Breckwell Big-E, overloads pellets until overflow..... damper setting ??

[wsar10]

Hamer's or Energex pellets
No OAK
Probably needs a new door gasket

this has happened before, but we will use last night as an example,
Set stove to setting 4 with damper roughly open 11/2". I wake up and the fire pot is overflowing with un-burnt pellets, this stove has en extension on top of the fire pot and the pellets are up to the top of it. The fire is roaring away and throwing good heat but VERY un-uniform. To fix the issue I always turn down the stove (feed rate) to 1 or 2 and give it some air (damper) an than it will calm down and burn up the pellets, than after a while turn it back up and its fine.

1) am I not giving it enough air to start with (when going to bed) ?

2) should I be getting up and giving it more air halfway through the night ? (If so I dont want a stove I have to babysit !)

3) MUST have an OAK ?

4) some other issue ??

What I mean by the door gasket probably needing replaced is, I cant get a dollar bill through it anyplace but in certain places between the door and stove I can see flame inside the stove by looking at it at certain angles........ in a dark room.

 

[wsar10]

This is a bit frustrating ......
If I would have named the thread "My Pellet Stoves Uses Too Much Elec." I would have 3 pages of responses..........

 

[Polar Bear]

I understand the frustration about some threads getting floods of responses, and others none. My stove doesn't have a damper, so I am little help although I had the same issue. My resolution was a deep cleaning due to crappy pellets being used and returning them to HD. However, I am sure you clean it properly, as every one and their mother's first suggestion is a good cleaning. Hopefully, someone with a Breckwell will chime in.

My 2 cents... the OAK would probably help a lot.

 

[wsar10]

I understand the frustration about some threads getting floods of responses, and others none. My stove doesn't have a damper, so I am little help although I had the same issue. My resolution was a deep cleaning due to crappy pellets being used and returning them to HD. However, I am sure you clean it properly, as every one and their mother's first suggestion is a good cleaning. Hopefully, someone with a Breckwell will chime in.

My 2 cents... the OAK would probably help a lot.

I'm sure it does need a DEEP clean.....I cant really do that till season end, I think I'm also doing an OAK at that time along with building the Hearth, I currently just have the stove sitting on tile backer brd.
I'm gearing more toward user error since I'm new to pellet stoves. (but maybe not)

I vacuum out everything once a week, (the Big-E has two trap doors that get you into the Exhaust path behind the burn area) and brush down the heat exchanger tubes and everyplace else I can get a brush or shop-vac hose.
I empty the burn pot every day, mostly.
The install is only a month old so the pipes should be clean.

That being said the stove VERY dirty when I cleaned it on Saturday

your comment is interesting since it seems to happen more with Energex rather than Hamer's, but than again I burn mostly Energex since Hamer's don't hang around long here locally.

Thanks for you input

 

[dave2112]

It's hard to tell what's wrong with it, without acctualy fisically being able to look and trouble shoot it. I would definitely start with cleaning the entire thing first consontrating on the combustion blower and the flue. Then if that did not do the trick I would test the combustion blower. I do not think its the pellets that's causing your problem. I have been running a different model breckwell for 10 years now and always buy the cheapest crappiest pellets with no problems. All the breckwell models are pretty much the same mechanically inside. Not much too them really; 2 blowers, 1 auger motor, a couple snap discs and circuit board to tell them what to do. Which is a good thing.

 

[wwert]

You need to clean it properly, regardless of the time of year. Tear it down and do it right. Replace the door gasket and it should run fine. Once you set the damper to get a good fire you should not have to adjust it unless you change pellets.
A clean stove is a happy stove.

 

[Big E]

I'm sure it does need a DEEP clean.....I cant really do that till season end, I think I'm also doing an OAK at that time along with building the Hearth, I currently just have the stove sitting on tile backer brd.
I'm gearing more toward user error since I'm new to pellet stoves. (but maybe not)
I vacuum out everything once a week, (the Big-E has two trap doors that get you into the Exhaust path behind the burn area) and brush down the heat exchanger tubes and everyplace else I can get a brush or shop-vac hose.
I empty the burn pot every day, mostly.
The install is only a month old so the pipes should be clean.
That being said the stove VERY dirty when I cleaned it on Saturday
your comment is interesting since it seems to happen more with Energex rather than Hamer's, but than again I burn mostly Energex since Hamer's don't hang around long here locally.
Thanks for you input

First, sounds to me you have cleaned correctly.
Second, I have had same stove since 2008, never had an OAK, so don't believe thats the issue.
Third, damper has to be pulled out more as you ramp up heat level.

