Accentra Rust/Corrosion Problem

[Prush]

I have a Harman Accentra Pellet insert and have been very happy with it until I found rust behind the left hand side of the heat grate/exchanger. The unit is just 1 year old. The dealer who installed it came out and said NO water is not coming in from behind it. He didn't have any explanation on what caused this rust. The stove is vented through the chimney.

Any ideas on why/what casued this corrosion problem on the left side only?

Thanks.

 

[HarryBack]

possibly rusted before it was installed? Cant really understand why the rust would be one side only, unless for some reason, during the off-cycles, its cooler there than the other side...why? I dunno...air conditioner on that side? Obviously the rust isnt gonna form wen the stove is running, only when it sits idle, such as spring, summer, and fall. What I usually reccommend to my customers is when they are all done burning, clean the stove thoroughly, and that includes behind the heat exchangers, then get a spray can of oil, and spray any surface inside the firebaox...and that would include the heat exchangers. This puts a thin film of oil between the moist humid air, and the steel. The oil will burn off in the first fire in the fall, harmlessly. I tell many customers to do this, but can count on one hand the number who actually do.

 

[Prush]

The crazy thing is it wasn't in that condition prior to the winter season..I ran it in Jan 06 when I first had it installed.....Cleaned it according to the manual.....

Ran it this winter 07, on the 2nd ton cleaning notice the heat exchanger on the left side was hard to remove (took me about 10 minutes to get it loose). When I used my brush in the holes, the right side was fine, the left side actually had moisture in the hole...
My brush was wet and covered in black wet muck.....I put my finger in, and it was definitely wet (just the left side).

I also noticed that the left side is blows cooler air than the right side puts out, was told this is normal for the stove by the dealer?

NO A/C or anything that would casue moisture around the stove or behind it...

The dealer is going to come back out and take a look at the rust this week.....

 

[HarryBack]

ohhh....wet black muck, you say? During a routine cleaning after its been run? Its most likely not wet muck at all, rather creosote, from a plugging issue, incorrect settings, lack of combustion air (stuck or partially plugged intake), or a combination of the above. In the hot environment of a burning stove, water wont exist on the surfaces...its expelled in the exhaust gas.....much like you dont see condensation on a hot cup of coffee.

The left side blowing cooler air than the right would also be quite indicative of a plugging issue as well.....with the insert its VERY COMMONLY the left side because few people clean it correctly...its much longer than people think. Most people stop brushing when they meet resistance, just a few inches in, but that brush has to turn a corner, and that tube goes all the way to the combustion fan. Given your descriptions, which are some of the best Ive seen from most folks, I can say with a fair certainty, somewhere near 99.999%, that that tube has been inadequately cleaned and is almost plugged or is plugged. Push the brush harder, and the whole length will almost dissappear into that left hand tube. It'll be much harder to clean if its plugged. Also, try removing the combustion fan (comes off easily) and clean the chamber it sits in as well....most likely yours is a mess (this is the terminus of the tube).

Good luck!

 

[HarryBack]

I also noticed that the left side is blows cooler air than the right side puts out, was told this is normal for the stove by the dealer?

and no, this isnt "normal"....the left side is blowing cooler air because its dirtier....the same fan blows air to both sides. Unless the stove is dirty, Ive never seen any discernable temperature difference between the two sides at all. Scrape the rust down, paint it with hi temp paint, oil it for the off-season, and clean the thing throughly

 

[Prush]

Thanks for the information, sounds like that is the problem.....I usually only get the brush in a few inches and then it feels like I hit a wall.

I appreciate the helpful input.

 

[titan]

Obviously Harry, you're much more adept at brushing-out pellet stoves than unplugging toilets! :lol:

 

[HarryBack]

Obviously Harry, you're much more adept at brushing-out pellet stoves than unplugging toilets! :lol:

heh Titan...Im good at both! Ive got 4 kids who have all come up with creative ways to plug toilets down through the years.

Actually, with the Accentra Insert, its very common that folks dont clean deep enough into the left hand tube.....its long, has a bend, and most folks stop at the bend, causing the tube to eventually clog up.

 

[titan]

'Nuff said Harryback,I only have two critters so you've seen double the dinkiesdolls in the john!