P61A ash question..

[Tonyray]

just cleaned my stove for 2nd time[every 2 weeks] bought it middle last month.
had a crapload of ash that I didn't have the 1st time...
been expirimenting for a while with feed rates/room/stove temp..
feed rate 2 for a few days, then feed rate 3 so on and so on..
could this back/forth causes the abundance of ash?
have a ton of Energex hardwood pellets so don't think that was the cause.

also the Igniter compartment was pilled up with ash when I loosend the thumb screws and removed the plate.
lot of ash just fell out but I don't think I put my finger in there last time to remove any ash when I cleaned it.
I didn't see any ash pile 1st time so it just may have been laying in there and just built up last 2 weeks.
I assume it's normal for the igniter area to be loaded with ash after couple weeks of constant burning?

 

[Micmann]

It could be a result of your experiments. You may have burned more this round than last depending on stove or room mode, temps, feed rates, etc. If it was in room mode and you had the feed rate to low you were starving the stove for pellets for the heat it was trying to generate. If you increased the feed rate and still ran in room mode you most likely allowed it to burn more pellets, thus more ash.

Also much of the ash will depend on the pellets. Energex may be good, but there is a wide range of good out there and how they will burn in your particular stove. Your stove and experience is still very new. It will take time for you to figure out what a "normal" amount of ash should be. Some pellets will leave LOTS of ash and others will leave very little. Compare Energex to a few different brands and you will see what I mean. As far as the ash in the air chamber of the burn pot this is normal. It must be cleaned regularly and like you said you need to get your finger in there and use a vacuum. The tiny ash pellets build up way in there.

 

[Tonyray]

It could be a result of your experiments. You may have burned more this round than last depending on stove or room mode, temps, feed rates, etc. If it was in room mode and you had the feed rate to low you were starving the stove for pellets for the heat it was trying to generate. If you increased the feed rate and still ran in room mode you most likely allowed it to burn more pellets, thus more ash.

Also much of the ash will depend on the pellets. Energex may be good, but there is a wide range of good out there and how they will burn in your parti?cular stove. Your stove and experience is still very new. It will take time for you to figure out what a "normal" amount of ash should be. Some pellets will leave LOTS of ash and others will leave very little. Compare Energex to a few different brands and you will see what I mean. As far as the ash in the air chamber of the burn pot this is normal. It must be cleaned regularly and like you said you need to get your finger in there and use a vacuum. The tiny ash pellets build up way in there.

thanks for input..
btw: do u run in stove or room temp and what feed rate?

 

[Micmann]

thanks for input..
btw: do u run in stove or room temp and what feed rate?

My stove is a basement dweller. Thus I have found through the years that running it in stove temp mode is the most consistent way for me to keep my upper levels warm and burn a reasonable amount of pellets. I keep the feed rate at 3.5, never really needed to move it. As has been discussed numerous times on this site it's rare to ever need to adjust it. Keep it around 3-4 and the stove will tell itself what it needs. IMHO Harman should remove the feed adjuster. Adds too many unnecessary questions. Just let the stove adjust itself and it does just fine.

 

[boo boo]

The more pellets you burn the more ash you will get. Was it colder out the second two weeks?

 

[frankie]

I have the same stove in my living room as you. I run in stove mode manual or auto depending on how the house feels. I use 3 and 3 on both settings.

 

[Tonyray]

My stove is a basement dweller. Thus I have found through the years that running it in stove temp mode is the most consistent way for me to keep my upper levels warm and burn a reasonable amount of pellets. I keep the feed rate at 3.5, never really needed to move it. As has been discussed numerous times on this site it's rare to ever need to adjust it. Keep it around 3-4 and the stove will tell itself what it needs. IMHO Harman should remove the feed adjuster. Adds too many unnecessary questions. Just let the stove adjust itself and it does just fine.

ok...
I think stove temp[ still learning] is good when you know temps are going to be, for lack of a better word, COLD on a continuous streak....
I also see how room temp will ramp up, ramp down, shut off, back on etc on should temp days,..I guess it saves pellets using room temp in those situations, since off is off.
noticed also when it is in a holding or maint burn, the feed rate slows down using room temp.
not too concerned about the igniter this time of year because even in room temp, the flame never goes out..
I think constant stove temp will use more pellets but maybe just a matter couple hrs or less per per bag? like to think it would be similar to room mode.
I do like the constant heat of stove temp and may still use that more often in steady cold.

 

[Tonyray]

The more pellets you burn the more ash you will get. Was it colder out the second two weeks?

yes it was colder....

 

[Hoot23]

Could be the pellets. I burned a ton of Northern last year and the first half burned great, the second half was filthy.

 

[Tonyray]

Could be the pellets. I burned a ton of Northern last year and the first half burned great, the second half was filthy.

yeah.. I guess that could be 1 reason.. thanks...