Qudrafire Classic Bay 1200 Burn Pot Problems

[nikeseer]

I have always had to knock down the ash on my Classic Bay 1200 in the back of the pot once a day as well as open the trap. I probably could continue to let it burn but it starts to look ugly to my eye.

What pipe did you you use. 3 or 4 inch? You have the insert or free standing classic bay?

 

[nikeseer]

If ash is building up daily? Then I sense an air leak. Either the bottom trap door is not sealing right, the ash pan gasket isn't sealing, or the door gasket isn't sealing properly. Check all gaskets using the dollar bill test and remove the little plate below the ash lip and look into that area, to see if the bottom trap door is eating correctly when closed? This door has been known to leave a little gap when shut.

I also sealed the area where the thermocouple wire comes in behind the pot. That is a burn pot bypass. Air comes through that hole, instead of through the pot. Every little bit helps. With good pellets, I can go upwards of 2 weeks without touching the clean out rod. Might have a little spec here or there, but the next shutdown and start up sequence takes care of it

Thanks DexterDay.. I will check the trap door. There is no gasket from the door of the ash pan to the bottom of the stove but I'll check the bottom of the burnpot and see how that is. What did you use for sealant with the thermocouple? Is it because it's not getting enough air in the burnpot why it's building up?

 

[moey]

What pipe did you you use. 3 or 4 inch? You have the insert or free standing classic bay?

3 inch it goes straight out the wall about 15 inches then to a T and up 6 ft to a 90 elbow and then to a jet. I had a dealer install it, who said it would be fine with a 3 inch, maybe that was not accurate I have looked in the manual it does still fall in the 3 inch limits.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

3 inch it goes straight out the wall about 15 inches then to a T and up 6 ft to a 90 elbow and then to a jet. I had a dealer install it, who said it would be fine with a 3 inch, maybe that was not accurate I have looked in the manual it does still fall in the 3 inch limits.

And the altitude you are located at is?

 

[moey]

So far this year I have cleaned and done the following to no avail to try and solve the problem:

- removed combustion motor cleaned off with brush, replaced gasket
- cleaned small access panel on side vacuumed out
- removed front panel where ignitor is vacuumed out, made sure trap doors were closing properly
- replaced gasket on ash pan, this actually had a leak I could see air getting pulled in with lighter
- removed baffle plates cleaned them and behind them
- cleaned vent pipe with pellet stove brush
- after all that did the leaf blower trick

Ive done the dollar bill test all around the front door as well as holding a lighter up to it around the perimeter.

I bought some high temp tape I was going to tape up the little access door on the side although I dont think that is what is causing the problem.

It will burn good for a couple hours no buildup and then it will start to build up slowly in the back of the pot. Ive tried the following pellets PWI, cubex and Maines Choice. All have the same problem with the buildup. PWI has the least buildup Maines Choice the most.

Any ideas would be appreciated. Im going to try some softwood pellets next and see how they do. The front gasket looks in good shape to me and doesnt appear to be leaking.

 

[moey]

And the altitude you are located at is?

0 or close to not far from the water in Maine.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

When you had those small access panels on the side open did you insert a brush and pound on the rear and sides of the firebox (no fake bricks in while doing this please)?

Your 3" should be fine as long as the water is the ocean..

Please tell us how many places on along each edge of the door did you do the dollar bill test?

 

[moey]

When you had those small access panels on the side open did you insert a brush and pound on the rear and sides of the firebox (no fake bricks in while doing this please)?

Your 3" should be fine as long as the water is the ocean..

Please tell us how many places on along each edge of the door did you do the dollar bill test?

I did insert a brush I did not pound on the sides of the firebox, I can do that once it cools sometime today. As far as the dollar bill test Ill redo I probably did it 5-6 places none of which failed, I focused more on the ash pan gasket then the door gasket as that was failing in a lot of places.

My ash pan gasket had a leak for 6 inches or so the ash pan was not straight bad manufacturing I guess. I did my best to straighten it and put a 1/2 gasket rather then the 7/16 gasket. I was surprised it burned the same after I replaced it.

thanks..

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Two separated places each side of the door.

How is the burn pot gasket? You can tell if this is bad by watching for streaks in the ash deposited around the burn pot.

 

[moey]

Two separated places each side of the door.

How is the burn pot gasket? You can tell if this is bad by watching for streaks in the ash deposited around the burn pot.

By streaks do you mean how the ash did not deposit on top of the burn pot flange (left side) in the attached picture. This is the buildup after about 10 hours BTW. Thanks..

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Look like at 4 o'clock and at 8 o'clock there might be a leak, the ash will be missing where the air is escaping.

Now it could be that the bolts are loose or the gasket is gone.

Be careful if you go tightening the bolts they have been known to break.

 

[nikeseer]

3 inch it goes straight out the wall about 15 inches then to a T and up 6 ft to a 90 elbow and then to a jet. I had a dealer install it, who said it would be fine with a 3 inch, maybe that was not accurate I have looked in the manual it does still fall in the 3 inch limits.

So you have the freestanding classic bay. My father has the insert and he has no gasket other than the door.

 

[nikeseer]

Look like at 4 o'clock and at 8 o'clock there might be a leak, the ash will be missing where the air is escaping.

Now it could be that the bolts are loose or the gasket is gone.

Be careful if you go tightening the bolts they have been known to break.

This is the buildup on my fathers. The light to dark on the inside sides of the burnpot is the crust of ash that is always there. And this is the ash/soot that is on this side of the door only.

