I have burned two tons of Somersets so far. I pulled the baffles off last night and pretty much everything was packed with ash build up. I cleaned the heat exchanger tubes and everything else out. I check temps pretty regularly with a infrared temp gun. After cleaning my exhaust temp went way up the room temp lowered 5 degrees from its normal temp. The exhaust temps usually were around 130 + or -. Now they are around 150+ or -. Is it possible that the ash was holding heat in around the baffles transferring more heat to the room instead of out the exhaust? It seems I am losing more heat out the exhaust now. Exhaust blower is definately happier. Flame height is much shorter on high. I can change that by adjusting the pellet feed but then I'll be burning more pellets. I'm back to considering fabbing up a way to put a heat exhchanger in the chimney pipe.
Ash packed baffles
- Thread starter Turbo-Quad
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
tjnamtiw
Minister of Fire
You're probably right about the heat transfer theory IMHO. Was that the first time you pulled the baffles in 2 tons???? Don't know much about the Mt. Vernon, other than I wish I had one! 
FordMastertech
Feeling the Heat
I wish I could go that far on my MT Vernon AE Insert cleanings but I need something to do in the winter anyways. I notice just the opposite on heat output clean stove puts out more heat to the room and I really don't care how much goes out the exhaust. The Infrared temp guns aren't real accurate unless you have them on a flat black painted surface. Anything shiny will give you inaccurate temp readings.Turbo-Quad said:
The Mt Vernon Ae is a heat monster especially when clean and it's appetite really isn't too bad for the amount of heat output you get. Maybe it's just the opposite on the older MT Vernons.
tjnamtiw
Minister of Fire
FordMastertech said:
you're absolutely correct on this issue. People rely too much on these IR readings and don't realize how inaccurate they can be. They might be helpful if you are comparing readings taken on exactly the same spot to give you 'comparative' temp readings but the actual temp might not be accurate. On the one I used at work, there was a switch to select black or shiny surface but I never trusted it for true temperature. I always fell back to a contact or probe pyrometer which showed how inaccurate the IR meters were. And that was a $400 unit
! A $29 Harbor Freight IR meter can't be toooooo accurate. For comparison, possibly.The readings are taking at the same spot on the flat black chimney pipe. And it is a Harbor Freight, but it's the more expensive one, not that it might make a difference. Chinese crap is Chinese crap. The temps I got before were consistant so the increase is probably correct regardless of the temperature.
This was indeed the first time I pulled the baffles in two tons. I bought the stove last Febuary and only burned one ton in it before summer shut down. It definatley wasn't as bad then. Two tons is probably too far to go. The exhaust blower was getting pretty angry.
I had a choice between this stove and an AE. Most posts about the AE were negative. It just appeared to be a very problematic stove from the info I gathered. There aren't many posts about the Non AE so that lead me to believe that it was less problematic, or no one owns them. I chose this stove because it had no gadgets. It's very straight forward and seems to be very durable. I dropped the top cast iron baffle right on the ceramic thermocoupler. I figured it was trashed. I fired it up and it worked no problems. Got lucky. Cleaning it daily is a chore I'd like to avoid, so I guess the AE has got me beat there. The price for the two used stoves was the same...go figure.
This was indeed the first time I pulled the baffles in two tons. I bought the stove last Febuary and only burned one ton in it before summer shut down. It definatley wasn't as bad then. Two tons is probably too far to go. The exhaust blower was getting pretty angry.
I had a choice between this stove and an AE. Most posts about the AE were negative. It just appeared to be a very problematic stove from the info I gathered. There aren't many posts about the Non AE so that lead me to believe that it was less problematic, or no one owns them. I chose this stove because it had no gadgets. It's very straight forward and seems to be very durable. I dropped the top cast iron baffle right on the ceramic thermocoupler. I figured it was trashed. I fired it up and it worked no problems. Got lucky. Cleaning it daily is a chore I'd like to avoid, so I guess the AE has got me beat there. The price for the two used stoves was the same...go figure.
tjnamtiw
Minister of Fire
Yea, since you're on the same spot, I would think that you can get a reliable comparison. I read a lot of negatives too about the AE's when they first came out. Sounds like you scored a good one!
What ISN'T made in China anymore?????? If it says Made in China, then you have to know it's a 'throw away' item no matter what it costs. You want to get this country going again, tariff the hell out of all imports and let the chips fall where they may. China wants their money back? Give them the finger instead.
What ISN'T made in China anymore?????? If it says Made in China, then you have to know it's a 'throw away' item no matter what it costs. You want to get this country going again, tariff the hell out of all imports and let the chips fall where they may. China wants their money back? Give them the finger instead.
krooser
Minister of Fire
Exhaust temps are not the best way to assess a stoves performance...heat exchanger temps are.
A magic heat type of device would be a waste of money IMHO....
Your stove is now operating efficiently since you cleaned it...al it needs now is some field tuning.
A magic heat type of device would be a waste of money IMHO....
Your stove is now operating efficiently since you cleaned it...al it needs now is some field tuning.
FordMastertech
Feeling the Heat
I don't clean daily, maybe every 2 weeks or so depending on what I am burning. If it's softwood pellets I can go about a month or about 1 ton of pellets. Both of the MT Vernon's are great stoves they just go about extracting the heat differently. I first looked at the older Mt Vernon, liked the looks and feel of the stove and had one held for me until I was able to get the correct information about the AE's. I liked what I saw with the AE's and went for it and haven't regretted in the least and the pricing was the same for both stoves but got a $100 discount for a AE pre order.
I work on cars and trucks for living so technology doesn't scare me, it sparks my interest. If someone 38+ years ago when I started this trade said that I would be using computers to fix cars I would of told them there nuts. Diesels running electronic injectors, yea right pal, watcha smoking.
I do like simple things but as you can see below that doesn't happen much for me at work.
Attachments
slls
Minister of Fire
FordMastertech
Feeling the Heat
tjnamtiw
Minister of Fire
Holy crap I haven't seen that in a LOOOOONG time! I can't even imagine what that bill would be. I'm dreading just replacing a heater core in my son's 97 pickup!!
I haven't seen that in a LOOOOONG time! I can't even imagine what that bill would be. I'm dreading just replacing a heater core in my son's 97 pickup!!
FordMastertech
Feeling the Heat
FordMastertech
Feeling the Heat
We put a Magic Heat on our Mt Vernon AE and some other mods. It worked ok but the lack of a clean out T was a problem while cleaning. We measured the exhaust wind speed before and after install with no change and after cleaning it was back to the same as last year.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewreply/582390/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewreply/582390/
Vinelife
Minister of Fire
Two tons ?? Wow.. I pull out my baffles now once a week and clean all that out to keep it burning prime.
littlesmokey
Minister of Fire
I am a electrician by trade, and do work at a Toyota dealership. I have been there to see the Tacoma frame change, not a fun looking job at all. A few years back I changed a 7.3 motor in our 99 F-450, not a fun job either, and even less when you don't have a hoist or all the proper tools. I commend both you guys, working on these vehicles everyday............
- Status
Similar threads
