Burning ember escaped out of blower!! Whitfield Profile 20

[mrmichaeljmoore]

I have a Profile 20 Free Standing Stove.

Just before bed last night, I went down to the basement to check on the stove......add pellets, adjust the heat and blower, etc.
Typically, I will lift the hopper lid, add the pellets, and then pull the tube scraper rod a few times, just to make sure things are nice and clean.

But, to my surprise, when I pulled on the tube scraper rod last night, a tiny glowing ember came flying out of the stove, presumably through the blower. It fell onto the carpet just in front of my couch. It wasn't a half-burnt pellet......I would describe it as glowing ash, I guess.

I've never seen embers or ash blow out of the stove before.......

I clean the stove religiously. Once a year by my stove maintenance guy, then throughout the season by me. Once a week with the ash vac....including the exhaust pipe every few weeks.

Got me a bit nervous to know that burning embers and hot ash could escape the stove.....

Any ideas on how or why this happened??
thanks.
mike

 

[Czech]

Is it possble a pellet fell into the heat exchange tubes when you were filling at some point? I recall another post a long time ago, same deal. When I vacuum my stove, I always suck the exchange tubes out also, just for this reason, the vac adaptor fit nice and snug into the tubes.

 

[jtakeman]

Mike,

I just viewed the profile 20 manual. It states Do not clean the heat exchange tubes until unit is cool!

The rod lies in the same area that the heat exchanges due. There are embers contacting that rod. When you pulled it out the rod probably had an ember stuck to it. Then the blower blow it into your room

I have a Breckwell bigE and Its states the same thing in my manual. Best not to due it until the unit is cool.

Jay

 

[mrmichaeljmoore]

jtakeman --

Thanks for the info.....
Wow! Didn't know that...
I've read the manual before (I swear) and never remember seeing that...
I am gonna pull out my manual when I get home...

Thanks again. puts my mind at ease that the stove is not malfunctioning.

mike

 

[bungalobob]

Don't know a whole lot about stoves to begin with, all are different, and maybe I am reading the post wrong, but I have a question. Isn't the area where your pellets are burning separate from the distribution blower section? If an ember were in the distribution system, doesn't that mean that the fumes from the burn box could just as likely be blown into your living space? These sections should be entirely sealed from one another, how does an ember come out and land on your carpet?

 

[Mr Whitfield]

I would not clean the heat exchanger when stove is running, You could use a damp rag when you slide the tube cleaner up and down, this would stop the ambers from coming out.

 

[jtakeman]

The rod is in a rather loose hole, If I look around it while my bigE is running I can actually see flame when on high.

That is the only part of the heat exchanger that isn't sealed.

 

[woodsman23]

did you find the ember?? If not let me know and i will put out a "ember alert" ;-)

 

[mark d fellows]

Don't know a whole lot about stoves to begin with, all are different, and maybe I am reading the post wrong, but I have a question. Isn't the area where your pellets are burning separate from the distribution blower section? If an ember were in the distribution system, doesn't that mean that the fumes from the burn box could just as likely be blown into your living space? These sections should be entirely sealed from one another, how does an ember come out and land on your carpet?

This was my exact question before it was asked. If an ember can escape the burn box, into the distribution blower, why can't smoke and fumes?

Seems like a strange setup.

 

[jtakeman]

did you find the ember?? If not let me know and i will put out a "ember alert" ;-)

HA HA! good one! ember alert! too funny.

I think the carpet is holding it hostage!

jay

 

[krooser]

Don't know a whole lot about stoves to begin with, all are different, and maybe I am reading the post wrong, but I have a question. Isn't the area where your pellets are burning separate from the distribution blower section? If an ember were in the distribution system, doesn't that mean that the fumes from the burn box could just as likely be blown into your living space? These sections should be entirely sealed from one another, how does an ember come out and land on your carpet?

This was my exact question before it was asked. If an ember can escape the burn box, into the distribution blower, why can't smoke and fumes?

Seems like a strange setup.

It's unlikely to escape into the room because of the pressure differential caused by the combustion blower... maybe someone could explain it better than me.

 

[mark d fellows]

Don't know a whole lot about stoves to begin with, all are different, and maybe I am reading the post wrong, but I have a question. Isn't the area where your pellets are burning separate from the distribution blower section? If an ember were in the distribution system, doesn't that mean that the fumes from the burn box could just as likely be blown into your living space? These sections should be entirely sealed from one another, how does an ember come out and land on your carpet?

This was my exact question before it was asked. If an ember can escape the burn box, into the distribution blower, why can't smoke and fumes?

Seems like a strange setup.

It's unlikely to escape into the room because of the pressure differential caused by the combustion blower... maybe someone could explain it better than me.

a better explanation is not necessary you have explained this well enough and it makes sense

However, in the event of a power outage, what then?

Mark

 

[jtakeman]

Power outage, You will loose the vacuum in the firebox. And the smoke will get out where is can.

You will find your stove leaks!

Mine is the intake air port. I don't have an OAK installed yet. Got some smoke inthe house but not too bad.

jay

 

[mark d fellows]

I unplugged mine once to see what would happen and am happy to report that the 5 foot vertical I had installed did help create a draft. No smoke or smell inside the house.