25 pah lazy flame/not enough combustion air

[smithg]

I need some quick trouble shooting help asap - pretty darn cold up here on the mountain! Stove is a new install 1 month ago. Burned 1 ton fantastic. Stove has burned crappy the last 3-4 days right in the middle of this noreaster! Lazy flame, sooty burn and low heat as a result. Venting thoroughly cleaned, stove thoroughly cleaned. Checked to see if the exterior of the OAK was clogged - all is good. On start up sequence, before the room blower is on, it just doesn't sound the same - like the blower is just not pulling enough. Please help!

 

[smithg]

I have also check ash pan seal, it's ok. I was burning Pennington pellets from Walmart to make it through, then a few bags of Green Supremes from Tractor supply over the weekend. Thought perhaps it was the crappy pellets. So I just got back from the store with some Presto-Logs from Lignetics that I burned earlier in the year with great results, but still the same problem.

 

[alltherage]

Make sure the little ash pan handlles/ openings are closed. My 10cpm has em and pah probably does

 

[smithg]

Did that. Same problem still. Shutting down again to try to clean exhaust ports in the fire box again. I did last week, but maybe crappy pellets clogged them?

 

[stoveguy2esw]

while you have the ash trap plates out, bang on the back of the firewall above the openings with a mallet , its not uncommon to get "ash damming" up in the baffled areas above the traps. this would be the most likely cause. if this isn't it check the LBA setting on the circuit board default for that model is 4

 

[smithg]

Thanks Mike - One more reason Englander is the best! Bottom three read 1-4-1. I recleaned the venting, the ash traps, and took the stove off the vent system and ash vac'ed the exhaust blower and the vent lines running out the wall. Double checked everything else, and the stove is in start up mode right now. Looks like a much better burn already, and I can hear the right air flow sound prior to the room blower coming on. I didn't check this thread in time to bang on the firewall, but I did reach up there with a smal scraper as far as I could go, and got a good bit out. Will try banging on the firewall next if this burn doesn't go well. Hopefully it was just the crappy pellets I had to burn in a pinch!

Update: Running top notch after start-up!

 

[stoveguy2esw]

Thanks Mike - One more reason Englander is the best! Bottom three read 1-4-1. I recleaned the venting, the ash traps, and took the stove off the vent system and ash vac'ed the exhaust blower and the vent lines running out the wall. Double checked everything else, and the stove is in start up mode right now. Looks like a much better burn already, and I can hear the right air flow sound prior to the room blower coming on. I didn't check this thread in time to bang on the firewall, but I did reach up there with a smal scraper as far as I could go, and got a good bit out. Will try banging on the firewall next if this burn doesn't go well. Hopefully it was just the crappy pellets I had to burn in a pinch!

Update: Running top notch after start-up!

its kinda weird how you can actually hear when the stove is breathing better, I get that on startup with mine at home as well especially right after a deep clean.

 

[smithg]

Good thing I got it fixed - the dogs and the wife were getting pretty annoyed! All three compete for the prime stove spot!