Calling Dr. Cab50 to the E.R. Code Soot

[specifieduser]

(Please forgive me, I posted this same question in another obscure forum and was unable to navigate changing it, hence the double post)

Hello, thanks in advance for the welcome. Long time reader, first time poster, love the show.
My Cab 50 is set on the lowest feed rate in the hopper, runs on full position, eats 3 bags a day and requires constant daily pot cleaning or else it overflows pellets and wants to burn up the feedtube.
The Tstat is full on, Using Lowes pellets, (although its voracious appetite could care less who makes the pellets, and they all bridge) I remove the back panels every single day and vac behind them. Once a week I take the exhaust pipe apart, clean back to the fan on each side, and reassemble.
It owns me.
Did I just buy a junk box or is there something I'm missing. Door seal good, straight out the wall direct vent install, The feed slider (what a poor design) plate is not bent or disfigured.
This unit needs an independent fan rheostat is the first thing I would suggest. Having to run at the patented "ridicufeed" rate just to achieve the high speed blower function smacks of a collusion between Heatilator and the pellet manufacturers association.
Yes, I empty the hopper and vacuum the fines out (approx. every other day)
No, I didn't buy this at a junk box store. I buy the pellets there simply because of the discount associated with using a credit card.
Prior to this we used an Amaizablaze Cheyenne corn burner. It was bullet proof. Were it not for corn priced out my economic reality, it would not be suffering unemployment. (Too soon Oldt Too late Schmart, there was a pellet conversion available I had come to discover. About 400.00 bucks and a forum said to avoid it like the plague)
There are no obstructions between the burnpot and outdoors. Nothing.
There has never been an ash in the ash drawer, a design my mind cannot convince me as being remotely safe or even UL approved. Hot Ash having access to the landscape surrounding the burner through the perforated undercarriage goes begging for a house fire. Even though I have a 5' X 5' Granite hearth 2" thick.
Had I been half intelligent when I uncrated this thing I would have put it right back on the truck.
That was a luxury not available at the time. (We moved my 95 year old father in law in 2 days after the install, life was rather pushed)
I guess I don't quite understand the Positive pressure configuration. Would the pot clog faster if the pressure was negative? If so then why employ a pot? Why not a plate such as a rice coal burner? A Tjurnland outdoor exhaust fan could be used in that situation and all of the cleaning pageantry eliminated.
I'm just sayin'
Anyhow, if you've read this far, you are an exemplary individual, if you have a solution or recommendation you will fast become my hero. Thanks folks.
Jim

 

[saladdin]

Heatilator is owned by one of the top pellet stove manufacturers and the stove itself has a lot of the same guts as quadra fire ( i believe) which is a very good stove. It's a top notch machine given the price point.

Maybe you got a bad one, it happens with everything from cars to staplers. On my 3rd year and running like a top. Many others on here like me.

I burn a ton a year and I can pick up all the ash in my ash pan in my two hands.

I don't understand what you mean by "There are no obstructions between the burnpot and outdoors. Nothing." These things have the Intertek stamp the "largest tester of consumer goods in the world." I think you are just projecting some anger but you are entitled to your opinion.


Explain your install. How many feet, etc...?

What did your dealer or cab50 customer service tell you to try?

Maybe see if dealer will let you try another control box for a time to eliminate that. How many blinks you getting?

Have an OAK?

Tried the dollar bill test on the door?

 

[saladdin]

This guy looks to have had the same issue and different pellet brand solved it. Also, some good trouble shooting advice in the thread.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/heatilator-cab50-excessive-ash-buildup-in-pot.101062/



General control box thread chat.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/cab50-control-box-rotary-switch-function.101071/

Service Manual. May or May not hellp.
(broken link removed to http://hearthnhome.com/downloads/communications/ECO%20PELLET_consumer_serv_man.pdf)

A mention of pot build up.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/cab-50-problems.110511/

Low vacuum service manual.
(broken link removed to http://www.hearthnhome.com/downloads/installManuals/7074-185.pdf)

 

[specifieduser]

Heatilator is owned by one of the top pellet stove manufacturers and the stove itself has a lot of the same guts as quadra fire ( i believe) which is a very good stove. It's a top notch machine given the price point.

