Hi, we purchased a used yankee freestanding unit. I believe it is a 2003 based on the serial number starting with 2103. When burning on low, the firepot builds up with pellets and at the bottom of the firepot, the pellets become like one big chunk. I looked in the manual online and it talks about a restrictor arm. My unit does not have an arm on it. After searching high and low, I found a small knob on the bottom, left of the rear of the unit and am wondering if this could be the restrictor adjustment. If so, how do I adjust it to fix the problem. When I burn on med or high, it burns great but on low, it is a mess. Can anyone help me?? Thanks, Diane
lopi yankee restrictor adjustment
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Hi diane yes that is the knob that controls the air flow it should pull straight out. If I run the air flow all the way in on low it overflows. Try pulling that out to the line between 2 & 3 and see how it goes
I have a Leyden with the restrictor shaft in the front. If mine is in it will fill up with ash and hard clinkers.
As Derrickp said, pull that knob out to get more air and it should keep the firepot cleaner and the fire will not be so lazy. Experiment with it and you'll find that sweet spot.
As Derrickp said, pull that knob out to get more air and it should keep the firepot cleaner and the fire will not be so lazy. Experiment with it and you'll find that sweet spot.
diane06413 said:
Hey Diane,
I have an Avalon Astoria, which is the same stove w/ different name. Don't go by the beginning of the serial # to determine the year it was made. Mine starts with 2303, but is an '05 stove. The big label on the underside of the hopper lid should have a punchout telling the year.
As Derrick & RichKorn have said, experiment with the air control. When my stove is clean, I run it at the high end of the #2, almost into the #3 section, and that burns pretty well from low to low/mediium without changing it. If you run higher than that, go higher with the air. Pull it out just enough that the burning pellets move around a little in the burnpot, but not enough that whole pellets are jumping out of the pot.
Ok, here is the thing. This is not a push/pull knob put a knob that needs to be turned. I dont know if I am to turn it to the left or right to adjust it. Do any of you know?
diane06413 said:
The air control knob on my Astoria is on the left side, bottom of my stove. It is a push/pull rod that goes into the stove to open/close a damper plate that lets either more or less air into the stove.
If this isn't what you have, maybe you could post the manual web address so I can take a look at it for you.
Are you sure this is the stove you have? www.lopistoves.com/product_guide/detail.aspx?id=201
Is it a knob that's really a dial?...or is it a round knob like a little ball?
Is it possible that the restrictor arm is jammed?
Jim
Is it possible that the restrictor arm is jammed?
Jim
Lobstah said:
That's what I was wondering too....it's a used stove, so who knows if it was ever used. That's why I wanted to be sure on what model stove she had.
It is a knob with a line in the middle of it that looks like a flathead screwdriver would fit perfectly into. I tried pulling it and it does not move.
Ok guys, here is the update, I pushed on the knob and the stove began to shut down. Obviously that "knob" is a power knob. Now I have no idea where the restrictor even is on this stove. Ugh
I have no idea how to help you, even though your stove and mine are virtually the same.
There is NO knob on mine that will shut the stove down. And as for the air damper control on the left side, even if i push mine in all the way, the fire just gets lazy...doesn't go out. And that knob screws onto a metal rod....no flat bladed screws are used at all.
Please take pictures of the stove, and the "knobs" you're referring to, and then maybe we can help.
There is NO knob on mine that will shut the stove down. And as for the air damper control on the left side, even if i push mine in all the way, the fire just gets lazy...doesn't go out. And that knob screws onto a metal rod....no flat bladed screws are used at all.
Please take pictures of the stove, and the "knobs" you're referring to, and then maybe we can help.
I have a current Lopi Yankee (this years model). I can not find anything in the back like you described. In addition, like the Avalon Astoria I have the restrictor on teh left side. The Knob on the restrictor arm just screws into it, and in order to open the left door the knob needed to be removed (unscrewed). Perhaps the previous owner removed it and lost it. The only other thing I found was that in a Travis trouble shooting guide I found, since it dates to 1999, it shows the restrictor as an adjustment on the Right side, behind the door near the front of the stove. It is adjusted with a wrench. I will try to post it here.
