pellet burn pots - steel, stainless steel or chrome!!?? Who loves scraping?

[pete324rocket]

Trying to get the build-up off the burn pot can be a real task at times. I have used a wire brush attachment in a drill, used a sanding disc on a grinder, the regular scraping method that I'm sure you are all familiar with and lately have been using water and really rough somewhat waterproof sandpaper to get it really clean. If I had a glass bead cabinet,that would be my choice though the roughened surface would probably coat up again even easier.
After all of this,I'm not really sure that my burn pot is stainless steel or not. Would it matter if it was steel or stainless anyways in regards to the stuff sticking to it and how hard it is to get off? Would a chrome surface do the job? Has anyone seen a chrome burn-pot? This must be a "burning question" for any company designing a pellet stove. The holes aren't plugged up-maybe I'm just being way too clean.
I read an earlier post on the topic of clinkers and that cleaning out the space under the burn pot holder may help that-will give that a go. I don't get them much but would like to stay ahead of the problem.

 

[smirnov3]

For the really tough stuff, I use a hammer.

I take the (coated) baffle out, put on the cement outside, and gently tap it with a hammer to shatter the buildup. takes about a dozen taps to get each chunk of buildup off.

 

[littlesmokey]

My question is, What or How are you burning that would cause that kind of build up? If your stove is burning properly there may be some build up, but heavy build is caused by incomplete burning. Think of it as in stove creosote.

 

[wilbilt]

I have been wondering about the finish vs. buildup as well. I know that if I scrape my burn pot to bare metal, I will get a good burn.
If I just shake it out, the burn will be inferior.

I have also thought about chrome or stainless. Anyone with experience in these finishes?

 

[drizler]

I would say you are being too clean. It is like the inside of an engine. Its the business end where all the dirty stuff is going on so its going to get cruddy. Corn would sometimes make a build up mess but pellets should just build up some then flake off into the pan in time. I wouldn't worry about it unless it starts really getting 3 dimensional. I agree you may be burning a little lazy. Are the flames orange or lazy, that will be a sign. Try setting your air a tad higher or pulling out your draft control a bit and see if it cleans things up some. My stove gets too much draft and needs it spoiled a bit by pulling out one of the slide grates a bit. Stoves all burn a little differently and so do different makes of pellets.

 

[hearthtools]

I just use a claw end of a hammer
As long as the holes are clear and it is not warped
you are good

It is not like you are going to eat the corn off of it.

 

[skippy4no2]

Trying to get the build-up off the burn pot can be a real task at times. I have used a wire brush attachment in a drill, used a sanding disc on a grinder, the regular scraping method that I'm sure you are all familiar with and lately have been using water and really rough somewhat waterproof sandpaper to get it really clean. If I had a glass bead cabinet,that would be my choice though the roughened surface would probably coat up again even easier.
After all of this,I'm not really sure that my burn pot is stainless steel or not. Would it matter if it was steel or stainless anyways in regards to the stuff sticking to it and how hard it is to get off? Would a chrome surface do the job? Has anyone seen a chrome burn-pot? This must be a "burning question" for any company designing a pellet stove. The holes aren't plugged up-maybe I'm just being way too clean.
I read an earlier post on the topic of clinkers and that cleaning out the space under the burn pot holder may help that-will give that a go. I don't get them much but would like to stay ahead of the problem.

You can tell if it's stainless by using a magnet. Stainless isn't magnetic. What kind of stove do you have? I have a Harman Advance and I think it operates great. I've been burning my stove for 4 years now and not one problem.

 

[wilbilt]

Try setting your air a tad higher or pulling out your draft control a bit and see if it cleans things up some. My stove gets too much draft and needs it spoiled a bit by pulling out one of the slide grates a bit. Stoves all burn a little differently and so do different makes of pellets.

No air adjustment on my stove...

 

[begreen]

Not trying to stir the pot here, but am perplexed. Is this a characteristic of the shelf (basket?) style burn pot? After tons of pellets burned I almost never scraped the burn pot on the Quad. (It was cast iron I think.) The stiff utility blade that came with the 1200i was still in the bag when I sold the stove. I just picked out the occasional clinker and ran my hand around the burn pot when I did the bi-weekly cleaning. Why is there such a big difference? Is this only with corn?

 

[smirnov3]

Not trying to stir the pot here, but am perplexed. Is this a characteristic of the shelf (basket?) style burn pot? After tons of pellets burned I almost never scraped the burn pot on the Quad. (It was cast iron I think.) The stiff utility blade that came with the 1200i was still in the bag when I sold the stove. I just picked out the occasional clinker and ran my hand around the burn pot when I did the bi-weekly cleaning. Why is there such a big difference? Is this only with corn?

Most of my burn pot is pretty clean, but after a week, I get build up where the back plate meats the burn pot. It tends to direct the flame out, towards the glass,

 

[wilbilt]

Not trying to stir the pot here, but am perplexed. Is this a characteristic of the shelf (basket?) style burn pot? After tons of pellets burned I almost never scraped the burn pot on the Quad. (It was cast iron I think.) The stiff utility blade that came with the 1200i was still in the bag when I sold the stove. I just picked out the occasional clinker and ran my hand around the burn pot when I did the bi-weekly cleaning. Why is there such a big difference? Is this only with corn?

