Smoking After Shutdown

Stove: Mt. Vernon AE Insert

I posted a previous thread that asked if anyone knew if certain pellets create a smokier scent when being burned then others. After this mornings encounter I'm not sure i asked the right question.

As i was getting ready to leave for work, the pellet stove shut down because at that time the temperature need dropped per programming on the Tstat. When i was finally ready to leave i noticed a smoky smell in the house (regarding the first paragraph, i get this with Great American Pellets and not with Turmans). I went over to the Tstat and saw it was "Ready" and the programmed temp is what the measured temp was. So all is good so far no need for the stove to do anything. I leaned over the hopper and noticed a strong smell. i opened the hopper and smoke came out. i looked through the glass, saw it was full of smoke. i then opened the ash pan and saw smouldering ash that was smoking.

It seems with Great American Pellets the smoke is strong but i guess i have a leaky gasket, somewhere? If the ash pan was still smoking after shutdown and the stove entered a "Ready" status, would the stove vent smoke naturally through the exhaust even if the stove was in the "ready" stage? Or does it just sit in the stove?

Thanks for any help or insight you guys have.

If your venting conforms to specifications and is reasonably clean the smoke should exit via the vent there should never be a smoke smell in the room.

Please describe your venting. How many 90's, T's and feet of pipe as well as whether it is 3" or 4". I'm a little suspicious when people talk about smoke in the hopper. Like Smokey said "venting conforms"? Also when was the last time the venting was cleaned?

Sounds like the auto clean is dumping pellets that are not fully burnt. Once the combustion blower stops, the ash pan pellets will still smolder, if there is any "fuel" left in them?

Sounds as if there isn't enough air to fully combust the pellets, before dropping... ??