Hello everyone. Been reading the forum for a few months and trying to gather as much info as I can to help with some issues we are having with our almost 12 year old Earth Stove MP35/50.
The unit is what is called a natural flame. The pellets are fed from the bottom into a burn pot that is opened on both sides. The combustion air is fed all along this channel into the pellets.
The stove has two combustion blower settings Low and High. We have always kept it on high. The feed rate is either low, medium or high. And of course a draft fan/feed switch.
About two years ago I noticed that we were having too frequent problems with lazy flames and poor combustion. Also having to clean out our burn pot every 3 or so days. When the unit was new we only cleaned it out once every 7 days or so.
I really give this thing a good cleaning on the inside at least several times a year. The flu has been cleaned by me along with the heat exchanger tubes and just about every other part on the inside of the stove that I could think of.
The problem has gotten so bad now that after running about 6 or 7 hours the pellets start to build up on the left and right hand side. I have noticed though this year that the pellet ash is some times creating this sponge like material that just sits between the burn pot and the drop off into the ash pan, kinda creating a blockage if you will. If I clear this by hand sometimes the problem will go away. However, I think this is a different issue with the same problem kind of deal. The combustion holes all appear to be clean and unobstructed most of the holes are 3/8" or greater in diameter. Clinkers are rarely a problem with this stove.
When I built this house I installed the stove myself. I have 4" pipe direct vented right to the outside of the house, got about 18 to 20" out away from the house and it's just capped off. The stove is pulling air directly from the room as well. I don't believe either of these are the problem however since the stove worked very well for many years.
I don't see any other adjustments on the stove for fed rate or anything like that. I have opened up the combustion damper as wide as it can go too. I tore the back of the stove off for the first time this year and cleaned the heck out of all the blowers and other components and this really had no effect (although I do believe my room blower is blowing a bit harder now but it's hard to tell.
In years past we have pretty much burned Lignetics...This year we are burning Pennwood and Patriot Pellets (One is a softwood and the other hardwood) It does not really seem to matter which is burning...same end result.
Oh and I have replaced the door gasket since the old one was going on about 5 years old.
I am getting ready to chuck this thing now and go with an LP stove but funds are tight and would love to get it working the way it used too.
I think that about covers it. Anyone have any ideas?
Thank you.
The unit is what is called a natural flame. The pellets are fed from the bottom into a burn pot that is opened on both sides. The combustion air is fed all along this channel into the pellets.
The stove has two combustion blower settings Low and High. We have always kept it on high. The feed rate is either low, medium or high. And of course a draft fan/feed switch.
About two years ago I noticed that we were having too frequent problems with lazy flames and poor combustion. Also having to clean out our burn pot every 3 or so days. When the unit was new we only cleaned it out once every 7 days or so.
I really give this thing a good cleaning on the inside at least several times a year. The flu has been cleaned by me along with the heat exchanger tubes and just about every other part on the inside of the stove that I could think of.
The problem has gotten so bad now that after running about 6 or 7 hours the pellets start to build up on the left and right hand side. I have noticed though this year that the pellet ash is some times creating this sponge like material that just sits between the burn pot and the drop off into the ash pan, kinda creating a blockage if you will. If I clear this by hand sometimes the problem will go away. However, I think this is a different issue with the same problem kind of deal. The combustion holes all appear to be clean and unobstructed most of the holes are 3/8" or greater in diameter. Clinkers are rarely a problem with this stove.
When I built this house I installed the stove myself. I have 4" pipe direct vented right to the outside of the house, got about 18 to 20" out away from the house and it's just capped off. The stove is pulling air directly from the room as well. I don't believe either of these are the problem however since the stove worked very well for many years.
I don't see any other adjustments on the stove for fed rate or anything like that. I have opened up the combustion damper as wide as it can go too. I tore the back of the stove off for the first time this year and cleaned the heck out of all the blowers and other components and this really had no effect (although I do believe my room blower is blowing a bit harder now but it's hard to tell.
In years past we have pretty much burned Lignetics...This year we are burning Pennwood and Patriot Pellets (One is a softwood and the other hardwood) It does not really seem to matter which is burning...same end result.
Oh and I have replaced the door gasket since the old one was going on about 5 years old.
I am getting ready to chuck this thing now and go with an LP stove but funds are tight and would love to get it working the way it used too.
I think that about covers it. Anyone have any ideas?
Thank you.