Maybe you got a bad one, it happens with everything from cars to staplers. On my 3rd year and running like a top. Many others on here like me.

I burn a ton a year and I can pick up all the ash in my ash pan in my two hands.

I don't understand what you mean by "There are no obstructions between the burnpot and outdoors. Nothing." These things have the Intertek stamp the "largest tester of consumer goods in the world." I think you are just projecting some anger but you are entitled to your opinion.

I'm pretty sure cab50 works on negative pressure.

Explain your install. How many feet, etc...?

What did your dealer or cab50 customer service tell you to try?

Maybe see if dealer will let you try another control box for a time to eliminate that. How many blinks you getting?

Have an OAK?

Tried the dollar bill test on the door?

Hey thanks for the reply.
Honestly, I've not tried the dollar bill test near the door, but I have thrown a lot through it.
I'm on my third ton and it isn't even February.
I have absolutely no "tight house" issues or anger for that matter. Simply stating what has been my experience. As to cars and staples, I've yet to have a good one of those either.
Pretty much the adage that if it has ****, wheels or electric to it, you're going to have an issue has applied verbatim.
My exhaust pipe is less than 30".
By "there are no obstructions" I mean that the fan housing is free of any foreign matter (at least once a week anyhow) as are the flue conveyance.
From the burner to outside being a clear unobstructed pathway unencumbered by any matter of any type.
I am in a moderate wind situation and have the correct static pressure as measured by a flue magnahelic gauge.
The inner air regulation damper, is fully open.
The crating securing holes as well as the third grade welding class ash drawer glide rail are direct conduits to room atmosphere. Hence my disdain for ratings by institutions who stand to gain from positive ratings. Surely this is not your first introduction to that reality. Think pharmaceutical, think FDA, or pretty much anything anyone shops a stamp of approval for.
No credit whatsoever should be applied to my contacting either the manufacturer or dealer. Both fine and reputable I'm sure.
I stopped in here to see if I was missing something glaringly obvious.
I have a unit which draws indoor air up through a pot, directs it behind some panel air path routing deflectors, passes it across a fan blade and exhausts It to atmosphere. Denominate that as you will, but it is diametrically opposed to the method a corn burner uses. The "upgrade" conversion to a corn burner in fact requires the removal of the existing fan which draws air down through the pot and replacing with one that does the exact opposite. The general better design feature being, there is only the pit to clean and not everything in the greater metropolitan are is covered with ash.
So to the point of the post, can you please add some salient operational, design, maintenance or troubleshooting technique that may aid in determining what my particular problem with this burner may be?
Thanks very much.
Jim

 

[specifieduser]

Heatilator is owned by one of the top pellet stove manufacturers and the stove itself has a lot of the same guts as quadra fire ( i believe) which is a very good stove. It's a top notch machine given the price point.

Maybe you got a bad one, it happens with everything from cars to staplers. On my 3rd year and running like a top. Many others on here like me.

I burn a ton a year and I can pick up all the ash in my ash pan in my two hands.

I don't understand what you mean by "There are no obstructions between the burnpot and outdoors. Nothing." These things have the Intertek stamp the "largest tester of consumer goods in the world." I think you are just projecting some anger but you are entitled to your opinion.


Explain your install. How many feet, etc...?

What did your dealer or cab50 customer service tell you to try?

Maybe see if dealer will let you try another control box for a time to eliminate that. How many blinks you getting?

Have an OAK?

Tried the dollar bill test on the door?

