Combustion fan cleaning interval

[Yuneec Pilot]

I'm not sure if I have a problem with my stove or if regular cleaning of the combustion fan is needed. I cleaned the fan and I've used about 10 bags of premium hardwood pellets and it needs to be cleaned already. I'm wondering if the fan is not running at full speed.
Looking for some direction .

 

[DAKSY]

Can you tell us what model you are burning?

 

[Ssyko]

Regular cleaning is normal. I would look at your fuel and fire. Thats a lot of deposits for 10 bags.

 

[tlc1976]

I clean mine about once a ton. I agree, looks like a lot for 10 bags.

I found with mine, I will have to clean the pipe (and blower) considerably more often if I have the blower running too high. Rather than more of the ash staying in the firebox, it ends up in the chimney. Also a ridiculous amount of clinker in the burnpot.

My experience FWIW anyway. My blower doesn't even have the same wheel type.

 

[Yuneec Pilot]

Can you tell us what model you are burning?

It's a Pelpro multi-fuel step top.

 

[Yuneec Pilot]

I clean mine about once a ton. I agree, looks like a lot for 10 bags.
I found with mine, I will have to clean the pipe (and blower) considerably more often if I have the blower running too high. Rather than more of the ash staying in the firebox, it ends up in the chimney. Also a ridiculous amount of clinker in the burnpot.
My experience FWIW anyway. My blower doesn't even have the same wheel type.

Ah...okay. That makes sense. I was thinking I needed more air. When I first started using it I got very modest amount of clinkers and now I'm getting a lot.

 

[DAKSY]

If your stove was starved for air, you'd see a LOT more soot in the fly ash.

 

[Yuneec Pilot]

If your stove was starved for air, you'd see a LOT more soot in the fly ash.

Since this is my first pellet stove it's difficult for me to recognize the difference although the squirrel cage appears to be filled with ash rather than soot.

 

[Ssyko]

You want your flame to be busy and bright yellow/orange. If it slow and the flame is dark orange and black give it more air.

 

[dozerdean]

I clean my pellets and that to me makes a difference in soot and burning.. IMO!

 

[Yuneec Pilot]

I clean my pellets and that to me makes a difference in soot and burning.. IMO!

So you get out the dust and tiny pieces? I'm pretty lucky to have a pellet operation just 10 miles away so the there isn't too much handling damage.

 

[dozerdean]

So you get out the dust and tiny pieces? I'm pretty lucky to have a pellet operation just 10 miles away so the there isn't too much handling damage.

That's nice, wish I had that option!

 

[zhaas]

I have a Pelpro flat top wood pellet stove, only a couple years of use on it. Pulling the fan and cleaning it out is considered normal maintenance, and should be done on a normal basis, depending on how much pellets, and what type, you burn. My stove went a full season and a 60 bags of Heartlands and it still wasnt bad enough to need it, but I cleaned it anyway. 10 bags seems excessive. Pelpros are great stoves, but one of the downfalls is the poor exhaust blower design, without a removable hub and the squirrel cage. I just converted mine to a housing with a removable hub, and a ball bearing fan with a paddle type impeller, which will make cleaning much easier, and I suggest you do the same, especially if your having issues like you are. I also purchased a high temp silicone gasket sheet and made all new gaskets from it so I dont have to replace them every time I clean it out. I could have went with a housing/motor assembly, and it is possible, Don2222 has a forum on here where he does it, but this is a direct fit and was in total only about $100, and if the motor needs to be replaced ever, it can be purchased by itself for $60. Also I believe an Englander exhaust fan assembly would work with a little fitting, its the last link on here.

Motor/paddle- (broken link removed to https://www.ebay.com/itm/Harman-Exhaust-Combustion-Fan-Blower-Motor-FAN-PADDLE-3-21-08639-PH-UNIVCOMB/262503697155?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=561330662004&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649)

Housing- (broken link removed to https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pellet-Stove-Combustion-Exhaust-Blower-Housing/122961127714?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D48498%26meid%3D9a7cfec3465a447186853601554e9dee%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D112682242121%26itm%3D122961127714&_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850)

You will have to make the hub that the motor mounts to out of some sheet metal with these two options,and fill one hole with rtv, but its fairly simple, . If you dont have the resources to do that, here is another link to a motor that includes a hub.

Motor/paddle/hub-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Englander-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


Englander Exhaust Blower- https://www.homedepot.com/p/England...-Englander-Pellet-Stoves-PU-076002B/202339044

 

[tlc1976]

So you get out the dust and tiny pieces? I'm pretty lucky to have a pellet operation just 10 miles away so the there isn't too much handling damage.

When I was burning Kirtlands... there's a factory about 10 miles away. They offered factory pickup. But to go pick them up myself from the factory would require part of a day off work, and $240/ton. Yet somehow they could ship them to Family Farm and Home about 15 miles in the opposite direction so about 25 from the factory. And I could drive there evenings or weekends, and pick them up every day for $200/ton during that same time period. They loaded them for me too.

 

[Yuneec Pilot]

When I was burning Kirtlands... there's a factory about 10 miles away. They offered factory pickup. But to go pick them up myself from the factory would require part of a day off work, and $240/ton. Yet somehow they could ship them to Family Farm and Home about 15 miles in the opposite direction so about 25 from the factory. And I could drive there evenings or weekends, and pick them up every day for $200/ton during that same time period. They loaded them for me too.

About the same for me except the lumber yard has them. They load a one ton pallet on my truck for $200. Then a twelve pack and a few neighbors to unload.

