Enhancing Pellet Insert Efficiency - Convection Heat

[Dirtbiker]

Hello group. Brand new to this site and to pellet stoves in general...

I bought a 70's split level home that came with an older Whitfield Advantage pellet stove that had been badly neglected. Took it all apart to clean it, replaced the firebrick and door gasket and have it humming along nicely apart from the occasional firepot overload.

My question has to do with increasing the heat output or actual thermal efficiency. I recently placed a small fan directly in front of the stove on a level slightly below the stove and pointing at the door glass. Theory is that it'll wick away more heat from the stove than if I rely on the internal blower alone. Thoughts on this or is it a futile waste of time?

 

[Ssyko]

You would probably get a lil more of the radiant heat if you had that fan on the floor 10’ from the stove to create more air movement in the room. slow air circulation. Also you should not be seeing any pellets building up in the pot if you have the flame set correctly and the air path through the stove is actually clean.

 

[Dirtbiker]

You would probably get a lil more of the radiant heat if you had that fan on the floor 10’ from the stove to create more air movement in the room. slow air circulation. Also you should not be seeing any pellets building up in the pot if you have the flame set correctly and the air path through the stove is actually clean.

Thank you for that suggestion and I will certainly give that a try. The pellet buildup in the firepot only happens very occasionally and I'm trying to get a handle on the conditions at hand when it happens (amount of pellets in hopper, rapid change in barometric pressure, something...). Changing damper position seems to have no effect.

 

[rickwai]

Sounds like you have a partial blockage somewhere. It is getting more fuel than air and burning rich by seeing the black glass. When it is burning right the glass build up should be brown or grayish

 

[Dirtbiker]

Sounds like you have a partial blockage somewhere. It is getting more fuel than air and burning rich by seeing the black glass. When it is burning right the glass build up should be brown or grayish

Thank you for that. While I've never been able to find an airflow schematic, it's my understanding that the heatilator blower supplied the air for the firebox and the exhaust fan pulls it through. All ash in back of the firebrick has been removed. I just pulled the exhaust motor and noted significant soot buildup in the cavity (attached image). Would this be enough to reduce airflow?

 

[Dirtbiker]

OK, I could really use some help now. I removed the exhaust blower and cleaned out all the soot. I put it back together and now the stove won't stay lit and fills the stove with smoke. I'm lost here. Can someone please provide some guidance! Thank you

 

[Ssyko]

Is the blower running? Did you plug the wires back in? The pellets will smoke just before they ignite

 

[Dirtbiker]

PROBLEM SOLVED:
I did not know the history of this pellet insert. Apparently, in moving the stove out to clear soot from the exhaust, I disturbed a massive amount of soot in the flexible exhaust pipe fitted from the stove into the chimney. Disconnecting the pipe dislodged a one gallon bucket full of ash! Reassembled and the flame is dancing just like it's supposed to. Thank you sincerely and hope someone else learns from my learning....if there ash buildup behind the firebrick, there's ash buildup in the pipe!

 

[Ssyko]

 

[Dirtbiker]

Oh...and the stove takes a 3 amp 250 volt 2AG glass subminiature fuse. Ask me how I found out ("always unplug your stove before servicing")