Stove wants more air?

[Sirshredalot]

I've got an old englander 10cdv...I burn pellets in corn mode in order to keep the stirrer running and minimize clinkers.
I've got an oak and about 7 total feet of exhaust with one 45 degree elbow and a straight section that's about 3ft

Anyway....this is my second season using this stove and I just did a full clean, pulled motors, cleaned flue, etc...replaced a worn out auger motor....chased out the intake tube too....full vacuum, tamping, and brushing.

My stove burns decent until the burn pot starts to build up...like the pellets aren't being burned completely....flame is tall and lazy at this point, but immediately improves once the ash pan is opened for extra air to be drawn in....the pot will then clean itself out in about 10 minutes and burn normally again....this however reburns the warmed room air and doesn't heat the house.

I've replaced one factory auger motor so far and the stirrer motor will need it soon...I'm wondering if the combustion blower might be getting weak...it's 12 years old now.

Please and thank you
God bless
Shred

 

[alternativeheat]

Aren't the Englander brand stoves the ones that people tend to replace the motors prematurely on because they don't know to lube them ? Something about oil cups etc. I don't know for sure, just putting it out there that RPM drops as they need lube and people mistake a worn motor for lack of lube or vise versa. Two years seems a short time to start replacing motors at. Well you did say it's an older stove.

 

[Sirshredalot]

The stator was glazed on the old motor, it was noisy and shaving brass...had it apart and repacked with grease to no avail..still had to hit it to make it run.

 

[funflyer]

I had to do a few mods to my 49-SHC (same stove as yours) to get a good burn. Initially I had to run the LBA up to 9 but after the mods this thing is a beast and the LBA never has to go above 3. First check your OAK cap louvers, that was the biggest issue mine had. They were very restrictive so I used a razor blade, cut the entire louver section out and RTV'd a coarse screen in it's place. I'll post some pics of the other mods I did if you don't have an OAK issue like mine.

 

[Deezl Smoke]

What does it do in pellet mode?

 

[Sirshredalot]

I really can't tell a difference in the way it burns from pellet to corn mode...but corn mode keeps the stirrer on.
I timed the feed auger in both modes and they are very similar....just clogs up the burn pot in 2 or 3 hours in pellet mode.
I have to keep the fuel feed under 4 to keep the pot clear and that just doesn't heat the house.
Low settings are 7-9-1...I vary the low fuel feed between 4 and 7 to keep it burning.

I too removed the louvered cover from my oak and hose clamped some window screen over the inlet....maybe it's too restrictive?

 

[alternativeheat]

I really can't tell a difference in the way it burns from pellet to corn mode...but corn mode keeps the stirrer on.
I timed the feed auger in both modes and they are very similar....just clogs up the burn pot in 2 or 3 hours in pellet mode.
I have to keep the fuel feed under 4 to keep the pot clear and that just doesn't heat the house.
Low settings are 7-9-1...I vary the low fuel feed between 4 and 7 to keep it burning.

I too removed the louvered cover from my oak and hose clamped some window screen over the inlet....maybe it's too restrictive?

Well you could take the screen off for a day or two and see how it does. If it's better then try something like rabbit cage sized screen. Most exhaust vent screen is at least that coarse so I think you want that on your inlet too.

 

[funflyer]

Window screen was too restrictive when I tried it so I ended up using 1/4" screen just to keep critters out and it worked much better. Here are a few air mods I did. I added a piece of 1/8"stainless to the air wash gap to restrict the air and send more through the burn pot. An added benefit was that now the velocity of the air over the glass increased and keeps the glass cleaner. Another mod was to drill 3 extra holes behind the burn pot. I also bent the top/back of the burn pot lip so it was tighter against the fiber board. I also run my stove in corn mode and replaced the 2RPM stirrer motor with a 1RPM motor to keep the fly ash down.

 

[Sirshredalot]

Awesome info there,...thanks for the pics too...I wondered about the air holes...how did you drill them?

Please and thank you
God bless
Shred

 

[funflyer]

Awesome info there,...thanks for the pics too...I wondered about the air holes...how did you drill them?

Please and thank you
God bless
Shred

To drill the extra air holes, I had to cut down a 1/4" drill bit and use it in a pneumatic angle die grinder. That's the only tool I had that would fit in that narrow space.