Motor Wiring & Pellet Build Up

[SmokeyTheBear]

I am glad it is running. You have to really clean those heat exchange tubes often. Whenever I notice ash build up on the baffle below them, I remove the baffle and really clean them well with a bottle brush and a paint brush. If you do order a new motor, hold onto the old one. Its nice to have a semi-working spare. I am not sure if mine spins so freely or acts like yours. The motor could be the issue for not being able to get enough flame. It could also be not enough power coming from the control board (so the control board could be an issue). You may want to see how things run for a few days before ordering a new motor. All of the St. Croix parts are supposed to be sealed and not require oiling, but I have also never seen St. Croix suggest actually opening the combustion fan and cleaning it in any manual. (I don't get that).

By the way, I just saw that the service manuals are now posted on the St. Croix site. (190 page one instead of 62).

We have always had to remove the combustion fan to get to one of the ash traps. That was the only way we could clear it. I don't know if Mark has even cleaned the fan; I would have to ask him. We had the PDF on our old computer, and when we bought our new computer, we went to the link for the manual, and St. Croix was linking everything to installation manuals and nothing else. I am going to check out the service manuals. What I would love to see is a cross section of the stove of the left ash trap from the combustion blower to the front of the stove. We have seen the tunnel going toward the right, but I would love to see the section on the left. Maybe if we could visualize it, we could better clean it. It seems each time we cleaned, we were also moving ash, and not just cleaning.

The just moving ash can be a problem, somewhere on here is a diagram of the air flow through a St. Croix stove and it points out the area that gives the most trouble. Once you get this area clean you can keep it clean with a very strong shop vacuum by using it instead of a leaf blower, a leaf blower will usually just suck what ever is in there out if you leave it running long enough and go poking in all of the clean out ports and thump on the walls.

Most of us will say to do a normal clean out before using the blower. Some stoves have a very simple air path and the blower alone will clean most of the ash in the system out (provided it isn't in big sticky clumps).

When I use it on my stove my ash traps are empty afterwards. Since I can see up into the heat exchanger area I always hit that with the scrapper, a vacuum nozzle, and a putty knife. I can go quite awhile before I feel I need to remove my ash trap covers and attack things from that side. If you watch the burn you can tell when it is getting to the time to clean a bit more.

 

[Xena]

Even the LBT doesn't get out the ask
that the compressor does. Maybe if we use the LBT more frequently, we won't need the compressor.

You shouldn't have to use either of those to keep a stove running well.
Regular cleaning of the right places in the stove at the proper intervals works.
But the key lies in getting all of those places every time.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Even the LBT doesn't get out the ask
that the compressor does. Maybe if we use the LBT more frequently, we won't need the compressor.

You shouldn't have to use either of those to keep a stove running well.
Regular cleaning of the right places in the stove at the proper intervals works.
But the key lies in getting all of those places every time.

And to adjust the cleaning intervals to meet the ash output of the pellet you are burning.

 

[mkpanache]

One other thing about those combustion blowers the cooling fans on some of them also get cruded up and really need to be cleaned as well. Also the area between the mounting plate and the impeller gathers a good mess sometimes this works its way into the area between the shaft and the motor mount and causes a bit of a drag on things.

The last combustion blower tip is that sometimes the impeller is attached at the wrong spot on the shaft and thus doesn't produce its rated CFM flow rate.

Just talked to Mark; he's home. He had cleaned the blower (I didn't know that he had), and everything had been attached correctly. He still thinks the blower might going.

 

[mkpanache]

Even the LBT doesn't get out the ask
that the compressor does. Maybe if we use the LBT more frequently, we won't need the compressor.

You shouldn't have to use either of those to keep a stove running well.
Regular cleaning of the right places in the stove at the proper intervals works.
But the key lies in getting all of those places every time.

And to adjust the cleaning intervals to meet the ash output of the pellet you are burning.

