Auger too fast? Can't adjust.

[Rochev]

I have a King 5500m I just had installed. It works well however, within 24 hours the entire burn area is full of 0-95% burned pellets. The pot is full of burnt pellets and the pellets are flooding the whole area, even the inside window lip. This turns the window black, so I know when it's time to shut down.

This stove only has settings for heat range and blower speed, 1-9. I have NO aux or auger button, menu or adjustments.

I've had the stove for just one week and every day I have to cool it down, empty it out and clean it. I'm waiting on a new ignitor so it takes a while to get it going. It takes about 6 hours to start heating the house again so this is just a waste of time. It's also our only heat source!

I'm not sure where to start with this. I'm pretty sure the issue is that it's dumping pellets too fast. The flame is usually too high and it dumps pellets when it doesn't need to. I've looked but can't find any discussion of auger adjustment for this model.

 

[johneh]

manual here
(broken link removed to https://www.usstove.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/03/5500-Series-Owners-Manual.pdf)
page 9

B. HEAT RANGE ARROW BUTTONS • These buttons when pushed will set the pellet feed rate, hence the heat output or heat range of your stove. When using the hand-held remote this function can be performed with the “Up/Down” buttons. • The levels of heat output will incrementally change on the bar graph starting from heat range “1” to heat range “5”.

 

[Rochev]

manual here
(broken link removed to https://www.usstove.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/03/5500-Series-Owners-Manual.pdf)
page 9

B. HEAT RANGE ARROW BUTTONS • These buttons when pushed will set the pellet feed rate, hence the heat output or heat range of your stove. When using the hand-held remote this function can be performed with the “Up/Down” buttons. • The levels of heat output will incrementally change on the bar graph starting from heat range “1” to heat range “5”.

Thank you for the reply. I have been keeping the heat setting below 4 with no change. If I keep it on 1, it still overfills and send pellets down when it doesn't need to. It also won't heat the house if I have it below 5, but there doesn't seem to be a difference in pellet delivery no matter the setting.

 

[ARC]

This stove only has settings for heat range and blower speed, 1-9. I have NO aux or auger button, menu or adjustments.

US stove boards are among the most adjustable boards available. Feed rates, Draft, Room fan, Agitator, Startup and shutdown all can be adjusted there are 19 different functions that can be adjusted

You can adjust your feed rate using the C codes C2 and C3 effect feed rates. You set feed rate for Heat Range 1 and 9 using those codes all other heat ranges feed rates are proportionally adjusted by the board. Open your C codes and write down what it reads for feed rates on C2 and C3 should be 1.75 and 4.5. What ever it actually shows lower both numbers by .25 try running stove on new feed rates if still filling fire pot lower them again by .25. Lower only a little at a time will help you zero in on the right feed rate and remember take notes that way if you find the right feed rate you can always go back to it You have to be careful not to go to low on C2 you still want your stove to be able to run on HR1. If it is taking 24 hours to overfill fire pot you are real close to getting the feed rate tuned in, remember small adjustments and keep notes.

5500M C Codes
To adjust the operation constants, press the hold the MODE and AUGER DELAY buttons simultaneously
for 3 seconds. The display will show “C-1”. Use the HEAT RANGE UP or HEAT RANGE DOWN buttons to
change the constant number (see the list of vales below). When the desired constant is displayed, press
the ON button to toggle between viewing and editing the value. While editing a parameter, use the AUX
again to return to the constant number list. Press the OFF button to exit the operational constants
mode.
 C1- Reset to defaults (hold Mode and Auger Delay buttons for 3 seconds to reset all to defaults).
 C2- Fuel Lbs. per Hour HR 1 (0-5.0) – This is the fuel rate in pounds per hour for a heat range
setting of 1. The default is 1.75 lbs.
 C3- Fuel lbs. per Hour HR 9 (0-5.0) – This is the fuel rate in pounds per hour for a heat range
setting of 5. The default is 4.5lbs. The fuel rates used between setting 1 and 5 are linearly
interpolated between these two settings.

 

[johneh]

Maybe it is just me but after 20 years of working on all kinds of stoves
when I see a complaint like this my first impression is the stove is chock
a block full of ash. Not enough combustion air !
Just my nickles worth

 

[ARC]

Just my nickles worth

My first response is usual clean, clean, clean. I am taking into account that OP stated newly installed and the USSC 5500 are know to have a slightly to high default feed rate.