I just can't leave well enough alone, please frame my references here, not, as directed towards you in any negative capacity but as affirmation of the prostitution any Ratings Approval Organization in general but specifically the one referenced here.
www.rfcexpress.com/lawsuits/employment/...intertek.../summary/‎
www.usovertimelawyers.com/...litigation/adeva-intertek-overtime
-lawsuiwww.chinalaborwatch.org/news/new-370.html‎
www.intertek.com › Services › Health & Environment‎
China Labor Watch

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.
And..
Thank you for the links, I had gone over those prior to posting hoping that I might glean some valuable insight.
I am dropping at the prescribed rate. My unit never shuts off (intentionally, I use it to heat 1/2 of a 4000 foot house, long story)
I had tried a half ton of many brands of pellets but settled in on a brand manufactured closest to me as I am trying to be as responsible as I can be relative to delivery miles and shopping local. The carbon neutral rating advertised on each and every bag of pellets and emblazoned on every manufactures literature being a giant leap of departure in truth I try to do what I can to close that gap. The point of mentioning the variety of pellets was that it simply did not make a difference. (Which may be a self solved problem as the availability of pellets is diminishing at a faster rate than the race to spring) At which point, I will move this burner to the barn and move the wood burner into the house.( I was trying to avoid the whole temporary junk triple wall pipe install and just get my chimney block laid up, but the weather and new house guest was something of an interruption)
Now to provide a sane nonflip answer to the dollar bill door gasket test.
My interior burn box static pressure is actually .17 inches. A testament to my lack of well insulated house built in the 1800's. that's a number greater than they spec on the "troubleshooting" guide.
My intention in buying this initially was to outfit it with a water coil around the burnpot circulate that to a heat exchanger (calculated at a flow of 1.5 gpm at a btu xfer rate (including nominal xfer/exchange loss) somewhere in the neighborhood of 18,000 btu. That's off the table as it would be impractical in this application where the unit is designed to cover the coil in soot and ash thereby rendering the latent heat non transferable.
As it is, unfortunately, we are paying for 50,000 btus, and in reality only getting about 32,000 btus for it. Another giant dent in the entire "Carbon Neutral" myth.
But then again, reverse engineer who may have stamped that as being gospel for a few shillings and take it from there.
I'm going with horrible design, final answer.
If....you could tailor your own feed rate (via rheostat) (which is a cheap retrofit) and tailor the fan rate (via rheostat) (another cheap upgrade) throw out the control board, Add some large hollow metal tubes that originate outside the fire box, pass through it, and terminate outside it again, (really cheap although somewhat labor intensive as the cabinet is of such construct and materials that burning through it would be a constant issue) adding a considerable measure of heat transfer, currently being just wasted to heating the great outdoors. Then perhaps this might approach its price tag. But sad isn't it that you have to completely reinvent the wheel to make it roll properly?

 

[mralias]

Think I need a translator for this thread.

 

[kilbury]

I just can't leave well enough alone, please frame my references here, not, as directed towards you in any negative capacity but as affirmation of the prostitution any Ratings Approval Organization in general but specifically the one referenced here.
www.rfcexpress.com/lawsuits/employment/...intertek.../summary/‎
www.usovertimelawyers.com/...litigation/adeva-intertek-overtime
-lawsuiwww.chinalaborwatch.org/news/new-370.html‎
www.intertek.com › Services › Health & Environment‎
China Labor Watch

