Pellet stove newbie with new Drolet ECO 65

[Donald Quigley]

I bought a Drolet Eco 65 in March of 2013 and installed it with a plenum in my basement. I am very mechanically inclined and was able to do the install myself. I have ran a Leisure line auto feed coal stove for years and I thought I would give pellet stove a try. So far it stinks. Too many problems from the start and vague instructions in the manual. Stove has codes on the display that are of little help when the thing shuts down and will not run. Regretting my purchase.

 

[mralias]

I bought a Drolet Eco 65 in March of 2013 and installed it with a plenum in my basement. I am very mechanically inclined and was able to do the install myself. I have ran a Leisure line auto feed coal stove for years and I thought I would give pellet stove a try. So far it stinks. Too many problems from the start and vague instructions in the manual. Stove has codes on the display that are of little help when the thing shuts down and will not run. Regretting my purchase.

Welcome and sorry to hear your having issues with your new stove. Was not sure if your post was a frustration post or you were asking a question. If you are willing to put in the effort of asking specific questions along with pics of your setup I'm sure a solution can be found to the problems you are having. Coal burning and pellet burning are two different animals and heat type for that matter. What are your expectations of your new unit? What codes were you getting?

The members on here are very knowledgeable and I'm sure an answer will be found if you are willing to put in the effort.

 

[hyfire]

This is a great stove, you just have to set it up right. Please give us more details on the codes...You might have a flue problems, the unit needs a good flue set up to run well. Most likely its shuting down from lack of draft. The stove needs .3-.4" w.c. to run properly, I learned the hard way had to do my flue pipe over again, now it purrs like a kitten...

 

[MacGyver]

This is a great stove, you just have to set it up right. Please give us more details on the codes...You might have a flue problems, the unit needs a good flue set up to run well. Most likely its shuting down from lack of draft. The stove needs .3-.4" w.c. to run properly, I learned the hard way had to do my flue pipe over again, now it purrs like a kitten...

 

[MacGyver]

3-4" w.c. to run properly

What do you mean by this? Thanks.

 

[JDenyer236]

A picture of the stove as well as your vent setup will help us figure out what's going on.

 

[hyfire]

3-4" w.c. to run properly

What do you mean by this? Thanks.

That is how much air suction you have going up the chimney, if its too little the stove will shut down, from the safety switch. What codes are you getting?

 

[MacGyver]

A picture of the stove as well as your vent setup will help us figure out what's going on.

I spoke with Drolet last night and they suggested adding another 3 feet of piping.

I'll explain my set up:

Stove is in a basement. Piping comes out to a T and then runs up about 4.5 feet to the old basement window (which we've taken out and framed for the stove) and the pipe runs straight out. I didn't realize that the rise in the basement is not included in the calculations for proper venting. So what he is requesting we do is have another T once it comes outside, then add another 3 feet of piping upwards.

Does it seem reasonable that my current set up would be letting in enough drafts to give the stove trouble in starting?

 

[MacGyver]

That is how much air suction you have going up the chimney, if its too little the stove will shut down, from the safety switch. What codes are you getting?

Most often error L. The fire will start real big and get hot and then after 15 minutes or so it will get down to a smolder and it will struggle to get going past that.

 

[hyfire]

Without a gauge reading its hard to tell what is happening. You need to buy a gauge up to .5" w.c. is a good choice and attach it to the same hose as the pressure switch with a T fitting. Something like this digital or analog

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dwyer-Serie...732?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cea7a1b7c