 

[Mt Bob]

Maybe it is just me but after 20 years of working on all kinds of stoves
when I see a complaint like this my first impression is the stove is chock
a block full of ash. Not enough combustion air !
Just my nickles worth

Yep, deep clean, vacuum, mallet, air pressure. It's obviously used, or he would not be "waiting on an igniter.

 

[Rochev]

Appreciate the replies.
ARC I have no idea where you found that manual on the control board but it should solve my issue. I have cleaned it out, it has a normal amount of ash and wasn't too bad. It was "cleaned" prior to me buying it.

So after it was installed I thought the A B and C buttons were programmable settings. Say before bed you press B and it changes to your custom night mode. I was all in those settings and didn't have to hold anything down, so I'll have to go through them and fix it. I will report here if it fixes it!

 

[Jeremy6500]

I had to adjust the feed rates on my USSC stove to get it to run right. The default values were way to high.

I also had to figure out how to clean it correctly. I wonder if you have areas that you are not getting to that could be causing exhaust blockage issues.

 

[Mt Bob]

Amuse us. Remove the 2 covers/cleanouts in the fire box. Tap,hammer the metal above them with a mallet, or block of wood and hammer. See if lots of crap falls down.

 

[ARC]

My mistake I did not know you had the ABC board. You will not have C codes. Depending on which version of ABC board you might be able to increase your draft rate helping to burn pellets. I thought you had the newer 4 button board it might be worth while to buy the newer board 80778 around $300.00 but worth it. If you don't want to put new board in the next thing to try is adding a restrictor plate in bottom of hopper. This will allow fewer pellets into anger tube at one time. Sorry for the bad information .

 

[Rochev]

I will clean out those ash traps tomorrow after banging on the box.

Interestingly my ABC board does go into a different setting with A and B but C does nothing. When I press A or B a second set of numbers come up. I set both options to 5 since it's sort of the middle. I don't know what these settings are but the first setting they were both on 0 and the second setting was 1 and 9. No change noted.

 

[ARC]

Read the tech manual i attached previously it tells what those numbers mean. With the ABC board feed rates are controlled by a restrictor plate in bottom of hopper. Take all pellets out of hopper should be a plate partially covering anger opening loosen screws and close opening another half inch or less. Tighten screws refill hopper and run stove you might have to do this a number of times. Also be aware restrictor plates sometimes have to be reajusted if you get a batch of to short or long pellets.

 

[ARC]

If your 5500 doesn't have the restrictor plate and you do not want to make one there is another option to slow the feed rate $55-60 on ebay hooks to either the vacuum switch or the hopper switch. I still think best option is the upgraded 4 button control board but $300 can be alot.

(broken link removed to https://www.ebay.com/itm/165669393325?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A13UeG8My2TU-VjNwjrtzweQ9&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=165669393325&targetid=1585159290651&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=9005260&poi=&campaignid=15275224983&mkgroupid=131097072938&rlsatarget=pla-1585159290651&abcId=9300697&merchantid=6296724&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw6ntrPnV-wIVE5fICh2HTQ7xEAQYBCABEgIWAPD_BwE)

 

[Rochev]

If it continues to run well I'll set aside money for the better control board. I was able to reset the board using the procedure in the manual. Mine does not show what it says it will though.

A now says 9 and 6 for heat and blower speed (but this should mean auger speed and combustion air)
B shows 8 and 8

If I press B twice it goes to C which is my setting. The unit also shuts off for a split second continuously every 15 or so seconds. It's very quick.

The A light is also blinking but in no particular pattern. I believe it may be saying there's a vacuum problem.

 

[ARC]

The A light is also blinking but in no particular pattern. I believe it may be saying there's a vacuum problem.

Means vacuum leak, take dollar bill shut door on bill and try to pull it out should be a lot of resistance do this all the way around door. If you can easily pull bill out it is time for a new door gasket. You could take a old brush or a barbecue cleaning brush and lightly run it over the door gasket to fluff it up. Could seal the door gasket temporally until you can get around to replacing it.

 

[Rochev]

I didn't have a bill so I used a piece of paper. I was able to easily pull it through the door about 75% of the window seal. I used the rest of the seal I had left over from my wood stove and fixed almost all of it. I also cleaned it again, following specific steps in the manual.

