Santa Fe ignition problem

[showdogs]

I purchased a new Santa Fe freestand last Jan. I installed it myself and it was trouble free till last week. I consider myself pretty handy but before I call the dealer I thought I would throw it out to the forum. The problem is that when I push the thermostat to start the stove from a cold start the initial amount of pellets are deposited ok and the igniter becomes cherry red but the pellets don't seem to light up. I have a very clean burn pot so I am stumped over this. I am burning Okanagens. If I shut it down for a few minutes and restart it seems to clear up for some unknown explanation. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[imacman]

I purchased a new Santa Fe freestand last Jan. I installed it myself and it was trouble free till last week. I consider myself pretty handy but before I call the dealer I thought I would throw it out to the forum. The problem is that when I push the thermostat to start the stove from a cold start the initial amount of pellets are deposited ok and the igniter becomes cherry red but the pellets don't seem to light up. I have a very clean burn pot so I am stumped over this. I am burning Okanagens. If I shut it down for a few minutes and restart it seems to clear up for some unknown explanation. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

If all you're cleaning is the burn pot, and nothing else, i think I know what the problem is. Your burn pot may be very clean, but what about the rest of your stove? If it's full of ash in other parts of the stove, and restricts the flow of air past the ignitor, the pellets may not get hot enough.

Are there ash traps behind the firebox? Has the combustion blower ever been removed and cleaned? Have you cleaned your exhaust pipe?

 

[tjnamtiw]

Also, have you cleaned out the slot in the burn pot that is directly in front of the igniter? You can't see it. You have to feel it. Use a .38 caliber bore brush if you have one. Just don't stick it in too far and hit the igniter. Use it in the drilled holes also.

And, make sure your ash dump door on the bottom of the burn pot doesn't have more than the thickness of a dime clearance between it and the pot on the side opposite the pivot. If it's too wide, your air will come in there instead of past the igniter.