Englander Improvement

[rottiman]

I have had my Timberridge since mid-september. It burned for the most part not bad, although the Pemium softwoods I was burning were leaving alot of ash and the stove tended to burn on the dirty side. It did not care for LG's at all. Have tried the usual setting adjustments on the lower heat settings with the magic three buttons. I am religous about the daily cleaning and the bi monthly thorough cleaning including the leaf blower. Well, had occasion to talk to one of the Techs @ Englander yesterday. He suggested that I pack the two large holes on either vertical side of the burn box with steel wool which would in turn force more air up thru the bottom of the burn plate. I did this as well as putting a small steel shim on the impingment plate locator thus putting the inmpingement plate tight against the back of the stove. Those changes were AMAZING. It now burns ALOT cleaner, nothing on the glass door after 24 hours. There is very little ash and the heat production has increased immensly. This thing now pushes major heat on setting 3 fan 7, and does so with very little mess. It is like a night and day difference. Also getting alot more heat production using about 15% less pellet consumption. Thanks go to the TECH @ Englander, he made my day. Right now it is -10 and the house is a toasty 73 on the #3 setting. Food for thought for you other Englander owners.................

 

[joefraser]

Would you say the improvment is from the steel wool or impigment plate? Did the teck suggest the impigment change as well? Don't understand why this would make a difference.
I am having an issue with ash building up and pellets starving for air and not burning so I may give this a shot.

 

[sydney1963]

Ok, you have my attention :gulp: , can you post some pictures so I understand what you are talking about? Thanks

 

[rottiman]

I would have to say that the steel wool is probably the biggest contributor. Once the airflow was redirected from the sides to underneath, I immediately noticed a complete burn in the pot with very little ash and no blackening of the stove interior including the door glass. The flame now looks much healthier. Not sure what pushing the plate back tight contributed. That was my own idea.

 

[Excell]

Nice post ,I am well aware of what You are talking about .I have the same issues . i was sitting watching it burn today and was thinking about drilling more holes at the front of that plate . I think I will weld the front holes closed or make them the same size as the rest . I know that if that back plate is not in right it doesn't burn right as well . Thank you for the post .

 

[Clincker]

Good tip, makes sense about the steel wool in the big holes. I did it and noticed immediate change in burn pattern. As for the shim, I read a prior tip to use a hammer and punch and tap the tabs in to hold plate in tighter to the back of stove.

 

[Excell]

I would have to say that the steel wool is probably the biggest contributor. Once the airflow was redirected from the sides to underneath, I immediately noticed a complete burn in the pot with very little ash and no blackening of the stove interior including the door glass. The flame now looks much healthier. Not sure what pushing the plate back tight contributed. That was my own idea.

What brand pellets are you burning ? I just brought home two bags of lignetics to try . So far the cleanest burning pellets have been Prairie pellets .I am not sure what they are made from ,might be flax straw .

 

[packerfan]

Did you put the steel wool in the top or bottom holes of the burn pot?

 

[yknotcarpentry]

wow I'm gonna have to try this. Any specific "grade" of steel wool you used? I know I have some really fine stuff in the shop like 0000 or something. would you think a courser grade allows more air to the holes or doesn't really matter?

 

[rottiman]

I had some fine steel wool. As you face the burn pot on the right side, there is a large hole on the verticle side wall and on the left side there is a smaller hole. Plug both of these. This then redirects more of the combustion air UNDER the burn plate ,which in turn gives you a much more thorough and cleaner burn. 2nd day into this and has made an amazing difference in the performance in this stove. I am burning Premium softwoods from British Columbia. I am going to try LG Granules again, when I have some time to watch them. They didn't burn well at all before this mod.

 

[sculptor]

I like the idea, but I'm still a little confused on what the impingement plate is?

 

[joefraser]

I like the idea, but I'm still a little confused on what the impingement plate is?

Also know as the baffle plate

 

[yknotcarpentry]

alright, well I tried the steel wool in the holes, I did notice a differance at first but it was soon back to normal. when I open my stove the next day, the steel wool basically had dissapeared? burnt up? gone? did this happen to you guys, I had some 000 wool that I was going to use and then found some courser stuff so I opted for that. Now I'm thinking I gotta take out my burn pot and clean it real well. Just curious if this happened to all of you. was thinking mayby about those SS metal dish scrubbies wonder if they would hold up to the heat any better than the fine wool?

 

[stevieboy28]

I also had the problem with the steel wool burning up. I used 00 steel wool. The problem I think that could happen is the wool will burn and leave left over ash inside the area where the air pushes through, and probably clog it up. I did like the way the flame looked when I did do this though. Also the glass did not stay any cleaner when I did this.

