Smell pellets burn on ignition/start-up?

[DobieMom]

Stove is a Quad 1200 FS...should you EVER smell the pellets burning when a stove fires up? Looking for some opinions before my service call in the morning...danged fire pot door got stuck open on me this morning while I was cleaning it...finally got it closed but it's been hard to operate so I'm having them come check it out. I scrape/clean the firepot/holes EVERYDAY so it's not that ;-) I do see a small opening between the pipe and the wall thimble...maybe that's the smoke smell I'm getting? My 4 ft vertical pipe is outside. I burn about 3/4 a bag daily...been burning Stove Chow. I have lots of pretty pastel purple in my firepot when she's burning! Also, want to learn why I may be finding UNburnt pellets in my ash pan. Appreciate any knowledge you can share

Thanks!
Deb

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Unburnt pellets can be because they bounced out when they hit the rim of the fire pot instead of going into the pot.

That small opening between the pipe and the wall thimble should be sealed on the outside, perhaps it wasn't or the seal has broken. If your stoves fire box floods with smoke at start up it is possible for some smoke to find its way out of the air wash or if the ignition is delayed to the point of going woosh or wump or boom etc ... smoke has been known to come out between the door and the stove as the door is moved away from the stove due to the gases extremely fast ignition. It is even possible with a delayed ignition for smoke to make it out of the air intake.

 

[DexterDay]

Your clean out needs to be CLEANED!! Take a flashlight and shine in the bottom of pot, take a chisel or screw driver and twist and scape the carbon build-up off the bottom of your pot.. Your head will fit into stove if you turn it sideways. The smoke smell could be from unsealed pipes, stove adapter, or before i had my OAK installed. The smoke at start up would come out of Heat exchanger cleaning rods. (3yrs ago, quickly got an OAK) Do you have an Outside Air Kit? That door will clean up very easily. Takes a couple minutes once the stove cools off....

 

[DobieMom]

Unburnt pellets can be because they bounced out when they hit the rim of the fire pot instead of going into the pot.

That small opening between the pipe and the wall thimble should be sealed on the outside, perhaps it wasn't or the seal has broken. If your stoves fire box floods with smoke at start up it is possible for some smoke to find its way out of the air wash or if the ignition is delayed to the point of going woosh or wump or boom etc ... smoke has been known to come out between the door and the stove as the door is moved away from the stove due to the gases extremely fast ignition. It is even possible with a delayed ignition for smoke to make it out of the air intake.

Thanks for the reply Smokey...the unburnt pellets seem to be pretty much right under where the fire pot dumps. I know ONCE I dumped them cuz I didn't hear the stove come on :lol:

I'll get them to double check the seals tomorrow. OK, yes, she does get pretty full of smoke before she ignites but as soon as it ignites it clears right out...no 'woosh, wumps or booms' I'll bet on the air wash...get nasty glass after about 3 burns...drives me NUTS :ahhh:

 

[imacman]

.....Your head will fit into stove if you turn it sideways.....

:lol: Sorry to kinda "hijack" the thread for a minute, but THAT is a funny statement......Dexter, I gotta add that to my list, in my signature.

 

[DobieMom]

Your clean out needs to be CLEANED!! Take a flashlight and shine in the bottom of pot, take a chisel or screw driver and twist and scape the carbon build-up off the bottom of your pot.. Your head will fit into stove if you turn it sideways. The smoke smell could be from unsealed pipes, stove adapter, or before i had my OAK installed. The smoke at start up would come out of Heat exchanger cleaning rods. (3yrs ago, quickly got an OAK) Do you have an Outside Air Kit? That door will clean up very easily. Takes a couple minutes once the stove cools off....

