Crack in my firebox Summer's Heat 55-SHP10

[imacman]

I'll try reaming the hole out, I knew it was there and scraped and vacuumed the area but didn't try putting a toothpick in. Will try that next.....

The hole that Mike is referring to is very important to keep clean. On the backside of it is a hose going to the vacuum pressure switch. If that hole, or the hose attached to it become plugged, or even slightly plugged with ash, it may cause the switch to intermittently turn the auger on and off....it has to be kept clean.

 

[TLHinCanada]

Your fire peters out because the supply of pellets from the upper auger is exausted. You can open the plate at the bottom of the hopper a bit, but, this will increase your pellet usage. You could drop the amount of combustion air, which should make the pellets burn slower. What ever you do, burning the stove on low will cause a build up of creosote. You will have to flue pipe constantly and clean the stove more often.

 

[TLHinCanada]

Your fire peters out because the supply of pellets from the upper auger is exhausted. You can open the plate at the bottom of the hopper a bit, but, this will increase your pellet usage. You could drop the amount of combustion air, which should make the pellets burn slower. What ever you do, burning the stove on low will cause a build up of creosote. You will have to flue pipe constantly and clean the stove more often.

double post

 

[tjnamtiw]

On any pellet stove, IF you supply sufficient air to burn up all the smoke before it reaches the flue, you will NOT have any creosote formation. Creosote forms when the stack temperature and smoke get below 250 degrees. In a pellet stove installation, especially with a longer vertical stack, rarely will you hit 250 even at the exhaust of the stove let alone at the top of the chimney. My stove is 140 at the exhaust of the combustion blower. Properly adjusted, the pellet stove will very efficiently eliminate the creosote-forming gases/smoke. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! :cheese:

 

[PJPellet]

On any pellet stove, IF you supply sufficient air to burn up all the smoke before it reaches the flue, you will NOT have any creosote formation. Creosote forms when the stack temperature and smoke get below 250 degrees. In a pellet stove installation, especially with a longer vertical stack, rarely will you hit 250 even at the exhaust of the stove let alone at the top of the chimney. My stove is 140 at the exhaust of the combustion blower. Properly adjusted, the pellet stove will very efficiently eliminate the creosote-forming gases/smoke. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! :cheese:

x2 and that's pretty much what my dealer said too. He's been selling stoves for many years.

 

[skydmark1]

Gonna play around with the settings a bit but it's burning much better since the good cleaning and new burn pot gasket. Never have had a creosote problem except right at the rain cap I get a little bit of build up.

 

[tjnamtiw]

did you ever weld up that crack or at least drill the hole that we all told you to do to stop the crack?

 

[stoveguy2esw]

did you ever weld up that crack or at least drill the hole that we all told you to do to stop the crack?

realy good question, if ya dont get it welded out its gonna end up ruining the stove

 

[skydmark1]

Oh ya, I drilled the hole right away seems to have stopped the crack for now. Will see about getting it welded at some point though, need to pound it back flat too.

 

[tjnamtiw]

Oh ya, I drilled the hole right away seems to have stopped the crack for now. Will see about getting it welded at some point though, need to pound it back flat too.

Great! That should stop it. Maybe a friend has a wire welder that can weld it for you. They are small welders that use 110 volts so you can carry it right into the job. No need to tear out the stove. I'd bring mine but it's kind of a long drive. %-P

 

[ByCo]

I wouldn't recommend using a flux core wire welder inside the house, the flux puts off some very nasty fumes.

 

[tjnamtiw]

I wouldn't recommend using a flux core wire welder inside the house, the flux puts off some very nasty fumes.

Turn on the combustion blower like you do when you clean the stove! it's not like you're welding a ship hull. I could hold my breath for as long as that will take!

 

[ByCo]

I wouldn't recommend using a flux core wire welder inside the house, the flux puts off some very nasty fumes.

Turn on the combustion blower like you do when you clean the stove! it's not like you're welding a ship hull. I could hold my breath for as long as that will take!

With the stove plugged in, if the welder grounding clamp doesn't have a good connection, wouldn't it try to ground through the electronics of the stove?

 

[imacman]

I wouldn't recommend using a flux core wire welder inside the house, the flux puts off some very nasty fumes.

Turn on the combustion blower like you do when you clean the stove! it's not like you're welding a ship hull. I could hold my breath for as long as that will take!

With the stove plugged in, if the welder grounding clamp doesn't have a good connection, wouldn't it try to ground through the electronics of the stove?

