Englander 10-CPM not producing much heat

[NEW_Vermont]

I have had an Englander 10-CPM for more than 6 years and generally have been very happy with it.

Recently, though, the HEAT being produces has dropped significantly. The volume of air blowing out remains strong, just not anywhere near as warm as it has been in the previous years.

Am using the same pellets I have historically used - and they are burning completely.

I have replaced the blower motor gaskets, cleaned the blower motors as well as the ash that had built up in the stove pipe.

I have read about cleaning heat exchangers on other forums - but nothing about heat exchangers on Engladers stoves. I see nothing in any Englander materials or videos about heat exchangers.

What am I doing wrong (or not doing)?

Kent

 

[Ssyko]

Try this one

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[NEW_Vermont]

I think I cleaned the stove thoroughly. I removed the combustion fan, scraped and vacuumed the fan, vacuumed into the stove, removed the stove pipe and cleaned everything out of it, put in new gaskets. Took the top off the stove, vacuumed everything I could get to, vacuumed the combustion chamber, scraped the burn pan, dumped and vacuumed the ash pan and area around it.

I have several copies of the owners manual from the original in 2008 when I bought the stove as well as the more recent versions downloaded from the company website.

I read a lot about cleaning heat exchangers for other brands of stoves but see nothing for Englander stoves. I cannot even find the word "heat exchanger" in the manual nor anything on the diagrams.

If I touch the top front of this model stove on display in a local store it is super hot - too hot to maintain any contact. That is how ours WAS (past tense). I can rest my hands as long as I want to hold it on our stove - not warm enough to be off any bother.

Ideas? Thanks!

 

[jzm2cc]

Sounds like a candidate for trying the leaf blower trick to help clean out hidden passages. Assume you already removed fire brick and tapped back wall will a 2x4 or something similar, if not, try it.

Also remove ash traps and clean out afterwards.

Is flame size normal height and active, or is it lazy indicating flow restriction?

 

[NEW_Vermont]

I had removed the fiber-board "brick" - and beat on everything with a rubber mallet before I had vacuumed.

Flames look great - so that does not appear to be an issue.

I plan to beat opn it again tomorrow and vacuum with a part of a hose on the end of the shopvac. We were still under a wind chill alert this morning (-25 or so wind chill) so I am staying indoors - no leaf blower trick for now!

 

[Darkwing]

Sounds like insulating build up on the heat exchanger...
Not sure how easy/difficult it is on your stove to get there...but that should fix it...
Most likely your exhaust gas and stove chassis gained a lot heat since the exchanger does such a poor job

 

[Mt Bob]

Pull the ash trap covers and clean.

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[NEW_Vermont]

THANK YOU to all who provided suggestions! And bob bare Minister of Fire for the video. From all of you I learned what I missed doing to clean the stove - got rid of a bunch of built up ash and have a much improved heat output! THANK YOU!