New Pellet User - need some advice on P23

[wrxtance]

Long story short, I recently bought a house with a 1997 Breckwell P23 stove already installed. Did a bunch of searching, reading, learning here and feel pretty good about what I have, its condition, etc. The previous owner said he "cleaned" the stove at the end of last winter.

I thought it would be good if I figured this thing out BEFORE it gets cold outside so I started to rip stuff apart and learn for myself. The firebox was fairly clean and the access plates were fairly clear of ash and soot. Taking the side panels off, the motors are covered in dust/hair and the convection blower blades are coated in a decent amount of dust. That entire compartment area look like it has hardly ever been touched (at least not at the end of last winter!).

I wanted to clean the combustion blower but from what I can tell, it still has the original motor/blower so its all one piece. This means I have to remove the pipe adapter (?) and unbolt the entire unit (?). The blower is a ~bit~ noisy but I have nothing to compare it to.

Advice needed is - do I (and how do I) remove and clean or remove and replace the combustion blower? is it worth just buying a new blower in hopes that 1 - it will be quieter and 2 - it will be easier to clean later and 3 - the original motor is old and likely to die

Thanks in advance!

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

the 1997 manual covers blower removal and cleaning, do you want a copy?
if so, shoot me a PM, or email [email protected]

 

[wrxtance]

I managed to find a manual (thanks for the offer though) and the combustion cleaning instructions baffle me a bit. It says that the blades of both blowers can collect dust and ash and need to be vacuumed clean. Then it says you access the combustion blower from door "C" (inside fire box) but you can't even see the blades from there??? Then the cresote comment - do you just brush clean the area you can see behind door "C"? Just all doesn't seem to add up for the combustion blower (other one makes sense).

a. Cleaning - Over a period of time, ashes or dust may
collect on the blades of both the combustion blower and
convection blower. Periodically the blowers should be
vacuumed clean as these ashes can impede performance.
Creosote can also accumulate in the combustion blower.
This needs to be brushed clean. The convection blower is
accessed by removing the stove's left side panel. The
combustion blower is accessed through door C (see figure
14). The convection blower is on the left (facing stove),
combustion blower on the right.

the 1997 manual covers blower removal and cleaning, do you want a copy?
if so, shoot me a PM, or email [email protected]

 

[imacman]

IMO, their old manual isn't very good in explaining things. Anyway, I think you should try to remove the side panels and the rear panel (if it comes off) so you have access to the blowers & auger motor. That is the way they were put IN the stove, and I'm pretty sure you can remove them that way too.

The fins on both should be brushed clean. The combustion blower vanes might need a wire brush (carefully). Be sure to use a putty knife under the vanes to scrape carbon on the motor body too.

Those access doors in the firebox are, IMO, mainly to get fly ash trapped in there. A small rubber hose taped to a shop vac works well for this...just snake it around behind those doors as much as you can.

 

[MSmith66]

I would also put a couple drops of oil in each oil port on the combustion blower with 20w. This might help with the noise.

 

[smwilliamson]

Can you explain the noise? Is it a squeal or a rump rump rump rump rump. Squeal denotes bad bearing or bearing that needs lubrication, the later would be the black casing from the motor coming loose from it's crimps. There are four crimp points which you can hammer with the head of a screw driver to silence the noisy casing.

Also, while you have the combustion motor out, get a vac in there towards the back of the fire wall.

 

[imacman]

I would also put a couple drops of oil in each oil port on the combustion blower with 20w. This might help with the noise.

As per the original owners manual, it seems there are oil ports on the convection blower only.

 

[smilejamaica]

here is a couple links that that eric from kinsman stoves had a few years back www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/29589/ part 1 ................................ www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/29613/ part 2......................................... www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/29631/ part 3 hope this helps a little. if you need more help im sure he will check your thread out ........................................

 

[smilejamaica]

also must say his info has been priceless.

 

[wrxtance]

Thanks for the help everyone. I did a very thorough cleaning this weekend and the results are pretty good. The combustion blower is the only one that I didn't really touch. Its still noisy - not a thumping noise but a loud-ish motor noise. It might just be the way its supposed to sound. Either way, if it is on its way out, I am just going to buy a new motor and housing so future cleanings are easier.

Got about a soup can full of crap out of my 4' long vent (sounds like a lot to me).
Soot and such on the walls behind the access doors was about 1/4" thick but easily brushed off and vacuumed.
Dust bunnies were all vacuumed out and the convection blower was really caked up.

Thanks again for all the links/pics/suggestions. Very helpful!