 

[imacman]

I like the idea, but I'm still a little confused on what the impingement plate is?

Sculptor, we don't have an impingment plate in our stoves.

From what I can figure out, (never actually having looked at one up close), it's used in the other models (older designs) to force the hot air up toward the convection "tubes" or whatever means they have to transfer the heat.

If I'm way off on this, anyone please feel free to correct me.

 

[SmokingAndPoking]

No no, you're right macman. No impingement plate in the 10-CPM.

 

[imacman]

No no, you're right macman. No impingement plate in the 10-CPM.

I actually meant if I was wrong on the function of the impingement plate.

 

[joefraser]

I like the idea, but I'm still a little confused on what the impingement plate is?

Sculptor, we don't have an impingment plate in our stoves.

From what I can figure out, (never actually having looked at one up close), it's used in the other models (older designs) to force the hot air up toward the convection "tubes" or whatever means they have to transfer the heat.

If I'm way off on this, anyone please feel free to correct me.

Thats correct. Seems to effect flame as well if not put in correct. Maybe due to airfolow.

 

[speedoboy31]

would this be a suggested mod for the 25pdvc ? just checking that you are talking about blocking the holes located to the left and right of the burnpot beneath the wear plate? i've already enlarged 6 of the holes in the wear plate and that made some improvement. just confirming the airflow direction comes up from the bottom of the burnpot,right?

 

[rottiman]

would this be a suggested mod for the 25pdvc ? just checking that you are talking about blocking the holes located to the left and right of the burnpot beneath the wear plate? i've already enlarged 6 of the holes in the wear plate and that made some improvement. just confirming the airflow direction comes up from the bottom of the burnpot,right?

I am speaking about the holes located ABOVE the burn plate in the burn box. If your are looking @ the interior of the burn box on either side of where the pellets accumulate, you will see a large hole and several 1/8 holes on the verticle sides of the burn box. Take some steel wool and pack only the two large holes. I have been running this now for several days, and the difference that it has made in the performance of my stove is amazing. Much better flame, more even burn and very little ash build-up on a 24 hour burn. Pellets are burnt right down to a very fine ash and heat production out the front of the stove is A-1.

 

[pelletizer]

I have an 2008 25pdvc and the big side holes are below the burn plate, From what I see the older models have the holes above the burn plate, or it may be the bigger englander that has these above the burn plate.
But still if the holes in the newer models (below burn plate) are stuffed with steel wool it would decrease the side burn air and increase the burn pot plate air.
Worth a try.

 

[yknotcarpentry]

Pelletizer I have the same stove as you and I totally know what you are talking about. the holes in the side of the burn pot unser the plate. those where the holes I originally stuffed with wool, in essence decreasing the air to the small holes in the burn pot. What I actually think what is being referanced here after reading it again is if you take out the burn plate (wear plate) there are two half circle cut outs where it would butt the back of the burn pot. I just now cut a thin piece of steel from an old wood stove I had laying around to place under the plate between the pot as I saw how quickly the wool burnt up. Am I now correct in assuming these are the holes that are meant to be blocked? In essence I can see it pushing more air to the front of the plate vrs coming through right where the pellets are pushed out, the side air would remain the same. I am having slight "air" or fire coming from the sides becuase the plate is lefted say a strong 1/16th of an inch that is the size of the steel I placed under the pot. I will update to let you all now how this works for me.


edit.. ok just read this again rotti's stove must be differant then ours but I'm still giving a shot at what i have going, there must be a simiular outcome

 

[joefraser]

My 25pdv has a manufacture date of 10/2008. It has large holes on the sides both above and below the wear plate (there are 6 small holes and then 2 large). The original post is reffering to the large holes located above. Maybe models in different production years are different.

 

[packerfan]

On my 25 pdv, there are holes above and below the wear plate on the left and right sides. . Put your steel wool in the holes on the sides of the burn pot, below the wear plate. This will prevent the steel wool from being burned up, as it is below the fire, rather than above it.

This works pretty good, as it forces much more air through the wear plate. You may have to adjust some settings though, as the pellets will burn faster due to having a lot more air. I had to adjust my low burn air to #1 to prevent the flame from going out. Your low fuel feed may also need adjusting as well.

 

[Clincker]

2008 Model Englander with the holes below the burn pot. Stuffed the bottom and did not seem to make a big difference. Stuffed the 1/2 round holes at back of burn pot and it seemed to force more air under burn pot temporarily - until steel wool burnt up. No lasting changes though.