On mine, level two, damper is out to the threads on the handle. Level three is 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch more, Level four is approx. 3/4 of an inch more, almost to wide open.

I clean once a week, never open door during the week, and never have to touch the burnpot during the week.

Door seals are easy fix, about 2 hours, hardware store near me has a gasket with 7 foot seal and small tube of cement, enough to do that door, about 13 bucks...PM me if you have any more questions

 

[wsar10]

I've always been curious about how other Big-E owners set there damper, it sounds like I set mine roughly the same. Good to know !
On the occasions that it loaded up I think I did not have the damper open far enough.........

Does yours have the removable "Plates" on each side at the top ?
Mine has them but I removed them and it seemed to burn better with them out.
I got a door gasket on Sunday, I got the 5/8" X 7' is this the correct thickness ?

 

[dave2112]

That size rope should be fine. Interesting about it running better with the baffle plates off. Not sure if that's good or bad. You would need to evoke the powers of a breckwell Jedi master to answer that question. We will see if he chimes in

 

[gyingling]

I have two possible scenarios besides a dirty stove.

Energex pellets...my stove hates them and I had the backup problem with them. I've never used Hamer's before

Does your vent through the wall or up a chimney? My vents through the wall facing South and when the weather is blowing that direction, it affects the burn quality!

 

[Owen1508]

You need to clean it properly, regardless of the time of year. Tear it down and do it right. Replace the door gasket and it should run fine. Once you set the damper to get a good fire you should not have to adjust it unless you change pellets.
A clean stove is a happy stove.

I concur with that.
As far as running withou the baffle plates.....I can not recommend that...although someone who doesn't work for Breckwell may have a different opinion and I would not argue either way i will remain silent on that subject

 

[wwert]

Pellets piling up in the burn pot is always a lack of air. If you are adjusting your damper for every heat setting you have an issue in my humble opinion. You should be able to adjust to a good flame and leave it.

 

[wsar10]

I have two possible scenarios besides a dirty stove.

Energex pellets...my stove hates them and I had the backup problem with them. I've never used Hamer's before

Does your vent through the wall or up a chimney? My vents through the wall facing South and when the weather is blowing that direction, it affects the burn quality!

through the wall, the pipe itself is exiting on a North facing wall........that being said it has a "scoop like" (similar to dryer vent termination) that is pointed to the East.

 

[wsar10]

Pellets piling up in the burn pot is always a lack of air. If you are adjusting your damper for every heat setting you have an issue in my humble opinion. You should be able to adjust to a good flame and leave it.

Again,
I'm thinking this is whats happening, I'm new to the pellet stoves and for some reason had this thought that it should not need "fully open" or close to "fully open" damper......
The thing roars when its close to full damper, but it seems thats OK.

IIRC this "loading up" happens more toward the end of the week (a day away from "cleaning" day) which means I probably have to give it a bit more air due to it being a bit dirty on top of me not giving it enough air to begin with at higher settings and that cause it to build up !!
Seems legit, right ??

 

[gyingling]

through the wall, the pipe itself is exiting on a North facing wall........that being said it has a "scoop like" (similar to dryer vent termination) that is pointed to the East.

I'd say East is a great direction to point it.

Maybe your "scoop like" end is catching wind somehow.

Try to notice what the weather is like if this happens again...

IDK, just a theory

 

[Big E]

Again,
I'm thinking this is whats happening, I'm new to the pellet stoves and for some reason had this thought that it should not need "fully open" or close to "fully open" damper......
The thing roars when its close to full damper, but it seems thats OK.

This is correct, almost fully open when on "4" Also, when you do your next cleaning, take off the left side panel and make sure the plate for the damper is secure...My parents worked it's way loose and I had to fix it.

I've always been curious about how other Big-E owners set there damper, it sounds like I set mine roughly the same. Good to know !
On the occasions that it loaded up I think I did not have the damper open far enough.........
Does yours have the removable "Plates" on each side at the top ?
Mine has them but I removed them and it seemed to burn better with them out.
I got a door gasket on Sunday, I got the 5/8" X 7' is this the correct thickness ?

Yes 5/8 is correct...Make sure you clean that channel real good. Use the entire 7 Ft. Lay it in before cement so you know how it lays. Follow the directions on the package, spray the gasket before final install with water, just a mist...

I believe the dealer that I got the stove from, said those baffles at the top were discontinued. ours never came with those.