Heatilator cab50

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Yep thats normal. You can spray that area with cheap black stove paint once a week after cleaning stove out if it bothers you. Or just touch it up at end of season.
 
Just in time here in Massachusetts! Been cold and snowy!

I have a couple questions I'm hoping you guys can help me with. Around the spot in the stove where the pellets come out and drop into the stove, the fire has already miscolored the nice black baffle plate. Is this normal?

Next question, anyone have a recommendation on an ash vac? I'm looking to get one this weekend.

Thanks!

I have the Powersmith Ash Vacuum and love it. I'm going on my second year. A lot of people use shop vacs but I don't think it's safe.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0060EUA32/?tag=hearthamazon-20
 
Yep thats normal. You can spray that area with cheap black stove paint once a week after cleaning stove out if it bothers you. Or just touch it up at end of season.

Ok, just wanted to be sure I didnt have anything defective.

The company that i bought the CAB50 from, and had it installed by, left a small spray can with the paperwork that loks like it is for that very thing.
 
You might want to save that can for the outside of the stove, and pick up a cheapie can of black stove paint at wally world. $3.68 a can for Rustoleum for example verses using expensive $15 a can of Stove Bright paint.
 
You might want to save that can for the outside of the stove, and pick up a cheapie can of black stove paint at wally world. $3.68 a can for Rustoleum for example verses using expensive $15 a can of Stove Bright paint.

ok, will do.

Should i anticipate discolorations on the outside of the stove too? Or is your rationing of the spray based on the chance that it gets scratched or something?
 
I'm not knocking Heatilator stoves as i had a Cab50 and PS50 in the past. But their paint process is pretty bad and you'll be touching it up within a year or two. You've got a small can if touch-up paint already and I've found Stove Bright 1990 satin black matches factory paint very well. Why not pick up a can for later use, just shake well and for the first few seconds point nozzle onto paper to clear out the sealer within the can. Don't spray directly on to stove or you'll have a gooey mess. Inside the stove i use cheap paint. At spring clean up, pull rear panels out, vacuum and coat firebox and panels well with PAM cooking oil to prevent rust.

Great stove for the money.
 
I'm not knocking Heatilator stoves as i had a Cab50 and PS50 in the past. But their paint process is pretty bad and you'll be touching it up within a year or two. You've got a small can if touch-up paint already and I've found Stove Bright 1990 satin black matches factory paint very well. Why not pick up a can for later use, just shake well and for the first few seconds point nozzle onto paper to clear out the sealer within the can. Don't spray directly on to stove or you'll have a gooey mess. Inside the stove i use cheap paint. At spring clean up, pull rear panels out, vacuum and coat firebox and panels well with PAM cooking oil to prevent rust.

Great stove for the money.
Thanks for the advice! I'll be sure to take care of those things. I appreciate it!

Im having trouble focusing on this right now, as the pellet company i wrote about earlier in here was supposed to deliver pellets a while ago, and has still not shown up! I ordered a ton in the 1st week if October, was told 4 weeks tops....pushing 2 months now. If anyone here is from Massachusetts, stay away from Pellets R Us in Acton, MA!
 
One last thing....the cheezy 2-wire thermostat that the unit comes with. Id like to replace it with something better, programmable, wireless. The rest of my 3 zones in the house, i can access from anywhere.

Any recommendations?
 
Any milivolt thermostat will work. I use a Skytek on my St Croix, and plain ole programmable thermostats on my other toys. I'm sure a internet search would turn up more modern units than the Skytek. This unit blows through transmitter batteries like they are going out of style.
 
Thanks to all for the advice.

Ive been running the stove on high pretty much all the time (fan speed), and fluctuate the thermostat between 65 deg. when I'm not home, and crany it up to 75 deg. when I get home from work. It heats both 1st and 2nd floors easily, about 1500 sq ft total. I go through a bag of pellets about every 2.5 days.

Ive noticed 2 things that can be a bit weird / annoying:

1) When the thermostat calls for heat, the pellets drop, the fire begins...there is a loud vibration, and it shakes the floor, rattles the wife's brain! I sat in front of the unit while it did this...and the fan that blows heat was NOT on yet, so I'm curious as to what it could be. Maybe the air-intake hose vibrating from the sheer volume of air sucked through it?

2) When the thermostat stops calling for heat, the fire dies down to nothing (as it should), and when the fan is still running (blowing the last of whatever heat it can) there is a rattle that I examined to be the ash tray/drawer. Anyone else encounter this? Recommendations on how to end it?

Thanks!
 
1. Is the vibration observed when there is a very large flame after starting, say within first few minutes of fire? More than likely the drumming, or roaring sound these stoves make when a large amount of pellets have dropped resulting in a huge flame. Try choking feed gate back a bit and see if that helps. Also did you set up feed gate according to owners manual suggestion?

2. Have heard aah pan buzz before, maybe try putting a small weight on inboard end of pan as a counter weight to draw pan tighter to stove body. Guessing this buzz is more pronounced with a empty pan than full.
 
Yes, the starting flame is quite high. The cab50 hopper holds 120 lbs, and i have at least 2.25 bags in it, so i'll have to wait til i burn some off to reach the gate.

Thanks for the great info!

As for the ash pan, i'll work on a weight method to keep it more quiet,

Thanks!!!
 
Well, i think i see my first issue with my CAB50.

On the inside of the stove door are some pieces of metal that screwed in whose job it is to hold in the glass to the door itself. It looks like one of the screws has popped out, and cannot be screwed back in. The metal is warping (id imagine from the heat), so i put in a call to the place that i bought it from AND who installed it. They're coming out tomorrow.

Anyone else ever hear of or HAVE the same issue?
 
Hey everyone. My CAB50 has been heating our entire house this winter here in MA! So far so good. Ive gone through a ton of pellets already, so next year i'll be sure to order two tons.

Question: Ive been following the manufacturer's suggested cleaning methods of vacuuming it daily, and every month I pull out the 3 plates in the back of the stove, vacuum that all out, clean the inner walls of the stove, etc. and take the removable side panels off and....here's where my question lies:

The cylindrical fan collects dust, and I'm wondering what the best way would be to gently remove the dust that is caked up on the side of fan blades?

Thanks in advance!
 
Hey everyone. My CAB50 has been heating our entire house this winter here in MA! So far so good. Ive gone through a ton of pellets already, so next year i'll be sure to order two tons.

Question: Ive been following the manufacturer's suggested cleaning methods of vacuuming it daily, and every month I pull out the 3 plates in the back of the stove, vacuum that all out, clean the inner walls of the stove, etc. and take the removable side panels off and....here's where my question lies:

The cylindrical fan collects dust, and I'm wondering what the best way would be to gently remove the dust that is caked up on the side of fan blades?

Thanks in advance!

I use the vacuum with an upholstery brush attachment to clean both the motor and the air intake grille for the room blower which gets dust bunnies on it as I have a dog. Works good.
 
An old toothbrush (kid size) or a small paintbrush on the vanes will help remove the adhered dust...
 
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Thanks for the advice! I'll be sure to take care of those things. I appreciate it!

Im having trouble focusing on this right now, as the pellet company i wrote about earlier in here was supposed to deliver pellets a while ago, and has still not shown up! I ordered a ton in the 1st week if October, was told 4 weeks tops....pushing 2 months now. If anyone here is from Massachusetts, stay away from Pellets R Us in Acton, MA!

I have always had Kelly from Pellets R Us clean my stove - any clue if they went out of buisness? Cant get in touch with them.
 
Looks like they are only opened Tuesday and Thursday ... likely out with service calls and deliveries the rest of the week. I would suggest leaving an email: [email protected]