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.
And..
Thank you for the links, I had gone over those prior to posting hoping that I might glean some valuable insight.
I am dropping at the prescribed rate. My unit never shuts off (intentionally, I use it to heat 1/2 of a 4000 foot house, long story)
I had tried a half ton of many brands of pellets but settled in on a brand manufactured closest to me as I am trying to be as responsible as I can be relative to delivery miles and shopping local. The carbon neutral rating advertised on each and every bag of pellets and emblazoned on every manufactures literature being a giant leap of departure in truth I try to do what I can to close that gap. The point of mentioning the variety of pellets was that it simply did not make a difference. (Which may be a self solved problem as the availability of pellets is diminishing at a faster rate than the race to spring) At which point, I will move this burner to the barn and move the wood burner into the house.( I was trying to avoid the whole temporary junk triple wall pipe install and just get my chimney block laid up, but the weather and new house guest was something of an interruption)
Now to provide a sane nonflip answer to the dollar bill door gasket test.
My interior burn box static pressure is actually .17 inches. A testament to my lack of well insulated house built in the 1800's. that's a number greater than they spec on the "troubleshooting" guide.
My intention in buying this initially was to outfit it with a water coil around the burnpot circulate that to a heat exchanger (calculated at a flow of 1.5 gpm at a btu xfer rate (including nominal xfer/exchange loss) somewhere in the neighborhood of 18,000 btu. That's off the table as it would be impractical in this application where the unit is designed to cover the coil in soot and ash thereby rendering the latent heat non transferable.
As it is, unfortunately, we are paying for 50,000 btus, and in reality only getting about 32,000 btus for it. Another giant dent in the entire "Carbon Neutral" myth.
But then again, reverse engineer who may have stamped that as being gospel for a few shillings and take it from there.
I'm going with horrible design, final answer.
If....you could tailor your own feed rate (via rheostat) (which is a cheap retrofit) and tailor the fan rate (via rheostat) (another cheap upgrade) throw out the control board, Add some large hollow metal tubes that originate outside the fire box, pass through it, and terminate outside it again, (really cheap although somewhat labor intensive as the cabinet is of such construct and materials that burning through it would be a constant issue) adding a considerable measure of heat transfer, currently being just wasted to heating the great outdoors. Then perhaps this might approach its price tag. But sad isn't it that you have to completely reinvent the wheel to make it roll properly?

So you're saying your going through 5 pounds an hour in a 24 hour period with the feed rate adjustment in the hopper closed as much as possible? How about that control box, what setting is it on? They do carry a warranty if you wanted the dealer to look at it.
As far as the modifications you had suggested, they do make that stove to an extent. It's called a Quadrafire, Harman or many other brands of pellets stoves on the market. Eco choice line was designed to be a simple affordable stove to compete with the box stores product. Better design = increased cost = bigger price tag.
All that said, sounds like a control box issue to me.

 

[specifieduser]

So you're saying your going through 5 pounds an hour in a 24 hour period with the feed rate adjustment in the hopper closed as much as possible? How about that control box, what setting is it on? They do carry a warranty if you wanted the dealer to look at it.
As far as the modifications you had suggested, they do make that stove to an extent. It's called a Quadrafire, Harman or many other brands of pellets stoves on the market. Eco choice line was designed to be a simple affordable stove to compete with the box stores product. Better design = increased cost = bigger price tag.
All that said, sounds like a control box issue to me.

 

[St_Earl]

looks like others have given lots of good replies.
i will only add that in 3 seasons w/ the heatilator PS50, i have had exactly one upper auger jam.
other than the igniter burning out recently, that has been the only thing.
and the ash drawer gets full over time.

i have been completely happy w/ the stove.
the electrics have a one year warranty. so if part of the problem is a control box issue, it will be covered.
best of luck getting it sorted. : )

 

[specifieduser]

Thanks for your reply Kilbury, Well,
My motor auger on time is approx. 3 seconds. Tech spec is 2.7. I don't have anything to split hairs that finely so I'm going with that's about right. My total daily usage is about 130/140 pounds which is consistent with that feed rate. Tech spec. 5.8 pounds per hour on high.
My dealer will eventually be introduced to this issue but right now, as the instructions relate "you may need to clean burnpot each day" I think I fall outside the parameter of something being "wrong". Regardless. I will no doubt have that conversation. Eventually
Most generally, in my experience, the folks in the forums have vastly superior knowledge than what I would assign to the dealer. Might be wrong, but so far, whether it was a 1000 ton McQuay Chiller or a million dollar Johnson Controls automation system, I go forums first. That's been infallible. To date.
The cost of this burner wasn't all that different from some other burners, maybe 6 or 7 hundred bucks, the key feature of this one was that he had it in stock. The others were one two or three weeks out. He assured me that it burned pellets, it does. He said it was reliable, it has been. We hadn't discussed maintenance frequencies to be quite honest. It's not broken, it just has so many areas ripe and begging for improvements. The pot overfilling is somewhat problematic, but I have not read of anyone else torturin g theirs 24 hours a day on full burn. Maybe that's just how it is? Or maybe....design flaw? The draft motor draws the correct amperage by the way, one of the first tests I performed. Were it weak or experiencing an intermittent power issue that test would exploit that.
I'll keep posting my results so that anyone experiencing the same or similar issues might find their fix within.
Thanks again Sir.