Then it had to be the pellets (I am guessing). We were doing daily vacs with the metal vacuum. We were shutting it down weekly. We were doing a major cleaning monthly. We were still getting the vacuum error. I am hoping that the change in pellets will make a difference. Already we have noticed a difference in ash output in the front of the stove.

 

[DexterDay]

How is the flame now??

How far opened is the draft?

 

[Xena]

I'm sure the Okanagans are going to give an entirely different experience.
With these Greene Team pellets I have, if I didn't do a major cleanout
twice a month I'd probably get that #2 error. They burn hot though
so I deal w it. Anyway I'm so glad you and the fam are warm again.
You're probably going to enjoy the stove much more than you ever have.
Hopefully you can find some decent pellets closer than 40 miles away.
That's too far to shlep all the time. The good people on the forum might be able
to offer up some places for you to check on.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Pay attention to the combustion blower every time you start the stove, you should be able to tell if it is hesitating in reaching speed. If the area where the combustion blower is is getting quite warm you may have to lube that blower a bit more due to increased evaporation. If the blower motor oil ports are facing down instead of up it might pay to change that situation.

You can always hedge your bets by having a spare on hand.

Having said that, the usual culprit is still ash in the works.

How did the flexible flue cleaning go?

 

[Xena]

If the blower motor oil ports are facing
down instead of up.....

No blower motor oil ports on these

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

If the blower motor oil ports are facing
down instead of up.....

No blower motor oil ports on these

Then they certainly aren't facing down ;-) .

 

[mkpanache]

How is the flame now??

How far opened is the draft?

Flame looks like a spread yellow fan with sharp pointy tips. Damper is open about a pencil width...Mark's pinky finger. Those Okies are hot, and there is no build up on the glass. Even on 2 or 3. Are we doing something right?

 

[mkpanache]

Pay attention to the combustion blower every time you start the stove, you should be able to tell if it is hesitating in reaching speed. If the area where the combustion blower is is getting quite warm you may have to lube that blower a bit more due to increased evaporation. If the blower motor oil ports are facing down instead of up it might pay to change that situation.

You can always hedge your bets by having a spare on hand.

Having said that, the usual culprit is still ash in the works.

How did the flexible flue cleaning go?

I don't think there are any ports. I think he just rubbed a bit of oil into it. And yeah, he really thinks it was the ask in the exchange tubes. He also ordered the fake bricks today. Why NOT block up those holes? What do we have to lose? And the bricks are not made out of that crumbly material anymore; they're metal, so they will last longer.

You would not BELIEVE the crap that came out of the chimney First, he went into it from below. He crawled into the back of the fireplace and ran the flexible pole up the vent as far as it would go. We didn't have enough to make it to the top, so a DJ friend who owns a bucket truck came over and lifted mark to the top of the cap where he was able to scrape the cap, see that it was crooked and cracked, and clean the rest of the venting. So much junk came out of there, but when we turned the stove back on, it still wouldn't run.

Then Mark attacked the exchange tubes with the air compressor, and I sucked the ash in the air with the flexible pipe hooked up to the LBT hooked up outside. After air compressing that stove one last time, it worked. What a day! And we have you all to thank! I really think we would have given up if we didn't have this place to log on to and check in for support. Seriously.

ETA: ASH - not ask. Sigh.

 

[mkpanache]

If the blower motor oil ports are facing
down instead of up.....

No blower motor oil ports on these

Then they certainly aren't facing down ;-) .

LOL!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Things can certainly get crud by the boatload in them.

Not quite as bad as opening up a combustion blower and finding nesting material along with animal parts.

It is also good to have these nice long threads so others get the information and aren't surprised when they have basically the same issue.

Enjoy the heat and once again a clean stove is a happy, safe, and warm stove.

 

[Xena]

Flame looks like a spread yellow fan with sharp pointy tips.
Damper is open about a pencil width...Mark's pinky finger.
Those Okies are hot, and there is no build up on the glass.
Even on 2 or 3. Are we doing something right?

