25-PDVC smokey-ish smell

[Poppy of 7]

Greetings.



I have had this unit for 4 years. I thouroughly clean it every year. No real issues until this year (besides not really a nice HOT air output, but it is adequate). At the end of last season it seemed to get a little smoke smell. This season it is the same. Nice flame. No running issues.



I put aluminum tape around the exhaust blower thinking I might have a slight exhaust leak. New door and window seals. When it was running i did the ol' sniff test but the exhaust motor moves it's own air around the shaft with the bearing cooling fins. So it could drawing the smell and sending it out the back.



I know their are alot of gaskets for this Englander 25-PDVC. Which one's should I replace? My wife is refusing to let me run it and it's looking like it is gonna be a cold winter here in PA.

 

[johneh]

Your stove is a neg draft stove.
Leaks of smoke only occur after the combustion fan
So in a dark room look for leaks with a flashlight
from your chimney pipe

 

[Poppy of 7]

J

Your stove is a neg draft stove.
Leaks of smoke only occur after the combustion fan
So in a dark room look for leaks with a flashlight
from your chimney pipe

Thx John. I checked every connection on the pipe and also aluminum taped it along every seam and at every joint/connect point. I even got down and smelled the seams and joints. They are all sealed nicely. Can the leak come from the fan itself? I will do as you asked. Is the combustion fan the exhaust fan (I call it that because it is what carries the smoke out)?

 

[johneh]

The only smoke that can enter is after the Combustion fan (exhaust fan)
any leaks before the fan are air leaks into the stove. Could the smell be
coming from an open window even not locked windows can leak a little air.
Does your stove have an OAK (outside air kit) if not negative pressure in the
room with the stove could pull make-up air from outside with a smoke smell

 

[Poppy of 7]

Yes it does have an outside air kit. I do not think it is coming from outside recirculation. It was doing it yesterday during constant wind blowing opposite direction. I live at the merge point of 2 valleys and the win blows all the time.

So any of the gaskets on the stove (there are at least 6) couldn't be the problem?

 

[Poppy of 7]

Yes it does have an outside air kit. I do not think it is coming from outside recirculation. It was doing it yesterday during constant wind blowing opposite direction. I live at the merge point of 2 valleys and the win blows all the time.

So any of the gaskets on the stove (there are at least 6) couldn't be the problem?

Btw....i very much appreciate your time and information.

 

[johneh]

So any of the gaskets on the stove (there are at least 6) couldn't be the problem?

The only thing that may cause the smoke smell is a hole in your heat exchanger
But that is very unlikely in a 4-year-old stove but not impossible
I have never seen a hole in a heat exchanger in my 23 years of using and working with pellet stoves
But I have seen some stranger things.

 

[Poppy of 7]

The only thing that may cause the smoke smell is a hole in your heat exchanger
But that is very unlikely in a 4-year-old stove but not impossible
I have never seen a hole in a heat exchanger in my 23 years of using and working with pellet stoves
But I have seen some stranger things.

Yeah...blacked out the room. Took my tactical light (7k lumens) and got no smoke. Pulled my exhaust out and found a section inside the sleeve I must have neglected to pull out.....sealed the whole thing all over again. Running it for a couple more hours before the Mrs gets home. Will left you know.

 

[Poppy of 7]

Mostly gone now. But still not like it was new. Smh. Just don't get what the problem can be now.

 

[Poppy of 7]

The only smoke that can enter is after the Combustion fan (exhaust fan)
any leaks before the fan are air leaks into the stove. Could the smell be
coming from an open window even not locked windows can leak a little air.
Does your stove have an OAK (outside air kit) if not negative pressure in the
room with the stove could pull make-up air from outside with a smoke smell

Well....i guess I will be replacing the whole exhause fan and hosing. The smoke smell is coming from around the fan shaft. I took a tupperware container and placed it over the motor, tapped it in place. And hooked by cold air intake hose to a predrilled hole, and sealed it. Then went outside to monitor the smell from the out pipe (formally cold air intake). It is definitely cominf from the exhaust fan motor. The is no gasket i can replace on the motor housing/shaft . New assembly and fan......$179 from englander. I should just bought a new on with all the time I have in this POS!

 

[johneh]

Well, that would be a first. I have never seen or heard of that happening
But stranger things have happened

 

[Poppy of 7]

Well, that would be a first. I have never seen or heard of that happening
But stranger things have happened

It is a me thing...lol....my entire family including my wife and kids call me the bad luck guy.

 

[Poppy of 7]

Well, that would be a first. I have never seen or heard of that happening
But stranger things have happened

Update: the gasket between the exhaust fan housing and the exhaust track was defective. It looks to have been overtightened/ crushed during assembly. Replaced it for $12 bucks. Smell is completely gone.

 

[Poppy of 7]

Thx Jonah! You got to within inches of the problem.

 

[johneh]

Glad you found it !!