 

[specifieduser]

Well, its all sparkly clean again, eating the slugs and belching the heat. When it runs like this(for about the first 30/40 pounds) its as advertised. It's the next couple of bags that make me hate it, until....I repeat the process ad infinitum.
So how exactly did we let ourselves be duped into the "lesser price point, almost as good, not quite as expensive as a proper one, almost designed well, just needs a few mods" and then cheerfully report our satisfaction?
Why would someone produce a substandard inefficient model in the first place? The reviews I read on the Cab50 were for the most part wrote in glowing terms. Is it that this is everyones first foray into biomass alternates? I hardly think so.
I'm very disappointed in this unit. Compared to the corn burner the design is an abject failure.
Just out of curiosity, does anyone have a proper working, minimum maintenance (burn for more than a week without doing anything) biomass unit in any price range they would actually brag on? Just askin'
I have pretty much been enamored of the gasification biomass units. The costs, not so much, but the concept is alluring to be sure.
In the videos I've watched the entire concept is front to back brilliant. An entire seasons ash in a lunch bag? Such are the claims.
The fuel delivery system is much like our fuel oil system here in the states. They bring it in a truck and transfer hose it into your storage bin, tank, basement hopper etc.
They rate it at an amazing efficiency as well.
Sit down...7 or 8 grand. Euro style. About 10 stateside guesses me. But, assuming proper construction and few repairs the payback would be outstanding.
My price per ton is 216.00 here in Pa. I'm three deep so far and looking down the hopper at probably three more (conservatively)
The bomb I have set me back about 1700, incl. accessories, pipe, ashvac etc.
Drop the bomb carry the one...I'm 3 large for the year.
So I spend 10, drop the pellet cost from 6 ton to 2 saving 900.00 per year and eliminating all the trips to get pellets, all the cleaning, save a few trees along the way...
Voila'
Just try and find one to go see and touch. Thats the problem. Two tickets to Scandanavia please.
Or may as well be.
Well thanks, you're a good bunch of eggs to indulge my babbling like you do.
More as it progresses much more as it declines. Take care. Jim

 

[St_Earl]

i don't feel "duped" at all.
my "price point' was what it was and i bought what my research told me would be a stove that would meet my needs.
as i wrote earlier, i have had exactly one upper auger jam in the the three seasons i've spent with my PS50 (same stove as the CAB50 but w/ smaller hopper)
in the three winters i've been on this forum, i have most certainly not read anyone report that their heatilator is bridging constantly. or really anything but very rarely.
i'm not sure why you have an overflowing burn pot.
mine has never even come close to overflowing. as a matter of fact it chugs along just fine as per it's design.
you say you aren't getting any ash in the pan. my stove's ash pan has been collecting it's regular quota for three seasons now.

my stove is a gem as far as i am concerned. keeps my whole house warm when temps approach 20 below.
it's not a bomb as you describe it. and it's a solid, if simple, design.

i love my stove. yep.

 

[rexrules]

What kind of pellets are you burning?

And can you describe your vent setup? Straight out the wall? And elbows or tees?

 

[Nick of PA]

Since this cold snap, I've been running about 8 hours a day high, 16 hours medium. I shut off once a day to scrape burn pot and in my opinion, that is even unnecessary as I have a small layer of ash on the bottom of the pot not even close to covering the lower holes. I just like to keep it clean. Keeping about 1500 sq foot at 70 downstairs and 66 upstairs where we sleep, perfect in my opinion.

