End of season stove shut-down

[BradH70]

Since I am new to the ways of the pellet stove, I was wondering what all the seasoned pellet users did at the end of the season when the stove gets shut down and there are pellets still in the hopper. Do you run the stove out of pellets, or try to clean them all out of the hopper, or just leave them in there 'till next season?

I would think that the humidity during the mid-late summer months that the pellets would absorb might make it difficult to get a fire going come October or November.

 

[Delta-T]

i strongly recommend not leaving pellets in the hopper all summer..for the very reason you mention.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Delta-T, about that motto, I thought it was something different.

Other than the motto thing I agree you remove the pellets from the stove, then you do a full stem to stern cleaning (including the venting). Then the air intake and vent get plugged, the firebox walls get a coating of an oil (there are many that get used) applied in two coatings, the second coating is very light and applied after wiping the first application down. Then get a dissectant and place it in the burn pot.

That should prevent rust from humidity.

You also need to put a reminder in the hopper so that prior to burning you remove the dissectant, the vent and air intake plugs.

 

[Delta-T]

SMokey- it was different...we change our motto frequently...keeps peeps on their toes.

 

[will711]

I recently got a flyer from my stove dealer about Spring cleaning special, I know this is something I can do myself, when I had the stove delivered last spring I ask about yearly mait/ cleaning and one of the owners suggested that I have them clean it the 1st time watch what we do ask ?? and you should be able to do it yourself. I'm leaning towards this option . Any feed back would be appreciated.

 

[Delta-T]

will711- if you are willing...you can do everything yourself..most everything you need is in the manual. Just make sure not to skip anything..make sure you get behind the unit and clean the ESP Probe, the Fines Box, and both blowers (dust bunnies are notorious killers of blowers). good luck.

 

[magsf11]

Delta-T, about that motto, I thought it was something different.

Other than the motto thing I agree you remove the pellets from the stove, then you do a full stem to stern cleaning (including the venting). Then the air intake and vent get plugged, the firebox walls get a coating of an oil (there are many that get used) applied in two coatings, the second coating is very light and applied after wiping the first application down. Then get a dissectant and place it in the burn pot.

That should prevent rust from humidity.

You also need to put a reminder in the hopper so that prior to burning you remove the dissectant, the vent and air intake plugs.

I unplug the stove and put a note right on the plug reminding me to unplug both the exhaust and intake. After enjoying the summer and having one to many POPS come fall I might forget to uncap everything and have a real problem on my hands.

 

[DexterDay]

Delta-T, about that motto, I thought it was something different.

Other than the motto thing I agree you remove the pellets from the stove, then you do a full stem to stern cleaning (including the venting). Then the air intake and vent get plugged, the firebox walls get a coating of an oil (there are many that get used) applied in two coatings, the second coating is very light and applied after wiping the first application down. Then get a dissectant and place it in the burn pot.

That should prevent rust from humidity.

You also need to put a reminder in the hopper so that prior to burning you remove the dissectant, the vent and air intake plugs.

I unplug the stove and put a note right on the plug reminding me to unplug both the exhaust and intake. After enjoying the summer and having one to many POPS come fall I might forget to uncap everything and have a real problem on my hands.

I make sure to unplug mine also. Surge protectors work, but when they don't have to, they work even better. Also, you can take the batteries out of your wireless thermostat and put them in something else (tv remote, flashlight). If you have one. Clean it good, plug it up, and lube it down. Get you a big'ol stash of pellets before season, and you'll be in there. BradH70 I have said it before and I will say it again, Beautiful Install. I got me a Gate coming just like yours coming now. After I PM'd you, the Wife put it on her registry at Target (Baby Shower). Shower is this weekend. I will not put it up till next season. But thanks again for the info on it.

 

[ChrisWNY]

I noticed within the Fahrenheit pellet furnace maintenance manual that there is a recommendation to lube the burn pot parts at the end of the season to protect it from corrosion. What do you guys use (do you lube parts other than the burn pot)? 3-in-1 oil or something of the like? I have a real-light weight oil that I use for lubing tiny little brushless motors and bearings (I'm into R/C aeronautics as a hobby), it's a very light-weight oil, if that would work I can use that, but it's expensive and not designed to be used in large quantities. My burn pot disassembles entirely, so I was thinking that I would apply some light-weight oil and store the entire burn pot in a 1-gallon ziplock bag, sealed up, until I'm ready to burn again next season, wasn't sure however if this was the best method.

 

[DexterDay]

I noticed within the Fahrenheit pellet furnace maintenance manual that there is a recommendation to lube the burn pot parts at the end of the season to protect it from corrosion. What do you guys use (do you lube parts other than the burn pot)? 3-in-1 oil or something of the like? I have a real-light weight oil that I use for lubing tiny little brushless motors and bearings (I'm into R/C aeronautics as a hobby), it's a very light-weight oil, if that would work I can use that, but it's expensive and not designed to be used in large quantities. My burn pot disassembles entirely, so I was thinking that I would apply some light-weight oil and store the entire burn pot in a 1-gallon ziplock bag, sealed up, until I'm ready to burn again next season, wasn't sure however if this was the best method.

I am sure that would work Chris (plastic bag idea) and I may just do that myself, but most people probably just use simple old WD-40, or Pam cooking spray. I go with both. Whichever is closest, or found easiest. Just point and spray everything inside of the burning cavity.

 

[ChrisWNY]

Thanks, Dexter - I ran this question across one of the sales engineers at Fahrenheit who also recommended Pam cooking spray, I think I will go that route since the Pam spray is non-flammable. I'll store the disassembled burn pot (after coating with Pam) within a sealed ziplock bag. It was also recommended that I spray the exhaust manifold as well as the upper baffles and heat exchange tubes with Pam (after being thoroughly cleaned of course), which I wouldn't have known to do otherwise.

