Pellets piling up in firepot below 10ºF.. Tired of it!

[SmokeyTheBear]

This is the blower I have.. http://www.americanenergysystems.com/Stock/LibraryFiles/MF3650ExhaustBlower2-speed.pdf
Says 2 speed.. I have it hooked up so it runs the higher speed.

Also, how tight does the ash pan door have to be sealed?

The ash bin seal if gasket-ed should pass the same test as the door test.

 

[Bioburner]

Picture of wires for the exhaust fan and back of board for reference

 

[Bobcat698]

Here is a picture of the burn pot, seated.

Also, AES says they will test my board for $35.. probably worth it, yes?

 

[Bioburner]

Sounds good, but what will they charge you for a new one or if bad allow the service fee to be deducted from the purchase of another? I seen they had some with paint over spray for $148 +s&h. Before pulling the trigger on a new one PM me as I have a unused one as I pictured

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Take AES up on the test and you need to ream those holes at the bottom of that burn pot out you want all combustion air to come out below the pellet pile and not above it. I can't tell if the pot is fully in its receptacle (cardle) but there should not be any air coming around on the outside of that burn pot. My bucket of parts originally was pulling most of the burn air around the outside of the burn pot (remember my stove is not the same as yours but it operates the same way) which along with a gap at the top of the feed assembly caused major air flow issues and pile up. That fire should be standing upright not the way that picture shows. What are those two circular holes doing there? I guess I best see if I can find my manual collection.

 

[Bioburner]

There is supposed to be a firebrick that covers the holes behind the pot. Might help to plug the holes the stirrer rides in.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

In that case are you burning without the fire brick being installed?

 

[Bobcat698]

The stove is in a state of disassembly.. no worries there. I run the stirrer.

Bioburner, that isn't the exhaust fan in your pic, or at least my definition of the exhaust fan. I'm talking about the other fan, the one that blows air out the chimney. Is that one supposed to be variable?

I have the plugs and the brick board installed when running.

 

[Bobcat698]

How big should I make those fire pot holes, once they are clean? A few sizes bigger?

 

[Bioburner]

The picture was to show how the exhaust fan is connected to the stoves wiring. Don't ask me why they run the electrical across from the control board. smokey had concerns that maybe the exhaust fan was improperly wired so a picture of properly wire unit I thought would get that ruled out for you.

 

[Bioburner]

How big should I make those fire pot holes, once they are clean? A few sizes bigger?

I would hold off till you get the fan operating up and down with the feed switch. Stove if operating properly has no problem eating wood pellets.

 

[Bobcat698]

Did the voltage test. Erratic readings, somewhat. Never saw a voltage below around 118, most of the time 122.8. It did fluctuate a few times but generally 122 to 123 volts. Seemed to change a few tenths when doing the switch. Waited a minute between changes as recommended by AES.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

How big should I make those fire pot holes, once they are clean? A few sizes bigger?

By reaming them out I am saying clean them, that picture shows them with build up inside some of the holes. That restricts air flow through the pellet pile and forces the air to go around it. Ash glued to the blades on the combustion blower reduces the airflow the stove.

These devices are extremely simple and how they burn assuming a properly functioning controller always boils down to airflow. Inside that cover for the OAK I trust there is no flapper in it?

Air flow is most often determined by how clean the passages are. Over 80% of all pellet stove problems are caused by a dirty stove.

The airflow degrades the moment you start burning and in a used stove one can assume that it wasn't cleaned when you got it. There are many, many posts on here that boil down to a dirty stove. Other than the dirty stove you get installations that are not correct causing part of what remains. Then there is fuel quality, pellets are not all the same.

 

[Bobcat698]

10-4 Smokey. They will get cleaned as well, I hadn't got that far in the cleaning process yet.

 

[Bobcat698]

Oh, and you are correct, no flapper in the OAK. Just a mesh

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Oh, and you are correct, no flapper in the OAK. Just a mesh

Make certain that the mesh has decent openings in it as any mesh restricts air flow frost on a relatively small mesh can do in a burn.

 

[Bobcat698]

They are probably centimeter square openings. I'll keep an eye on them.

 

[Bobcat698]

This may not be stock wiring? Not sure.

 

[Bioburner]

This may not be stock wiring? Not sure.

I don't think that's factory Used stove conundrum. May very well explain why not proper fan control because the CB is fine. Attached picture is factory

 

[Bobcat698]

Good news, I did a few things to my stove and the situation seems to be fixed.
I did the following:

• Thoroughly cleaned the stove (again)
• Tightened up the hinge-side of the front door
  
• Replaced the ash-pan gasket
• Replaced the 3 inch chimney with all 4 inch pipe, pointing west and eliminated the 90 that pointed south

We'll see how it goes.

 

[Bioburner]

Well the weather is cold enough for the testing

 

[F4jock]

Good news, I did a few things to my stove and the situation seems to be fixed.
I did the following:

• Thoroughly cleaned the stove (again)
• Tightened up the hinge-side of the front door
  
• Replaced the ash-pan gasket
• Replaced the 3 inch chimney with all 4 inch pipe, pointing west and eliminated the 90 that pointed south

We'll see how it goes.

Have you considered extending the stack above the rooftop?

 

[railfanron]

Listen to Smokey he may be on the right track. My neighbors west point did the same thing. Combustion air was leaking around the burn pot instead of going through it. It would load up on pellets on the higher settings. I put a gasket around the burn pot so the air can only go through the burn pot. Problem solved and the stove now burns all pellets cleanly with no loading ever no matter what the temp is.
Ron

 

[smwilliamson]

Thanks for the info. I was just curious if anyone had input in general about AES. I'm sure just like with anything else there's good stoves and there's your Wal Mart junk.. That's why I ask.

Ask me about AES, I think my love for the company and it's products has been well documented....(sarcasm)

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Ask me about AES, I think my love for the company and it's products has been well documented....(sarcasm)

Now, now Scott with a little patience, a bit of bubble gum, bailing wire, and a small piece of tin foil one can get just about any stove to burn right even the ones you don't love.