not calling it yet.
Another hour (and the full burn) and I will.

Thank God for you guys!
USSC doesn't know what to do with their stove!
These temp sensors they're sending me 'for free' may not have been the answer.
But, I now will have extras!

If this holds, I'm back to liking this stove again!

 

[olddawgsrule]

Results from the test run on high;

Ran for 3 hrs kicking out some nice heat.
225' coming out the blower, 350' read on the firebox.

Now, one thing I had not mentioned is I've had the sides off the unit to watch and read these temps.
Once I out the sides on, out she went!
I mean, 30 seconds after I put the sides on!
I no more than put them on, sighed that this may be over and out it went.

With 350 degrees read off the firebox and this being 1.25 inches from the sensor, it makes sense that it tripped and shut down.

I'm now believing this unit will not run on high with it's current feed/blower settings.

If only I was smart enough to 'hack' into this control panel.
I'm going to take a picture of it and send it over to another forum I belong to to figure out the circuit.
At this point it seems a waste of time to ask USSC since they haven't figured out the exhaust port problem... Andy did!