 

[BradH70]

BradH70 I have said it before and I will say it again, Beautiful Install. I got me a Gate coming just like yours coming now. After I PM'd you, the Wife put it on her registry at Target (Baby Shower). Shower is this weekend. I will not put it up till next season. But thanks again for the info on it.

Thanks again for the compliments. Not only does it look good, but it heats the house with ease and we can still watch the TV at a normal volume. I'm glad the gate is going to work out for you. One really nice feature is that the brackets between the gate and the wall are in two pieces and have a "quick disconnect" feature. It takes about 15 seconds to disconnect the gate from the wall and this makes it much easier to get to the stove when doing all the routine cleanings.

 

[DexterDay]

BradH70 I have said it before and I will say it again, Beautiful Install. I got me a Gate coming just like yours coming now. After I PM'd you, the Wife put it on her registry at Target (Baby Shower). Shower is this weekend. I will not put it up till next season. But thanks again for the info on it.

Thanks again for the compliments. Not only does it look good, but it heats the house with ease and we can still watch the TV at a normal volume. I'm glad the gate is going to work out for you. One really nice feature is that the brackets between the gate and the wall are in two pieces and have a "quick disconnect" feature. It takes about 15 seconds to disconnect the gate from the wall and this makes it much easier to get to the stove when doing all the routine cleanings.

Was wondering how hard it would be.. Gotta have some extra room when your doing a "Full Cleaning". Thank you, again. Seems as if its a pretty sturdy unit.

 

[arnash]

Here on the north-west coast we get 100% humidity in the winter (and about 75" of rain) but during Spring-Summer it's dryer, so I'll skip the spraying of oil but will adopt using a desiccant in the burn pot and the hopper. That's an excellent idea. Why do more when the desiccant will extract any moisture? but I better remember to check it once in a while. I don't envy the east coasters having to live with summer humidity, (I experienced it once at Camp LeJeune. Awful.) Oil must be necessary or you'd be changing the desiccant every week.
About PAM, it contains a liberal amount of lecithin, which isn't exactly an oil or a protein and won't evaporated like light oil will, but it will probably smoke up your vent the first time you light your stove up next season. I stopped using PAM, or anything like it indoors when I observed that a cloud of the spray formed upon bouncing off a frying pan surface, and that cloud of un-dissolveable lecithin (and oil) would then land on everything nearby, coating surfaces with a sticky film. It makes a good water-proof coating, but a sticky one that soap won't dissolve.

 

[esuitt]

What do you plug your outside piping with?
I was thinking I might be able to use a rubber expansion plug like we used to use for well heads. To keep the critters and weather from getting inside.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

What do you plug your outside piping with?
I was thinking I might be able to use a rubber expansion plug like we used to use for well heads. To keep the critters and weather from getting inside.

I'm very scientific about what I use to plug the venting with, I use a couple of old cleaning rags.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Here on the north-west coast we get 100% humidity in the winter (and about 75" of rain) but during Spring-Summer it's dryer, so I'll skip the spraying of oil but will adopt using a desiccant in the burn pot and the hopper. That's an excellent idea. Why do more when the desiccant will extract any moisture? but I better remember to check it once in a while. I don't envy the east coasters having to live with summer humidity, (I experienced it once at Camp LeJeune. Awful.) Oil must be necessary or you'd be changing the desiccant every week.
About PAM, it contains a liberal amount of lecithin, which isn't exactly an oil or a protein and won't evaporated like light oil will, but it will probably smoke up your vent the first time you light your stove up next season. I stopped using PAM, or anything like it indoors when I observed that a cloud of the spray formed upon bouncing off a frying pan surface, and that cloud of un-dissolveable lecithin (and oil) would then land on everything nearby, coating surfaces with a sticky film. It makes a good water-proof coating, but a sticky one that soap won't dissolve.

The oil is an additional level of protection as the desiccant is for new incoming air and would otherwise take a while to operate on existing air and the surfaces of the stove have already been exposed to moisture.

 

[twojrts]

What about gun oil?

Do you completely scrape off all the caked on ash? 'Can I use steel wool to get that off as best I can?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

What about gun oil?

Do you completely scrape off all the caked on ash? 'Can I use steel wool to get that off as best I can?

A nice sharp 3" or so wide drywall knife followed by a metal brush cleans up the metal in my firebox. Yes it is a messy job, but the goal is to get anything that may be corrosive away from the metal.

Gun oil would work just remember the end goal is for a coating that'll last for a few months, not something for long term storage.

 

[Xena]

I burn all the pellets in the hopper then vac it out.
Then unplug the stove.
Then do a full cleaning including sweeping the vent
and removing the blowers to clean. Then disconnect the intake inside
and plug it on the outside. Then put a note inside
the hopper reminding me to re connect and unplug
the intake. I don't mess with oils or spray anything inside.
Going on 7 years, so far so good.

 

[twojrts]

Thanks, Smokey!!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

It is cheap insurance, likely not needed in all cases (depends upon what has been burned, how well things get cleaned, the actual alloy content of the metal, and the humidity levels inside the stove).

I have to run a dehumidifier in the room the stove is in, so I go the extra mile.

I also do the hunting thing and know that well cared for metal means way less trouble.

 

[CJ-SR4ever]

I like to make sure the hopper is empty. Dont need a jammed up auger the first start up of the season! And I like to do my annual cleaning early in the spring when its a little warm at night and I know im not gonna be using the stoves anymore. I have seen where the ash inside the stove can absorb moisture and cause the inside of the combustion chamber to have little rust spots. I also like to put heavy duty plastic bags over the ends of the pipe and securing it with some rope. But as long as the critters stay out im happy.