I've cleaned my clean out and there was hardly ANYTHING in it...haven't checked it since burning the Stove Chow (about 12 bags) but will check it tomorrow. I've had my head in the stove and under it looking at that fire pot...it's almost as clean as when it was installed. I've read so much on here about cleaning you could classify me as 'anal' when it comes to cleaning that stove :lol: It's only a little over a month old and I'm on bag #24! No OAK...I was going to get it and the said no...my house didn't need it! Yes, the glass cleans well with a wet paper towel...it's the one thing I dislike doing most :lol:

 

[DexterDay]

.....Your head will fit into stove if you turn it sideways.....

:lol: Sorry to kinda "hijack" the thread for a minute, but THAT is a funny statement......Dexter, I gotta add that to my list, in my signature.

It would be an honor.. Even though I was serious. This is a Quad "problem" I do it this at least twice a week. That's why I told him to have the stove "cooled off". LOL

 

[ChrisWNY]

The auto ignition always puts some smoke inside the fire box as the pellets transition to a burning/fire state, then the smoke is drawn out rapidly out the exhaust vent once ignition is complete. I get a faint exhaust smell near the rear of the furnace (no visible smoke at all, PL vent is fully sealed up with RTV silicone), but it goes away entirely within a minute or two, and there's never an exhaust smell once the furnace is up to temp. The Fahrenheit video (during the auto ignition portion of the video, about a minute into the video) shows the exact same behavior during auto ignition - http://fahrenheittech.com/endurance_video.html

IMO, *some* exhaust smell at startup is normal and probably cannot be totally avoided with certain setups, especially those who have longer PL vents with Tee's and elbows inside the house. I use an OAK, it was mandatory in the installation manual.

 

[DexterDay]

Your clean out needs to be CLEANED!! Take a flashlight and shine in the bottom of pot, take a chisel or screw driver and twist and scape the carbon build-up off the bottom of your pot.. Your head will fit into stove if you turn it sideways. The smoke smell could be from unsealed pipes, stove adapter, or before i had my OAK installed. The smoke at start up would come out of Heat exchanger cleaning rods. (3yrs ago, quickly got an OAK) Do you have an Outside Air Kit? That door will clean up very easily. Takes a couple minutes once the stove cools off....

I've cleaned my clean out and there was hardly ANYTHING in it...haven't checked it since burning the Stove Chow (about 12 bags) but will check it tomorrow. I've had my head in the stove and under it looking at that fire pot...it's almost as clean as when it was installed. I've read so much on here about cleaning you could classify me as 'anal' when it comes to cleaning that stove :lol: It's only a little over a month old and I'm on bag #24! No OAK...I was going to get it and the said no...my house didn't need it! Yes, the glass cleans well with a wet paper towel...it's the one thing I dislike doing most :lol:

If your "Rod" is getting stuck.. Then there is a build-up on the top of it. If you Look in the stove you will see it. It only takes a very small patch in a corner to stop this rod from moving "freely". A spot smaller than the size of a dime, in the corner of your clean-out plate will stop your "Rod" from coming out, or going back in. I have had this problem since I bought this stove 3 yrs ago. Its worth a check. Only takes 15 to let the stove cool down to check it. Worth a shot

 

[DobieMom]

Your clean out needs to be CLEANED!! Take a flashlight and shine in the bottom of pot, take a chisel or screw driver and twist and scape the carbon build-up off the bottom of your pot.. Your head will fit into stove if you turn it sideways. The smoke smell could be from unsealed pipes, stove adapter, or before i had my OAK installed. The smoke at start up would come out of Heat exchanger cleaning rods. (3yrs ago, quickly got an OAK) Do you have an Outside Air Kit? That door will clean up very easily. Takes a couple minutes once the stove cools off....