My burn pot is small and deep. It will accumulate a buildup of ash around the outside that gradually chokes off the airflow. I need to empty it at least once per day. When it is full, it looks like a bird's nest.

It also accumulates hard carbon deposits (clinker?) on the walls. If I simply dump out the ash and unburned pellets without scraping the pot clean, it will not burn as well, and accumulate ash more quickly than If I had scraped it.

I am assuming the deposits are insulating the walls of the pot and allowing the ash to build up rather than burn off. I am planning to try a different brand of pellets the next time I buy any to see if it makes a difference.

 

[pete324rocket]

I've been doing some searching around and didn't know that the difference (apparently-correct me if I'm wrong)between straight wood pellet stoves and multi-fuel stoves is that the burn pots on multi-fuel stoves need a self-clean design of a burn pot because of heavy ash built-up. Cast iron burn pots seem to have less build-up problems it seems as well.
In my case,its a new stove and I'm cleaning all of the deposits from the burn pot. There is a thin white coating on the sides that is really tough to get off-I can only expect that to leave it get worse will shorten the time between cleanings(boo!) and only make it tougher to get off later.There are porcelain burn pots out there-how do they perform?

 

[pegdot]

Has anyone tried oven cleaner? Not as a daily thing but as part of say a weekly or monthly routine. Would that be a good idea or a bad one?

 

[littlesmokey]

Try setting your air a tad higher or pulling out your draft control a bit and see if it cleans things up some. My stove gets too much draft and needs it spoiled a bit by pulling out one of the slide grates a bit. Stoves all burn a little differently and so do different makes of pellets.

No air adjustment on my stove...

What stove do you have. Most have a damper control and a way to regulate the combustion air. There may even be a way to increase the speed of the combustion motor to supply more air. I really think a significant buildup is a result of poor burning. My stove if not set will build some deposits even carbon crud if it is not burning hot. It takes about a week to get any ash build and a quick hit with the scraper is all it take to remove. Last year when I got a few bags of poor pellets it took more attention and did develop some clinkers in the pot, once adjusted, it ran fine.

 

[wilbilt]

[
What stove do you have. Most have a damper control and a way to regulate the combustion air. There may even be a way to increase the speed of the combustion motor to supply more air. I really think a significant buildup is a result of poor burning. My stove if not set will build some deposits even carbon crud if it is not burning hot. It takes about a week to get any ash build and a quick hit with the scraper is all it take to remove. Last year when I got a few bags of poor pellets it took more attention and did develop some clinkers in the pot, once adjusted, it ran fine.

It's a Trail Blazer Classic 1600 PS . It has one fan and no draft adjustment I can find.

There are two trimpots accessible with a small screwdriver on the control panel for the auger feed rate. Even with them both at the lowest setting, the pellet feed seems to be excessive.

I would really like to find a service manual for this stove.

 

[pete324rocket]

It took some time but I have this problem licked! I have a poker with a hook on the end.It is left over from the wood stove.When I am shutting the stove down for a cleaning and the fire is out but the stove is still hot and the blowers are still running,I open the door and manage to get a hook on the burn pot-which IS stainless steel by the way,and I lift the still hot pot out and head for the sink.I run a bit of water over it and the steam and bubbling seems to separate the crap from the steel and it cleans up nicely....just like a frying pan when you've been cooking a steak in it. It comes clean as new! Very little scraping if at all. Tada!

 

[MainePellethead]

It took some time but I have this problem licked! I have a poker with a hook on the end.It is left over from the wood stove.When I am shutting the stove down for a cleaning and the fire is out but the stove is still hot and the blowers are still running,I open the door and manage to get a hook on the burn pot-which IS stainless steel by the way,and I lift the still hot pot out and head for the sink.I run a bit of water over it and the steam and bubbling seems to separate the crap from the steel and it cleans up nicely....just like a frying pan when you've been cooking a steak in it. It comes clean as new! Very little scraping if at all. Tada!

Stainless Steel burn pot?(liner?) hmm....

Mine is Cast Iron....LOVE it.....I have never had to scrape mine at all. Cleans up nicely

 

[wilbilt]

It took some time but I have this problem licked! I have a poker with a hook on the end.It is left over from the wood stove.When I am shutting the stove down for a cleaning and the fire is out but the stove is still hot and the blowers are still running,I open the door and manage to get a hook on the burn pot-which IS stainless steel by the way,and I lift the still hot pot out and head for the sink.

Since my stove is a positive-pressure design, opening the door with the blower running should be preceded by gathering up the family photos and calling 911.

I do often hook my burnpot with some Channellocks after the blower has shut down and dump it outside. Everything is so wet here now that the chaqnce of igniting something is nil.

 

[pete324rocket]

okay which is it...burn pot or liner..it is removable and is stainless steel....