Hard Clumps in burn pot...Is that normal??

[joker3092]

hey guy's

It's my first year with a pellet stove and have burned a few times so far this season, i cleaned out my burnpot yesterday and noticed there were some hard clumps of ash in the burn pot....This is the first time i have noticed this,,, i have cleaned it a few times before but havent had any clumps before......The stove i have is a p22 breckwell and am burning the hardwood heat pellets that are sold at TSC anyway wasn't sure if this is normal or not?

 

[HD41]

Some pellets will form what is refered to as a clinker which sounds like what you describe. When I burn Lignetics I get a light ash but not much clinker. When I burn Somerset pellets the flame is hotter and after several hours hard clumps appear, after a day a birds nest like clinker will form. If I feel like tending the fire. I cast the clumps to the ash pit after several hours of burning but I can't really say there is much difference in efficiency either way. There is a difference between a clinker and unburned pellets. if you have unburned pellets you may need a cleaning and/or to adjust your fuel feed and air combination.

 

[joker3092]

Havent had any unburned pellets......i had what yu described as a "birds nest". I'm just glad this isn't anything to worry about....

 

[briansol]

clinkers generally form (easier) from a lower quality pellet. Namely, it's NOT the wood that causes it, but other impurities in the stock before it was made into a pellet that don't burn correctly. Some ash my also fuse together if the air ratio isn't ideal.