Ash Pan

[Curve]

I have a VistaFlame VF-55. I am new to Pellet Stoves, installed this stove in October. I clean the stove about every 2 weeks.
Can I open the Ash Door without shutting the stove down? Can I open the Fire Box glass door without shutting the stove down?

 

[briansol]

Not sure of your exact model stove.... generally you can, but generally you shouldn't

I only open my door while its on to scoop quickly out the burn pot if it got clinkered up.
any other case, i shut it down for an hour, usually 2 or 3 to be safe, before vacuuming it out/etc.

 

[hossthehermit]

Not meant to be rude, BUT, your owner's manual is your friend.

 

[stovelark]

Curve not a good idea to open door for anything other than to clear a clinker, and since you have the agitator, you should be all set. Remember, when you open ash door or front door, you'll lose vacuum after a bit and the stove will stop feeding. I'd suggest cleaning it all out at once after its been turned off and cools down. Good luck.

Stovelark
Enviro Empress FPI AC
Enviro EF3 FS pellet
Enviro Kodiak 1700 FS wood

 

[subsailor]

Harman manual says you can remove the ash pan and empty it without shutting the stove down. I open my firebox door every day to scrape the burn pot.

 

[stovelark]

Hey sub- speaking in generalities, usually not a good idea to operate on a stove that is burning unless it needs to be done, IE breaking up a clinker in a burnpot, knocking down ash built up around burnpot etc etc. Its prob ok to do but not generally done. Does your Harman use a neg vauum or positive vacuum switch?? Sounds like it might be positive if it continues to feed with the doors open. Sherwood stoves use neg vacuum, after about 25-30 seconds, if a door is still open, it normally stops feeding (safety switch). Anyway, good luck to us all.

Stovelark

 

[corkman]

i have the same stove and i am curious as to why you would need to do this. agitator clears the pot so clinkers should not be an issue.what ya got going on there Curve

 

[Melissa220]

Hey sub- speaking in generalities, usually not a good idea to operate on a stove that is burning unless it needs to be done, IE breaking up a clinker in a burnpot, knocking down ash built up around burnpot etc etc. Its prob ok to do but not generally done. Does your Harman use a neg vauum or positive vacuum switch?? Sounds like it might be positive if it continues to feed with the doors open. Sherwood stoves use neg vacuum, after about 25-30 seconds, if a door is still open, it normally stops feeding (safety switch). Anyway, good luck to us all.

Stovelark

The stove does not continue to feed, and the fire continues to burn. However, if the firebox door were left open for too long - 3 minutes I believe - the stove would go into shut down mode. Same as if the pellet hopper were open for more than 3 minutes.

 

[stovelark]

Melissa thanks for info, didnt think Harmans would be any different- only worked on a few.

 

[Curve]

i have the same stove and i am curious as to why you would need to do this. agitator clears the pot so clinkers should not be an issue.what ya got going on there Curve

When the stove is on heat level 1 ash tends to build up on the sides of the burn pot. It normally will blow off when the T-Stat turns the stove back to level 3 (this is the highest setting I use), however sometimes I would just like to open the fire box door and push the ash from the edges of the burn pot. I never seem to have issues with clinkers because of the agitator.

 

[glenc0322]

Just because you can do something doesn't always mean you should

 

[jtakeman]

Curve, The ash build up on the sides isn't a big deal. No real need to worry. It will still burn for days without issue's. Instead of opening the door to fiddle, Just move the mode switch to manual(stove will go to the higher setting) for about 20 minutes if you must. Then move it back to hi/lo. Should blow all the excess over the edge to the ash pan.