I would try some different pellets

 

[specifieduser]

What kind of pellets are you burning?

And can you describe your vent setup? Straight out the wall? And elbows or tees?

I have a 45 ell directly out of the unit connected to a 24" straight through a wall thimble and 45 term ell with screen down as down tube.

 

[specifieduser]

Since this cold snap, I've been running about 8 hours a day high, 16 hours medium. I shut off once a day to scrape burn pot and in my opinion, that is even unnecessary as I have a small layer of ash on the bottom of the pot not even close to covering the lower holes. I just like to keep it clean. Keeping about 1500 sq foot at 70 downstairs and 66 upstairs where we sleep, perfect in my opinion.

I would try some different pellets

Much appreciated, actually, I have tried 2 different brands (from same source, different bags) from the guy I bought this from, no noticeable difference, and I tried two different Lowes versions before settling in on a product called "Cheat River Hardwood Pellet Fuel" I think I mentioned somewhere up there^^^^ that they are the most local distributed brand and as all were seemingly equal I went that way.
My unit runs full on every minute of every day, a function that is not specified as being not recommended by the manufacturer. 95 year old guys like it warm. Really warm. I figure the guy laid in the mud for about 3 and a half years in Europe getting shot at and is probably still cold behind that. Cleaning this is comparatively not a sacrifice. But, and there is always a but, if I don't have to babysit this thing quite so often, that too would be welcomed.
Typically, the temperature in the living room we converted to a hospital environment is anywhere from 75 to around 82. The adjacent rooms of course fall away from that figure.


Best of continued success to you friend.

 

[specifieduser]

i don't feel "duped" at all.
my "price point' was what it was and i bought what my research told me would be a stove that would meet my needs.
as i wrote earlier, i have had exactly one upper auger jam in the the three seasons i've spent with my PS50 (same stove as the CAB50 but w/ smaller hopper)
in the three winters i've been on this forum, i have most certainly not read anyone report that their heatilator is bridging constantly. or really anything but very rarely.
i'm not sure why you have an overflowing burn pot.
mine has never even come close to overflowing. as a matter of fact it chugs along just fine as per it's design.
you say you aren't getting any ash in the pan. my stove's ash pan has been collecting it's regular quota for three seasons now.

my stove is a gem as far as i am concerned. keeps my whole house warm when temps approach 20 below.
it's not a bomb as you describe it. and it's a solid, if simple, design.

i love my stove. yep.

 

[specifieduser]

i don't feel "duped" at all.
my "price point' was what it was and i bought what my research told me would be a stove that would meet my needs.
as i wrote earlier, i have had exactly one upper auger jam in the the three seasons i've spent with my PS50 (same stove as the CAB50 but w/ smaller hopper)
in the three winters i've been on this forum, i have most certainly not read anyone report that their heatilator is bridging constantly. or really anything but very rarely.
i'm not sure why you have an overflowing burn pot.
mine has never even come close to overflowing. as a matter of fact it chugs along just fine as per it's design.
you say you aren't getting any ash in the pan. my stove's ash pan has been collecting it's regular quota for three seasons now.

my stove is a gem as far as i am concerned. keeps my whole house warm when temps approach 20 below.
it's not a bomb as you describe it. and it's a solid, if simple, design.

i love my stove. yep.

That photo is what is found in the service manual describing a Clinker. That would not even fit into the pot I have.
Are they, do you suppose suggesting that event the trigger for maintenance? Planned obsolescence if you will?
They also have another quite interesting warning.
WARNING

Fire Risk

• High ash fuels, or lack of maintenance, can cause the firepot to overfill. Follow proper shutdown procedure if ash buildup exceeds halfway point in firepot.

• Failure to do could result in smoking, sooting and possible hopper fires.

