englander 25-ep problems

[ole farmer]

Love this site and have been surfing threads here and now have some questions. Purchased a 25-ep for my upstairs and have a breckwell downstairs and both are running ligentics pellets. Troubles are the englander builds up fly ash 5-6 times faster than the breckwell. It seems I have a control panel issue as the thermostat I wired in would not work and was told by the factory to change the setting and the panel would not let me change as instructed. While on the phone with the factory I was told to check the lower panel setting and changed the setting to 1-4-1 and then found the stove would not run (stay lit) on anything less the a 5 setting. after talking with them again I was told to set the lower keys to 2-4-1. first question is what are these settings for and what is everyone else running theirs at. Also they are sending me a new control panel and was wondering if you think this will correct the high fly ash build-up, not staying lit on anything below 5, and the thermostat problem. Sorry for so many questions and thank you for your responces...G

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Love this site and have been surfing threads here and now have some questions. Purchased a 25-ep for my upstairs and have a breckwell downstairs and both are running ligentics pellets. Troubles are the englander builds up fly ash 5-6 times faster than the breckwell. It seems I have a control panel issue as the thermostat I wired in would not work and was told by the factory to change the setting and the panel would not let me change as instructed. While on the phone with the factory I was told to check the lower panel setting and changed the setting to 1-4-1 and then found the stove would not run (stay lit) on anything less the a 5 setting. after talking with them again I was told to set the lower keys to 2-4-1. first question is what are these settings for and what is everyone else running theirs at. Also they are sending me a new control panel and was wondering if you think this will correct the high fly ash build-up, not staying lit on anything below 5, and the thermostat problem. Sorry for so many questions and thank you for your responces...G

Welcom to the forum ole farmer.

Could you provide us a bit of information about the install such as a description of the venting starting at the stove.

I can't speak as to if the new control board will help with the fly ash situation.

But along that line, would you please let us know what brand of pellets you are burning.

The lower settings control low burn fuel feed, low burn air, and aot (convection fan on temperature, which should always be one unless you are on the phone with England Stove Works tech group).

Maybe you'll get lucky and Mike Holton from England Stove Works will chime in on the thread.

 

[imacman]

Welcome to the forum, ole farmer.

Before anyone can help you too much, it would be helpful to know a few other things about your stove.

Please describe the exhaust set-up....lengths of pipe, elbows, T's, directions, etc. Did you connect the outside air kit (OAK)?

When you connected the stat, you did remove the jumper wire, right? What brand/model of stat did you use? Was it new, or a used unit?

As for the ash build-up, the stove does not control the amount of ash....that is dependent on the pellets. WHERE the ash collects is purely a stove design issue.

Have you gone through Englanders diagnostic control board check? www.englanderstoves.com/help/PelletStove/diagnostic_mode04.html

As for the lower buttons, the far left is Low Fuel Feed, middle one is Low Burn Air, and right one is Air On Temp. The AOT always stays at 1, but the other can be adjusted, as the Englander Techs have been suggesting.

Does the stove stop running because it runs out of pellets, or has too many & smothers the fire? or does it seem the air is "blowing the fire out"?

 

[ole farmer]

Pelletts are Lignetics, no outside air, 2 foot back and one 90 degree and 12 feet straight out the roof with rain cap-3 inch. Stove was run for two weeks without therostat and when I went to install stat the jumper wire was not found. Stove was purchased by me as new returned because of auger motor not working, dealer fixed stove and I bought at a discount. installed it and it ran (normal??) for the two weeks as if jumper was installed. Funny thing is the auger has stopped feeding pellets twice, once just a hour ago and after shut down starts up and runs like a champ??? I am hoping the board is the problem and all will be well after new board is installed. when stove stop's it is because it runs out of fuel. Like the auger motor gets tiered. Have checked auger and it is free turning and stove has a new motor installed so hopefully new board will fix it. Question on fly ash is because both stoves are running through the same amount of fuel (same fuel) just englander seems to build up more ash. This may be normal for this stove just wondering. Stove seemed to run better before the tech had me change the lower settings and I did not pay attention to what they were before I changed them....G

 

[imacman]

....no outside air.......when I went to install stat the jumper wire was not found. Stove was purchased by me as new returned because of auger motor not working, dealer fixed stove.......when stove stop's it is because it runs out of fuel.........Stove seemed to run better before the tech had me change the lower settings and I did not pay attention to what they were before I changed them....G

First of all, do you have the owners manual? If not, download off the Englander site.

As for the OAK, this is right from the manual: "Outside combustion air is mandatory for these units to work properly"

If stove runs out of pellets and stops, try increasing the LFF. Just for the heck of it, try 4-2-1 on the settings and see if it helps any (more pellets, less air). If I were you, call Englander back tomorrow and ask to speak to Mike Holton....he's the Senior Tech there. Ask him what the factory setting are for that stove.

Oh, and i have no idea how the stove ran w/o a jumper wire or stat connected.....weird.

 

[ole farmer]

The tech said if the stove was in a certain mode(one that a therostat would turn the stove down and not off) it would run in this mode without the jumper??? When we tried to change it into start -up shut-down thermostat mode it would not allow us to change. I was supposed to unplug and plug in and within three seconds push both the down arrow keys and you could switch between these two settings. Didn't work so they are sending me a new contol box. I do have the owners manual and the way I read it the oak was manditory for moble homes. I will have to reread it, anyway thank you for your help. it all helps..G

 

[imacman]

.....I do have the owners manual and the way I read it the oak was manditory for moble homes......

P. 15, very first bullet point: "The use of outside combustion air is mandatory on the 25-EP"

 

[ole farmer]

I stand corrected. is that a stove issue or a saftey issue to keep you from burning up all the inside air?? I know my downstairs stove did not have a outside air kit when I purchaced the house. I know wood stoves I have installed only required the oak on Mobiles and figure it just drifted down to every home or in the event of a power failare it would prevent smoke from back feeding into the house??? anyway whats your take on it....Saftey factor or stove functionality issue...thanks G

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

I stand corrected. is that a stove issue or a saftey issue to keep you from burning up all the inside air?? I know my downstairs stove did not have a outside air kit when I purchaced the house. I know wood stoves I have installed only required the oak on Mobiles and figure it just drifted down to every home or in the event of a power failare it would prevent smoke from back feeding into the house??? anyway whats your take on it....Saftey factor or stove functionality issue...thanks G

It is both actually, it will prevent any exhaust fans or other air exhausting device in the house from causing smoke and other combustion byproducts to enter the house via the pellet stove due to negative pressure in the house and it also to some degree (if you mess up the settings it won't help as much) prevents the stove from burning poorly.

It provides a controllable air path for the stove, failure to install according the the manual puts your life and home in danger.

 

[ole farmer]

Both of my stoves are located in the center of the house and I am going to vent the intake because I see your point. Thank you..next question is with gable vents on each end of the roof is the attic ok (or at least the lessor of leaving them taking in living space air)

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Both of my stoves are located in the center of the house and I am going to vent the intake because I see your point. Thank you..next question is with gable vents on each end of the roof is the attic ok (or at least the lessor of leaving them taking in living space air)

The OAK requires access to outside air at their end, so attics are a no no so are basements.