Ashby St Croix problems

[hockeyfun1]

I still have problems with this Ashby St Croix pellet stove insert and want to sell it because it's causing undue stress. I'm giving it one last shot. If I look at the manual where it says "how do I change to a different Program on the control board?" Can someone answer that? It only gives directions on how to check what it's set at, not to change it. The lights blink at different patterns so it's not accurately telling me what it's set at anyway.

Then I turned it on after checking what program it's set to, and the auger kept dumping pellets like crazy. It extinguished the fire by smothering it with pellets. If I let it continue, it would have just kept dumping pellets and they would back up into the shoot that the auger sends them to before they get to the burn pot.

I seriously hate this stove. This stove worked like crap when I first had it installed five years ago, then worked great for a couple years, then I just had the chimney cleaned and it works like crap again. The place I bought it from is useless and so is calling the manufacturer.

Anyone know how much I could get if I sold this? Maybe $250? Maybe someone else will have better luck with it. Never buying a pellet stove again. Worse $4500 I ever spent. Biggest mistake of my life.

 

[jzm2cc]

The 4 different feed programs are selected with stove cold, which program are you using, 3 or 4?

See pages 33, 50, and 51 of manual.

I know stove has been cleaned, but i suspect back passages of stove are ashed up or maybe even cresote. I understand the frustration, but it has to be clean, on correct program, and damper set correctly to make proper heat.

I'd be tempted to take stove outside leaf blower it, bottle brush passages, compressed air behind burnpot, remove exh blower and clean, and then run it this way to test prior to reinstallation.

Or just put it up for sale on craigslist saying it needs work and be done with it.

 

[hockeyfun1]

I checked the last few pages and it didn't tell me how to change it. I'll check the others. So after hitting buttons now it's working great. 80F in my living room. Was around 65F when it worked like crap. If it ain't broke...

What damper setting should I have it on? Top of the slope (open I guess it means???) or bottom of the slope?

 

[jzm2cc]

With my free standing St Croix's I've always used the pencil in the damper, close down on it and leave at this opening. They don't need a whole lot of air. With the insert you have a cable that adjust this damper valve. Personally i would try same pencil trick and then mark dial. Shouldn't need too much either way to get a lively fire with sharp flame tips.

Who thinks up these stove manuals and controls? WTH is does a slope have to do with air flow? Good luck.

 

[hockeyfun1]

So do I start from the right side or left side?

 

[jzm2cc]

Start with it closed, i.e. flame moving slow then open slowly until flame tips appear to sharpen, flame turns from yellow to whitish yellow, ash blows out of pot but not pellets.

Art and science with those dials. I close damper on pencil lock it into place and don't think about it again.