It seems to be burning better for the most part. I saw the pellets burn in the box instead of piling up into ash clumps. However 4 hours later on "3" it's starting to add up again.

I can also watch it dump a few pellets right over the box and into the window or off to the side. I'm not sure why half of them go outside the box but everything is lined up and in good shape.

 

[Rochev]

10 hours later...
Looks like they're not burning, not that it's feeding them too fast.

 

[ARC]

Interestingly my ABC board does go into a different setting with A and B but C does nothing. When I press A or B a second set of numbers come up. I set both options to 5 since it's sort of the middle. I don't know what these settings are but the first setting they were both on 0 and the second setting was 1 and 9

Assuming you have board version 14,15 or 20 follow the below instructions and lower A and increase B lowering A will lower the feed rate increasing B will increase draft. Notice I highlighted Range number disappears. If you have two numbers still visible either A and B have not been activated or you have a different version of board.

ABC Board Version 14, 15, 20
The “A” and “B” buttons were not active on this board when shipped. To Activate Press the Heat
Range Arrow Down and the Blower Range Arrow UP at the same time for 5 seconds to activate.

If you press the “A” Button the Heat Range number will disappear. The number will appear on the
blower side. This is the Auger Speed. Factory default is 5.

If you press the “B” Button the Heat Range number will disappear. The number will appear on the
blower side. This is the Combustion Air. Factory default is 5.

 

[ARC]

When you clean you do clean behind the back panel correct? Two small panels that should slide up and off one one each side of the fire pot. 40 and 41 in diagram.

 

[Rochev]

Yes I do clean behind them, I refer to them as "trap doors". They were never very dirty.

My board does not have the left number disappear when changing the settings. When activating the settings by holding the two arrows, A and B flash for a while before I can change them. However sometimes I can just press A or B without holding the arrows.

A and B can be adjusted only on the right side arrows-blower speed, 0-9. Each "roll" of 0-9 will make the left number go up from 0-9. Example, the left number is 0 until the right one is scrolled past 9 and to 1, then the left number starts at 1... I will have to call USSC because this seems either antiquated or uncommon for their board.

After tinkering with those settings I haven't noticed any differences. I set them to 4 and 5 respectively. I did previously reset the board settings too.

 

[Rochev]

Update:
Even though my board is different than anything it says in the manual or online, I set the B numbers which should to be the combustion air, all the way up to 9. It has been running well all week now.

Window is still going black right away but I'm thinking it's a thin seal on the outside.

 

[3650]

Looks like very incomplete combustion. Maybe the combustion fan is bad? Is there a way to test the draft with a gauge on that stove?

 

[ARC]

Window is still going black right away but I'm thinking it's a thin seal on the outside.

5500 are known to turn window black fast, top fourth first day. all but a small spot in lower center by day three

 

[Rochev]

Futher update.
The stove ran well for a few weeks using the same pellets. Suddenly, it acted up again and hasn't stopped. Now I have to manually hand-feed pellets in the burn pot during the first 30 minutes, or it'll go out because it's not feeding any for minutes at a time.

After probably the 30th time going through the manual, I realized my ABC board does NOT have any way to change settings other than heat range and blower speed as shown. The reason the A and B buttons don't make the left number disappear like it said lower in the manual is because it is strictly a "diagnostic feature". That would explain why nothing seems to change when I change the numbers around. Still, I can't be sure it doesn't do anything at all.

Two days ago I cleaned the whole unit again. For most of the first night after hand feeding the stove during start up, the pellets burned great and stayed very minimal in the burn pot with a great strong flame. The next day I noticed a heavy build up of pellet clumps and occasionally stired them around.

About 36 hours later the entire inside of the stove is full of pellets, up to the glass, half way up the clean out doors and basically the whole inside is on fire! This started happening again recently. The flame is still healthy looking and it puts out normal heat but it's a fire hazard-mess. Not to mention it's wasting a lot of pellets.

I'm at a loss about what to do. I cannot afford another stove and this process is very impractical! Unfortunately we can't use our oil furnace because of a cracked heat exchanger, so this pig is our only heat source.

I've tried running it on a low, medium and high heat range with no difference other than heat output. The auger feeds a small amount of pellets every 8-12 seconds. The amount varies from roughly 2-8 pellets. From what I can find, this is normal.