Make up a "test power cord" out of an old lamp cord. Disconnect the comb. blower leads inside the stove, and connect to the test cord.....that way you can unplug the stove and unplug the control board, and still power the comb. blower to remove welding fumes.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

definately do not weld on stove with control board plugged in, best way is as stated , use a spare cord pluggged directly to combustion blower to vent unit if needed but dont use circuit board , im not sure what it would or wouldnt do but i wouldnt take the chance

 

[Panhandler]

Ok, I like the garden hose idea...was trying to think of something to get the vacuum in there. Also, as I mentioned we just did the leaf blower trick and a good vacuuming inside the stove. Refired it and I'm still getting what I've been calling a burn down. The flame will die out completely before the next wave of pellets comes to the burn pot then the flame kicks back up again. My settings are at factory - 6-4-1. Could this have anything to do with the burn pot gasket that needs replacing? Have one on the way, hope it comes today!

The flame dying down is rather common on low feeds. In the bottom of the hopper there is a slide plate to regulate pellet feed to the top auger. It this case I would open that plate all the way. If the plate is already open all the way, another option is to close the slide plate and increase the feed on the control board. This would increase the frequency of the top auger turning without over feeding for warmer weather. Also, the garden hose piece for cleaning is ideal for reaching the area behind the impingement plate. I also use a smaller hose (1/4") for cleaning the holes under the wear plate in the burnpot. Whack the burnpot rather hard to dislodge ash to drop it down to where it can be removed thru the larger holes in the burnpot. Keeping the air holes clean is very important for a clean, efficient burn.

 

[smoke show]

Ok, I like the garden hose idea...was trying to think of something to get the vacuum in there. Also, as I mentioned we just did the leaf blower trick and a good vacuuming inside the stove. Refired it and I'm still getting what I've been calling a burn down. The flame will die out completely before the next wave of pellets comes to the burn pot then the flame kicks back up again. My settings are at factory - 6-4-1. Could this have anything to do with the burn pot gasket that needs replacing? Have one on the way, hope it comes today!

The flame dying down is rather common on low feeds. In the bottom of the hopper there is a slide plate to regulate pellet feed to the top auger. It this case I would open that plate all the way. If the plate is already open all the way, another option is to close the slide plate and increase the feed on the control board. This would increase the frequency of the top auger turning without over feeding for warmer weather. Also, the garden hose piece for cleaning is ideal for reaching the area behind the impingement plate. I also use a smaller hose (1/4") for cleaning the holes under the wear plate in the burnpot. Whack the burnpot rather hard to dislodge ash to drop it down to where it can be removed thru the larger holes in the burnpot. Keeping the air holes clean is very important for a clean, efficient burn.

My used 2001 pdvc don't have a slide plate. Is it suppossed to?

 

[Panhandler]

Ok, I like the garden hose idea...was trying to think of something to get the vacuum in there. Also, as I mentioned we just did the leaf blower trick and a good vacuuming inside the stove. Refired it and I'm still getting what I've been calling a burn down. The flame will die out completely before the next wave of pellets comes to the burn pot then the flame kicks back up again. My settings are at factory - 6-4-1. Could this have anything to do with the burn pot gasket that needs replacing? Have one on the way, hope it comes today!

The flame dying down is rather common on low feeds. In the bottom of the hopper there is a slide plate to regulate pellet feed to the top auger. It this case I would open that plate all the way. If the plate is already open all the way, another option is to close the slide plate and increase the feed on the control board. This would increase the frequency of the top auger turning without over feeding for warmer weather. Also, the garden hose piece for cleaning is ideal for reaching the area behind the impingement plate. I also use a smaller hose (1/4") for cleaning the holes under the wear plate in the burnpot. Whack the burnpot rather hard to dislodge ash to drop it down to where it can be removed thru the larger holes in the burnpot. Keeping the air holes clean is very important for a clean, efficient burn.

My used 2001 pdvc don't have a slide plate. Is it suppossed to?

Not sure about that model year, mine is an "05. Is there a flat area next to the hole that goes to the top auger with a hole drilled to take a sheet metal screw? Since your stove is used, I would check with Englander techs. If you find out yours is missing, they are simple to make from sheet metal. I have made several while experimenting to get best burn on low settings.

 

[tjnamtiw]

That's a very good point about welding with the computer in place! I definitely should have known better. The idea of a jumper cord is the solution if you can't ventilated room.