Whitfield Profile 30- Smell smoke, can't find leak

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Guys, I haven't made any progress with this damn stove. Over the summer I fought with Duravent customer service that their cheap Lowes piping was faulty because of the smell and the fact that it took me a roll of foil tape and 2 tubes of silicone to stop the leaks. They eventually sent me the Professional Grade piping that cost much more $$ and I installed the new piping and found leaks at the 90 degree joint where it exits through the wall thimble. I sealed all the joints, but the smell is still as strong as day one especially when it's running for more than 15 minutes.

There is no ash pan gasket on my stove and I know some stoves have them... anyone else have this model that can weigh in on possible leaks.

Lastly, I've read that new stoves give off a smell when first burning, so they have to be "seasoned"?? It's an older stove, but it's been sitting for years in NEW condition as the previous owner never hooked it up. Thoughts?
 
Hello
Those stoves can develop a loose exhaust housing flange. Sometimes I have to put in larger self tapers to make a stronger physical connection but in all cases it must be removed and resealed with high temp silicone
Take off the venting where it connects to the stove and see if the stove pipe On the back of the stove moves back and forth. If it does you have a loose exhaust flange. IMHO
 
Adapter piece is snug. However, I just open the ash pan and found this.... Half burnt and smoldered pellets. How is this happening and would this cause the smoking smell?
20161109_192934.jpg
20161109_193157.jpg
 
There's your smoke smell. I'm inclined to agree with Stovensen's negative pressure assessment. A basement install has less opportunity to draw replacement air into the structure and you are getting an incomplete burn on your pellets. Have to figure out how to connect an OAK (outside air kit) just make sure the OAK inlet is below the exhaust outlet.
 
Anyone else have Whitfield Profile stove that can weigh in on why my ash pan doesn't have a gasket? If it's not sealing anything below the burn pot to cause "a vacuum effect" of negative pressure, then it's like basically running the stove with the glass door not closed.

How are pellets getting into the ash pan and how do I fix this? I read that closing the damper will reduce air flow and stop the pellets from dancing out of the burn pot.

Who makes an OAK that you recommend, there is a hook up on my stove for one. I figured I didn't need it because my house was built in the 50's

If I can't find my problem and fix it by Dec.1, I'm bringing it to the scrapyard and putting in a wood stove (no science involved with those). Thanks everyone!
 
The house being built in the 50s would have more impact on your upper level conditions with air infiltration. Being that most basements are largely in the ground, air infiltration is significantly reduced. There are also other "air handlers" that will compete for inside air such as a clothes dryer, bathrooom vent, kitchen vent, radon units. I just got an OAK kit from my local hardware store with metal flex and screened hood. Not sure what size the outlet is on the whits. As to replacing the pellet stove with a wood stove, you will likely have the same problems due to lack of make-up air.

Have you closed the damper off too much? You will still get some popcorn like action on a good burn you just want to minimize the amount that is spit out of the pot. Flame quality is the key here. Your problem looks like you are getting a sluggish burn with partially burnt pellets being small enough to drop through the grate. It looks like there may be a slightly modified burn grate for the stove that requires and adapter that decreases the size of the original burn pot. Not sure if that would help your situation but it would concentrate burning pellets in a smaller area and could produce a more efficient burn. http://www.pellet-stove-parts-4less.com/Whitfield-Ultragate-II-Part-12051263-p/12051263.htm

Stovensen, Snowy Rivers and Don2222 are probably your best resources for the whitfield stoves info. Stovensen is from Denmark so have to anticipate a lag on responses. Snowy Rivers burns nut shells instead of pellets but she has re-engineered her controls to her specs (heavy equipment mechanic -retired).

PS Snowy Rivers or Don2222 are likely your best bet on contacts as Stovensen hasn't been around since the spring...
 
Last edited:
The small pieces of pellet that fall through the grate before they can fully burn should not be an issue. My stove does this with pellets that are small.
 
The house being built in the 50s would have more impact on your upper level conditions with air infiltration. Being that most basements are largely in the ground, air infiltration is significantly reduced. There are also other "air handlers" that will compete for inside air such as a clothes dryer, bathrooom vent, kitchen vent, radon units. I just got an OAK kit from my local hardware store with metal flex and screened hood. Not sure what size the outlet is on the whits. As to replacing the pellet stove with a wood stove, you will likely have the same problems due to lack of make-up air.

Have you closed the damper off too much? You will still get some popcorn like action on a good burn you just want to minimize the amount that is spit out of the pot. Flame quality is the key here. Your problem looks like you are getting a sluggish burn with partially burnt pellets being small enough to drop through the grate. It looks like there may be a slightly modified burn grate for the stove that requires and adapter that decreases the size of the original burn pot. Not sure if that would help your situation but it would concentrate burning pellets in a smaller area and could produce a more efficient burn. http://www.pellet-stove-parts-4less.com/Whitfield-Ultragate-II-Part-12051263-p/12051263.htm

Stovensen, Snowy Rivers and Don2222 are probably your best resources for the whitfield stoves info. Stovensen is from Denmark so have to anticipate a lag on responses. Snowy Rivers burns nut shells instead of pellets but she has re-engineered her controls to her specs (heavy equipment mechanic -retired).

PS Snowy Rivers or Don2222 are likely your best bet on contacts as Stovensen hasn't been around since the spring...

The damper is 3/4 of the way completely open. Ive never had the stove burning long enough to actually set it and leave it. If the pellets were smoldering in the ash pan, shouldn't the exhaust fan pull those fumes back into the burn chamber and out through the exhaust? Also, I've been running my stove with the access panels all off so that I can diagnose smoke issues while it runs... this won't affect how the stove operates right?
Thanks for your reply
 
The small pieces of pellet that fall through the grate before they can fully burn should not be an issue. My stove does this with pellets that are small.

That's what I thought too, the fumes/exhaust should be drawn out by the exhaust blower. Why does my ash pan not have a gasket either? Someone out there has to have this model stove who can weigh in.
 
Darken the room and use a red laser pen and go around the entire unit and piping.

Any wisps of smoke will show up real well.

Have you used high temp foil tape on all pipe joints ??
 
Darken the room and use a red laser pen and go around the entire unit and piping.

Any wisps of smoke will show up real well.

Have you used high temp foil tape on all pipe joints ??


Been doing that since Feb. I've killed 2 tubes of High Temp Red RTV on every joint and almost a roll of foil tape... the pipe looked atrocious. I don't see anymore smoke wisps but the smell is radiating the longer the stove runs. Keep in mind this is my 3rd set of different piping and I'm starting to think it's not a pipe problem. Maybe ash pan problem... it's not sealed by any means whatsoever?

Do new stoves give off a smoldering smell until they are "seasoned"?
 
Have you also sealed the clean out cap on the T?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.