Englander PDVC 25 Hopper Experiment

[PunKid8888]

So, I have a 08 built Englander PVDC 25 pellet stove. so far its worked very well. One thing I noticed was that the hopper would not allow all the pellets to slide into the auger. a lot would stick to the sides. I have read a bunch of posts on fixing it from, sanding and waxing the hopper walls, to spraying some cooking oil on it, and using aluminum high temp tape.

So last night I let the pellets run real low, and was able to clean and wax (just some car wax) one side and then I laid some tin foil on the other side, and smoothed it all out. both sides felt very smooth. I did a half fill before going to bed. In the morning sure enough the stove was out. I very carefully opened the lid and sure enough the tin foil side was bare, all the pellets slid nicely into the hopper all night long, while the waxed side had more then 3 or 4 handfuls stuck to the side, and all I needed to do was just bump it and they all slid down

So I think the best solution will be the aluminum tape. So thats the plan for tonight.

 

[crausch]

Good experiment!

What if you took a pager and attached it to the inside of the hopper. Then with it set to vibrate, call your pager. The pager vibrating would cause the pellets to slide down.

Just kidding... lol

But it would not be a bad idea for some sort of small vibrator to be attached to the backside of a hopper and wired into the control board so that every so often the controller would cause the hopper to vibrate for a few seconds.

 

[PunKid8888]

True, that would work, but who the hell still has a pager? I probably have an old cell phone kickin around.

 

[crausch]

Your are right about pagers, probably out dated. Darn...there I go showing my age again. I can think of a few other things that might be laying around the house that vibrate. I won't name them because that might be, well, just ebarassing :cheese:

 

[imacman]

......I can think of a few other things that might be laying around the house that vibrate. I won't name them because that might be, well, just ebarassing :cheese:

Especially if your a single guy :zip:

 

[cdodge04]

That is disturbing....haha

 

[South of Boston]

So, I have a 08 built Englander PVDC 25 pellet stove. so far its worked very well. One thing I noticed was that the hopper would not allow all the pellets to slide into the auger. a lot would stick to the sides. I have read a bunch of posts on fixing it from, sanding and waxing the hopper walls, to spraying some cooking oil on it, and using aluminum high temp tape.

So last night I let the pellets run real low, and was able to clean and wax (just some car wax) one side and then I laid some tin foil on the other side, and smoothed it all out. both sides felt very smooth. I did a half fill before going to bed. In the morning sure enough the stove was out. I very carefully opened the lid and sure enough the tin foil side was bare, all the pellets slid nicely into the hopper all night long, while the waxed side had more then 3 or 4 handfuls stuck to the side, and all I needed to do was just bump it and they all slid down

So I think the best solution will be the aluminum tape. So thats the plan for tonight.

I personally would not put anything in the hopper that might fall into the auger. Not worth any risk to damage it. I am thinking that the wax might of melted and again is not something I would want to do and start a build up in the auger and collect pellet dust. Is the reward of an extra 10 minutes or so of burning worth the damage risk? If you have more that a few fist fulls left in the hopper could there be a level problem?

 

[strangemainer]

I still use a pager. But only because my employer is to cheap to give us phones!

BTW...I used the aluminum tape trick. Problem solved.

 

[JTEastwood]

Line your hopper with metallic tape from Home Depot used for ventilation ducts. Its sticks to the hopper and EVERY pellet goes down. I have the PDV and it works great now. No more shutting of in the middle of the night.

 

[pelletizer]

As strangemainer says aluminum tape is the way to go!

 

[sydney1963]

My experience is, if you fill the hopper up 2 x daily, no problem. It only sticks when there is a handful of pellets left. Solved.

 

[staplebox]

Nice experiment - thank you.
I've tried sanding, graphite and wax. Foil tape was next and now you've sold me.
As soon as I dig myself out tomorrow I am going to get some of that tape.