A quick glance at the design will distinguish the inherent flaw, The hopper and the feed tube are in direct contact with one another with no firewall whatsoever beyond the warning to not allow the pot to fill more than half way? WOW!
It would seem the same third grade child who welded my unit actually designed it. Full circle back to "This has a legitimate approval from a noted industry rating authority"
So just to be clear, they are not suggesting that you sit in front of it and watch it doesn't burn your house down. They are demanding you follow that specific instruction

Anyhow back to the reply I'm posting to. I stated that I would not allow any ash beyond that which falls through the pot, into the pan to be introduced to it. By that I mean, I have a healthy fear of dumping hot embers into a space where air is whirling about and could possibly be introduced to indoor living space. Think, Wow, I wonder why they wouldn't put a gasket on the ashpan? Must be a cost saving measure to compete with the box store? The same box store they make a similar unit for only substantially worse?
I'm personally delighted that you have such tremendous success with your unit. I do not wish in any way to diminish that relationship.
I would however suggest that you fire it on high for several days in a row and report your outcomes.
My application demands all of the approx. 32,000 available btus be employed.
Hence the utilization. My problem with it is that is appears to be substandard.
If it meets every tech spec, burns flawlessly for about the first 30 or 40 pounds after a complete and thorough cleaning regimen that they maintain only need applied in monthly or longer intervals and then degrades in performance precipitously, then it's design.
If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck there's a fine chance that a reasonable person could conclude it isn't a fish.
Clearly there is much room on every forum for disagreement. Not so much in the animal community at large.

 

[rexrules]

Your unit is pretty much a quadrafire without the more advanced heat exchanger. Proven design that works well.

You still haven't answered the question about what pellets you are using.

 

[St_Earl]

View attachment 125954That photo is what is found in the service manual describing a Clinker. That would not even fit into the pot I have.
Are they, do you suppose suggesting that event the trigger for maintenance? Planned obsolescence if you will?
They also have another quite interesting warning.
WARNING

Fire Risk

• High ash fuels, or lack of maintenance, can cause the firepot to overfill. Follow proper shutdown procedure if ash buildup exceeds halfway point in firepot.

• Failure to do could result in smoking, sooting and possible hopper fires.

A quick glance at the design will distinguish the inherent flaw, The hopper and the feed tube are in direct contact with one another with no firewall whatsoever beyond the warning to not allow the pot to fill more than half way? WOW!
It would seem the same third grade child who welded my unit actually designed it. Full circle back to "This has a legitimate approval from a noted industry rating authority"
So just to be clear, they are not suggesting that you sit in front of it and watch it doesn't burn your house down. They are demanding you follow that specific instruction

Anyhow back to the reply I'm posting to. I stated that I would not allow any ash beyond that which falls through the pot, into the pan to be introduced to it. By that I mean, I have a healthy fear of dumping hot embers into a space where air is whirling about and could possibly be introduced to indoor living space. Think, Wow, I wonder why they wouldn't put a gasket on the ashpan? Must be a cost saving measure to compete with the box store? The same box store they make a similar unit for only substantially worse?
I'm personally delighted that you have such tremendous success with your unit. I do not wish in any way to diminish that relationship.
I would however suggest that you fire it on high for several days in a row and report your outcomes.
My application demands all of the approx. 32,000 available btus be employed.
Hence the utilization. My problem with it is that is appears to be substandard.
If it meets every tech spec, burns flawlessly for about the first 30 or 40 pounds after a complete and thorough cleaning regimen that they maintain only need applied in monthly or longer intervals and then degrades in performance precipitously, then it's design.
If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck there's a fine chance that a reasonable person could conclude it isn't a fish.
Clearly there is much room on every forum for disagreement. Not so much in the animal community at large.

i am usually polite to a tee here.

but i'm at the point where i have to mention my growing feeling that this whole thread is a troll venture.

 

[St_Earl]

Your unit is pretty much a quadrafire without the more advanced heat exchanger. Proven design that works well.

You still haven't answered the question about what pellets you are using.

