Eco choice lazy burn unless blower is on high

[AimeeL]

hi Everyone. I'm having stove problems and have little pellet stove knowledge, so bear with me! I have a heatilator Eco choice and am burning Curran hard/soft blend pellets. Our stove is about 4 years old and gets cleaned yearly (thoroughly). This year the flame is lazy unless my exhaust blower is set to high. I just had someone look at it and they told me it was a circuit board issue, so we replaced that but it's still not right. We used to burn New England pellets. I'm not sure if this means it's a pellet problem, an air problem, or something else? Any ideas?? Thanks!!

 

[TimfromMA]

Sounds like not enough air. When was the last time you gave it a good cleaning. If its clean, perhaps you need to adjust the air damper.

 

[Lake Girl]

The norm on cleaning internal exhaust pathways is after every ton (removing baffles etc). It doesn't appear that there are air dampers on the heatilators. So I would concentrate on a very thorough cleaning to rule that out ... Many use a dryer lint brush, bottle brush, wire to get into interior pathways to loosen fly ash off the walls and attach a hose to shop vac to get all the ash.

The other issue may be that you are getting leaks around your door - if there is gasket around ash pan that is another source of an air leak. Try the dollar bill test... When shut down, close a dollar bill in the door and try to pull it out ... you shouldn't be able to.

Keep us posted...

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

IIRC you look under the ash pan on that stove there should be a piece of metal and a screw to allow adjustment in the amount of air getting into the stove. If that has shifted or even worse if ash has fallen into the hole you may think you have a clean stove but you really don't. A number of stoves that don't have "dampers" have this arraignment.

In any event the stoves air pathways need to be cleaned and that includes the air intake passages.

 

[AimeeL]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. We had everything completely cleaned this spring and again this fall when the technician was trying to troubleshoot. He confirmed that everything looked clean still from last guy, so it's not an ash build up problem. Seal around door seems tight, although I can pull a dollar bill out (not super easily, but it will come out). Working on piece of metal/screw underneath to see if that helps. Stay tuned and thanks for the suggestions so far!!

 

[AimeeL]

IIRC you look under the ash pan on that stove there should be a piece of metal and a screw to allow adjustment in the amount of air getting into the stove. If that has shifted or even worse if ash has fallen into the hole you may think you have a clean stove but you really don't. A number of stoves that don't have "dampers" have this arraignment.

In any event the stoves air pathways need to be cleaned and that includes the air intake passages.

The plate is all the way open, is that right? It's clear of any ash. Thanks!

 

[TimfromMA]

Is your combustion fan working properly?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

The plate is all the way open, is that right? It's clear of any ash. Thanks!

Did you look inside the hole and make sure that is the case all the way out through the stove. We have had cases on here of ash having fallen into the hole and being out of sight.

Oh and while you are at it check any gaskets around the ash pan. Same test as with the door, which also needs it done on at least two separated spots on each side of the door, etc ... just testing one spot isn't enough as the gasket can fail or be damaged and more than one spot.

I can't tell you if that plate needs adjusting, it could need it, but you need to talk to the makers about too what setting.

 

[AimeeL]

Did you look inside the hole and make sure that is the case all the way out through the stove. We have had cases on here of ash having fallen into the hole and being out of sight.

Oh and while you are at it check any gaskets around the ash pan. Same test as with the door, which also needs it done on at least two separated spots on each side of the door, etc ... just testing one spot isn't enough as the gasket can fail or be damaged and more than one spot.

I can't tell you if that plate needs adjusting, it could need it, but you need to talk to the makers about too what setting.

It's all clear. And the ash pan doesn't have any gaskets. Thanks for the suggestions though!

 

[AimeeL]

Is your combustion fan working properly?

It seems to be.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Then I hope that the drop plate in your fire pot isn't too open.

If you have changed fuel then the feed adjustment needs to be set for the new fuel.

Your issue has all the earmarks of airflow being compromised, bad gaskets, warped doors, open to far burn pot floor, something in the air intake, something in the exhaust pathways or a misadjusted air fuel mixture. It can be a failing combustion blower but it can also just be ash and dust in the blower or on the vanes .....

ETA: How about any screen on the vent, that also cruds up fast at times.

 

[AimeeL]

We adjusted the feeder, and all seems good now!! Thanks everyone for the suggestions!!