Thursday afternoon I unpacked both stoves to get ready for heating. I was actually only going to get the P61a going to warm up the basement, which would also allow some heat up to the main floor, then turn on the mini split to take care of any lingering needs. However that went down the tubes when the first try on the P61a had issues of dumping so many pellets it moved the flame guide, so I shut it down (I had been standing there watching so I caught it right quick.
![[Hearth.com] Always Check the Free Stuff First](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/1760170166345-webp.340841/ "[Hearth.com] Always Check the Free Stuff First")
Knowing it had been running fine last year, ince it cooled off, about 2 hours, I discovered I had not tightened the plate in front of the igniter when I closed it up in the spring. After tightening that up, I tried again. Although this time it didn't move the flame guide, it certainly wasn't burning right, so again shut it off. Additionally, I noticed the exhaust pie wasn't heating up, whcih was not a good sign.
I between messing with the P61a, I decided to get the the P43 unpacked - dumped in some pellets, and it has been heating the main floor fine (never turned on the mini split).
I got to researching in case I decided to just replace the stove. I know it is going to need a bunch of work soon since it is still on original EVERYTHING, except door gaskets. Sitting in a damp basement hasn't been kind to it. That stove owes me nothing as it paid for itself in the first year. I figured if push came to shove, I would see if any new P43's were available should my further trouble shooting not resolve the problem. Note that the P61a is waaayyy oversized for the 650 sq/ft basement since the foundation and floor are insulated, and it's not trying to heat the main floor too, so a P43 would be fine.
Yesterday was an off-Friday so I started going thru the P61a. My first focus was on two things: the exhaust tube (perhaps something crawled in there since I had actually uncapped the exhausts last weekend). I checked from below and it was clear back to the 45* elbow. The second focus was the OAK. I distinctly remembered removing brown paper from the end as well as from the inlet tube of the stove (I disconnect and plug both the end of the OAK and the stove inlet). I remembered shining a flashlight into the inlet to make sure I had removed everything. I DID NOT remember looking further up the OAK to see if I got everything else out.
BINGO, last spring I had stuffed a bit of pink insulation into the flex tube before stuffing the paper in. I pulled that out, and everything worked hunky dory after that. I felt so stupid - like a newbie for pulling that stupid stunt. Not like I haven't been doing this for 13 years
![[Hearth.com] Always Check the Free Stuff First](/talk/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffirewoodhoardersclub.com%2Fsmilies%2Frolleyes.gif&hash=a38ccf41e8896fe2dcfb42793c41dba5 "[Hearth.com] Always Check the Free Stuff First")
![[Hearth.com] Always Check the Free Stuff First](/talk/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffirewoodhoardersclub.com%2Fsmilies%2Fpicard.gif&hash=ed890d344b2e12765468ca4b584fc629 "[Hearth.com] Always Check the Free Stuff First")
![[Hearth.com] Always Check the Free Stuff First](/talk/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffirewoodhoardersclub.com%2Fsmilies%2Fdoh.gif&hash=cd0908f4db40c45ac79aebaa384f6798 "[Hearth.com] Always Check the Free Stuff First")
![[Hearth.com] Always Check the Free Stuff First](/talk/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Ffirewoodhoardersclub.com%2Fsmilies%2Fembarassed.gif&hash=424d3b7f5810edf5e4b505a208ea54ea "[Hearth.com] Always Check the Free Stuff First")
So, as I tell people that express problems with their stoves after a cleaning or at first start up of the season - CHECK THE FREE CHIT FIRST no matter how experienced you are!
Knowing it had been running fine last year, ince it cooled off, about 2 hours, I discovered I had not tightened the plate in front of the igniter when I closed it up in the spring. After tightening that up, I tried again. Although this time it didn't move the flame guide, it certainly wasn't burning right, so again shut it off. Additionally, I noticed the exhaust pie wasn't heating up, whcih was not a good sign.
I between messing with the P61a, I decided to get the the P43 unpacked - dumped in some pellets, and it has been heating the main floor fine (never turned on the mini split).
I got to researching in case I decided to just replace the stove. I know it is going to need a bunch of work soon since it is still on original EVERYTHING, except door gaskets. Sitting in a damp basement hasn't been kind to it. That stove owes me nothing as it paid for itself in the first year. I figured if push came to shove, I would see if any new P43's were available should my further trouble shooting not resolve the problem. Note that the P61a is waaayyy oversized for the 650 sq/ft basement since the foundation and floor are insulated, and it's not trying to heat the main floor too, so a P43 would be fine.
Yesterday was an off-Friday so I started going thru the P61a. My first focus was on two things: the exhaust tube (perhaps something crawled in there since I had actually uncapped the exhausts last weekend). I checked from below and it was clear back to the 45* elbow. The second focus was the OAK. I distinctly remembered removing brown paper from the end as well as from the inlet tube of the stove (I disconnect and plug both the end of the OAK and the stove inlet). I remembered shining a flashlight into the inlet to make sure I had removed everything. I DID NOT remember looking further up the OAK to see if I got everything else out.
BINGO, last spring I had stuffed a bit of pink insulation into the flex tube before stuffing the paper in. I pulled that out, and everything worked hunky dory after that. I felt so stupid - like a newbie for pulling that stupid stunt. Not like I haven't been doing this for 13 years
So, as I tell people that express problems with their stoves after a cleaning or at first start up of the season - CHECK THE FREE CHIT FIRST no matter how experienced you are!