 

[mralias]

I have the insert and the glass is not much different then your father's. How many hours of burn is that ash? What pellets are you using? Here is what mine looks like after 4 days of burning MWP.

 

[nikeseer]

I have the insert and the glass is not much different then your father's. How many hours of burn is that ash? What pellets are you using? Here is what mine looks like after 4 days of burning MWP.

He has been burning Green Supreme. He has MWP which is what I'm using in my CAB50 and he is getting the same crust.

 

[nikeseer]

And the stove store says its the pellets and its all the silica and dirt and sand in the pellets. Theirs doesn't do that... hmmmm.. Like theyre not trying to sell me pellets.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

This is the buildup on my fathers.View attachment 85372 The light to dark on the inside sides of the burnpot is the crust of ash that is always there. View attachment 85373 And this is the ash/soot that is on this side of the door only.

The area that shouldn't have the ash blown away is where the burn pot sits on the gasket not the top of the pot.

 

[mralias]

I would start with the burn pot gasket if the bolts are already snug like Smokey was talking about. I replaced mine every other year. Green Supreme pellets are real high in ash so I'm sure that does not help. Not enough airflow either by leak or exhaust. If not already done do the dollar bill test on the door gasket,burn pot slid plate is closed and the ash clean out door is closed. The only other gasket is the exhaust blower gasket which might need replacing.

 

[moey]

well I just replaced my burn pot gasket no luck still the same, it will burn for a couple hours ok then starts building up ash in the back of the pot which after some time spreads to most the slope and the sides. Doesnt block the holes. I may go pick up a couple bags of the MWP pellets and see if I have the same result with those. So far I have burned Cubex, PWI, and Maines choice, all the same buildup.

 

[mralias]

Dollar bill test? When was the last time the door gasket was changed? Are the door adjusters correct so that air is not coming in on the side where the ash build up is? You don't get any smoke smell in the house do you?

 

[moey]

Dollar bill test? When was the last time the door gasket was changed? Are the door adjusters correct so that air is not coming in on the side where the ash build up is? You don't get any smoke smell in the house do you?

Did the dollar bill test all around the perimeter of the door. Also took a lighter when cold and could not see it getting sucked in. Ash pan gasket is new it was leaking a bit but that also did not make a difference. Never had any smoke smell. Its the original door gasket but this is only the second winter for it. My glass is not as bad as the other poster, in fact I think it may look a little cleaner then the pictures you posted of your glass. I just start to get a beard in the back of the burn pot rather quickly, which then spreads to the sides of the pot. Im going to try a couple bags of the MWP pellets TSC has them right down the road from me I think, see how it compares to your pictures.

 

[mralias]

Sorry Moey, I was responding to Nikeseer because we are dealing with the same stove. Although the problems seem similar. Sorry about the confusion. You have at least one more gasket than I do on the CB1200i.

Moey, my math may be bad but according to your measurements I calculated your EVL at 16.5. that would be 2 90's 1 foot of vertical and 6 feet of horizontal. If the EVL is 15 or greater, generally speaking in should be 4" pipe. However if it was working before and now just started the ash build up then maybe a small restriction in the pipe is causing your issue.

 

[moey]

Sorry Moey, I was responding to Nikeseer because we are dealing with the same stove. Although the problems seem similar. Sorry about the confusion. You have at least one more gasket than I do on the CB1200i.

Moey, my math may be bad but according to your measurements I calculated your EVL at 16.5. that would be 2 90's 1 foot of vertical and 6 feet of horizontal. If the EVL is 15 or greater, generally speaking in should be 4" pipe. However if it was working before and now just started the ash build up then maybe a small restriction in the pipe is causing your issue.

I have 6 ft vertical with about 15 inches horizontal 2 90s. Based on the quad manual thats about 14 EVL maybe slightly more ( at least I think that math is correct). In my opinion I have always had the build up only my first year of using it I didn't know any better.

 

[DexterDay]

To eliminate any "Pellet" concerns. You can check "temporarily" by closing up some of the air wash on the 2 side windows.

I thought I had some bad pellets, till I added some folded aluminum foil in the top of the glass (2 small side windows) and the crust went away. Then I found this place 2 years ago (3 seasons) and read about the dollar bill test. I found I had a bad door gasket. Ash pan gasket didn't seal either, but I tightened it and it was fine.

By placing gasket material or aluminum foil in the air wash of the 2 side windows, this replaces the small amount of air that you are losing to the pot. Do not run the stove on High while doing so, and only do it long enough to see if it is helping. (I.E.- If it takes 2 hours to get build up? Only leave it in for 2 hours).

As for the T/C hole. I used aluminum foil for it also. Any air that you can stop from bypassing the burn pot and force through those holes, the better the burn and longer you can go between cleaning the pot. I literally go about 2 weeks without even looking at it.

A small leak will make you seek an insane asylum. Keep proper air to the pot and then the saying stands true "Nothing Burns like a Quad"

 

[mralias]

I have 6 ft vertical with about 15 inches horizontal 2 90s. Based on the quad manual thats about 14 EVL maybe slightly more ( at least I think that math is correct). In my opinion I have always had the build up only my first year of using it I didn't know any better.

One T=5 ft, 90=5 ft, 15" vertical =.5, 6 ft vertical =6 ft. 5+5+.5+6=16.5 even by the Quad manual unless I'm not seeing something you are. If you are no more than 4 thousand feet above sea level then you could use 3" according to Quad. However, as stated before if it was working fine before and now is not then the pipe size is most likely not the issue. Like Dexter states just a little difference in air flow can make a big difference. Please keep us posted how you make out.