I've cleaned my clean out and there was hardly ANYTHING in it...haven't checked it since burning the Stove Chow (about 12 bags) but will check it tomorrow. I've had my head in the stove and under it looking at that fire pot...it's almost as clean as when it was installed. I've read so much on here about cleaning you could classify me as 'anal' when it comes to cleaning that stove :lol: It's only a little over a month old and I'm on bag #24! No OAK...I was going to get it and the said no...my house didn't need it! Yes, the glass cleans well with a wet paper towel...it's the one thing I dislike doing most :lol:

If your "Rod" is getting stuck.. Then there is a build-up on the top of it. If you Look in the stove you will see it. It only takes a very small patch in a corner to stop this rod from moving "freely". A spot smaller than the size of a dime, in the corner of your clean-out plate will stop your "Rod" from coming out, or going back in. I have had this problem since I bought this stove 3 yrs ago. Its worth a check. Only takes 15 to let the stove cool down to check it. Worth a shot

I'm a girl ... the 'rod' belongs to my stove :lol: I didn't want to force the rod back in for fear of tearing something up but after I got on my back and stuck my head in the ash pan hole and played with the fire pot...stuck my hand up in there and did run it along the rod, didn't really notice any build up on it BUT after doing that I was able to get the rod back in and the firepot closed. Dang...all this makes cleaning the glass seem like a breeze ;-) Thanks for your input!

 

[DexterDay]

I did not mean to "imply" anything. I'm talking about the bottom of your firepot or the top of the 2 clean out plates. There is a top plate- (the one for your firepot) and a bottom plate- (the one to drop ash to your pan). I'm talking about the top plate and the top side of it. Mine also looks like there is nothing on it sometimes, but once you pull the rod about an inch, while you have your head in the stove. You will see some Black carbon build-up on the top of the top plate.
If that not your problem, then you may need some high temp anti-sieze or graphite on the rod and all pivot points inside your cover above the ash pan. Cover has 2 screws on front of stove. If your anal about cleaning your stove then you have already had this "plate" off.
I hope your service tech can get this all straightened out for you.
Again I apologize if you took offense to anything I said. I did not mean to imply anything..

 

[imacman]

I'm a girl ... the 'rod' belongs to my stove :lol: I didn't want to force the rod back in for fear of tearing something up but after I got on my back and stuck my head in the ash pan hole and played with the fire pot...stuck my hand up in there and did run it along the rod, didn't really notice any build up on it BUT after doing that I was able to get the rod back in .......

OH MAN....this keeps getting better & better :lol: .....almost as good as "Sparks from the pipe" thread 2 yrs ago......

DobieMom....you gotta watch what you write. ;-P

<gets popcorn>

 

[DexterDay]

I'm a girl ... the 'rod' belongs to my stove :lol: I didn't want to force the rod back in for fear of tearing something up but after I got on my back and stuck my head in the ash pan hole and played with the fire pot...stuck my hand up in there and did run it along the rod, didn't really notice any build up on it BUT after doing that I was able to get the rod back in .......

OH MAN....this keeps getting better & better :lol: .....almost as good as "Sparks from the pipe" thread 2 yrs ago......

DobieMom....you gotta watch what you write. ;-P

LOL.. Imacman

Again, I did not "Imply" anything. My opinion is just that.. The clean out "Rod". Your plate has a build up on it..

 

[DobieMom]

I'm a girl ... the 'rod' belongs to my stove :lol: I didn't want to force the rod back in for fear of tearing something up but after I got on my back and stuck my head in the ash pan hole and played with the fire pot...stuck my hand up in there and did run it along the rod, didn't really notice any build up on it BUT after doing that I was able to get the rod back in .......

OH MAN....this keeps getting better & better :lol: .....almost as good as "Sparks from the pipe" thread 2 yrs ago......

DobieMom....you gotta watch what you write. ;-P

LOL.. Imacman

Again, I did not "Imply" anything. My opinion is just that.. The clean out "Rod". Your plate has a build up on it..

I'll try to be a good girl and make my fingers behave with my keyboard imac :lol:

DexterDay...no offense taken...honest What I was saying is I DID scrape the firepot and firepot floor...do this EVERYDAY and often pull the rod to dump the pot INCASE a clinker forms...only pellet that has given me clinkers so far were the TSC Hardwood Heats. I'll be sure from no on while I have my head in the stove doing the pot I check the rod

 

[Czech]

Beware sparks in your bushes....