Proven design that works well.
x1000

 

[The Ds]

We've had our PS50 for two years now and have been quite satisfied. No buildup like you've described. As the pellets burn, the ash is blown out of the fire pot into the firebox. Depending upon the pellets (Greene Teams come to mind), sometimes a clinker will form in the bottom of the pot. Once a day, as recommended in the manual, we shut it down (turn stat down), let it cool until fans turn off (about 20 min.), then I go in with a little broom and dustpan and clean up the ash that's in the firebox. Since it's still got embers, I place this ash in the ashpan. I take the metal tool that's included with the stove and run it around the firepot. Break up the clinker, if present, at this time. Usually wipe the glass with a dry paper towel at this time too. Close the door, pull the rod twice, turn the stat back up and wait for the fire. Cleaning process takes less than 10 min. We're back up and running within 30 min. of shutdown

Specifieduser, I noticed your location. I used to live there too. Check with the Agway on Rt. 68 and see if they still have pellets in stock. They carry Lignetics. Try a bag or two of those and see if the problems persist. We usually burn our Ligs with the feedgate about half open; the Ligs burn well on low or medium with that amount of pellets being fed. Try not to be discouraged, you'll get this figured out.

 

[specifieduser]

Your unit is pretty much a quadrafire without the more advanced heat exchanger. Proven design that works well.

You still haven't answered the question about what pellets you are using.

Okay, if that's been your experience, that's fantastic.
I use Cheat River pellets manufactured in Greene County Pa.
Again, after test burning 1/2 ton of four different varieties and experiencing no distinguishable differences, I chose to buy pellets that have traveled the least amount if miles thereby having the smallest carbon footprint.
Surely, of the four manufacturers one would have a marked difference. They did not.
The unit burns fine, once again, it simply requires an unacceptable level of maintenance. And the mess associated with that maintenance.
If by proven design you are referring to it functioning properly with an inordinate amount of maintenance required, you are spot on. No disagreement there whatsoever.
If by proven design with a proper level of redundant safety, or environmentally responsible efficiencies, here we part company.
32,000 btus out of 50,000 expended does not qualify as efficient.
A chair next to the unit to watch the burnpot ensuring it doesn't fill beyond half way thereby igniting contents of the hopper is not actually a universally accepted safeguard.
This thing will be fantastic in the barn. I will enclose it in a concrete block vault. That will a) capture its wasted heat, and b) eliminate the need for the optional chair (which should be standard equipment) and constant monitoring.
My quick look at reviews of Cheat River Pellets are a snapshot if what owners here report about their units. They either like them or hate them, nothing in between.
Have a great day

 

[specifieduser]

We've had our PS50 for two years now and have been quite satisfied. No buildup like you've described. As the pellets burn, the ash is blown out of the fire pot into the firebox. Depending upon the pellets (Greene Teams come to mind), sometimes a clinker will form in the bottom of the pot. Once a day, as recommended in the manual, we shut it down (turn stat down), let it cool until fans turn off (about 20 min.), then I go in with a little broom and dustpan and clean up the ash that's in the firebox. Since it's still got embers, I place this ash in the ashpan. I take the metal tool that's included with the stove and run it around the firepot. Break up the clinker, if present, at this time. Usually wipe the glass with a dry paper towel at this time too. Close the door, pull the rod twice, turn the stat back up and wait for the fire. Cleaning process takes less than 10 min. We're back up and running within 30 min. of shutdown

Specifieduser, I noticed your location. I used to live there too. Check with the Agway on Rt. 68 and see if they still have pellets in stock. They carry Lignetics. Try a bag or two of those and see if the problems persist. We usually burn our Ligs with the feedgate about half open; the Ligs burn well on low or medium with that amount of pellets being fed. Try not to be discouraged, you'll get this figured out.

Thanks "D's".
I will grab a dozen or so. In fact, There's a scarcity of any pellets anywhere right now. Maybe just maybe Agway will be a well kept secret. Take care.

 

[specifieduser]

i am usually polite to a tee here.

but i'm at the point where i have to mention my growing feeling that this whole thread is a troll venture.

Quite honestly, your passionate defense has me concluding you are the manufacturer. Just sayin'