Sounds exactly how mine is running right now also on
a bag of Okanagan. I can see the big smiles on your
kids faces from here. Good work Mom and Dad getting
that thing cleaned up!

 

[The Other One]

Flame looks like a spread yellow fan with sharp pointy tips. Damper is open about a pencil width...Mark's pinky finger. Those Okies are hot, and there is no build up on the glass. Even on 2 or 3. Are we doing something right?

Congratulations! St. Croix Video of Proper Flame

Now I bet you two can fix anything on the stove!

 

[mkpanache]

Things can certainly get crud by the boatload in them.

Not quite as bad as opening up a combustion blower and finding nesting material along with animal parts.

It is also good to have these nice long threads so others get the information and aren't surprised when they have basically the same issue.

Enjoy the heat and once again a clean stove is a happy, safe, and warm stove.

I take it this was your experience??? Yikes!

Stove is still running!! Yay You all ROCK

 

[mkpanache]

Flame looks like a spread yellow fan with sharp pointy tips.
Damper is open about a pencil width...Mark's pinky finger.
Those Okies are hot, and there is no build up on the glass.
Even on 2 or 3. Are we doing something right?

Sounds exactly how mine is running right now also on
a bag of Okanagan. I can see the big smiles on your
kids faces from here. Good work Mom and Dad getting
that thing cleaned up!

BIG MASSIVE SMILES :D

 

[mkpanache]

Flame looks like a spread yellow fan with sharp pointy tips. Damper is open about a pencil width...Mark's pinky finger. Those Okies are hot, and there is no build up on the glass. Even on 2 or 3. Are we doing something right?

Congratulations! St. Croix Video of Proper Flame

Now I bet you two can fix anything on the stove!

Yes, that is excatly what the flame looks like! We are SO psyched!

 

[jtakeman]

Nice job getting it going! and Good work gang steering them in the right direction! I agree they do ROCK! ;-)

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Things can certainly get crud by the boatload in them.

Not quite as bad as opening up a combustion blower and finding nesting material along with animal parts.

It is also good to have these nice long threads so others get the information and aren't surprised when they have basically the same issue.

Enjoy the heat and once again a clean stove is a happy, safe, and warm stove.

I take it this was your experience??? Yikes!

Stove is still running!! Yay You all ROCK

No, that was the experience shared by several people that had issues getting their stoves going.

I am afraid I'm an ordained minister of the Church of the Clean Pellet Stove, some times we get told where to put our suggestion on cleaning, but that's alright. We just call'em as we see'em ;-).

Like others on here I sometimes get called a code cop, but really I don't want to see or hear of fried or gassed folks.

I took advantage of today's temperatures to shut down and practiced some of what I preach, next week it will likely be a major cleaning.

As for rocking a few of us do that, that's what a lot of us geezers do. I'm waiting for outside rocking weather.

 

[DexterDay]

Glad its still working good for ya. Keep on top of the cleaning (w/ Okies you will notice a reduction in Ash and possibly longer cleaning intervals as a result).

There are a bunch of fine folks here willing to help. Keep it clean and keep in touch.

 

[mkpanache]

I burned some stuff early on that required the burn pot to be dumped at least twice a day.

Thankfully, between changes to my stove and to the pellets things are a lot better these days.

Sometimes it can take a bit of time to shake everything out.

The primary reason a lot of stoves end up on Craig's list is because of dirt in the plumbing.[/quot

 

[mkpanache]

I burned some stuff early on that required the burn pot to be dumped at least twice a day.

Thankfully, between changes to my stove and to the pellets things are a lot better these days.

Sometimes it can take a bit of time to shake everything out.

The primary reason a lot of stoves end up on Craig's list is because of dirt in the plumbing.[/quot

 

[mkpanache]

Well I have expierenced my 3 and last cresol fire with this St. Croix. I'm done and I think I am going to go and see if I can get any satisfaction from the dealer and or the company. Does anyone know if the Pescott EXP has expeirenced any redesign updates?? If so when.

Thx
Mark