 

[Yuneec Pilot]

I have a Pelpro flat top wood pellet stove, only a couple years of use on it. Pulling the fan and cleaning it out is considered normal maintenance, and should be done on a normal basis, depending on how much pellets, and what type, you burn. My stove went a full season and a 60 bags of Heartlands and it still wasnt bad enough to need it, but I cleaned it anyway. 10 bags seems excessive. Pelpros are great stoves, but one of the downfalls is the poor exhaust blower design, without a removable hub and the squirrel cage. I just converted mine to a housing with a removable hub, and a ball bearing fan with a paddle type impeller, which will make cleaning much easier, and I suggest you do the same, especially if your having issues like you are. I also purchased a high temp silicone gasket sheet and made all new gaskets from it so I dont have to replace them every time I clean it out. I could have went with a housing/motor assembly, and it is possible, Don2222 has a forum on here where he does it, but this is a direct fit and was in total only about $100, and if the motor needs to be replaced ever, it can be purchased by itself for $60. Also I believe an Englander exhaust fan assembly would work with a little fitting, its the last link on here.

Motor/paddle- (broken link removed to https://www.ebay.com/itm/Harman-Exhaust-Combustion-Fan-Blower-Motor-FAN-PADDLE-3-21-08639-PH-UNIVCOMB/262503697155?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=561330662004&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649)

Housing- (broken link removed to https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pellet-Stove-Combustion-Exhaust-Blower-Housing/122961127714?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D48498%26meid%3D9a7cfec3465a447186853601554e9dee%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D112682242121%26itm%3D122961127714&_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850)

You will have to make the hub that the motor mounts to out of some sheet metal with these two options,and fill one hole with rtv, but its fairly simple, . If you dont have the resources to do that, here is another link to a motor that includes a hub.

Motor/paddle/hub-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Englander-Pellet-Stove-Combustion-Exhaust-Blower-Motor-4-3-4-Paddle-PU-076002B/172700242714?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


Englander Exhaust Blower- https://www.homedepot.com/p/England...-Englander-Pellet-Stoves-PU-076002B/202339044

This is the one I was going to buy. Looks like it is sold now, but with the numbers I think I can find another one.

https://www.bonanza.com/listings/Ex...d_notify&utm_medium=Notifier&utm_source=email

 

[Yuneec Pilot]

This looks to be the sames;

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Exhaust-Bl...182879365175?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

 

[zhaas]

Looks like that should work good, if you are not able to locate one like I said, the Englander one I posted would work good. Here is a link to a forum that shows the replacement if you havent read it already.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...d-noisy-exhaust-blower-any-suggestions.95090/

 

[zhaas]

The only thing that made me nervous with that one is that its a no name, off brand, cheapie, and I dont know how warranty would work with them or if the motor will last or not. Not trying to turn you away from it, you can get a replacement motor from earth sense for around $60 that should fit perfect, but just throwing a little caution out.

 

[Yuneec Pilot]

Looks like that should work good, if you are not able to locate one like I said, the Englander one I posted would work good. Here is a link to a forum that shows the replacement if you havent read it already.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...d-noisy-exhaust-blower-any-suggestions.95090/

Thanks for the link. Good read. And my blower is fairly noisy as well. After I cleaned it, I tried to get some light oil into the bearings but it didn't seem to help. Think I'll just order the eBay model and see if it fits. It's the paddle fan so it should make life much easier. You guys are a great help. What the heck did we do before all these forums were started?

 

[zhaas]

Thanks for the link. Good read. And my blower is fairly noisy as well. After I cleaned it, I tried to get some light oil into the bearings but it didn't seem to help. Think I'll just order the eBay model and see if it fits. It's the paddle fan so it should make life much easier. You guys are a great help. What the heck did we do before all these forums were started?

It will fit. I checked into that one and a couple of the links on eBay have measuments, and it seems to measure the same exact. If you have any issues, just get back on here and let me know, I will try my best to help.

 

[zhaas]

It will fit. I checked into that one and a couple of the links on eBay have measuments, and it seems to measure the same exact. If you have any issues, just get back on here and let me know, I will try my best to help.

Actually, the housing I used was for a breckwell, so it was the same exact housing. I just like to build stuff if I get the chance, and this was a good opportunity for me to fiddle around!

 

[Ssyko]

Read the fine print on the ebay motors. Or message the seller to insure the motor is compatible with speed control. Most are not! They will work/fit but only have 1 speed, high. Any other setting it will just hum and gets hot till it thermally shuts down.

 

[zhaas]

The

Read the fine print on the ebay motors. Or message the seller to insure the motor is compatible with speed control. Most are not! They will work/fit but only have 1 speed, high. Any other setting it will just hum and gets hot till it thermally shuts down.

The one I got from earth sense off eBay (pellet head.com) the speed does vary between pellet feed rates 1-4, but they are a reputable seller. I can't speak of the one he's looking at, but the motor is the same besides the name brand. May be best to ask the seller though, and hope they give you a straight answer.

 

[Yuneec Pilot]

The

The one I got from earth sense off eBay (pellet head.com) the speed does vary between pellet feed rates 1-4, but they are a reputable seller. I can't speak of the one he's looking at, but the motor is the same besides the name brand. May be best to ask the seller though, and hope they give you a straight answer.

I don't believe the speed varies on my combustion fan. It does on the convection fan. There is an air flow adjustment in the intake to control the air flow.