lazy flame

  • 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.

Burning Hot

New Member
Feb 17, 2017
6
Brookfield VT
I have a Harman p68 stove. (4 years) After cleaning the burn pot I get a strong white flame. After 4 hours of operation the flame starts to get very lazy and yellowish. I can clean burn pot again and the process starts all over again. Not much build up on pot when I scrap it in the morning. Door shuts tight gaskets are good. Ash build up on top third of window. Stove maintains a even heat in house.
 
When that happens to my stove, I know it's time to really clean under the burn pot and make sure the holes are clear as well the air intake. I end up using my fingers to makes sure most of the ash is pulled out of that space without pulling on the igniter wires.
 
Really check back to where the air come into the burn pot. I've had a lip of ash back there partially blocking the air flow. Also check your air inlet pipe and/or OAK (if you have one). If there is a partial blockage the fire won't be getting the air it needs, so eventually gets lazy (yes, I know from experience).
 
  • Like
Reactions: alternativeheat
Like others have said, usually when my P61 flame starts acting weird it's more than just a burn pot scraping. The most common item needing cleaning is the ash out of the igniter compartment ( with that getting full it can act much as you describe, it also could be, but not necessarily be, harder starting). After two tons of burning I clean the venting and that tends to perk it up a bit too.

Curious: When is the last time you did a full and complete cleaning, not just a burn pot scraping ( burn pot, brush down the inside of the stove, clean the igniter compartment, clean the fines box, clean the combustion fan, clean the venting system, clean the horizontal pathway inside the stove, clean the ESP) ? Do that and I bet it comes back to life.
 
Last edited:
Really check back to where the air come into the burn pot. I've had a lip of ash back there partially blocking the air flow. Also check your air inlet pipe and/or OAK (if you have one). If there is a partial blockage the fire won't be getting the air it needs, so eventually gets lazy (yes, I know from experience).
 
Like others have said, usually when my P61 flame starts acting weird it's more than just a burn pot scraping. The most common item needing cleaning is the ash out of the igniter compartment ( with that getting full it can act much as you describe, it also could be, but not necessarily be, harder starting). After two tons of burning I clean the venting and that tends to perk it up a bit too.

Curious: When is the last time you did a full and complete cleaning, not just a burn pot scraping ( burn pot, brush down the inside of the stove, clean the igniter compartment, clean the fines box, clean the combustion fan, clean the venting system, clean the horizontal pathway inside the stove, clean the ESP) ? Do that and I bet it comes back to life.
 
I clean the stove once a month. (Everything) After cleaning works good for 4 hours and then starts to act up. I will check air intake pipe.
If you have an oak maybe unhook it for a test, maybe crack a window in case your house could go into negative draft. And like Bogie mentioned, I too one time had to dig deeper into that igniter chamber, i used a bottle brush to drag some extra ash forward.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bogieb
Check your vacuum levels per the manual. If too low at idle my P61 would get yellow slow flame. This happened when I replaced the control board and didn't adjust the vacuum/draft potentioneter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bogieb