Bixby Pellet Stove - Little To No Heat

[Chered1]

I am so new to this that I don't know if I'll get a response, so here goes!

My in-laws recently purchased a Bixby MaxFire Multi-Fuel Room Heater which they burn wood pellets. Here's the problem. The stoves exhaust pipe going out side (horizontally) throws out air so hot you can't keep your hand in front of it let alone touch the pipe, yet in the house it blows air that is barely hot. The air flow on the sides is cool.

Everything seems to be working as far as the auger, pellets falling into the burn pot and the blowers so why is the heat not coming out as it should to fill the room with heat?

If anyone could provide help it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
Ed

 

[TimfromMA]

Sounds like something with the heat exchanger. Is it clean?

 

[Bioburner]

Have they taken the rear panels off inside the firebox and cleaned the exchangers? I have no pictures in my library for the Bixby YET That stove probably out does any stove out there in extracting heat so something is wrong and exchanger design is not that outlandish.

 

[Chered1]

Sounds like something with the heat exchanger. Is it clean?

I just received an e-mail from them this morning and they cleaned the whole inside out.

Pellet stoves are very new to me and I'm afraid I don't know what a heat exchanger is. I have googled Bixby pellet stoves and I understand the company no longer exists. They are having a heck of a time finding anyone who knows anything about the Bixby brand.

 

[Chered1]

Have they taken the rear panels off inside the firebox and cleaned the exchangers? I have no pictures in my library for the Bixby YET That stove probably out does any stove out there in extracting heat so something is wrong and exchanger design is not that outlandish.

Here is the portion of the received email pertaining to what they did to the stove:
completely cleaned the stove and and the heating tubes. Followed what we thought were directions and as far as we can see there are a couple of ceramic pieces missing in back of fire box.

I don't know if these pieces she speaks about would cause the current problem.

 

[Bioburner]

PM rona . He may have a downloadable manual. The exchangers have protective panels and they have to be removed before the exchangers can be cleaned.
Couple of pictures showing the panels, the device that holds the panel and it also cleans the tubes by sliding down the tubes. This the left side.

 

[Bioburner]

There is no ceramic pieces in this stove unless there are remnants of a log set.

 

[Chered1]

PM rona . He may have a downloadable manual. The exchangers have protective panels and they have to be removed before the exchangers can be cleaned.
Couple of pictures showing the panels, the device that holds the panel and it also cleans the tubes by sliding down the tubes. This the left side.

Thank you BIOBURNER for taking the time to send those pictures. I'll forward to them. I will probably be on here again at some point as I want to go see the stove myself to see if I can understand the working of the stove.

Also thank you TimfromMA for your input.

 

[TimfromMA]

I just received an e-mail from them this morning and they cleaned the whole inside out.

Pellet stoves are very new to me and I'm afraid I don't know what a heat exchanger is. I have googled Bixby pellet stoves and I understand the company no longer exists. They are having a heck of a time finding anyone who knows anything about the Bixby brand.

The heat exchanger is a row of tubes that gets heated by the flames. Air is then blown through these tubes and out into the room bringing the heat with it.

 

[ohbix]

What are the settings on the fan/fuel dials under the left side panel? Assuming the heat exchanger is clean, convection fan operating properly; is ash accumulating on the deck, or is it remaining in the burn pot? They could try lowering the exhaust fan settings.

 

[Chered1]

What are the settings on the fan/fuel dials under the left side panel? Assuming the heat exchanger is clean, convection fan operating properly; is ash accumulating on the deck, or is it remaining in the burn pot? They could try lowering the exhaust fan settings.

I believe it's set at +3, if that's what your asking. The ash is building up outside the burn pot and the tray under the burn pot. Can the hear exchanger be replaced? Would it be an easy change out to replace and would anyone know where to procure one?

 

[Bioburner]

Better shoot some pictures of the inner workings of the stove. Something is not at all right with the stove IMO. Sounds like some parts are possibly missing. The tube exchanger is very simple and either is working or plugged somehow.

 

[Chered1]

Better shoot some pictures of the inner workings of the stove. Something is not at all right with the stove IMO. Sounds like some parts are possibly missing. The tube exchanger is very simple and either is working or plugged somehow.

Plan on going up to camp this weekend. Will take pics and post at that time. They still seem to think that there are ceramic parts in the stove that are missing. I know you said earlier that there are no ceramic parts but Is it possible that this model has ceramic parts? Can the heat exchanger be replaced?

 

[Bioburner]

I have been using one since 2008. I got it from a dealer(was a share holder too) that was discontinuing stove sales and was the floor model so had all features. Several in my area. Tubes could be replaced from what I have read but have not heard of anyone doing it or needing to.
Did you get a manual? I don't have one, but have dealers guide and not that more than the regular manual.
Did you get any feedback from Ron?