Had to.

 

[slls]

The slide plate needs to be scraped good. I made a tool to get good leverage, the tool squeaks when all the carbon is gone.

 

[DexterDay]

X2 ^ that's what I said last night. She said it was good and clean though. Just a little carbon build up will stop it from moving easily. The gap for the plate is very small.
Master of Fire I read about your scraping tool. Sounds like a winner!

 

[woodsman23]

does DObiemom ring true here?? Is this as in smoke the dub or dobie brothers, and there is nothing worse than a woman having problems with her firepot! not to mention the ash pan issue... oh my...

 

[DobieMom]

does DObiemom ring true here?? Is this as in smoke the dub or dobie brothers, and there is nothing worse than a woman having problems with her firepot! not to mention the ash pan issue... oh my...

LOL...it's "DobieMom" as in DOBERMAN PINSCHERS ;-)

 

[DexterDay]

Just a few more little tid-bits from you.
1.- The un-burnt pellets?? Have you pulled your clean-out Rod while the stove was running? You prob know better than that.
2.- Maybe when you pull your clean-out Rod, the pellets went out before fully burning. (Possibility)
3.- The Gap in your thimble could be sucking air in, and at start-up would cause you to smell smoke. Do you have any high Temp RTV silicone left? Do you have an OAK? The way Quads OAK's are designed and the way the stove is, it does NOT have a "airtight" connection can cause the smoke to be pulled right back in your house.
4.- Did you look in the burn pot at the clean out plate today. Hate to say it again. LOL. Stick your head in the stove sideways and look in the bottom of your firepot. That plate that's slides out gets a carbon build-up on it. That it where your pellets actually burn.
Hate to sound like a "tape recorder". But myself and 2 close friends own this same stove and we both have this problem. The bottom of the pot (flat clean-out plate) needs a good scraping. LOL on the Dobie, Dub... Could save you a little money on the service guy. Good luck DobieMom.

 

[DobieMom]

Just a few more little tid-bits from you.
1.- The un-burnt pellets?? Have you pulled your clean-out Rod while the stove was running? You prob know better than that.
***DUH...yup, did that ONCE ...stove got a jump on me ... didn't hear the pellets dropping and went to plug in the vac and saw the call light on LOL

2.- Maybe when you pull your clean-out Rod, the pellets went out before fully burning. (Possibility)
3.- The Gap in your thimble could be sucking air in, and at start-up would cause you to smell smoke. Do you have any high Temp RTV silicone left? Do you have an OAK? The way Quads OAK's are designed and the way the stove is, it does NOT have a "airtight" connection can cause the smoke to be pulled right back in your house.
***When the service guy came this morning he put some tape somewhere in the stove to the back and said that's why I smelled the burning scent. Didn't catch where he said he placed it. No OAK...dealer said unless I lived in a trailer I didn't need one with this stove.

4.- Did you look in the burn pot at the clean out plate today. Hate to say it again. LOL. Stick your head in the stove sideways and look in the bottom of your firepot. That plate that's slides out gets a carbon build-up on it. That it where your pellets actually burn.
***LOL...yes, I've had my head in that stove twice today and I looked again tonight and saw a TINY bit of carbon and was RELENTLESS...it was smooth as a baby's butt when I finished :lol:

Hate to sound like a "tape recorder". But myself and 2 close friends own this same stove and we both have this problem. The bottom of the pot (flat clean-out plate) needs a good scraping.
***I have looked and looked for a thread on the tool slls made...can't find it. I'll invest in a wood chisel this weekend! Changed pellets last night...got some rebagged MWP from HD...ashy :shut: but HOT!
LOL on the Dobie, Dub... Could save you a little money on the service guy. Good luck DobieMom.

ETA " *** " cuz the color didn't work to highlight my answers!