Do pellet stoves generate more soot and ash than wood stoves?

[georgepds]

I only speak from my experience, and I wonder if it is because my pellet stove did not work correctly. I’ll have to look to see the model, I can’t remember it just now. It sat in the basement and was connected to a ~35’ tall 6” diameter chimney. This pellet stove generated huge reams of black sooty ash. After a couple of seasons using it, I just stopped, it was way too dirty
By contrast, my progress hybrid wood stove generates a fine grey powder ash, no black soot whatsoever. It sits on the first floor, and is connected to a ~25’ tall 6” diameter chimney. It’s predecessor, a pre-epa Jotul combi-fire wood stove , did nearly as well
So I wonder if my experience is common, or if I just had a lousy pellet stove

 

[smoke show]

So I wonder if my experience is common, or if I just had a lousy pellet stove

not common.

 

[343amc]

x2 for uncommon. It sounds like the pellet stove may have had a bit of breathing difficulty.

 

[MCPO]

I only speak from my experience, and I wonder if it is because my pellet stove did not work correctly. I’ll have to look to see the model, I can’t remember it just now. It sat in the basement and was connected to a ~35’ tall 6” diameter chimney. This pellet stove generated huge reams of black sooty ash. After a couple of seasons using it, I just stopped, it was way too dirty
By contrast, my progress hybrid wood stove generates a fine grey powder ash, no black soot whatsoever. It sits on the first floor, and is connected to a ~25’ tall 6” diameter chimney. It’s predecessor, a pre-epa Jotul combi-fire wood stove , did nearly as well
So I wonder if my experience is common, or if I just had a lousy pellet stove

I`m really quite surprised that you actually used the pellet stove for a couple seasons and have to ask such basic questions. You should have asked these same questions two seasons ago.
The first thing you must do is find out if the chimney is in good operating condition and if the stove venting is properly connected to it. Then you need to learn more about your pellet stove and how to operate it , presuming of course that it`s been properly cleaned and checked by someone who knows what he`s doing.

 

[imacman]

The question most of would ask would be, when was the pellet stove disassembled completely and all ash traps and exhaust system vacuumed and blown out, combustion blower removed, cleaned, and re-installed w/ a new gasket, both blower motors checked for full speed operation, and the convection blower bearings oiled?

The ash you describe is fairly common in a dirty, not well maintained stove.

 

[smilejamaica]

The question most of would ask would be, when was the pellet stove disassembled completely and all ash traps and exhaust system vacuumed and blown out, combustion blower removed, cleaned, and re-installed w/ a new gasket, both blower motors checked for full speed operation, and the convection blower bearings oiled?

The ash you describe is fairly common in a dirty, not well maintained stove.

geesh and I thought we just had to hit the on switch ...someone at work told me that before ..

 

[Lake Girl]

Welcome to the forum! It is not normal to have black soot

I agree that it sounds like an air issue. It would help if you provided info on the stove type, whether you have an outside air kit, maintenance routine. The 35' of exhaust seems pretty extreme - does it run through the center of the house or outside wall?

 

[stoveguy2esw]

black sooty ash is the sign of an incomplete burn then again 35 ft is a lot of stack for a pellet stove, were both stoves in the same setup? it could be venting or back pressure from insufficient heat in that tall a stack

EDIT: just re read OP's post, "negative pressure" may also have a hand in this, remember a basement is ALWAYS below the "zero pressure line" and will be pulling from a vacuum as air inside a house acts similar to that in a chimney, its warmer than outside so it tends to rise and be trapped in the highest points in the dwelling as it rises it creates higher pressure in the upper regions and lower in the lower, so in essence in every house there is a line between the highest and lowest points of the enclosure where pressure is "equal" to that which is outdoors, anywhere an appliance is located BELOW this line is under negative pressure and has to get "house air" out of a vacuum or negative pressure environment.

now a 35' flue with a low amount of heat (pellet stoves wont heat a flue like a woodstove will) combined with the negative pressure (which is why the "oak" was invented) easily can result in a bad burn even with an excellent pellet stove.

food for thought