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Hey JRB.....thanks for the pic. With my luck, that is probably where the restrictor is. Inside and needs to be adjusted with a wrench. I will probably have to call someone to take a look because I dont want to screw (no pun intended) with the wrong thing. -Diane
Diane, the "button" you pushed with the slot in it that you mentioned above....is that on the back of the unit? If so, that's the fuse.
The knob we've been referring to is on the left side of the stove (looking at the stove from the front). It should be a small round,black plastic knob, and when you pull it out, there should be lines and numbers on it...if you find it, THAT is your air control.
The knob we've been referring to is on the left side of the stove (looking at the stove from the front). It should be a small round,black plastic knob, and when you pull it out, there should be lines and numbers on it...if you find it, THAT is your air control.
Macman, ok, that on the back of the unit must be the fuse. That makes perfect sense. However, there is no knob on either side of the stove. I even took the screw out of the side wall on the left and there was no knob. There is no spot on the side of the stove where there may have been a knob in the past either. I put a call into the company out west several days ago but they never called me back. I will be calling them again today to find out where the restrictor is. We actually have our upstairs windows open at night because it gets so hot up there. Anything less than medium heat on the setting and its a mess in the morning......just got through cleaning it for the 3rd time this week. Thanks for your help.
If there NO knobs of any kind on the outside, then I would look where JRB said with the picture above. Did you open the side cover to see if that nut was there? You could do this yourself....just make sure the stove is off, unplugged, and cool. Just move it one notch at a time, and let the stove run for a day or so.
I can't believe it
!! I found the *******thing! It is a lever inside the door at the bottom. Sheesh!! Ok, now......do I pull it out some or push it in if the pellets are piling up and not burning all the way when the stove is on low??
!! I found the *******thing! It is a lever inside the door at the bottom. Sheesh!! Ok, now......do I pull it out some or push it in if the pellets are piling up and not burning all the way when the stove is on low??Diane,
Congrats!
Hard to say which way it has to go...but you should be able to move it a bit one way or the other and see the effects, then go from there.
One way should make the flame more "lazy"...tall flame, moving very slow. As you add air, the flame should get more "excited"...and then shorter. You should see embers start to "fly" around inside the stove, and then burning pellets will start to "wiggle" in the pot, like they're getting ready to jump out. I usually run my air slightly less than that.
Jim
Congrats!
Hard to say which way it has to go...but you should be able to move it a bit one way or the other and see the effects, then go from there.
One way should make the flame more "lazy"...tall flame, moving very slow. As you add air, the flame should get more "excited"...and then shorter. You should see embers start to "fly" around inside the stove, and then burning pellets will start to "wiggle" in the pot, like they're getting ready to jump out. I usually run my air slightly less than that.
Jim
OK, I'm assuming that what you found is the same as the diagram JRB sent above.....you need to pull the restrictor OUT. According to the diagram, you want to turn the nut clockwise. That opens the air inlet, and will make the pellets burn faster (and also will give more heat).
Use the little notches as mention in the diagram, and pull it out 1 notch at a time, and run the stove.
Use the little notches as mention in the diagram, and pull it out 1 notch at a time, and run the stove.
It is not a nut that needs to be turned but a lever type thing with notches on it. I am going to pull it out a notch, start the stove and keep it on low to see how that does. I will keep you guys posted. You are all the best!
!
Diane, if you get a few minutes, maybe you could take a pic of the stove, and the "lever thingy", and post them on the thread. I'd be curious to see what they used to use on these stoves in the past.
Ok, I just got off the phone with the guy from Lopi and the thingy on the right is the air intake thingy. He walked me through finding the restrictor which is behind the left hand side door. I had to pull off the little cover that the bolt is behind and there was the bolt, a.k.a. restrictor. It was completely open which he said was good for burning on low but what definately made the difference, so far, was opening up the air thingy behind the right side door. Interesting, I love this stuff. He is going to email me the manual for that model and year. He was very helpful an so are all of you guys. Many thanks.
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