Whitfield Profile 20 Stove Question -- with pictures

[mrmichaeljmoore]

Got a question about my Profile 20 stove....

I just started using the New England Wood Pellet fuel.

I have been running it on high (both heat and fan level).

The flame seems to be much higher/taller/bigger than I remember.
It is hitting the heat exchanger tubes at the top of the stove....

Prior to the New England Wood Pellet, I was using Dry Creek pellets.

Here are two pictures of the flame:

Is this normal? Is it safe?

Thanks.

 

[OU812]

Those must be some serious pellets! I bet the neighbors are getting heat from that stove.

 

[Shane]

As far as height it looks fine. Might check your damper, give it a little more air. Pellets are between 6000 and 9000 btu/lb. your stove feeds at x lbs/hr. depending on the heat setting so switching from one brand of pellet to another is not going to "overfire" your stove.

 

[Revig]

As Shane says - Please open the damper for more air - by the looks of the flame it is way too lazy but it is also typical of your stove. The glass will blacken over should you continue to run it that way for a extended period of time. As stated, there is a huge difference in heat output,ash content and etc with different pellet fuels.

 

[mrmichaeljmoore]

Thanks for the advice guys.....

I am going on vacation this week, and only using the stove one more day, so I will adjust the damper when I return...

Stove Doctor -What do you mean by lazy flame?
Can I adjust the damper when the stove is running? If I remember correctly, I have to remove the side panel, not the control board panel, the other side (remove the two screws) and then push or pull the damper knob, right?
By opening, I assume you mean pull the knob, so more air enters???
Not too familiar with the damper settings on the stove.......... I haven't really had to adjust the damper in a middle of the heating season in the past, cause I have always used Dry Creek pellets exclusively until this year, when I had trouble getting them.....
My stove maintenance guy would make any adjustments in the off season during his annual maintenance of the stove...

thanks.

 

[Revig]

You can adjust the damper while the unit runs in order to achieve a better burn as you can watch the flame - just be careful not to get burned. What i intead or mean by a lazy flame is that is should always be a vigorous and lively flame with the pellets trying to dance around in the burnpot, rather than a lazy/smokey flame that i see in your photos. But keep in mind that most of the time, those units do not necessarily run well on the high heat setting and the optimum burn occurs on a medium rate. Adjusting the damper is usually not something one alters all the time, especially if you are burning the same pellet fuel and/or usually the same burn rate. Running the stove on high will require more air flow, thus pulling the damper adjustment away(open) from the stove should help.

 

[mrmichaeljmoore]

well, I definitely need to adjust the damper after my vacation (which starts today) when I burn the New England Wood Pellets...
I went downstairs last night to check on the stove.....and the burn grate was full of ash and half-burnt pellets....looked almost like a wasp nest in the grate. not good.
so i shut it down and just used the furnace for the night.

i'll deal with it when i return......

thanks.

 

[MButkus]

I always say.. a dancing flame is a good flame... a slow wavy flame... you don't have enough air from either blockage or the damper..
Usually a good cleaning in the back of the stove is needed.

 

[pellet0708]

Please help clear this up.
I adjust my damper to make the flame active and pellets moving etc.... But someone posted that this is what causes the clinkers becasue the additional air is making the pellets burn so hot causing them to to clink up.
Can air adjustment cause clinkers?
I was burning an inferior pellet which gave off very little heat. But, there were no clinkers or build up in the pot, just huge amount of soft ash. The very hot spruce pellets we burn cause more build up which I think is because of the intense heat.
Havent found an air adjustment that stops the build up.

 

[Revig]

There are several reasons for clinkering and they are lack of combustion air, dirty pellets and/or a stove in need of a healthy service and cleaning. When I go out on service calls for this very problem, I always start and need to know the unit and venting are thoroughly cleaned and then if the problem still exists, it's time to use different pellets. Please remember not all stoves will burn the same fuels well, it seems to be a trial and error situation or advice from a trusted dealer, IMO.