 

[Chered1]

I have been using one since 2008. I got it from a dealer(was a share holder too) that was discontinuing stove sales and was the floor model so had all features. Several in my area. Tubes could be replaced from what I have read but have not heard of anyone doing it or needing to.
Did you get a manual? I don't have one, but have dealers guide and not that more than the regular manual.
Did you get any feedback from Ron?

If your speaking of PM rona, I dont believe so. There is a manual but not very informative on the working of heat exchanger. There are three pages of parts but none on tge heat exchanger. Their model is suppose to heat an area of about 2200 sq ft but it's no where capable of heating that much space as it is right now. She did say they were able to slide a thingy up and down one side of the exchanger but the other side was very difficult. She thinks it was warped.

 

[ohbix]

re: the fuel/fan knobs. The ash should remain in the pot. You need to turn down the fan. My bixby requires the fan at -2 to -4 for pellets. The dealer and I spoke at length w/ one of the Bixby people (before business closed) and when burning pellets he said that one usually needs a neg. fan setting. Only a dusting of ash should be on the burn plates. If ash is blowing out of the burn pot, then the fan is too strong. I ran mine at -4 w/ some pellets. Also might check the temp of the exhaust if the vent is straight out. Is it too hot to keep your hand there?

 

[Bioburner]

I am thinking the stove is missing the heat exchanger covers and the burner top plate.

 

[rona]

If your speaking of PM rona, I dont believe so. There is a manual but not very informative on the working of heat exchanger. There are three pages of parts but none on tge heat exchanger. Their model is suppose to heat an area of about 2200 sq ft but it's no where capable of heating that much space as it is right now. She did say they were able to slide a thingy up and down one side of the exchanger but the other side was very difficult. She thinks it was warped.

 

[Bioburner]

Couple pictures of the stove insides ready to burn.

 

[rona]

Sliding a thingy up and down on one side is telling me you need to read the manual closer. There is things that need to be addressed that hasn't been done. I sent a PM .

 

[rona]

Sliding a thingy up and down on one side is telling me you need to read the manual closer. There is things that need to be addressed that hasn't been done. I sent a PM .

I sent a copy of the dealers manual which will explain a lot of things that need to be addressed in order for the stove to work correctly.
There is no ceramics needed or used in that stove.

 

[Chered1]

re: the fuel/fan knobs. The ash should remain in the pot. You need to turn down the fan. My bixby requires the fan at -2 to -4 for pellets. The dealer and I spoke at length w/ one of the Bixby people (before business closed) and when burning pellets he said that one usually needs a neg. fan setting. Only a dusting o

re: the fuel/fan knobs. The ash should remain in the pot. You need to turn down the fan. My bixby requires the fan at -2 to -4 for pellets. The dealer and I spoke at length w/ one of the Bixby people (before business closed) and when burning pellets he said that one usually needs a neg. fan setting. Only a dusting of ash should be on the burn plates. If ash is blowing out of the burn pot, then the fan is too strong. I ran mine at -4 w/ some pellets. Also might check the temp of the exhaust if the vent is straight out. Is it too hot to keep your hand there?

f ash should be on the burn plates. If ash is blowing out of the burn pot, then the fan is too strong. I ran mine at -4 w/ some pellets. Also might check the temp of the exhaust if the vent is straight out. Is it too hot to keep your hand there?

Actually the stove is in the cellar and the pipe goes up about 7 feet and then straight out the side of the house. The air coming out the exhaust is so hot you cant keep your hand there without being burnt. Yet, I watched video when the fellow put his hand on the exhaust and he said it was cool.

 

[Bioburner]

That is close to the same exhaust as I have and when it gets real cold it will almost freeze shut.

 

[ohbix]

Definitely need to turn down the exhaust fan. If pellets accumulate in the burn pot, will need to turn down the feed rate as well. Have fan low enough that ash remains in the burnpot, not getting blown onto the deck. Your pictures do show the heat exchange covers in place and the burn plates in place. If you have Bixby pipe (like Selkirk dt), then the surface of the pipe should be lukewarm to cool. Note that if you go to Bixbystoveparts.com, you can download manuals and instructions on how to replace various parts. These have very good pictures of the stove's components.

 

[rona]

Actually the stove is in the cellar and the pipe goes up about 7 feet and then straight out the side of the house. The air coming out the exhaust is so hot you cant keep your hand there without being burnt. Yet, I watched video when the fellow put his hand on the exhaust and he said it was cool.

Is the exh pipe new or is it used? If it is used its possible the inner pipe has pin holes and leaking but I have never seen anything like what you are describing. Here is one thought pull the exh off the back of the stove and make sure the inside pipe on the stove isn't broke or loose. I also think you are running the exh fan way to high. There is something that should be easily seen. The outer pipe should be cold and the inner one will be warm but not crazy hot.