Enviro EF3 Bay i qusetion

[ChrisB]

I recently bought a used Enviro EF3 insert. I don't know exactly how old it is, I bought it from an elderly couple, when I asked how old it is, she just said they've had it for years. It is in great shape, except I don't think they ever read the manual. For instance, she pointed to the damper and said they never used it, then pointed to the exchange tube cleaner knob and said it was another damper and they never used it either. Also, the T-pipe in the back had the cap at the bottom siliconed on, there was no way to empty it, it blew black soot everywhere when I first turned it on. She said the blower motor didn't work, but one tap with the butt end of a hammer and it it freed up and works fine, except it seems to be stuck on high(?) speed.

I am mentioning all of this just in case it may have something to do with the problem I'm having.

I cleaned it up, vacuumed it out real well. I start it up like the instructions say. Turn on auger to 12 o'clock position. Barely open the damper, 3/8" I think it said. Then hit the start button. For the first few minutes, it is dropping pellets, so by the time it starts to ignite there's quite a few pellets in the burn pot and it starts off with a good flame. Eventually it dies down. I turn the auger all the way up and it will get a bigger flame, but eventually dies down. It has a green light that flashes every time the auger turns and I can see the pellets moving when the green light flashes, so I know the auger is turning every time it flashes. However, it may only drop pellets once out of every 3 or 4 turns of the auger. It seems like the auger isn't dropping pellets fast enough to maintain a high flame. I have tried adjusting the damper every way possible, nothing seems to make any difference. At first I thought it may be quality of the pellets, but they burn fine in my Comfortbilt.

Is this just the norm for this stove or is there something I can do to correct this?

 

[johneh]

Did you take the inside of the stove apart ( panel that looks like brick and 3 steel panels behind)
To clean all the ash out ? Did you remove the combustion and circulation fans and clean also oil
the circulation fan motor D holes . . The 2 knobs in the control adj the blower speed (upper knob
and the lower one auger on off . With each cycle of the auger there is no set amount of pellets
dropped so some times no pellets and others a lot of pellets . Inside the hopper lid should be a
build date on the information decal it will be a punch out for month and year .
The stove is a good basic manual stove mine is in it 17 year with little repair runs like a Timex watch
takes a licken and keeps on ticken

 

[ChrisB]

I didn't take the stove apart. I vacuumed it really well, inside and in the back, anywhere I could get to, and lubed the circulation fan motor. I like the stove, but I know it can perform better. Like I said, I can't keep a high flame, it always dies down to where the flames just extend above the burn pot, as if it were on the lowest setting (but I have it turned all the way up) The manual say to pull the damper all the way out for a large fire, but this doesn't help at all, so I've tried adjusting it in small increments, to no avail. Sometimes it seems to help a little, but it dies back down in no time. Other than a good cleaning, is there anything else that might cause this? As far as I know, nothing has ever been replaced, all original parts.

Also, if I unlatch the door (not opened, but just unlatched), letting a tiny bit of air in, the flame grows immediately. Is an indication of not enough air intake (when door is latched) or is this just a normal reaction.

I'll take it apart and do a more thorough cleaning and see if that helps.

P.S. - I'm new to pellet stoves. I bought the new Comfortbilt a few months ago, and bought the used EF3 about a month ago, so please forgive my ignorance.

 

[ChrisB]

This is what the flame looks like. This is on high flame setting. The fake logs were in when I took this pic. Sorry for the poor quality, but you get the idea.

 

[johneh]

See Page 55 for flame characteristics
http://enviro.com/custom_content/docs/manuals/C-12145 Instruction PELLET Service Manual.pdf

 

[ChrisB]

Thanks. I have seen that manual before. This part best describes the flame I get:

"A small blow torch like flame is a result of too much oxygen being supplied to the fire. This causes the flame to become very short and brisk with a bright yellow, almost white, flame appearance. There will also be a lot of embers or sparks exiting the flame and burn pot liner. To fix this condition, close the slider damper until an efficient flame is achieved."

However, as I said, I have tried every imaginable damper setting in small increments (1/8" or so) and nothing helps.

 

[Mt Bob]

Stove is probably partially plugged up,needs a better cleaning or leaf blower trick.But,may also have a weak auger motor.

 

[ChrisB]

Stove is probably partially plugged up,needs a better cleaning or leaf blower trick.But,may also have a weak auger motor.

I have used the leaf blower and vacuum repeatedly. I'm going to take it apart and clean whatever else I can. As I mentioned in my first post, the previous owner thought the heat exchange scraper rod was a damper and that they never used it. I worked the rod back and forth and each time lots of ash dropped out into the firebox. I did this probably 30 times and the ash never stopped coming out. Still plenty of ash still in it I'm sure. I'll clean that area real good when I take it apart. Could this be causing some sort of blockage that would affect the flame performance?

My first thought was that it was an auger problem, but it seems to work properly as far as I know. When the green light pulses, the auger does turn. I have a real good flame at startup, then it's downhill from there. Sometimes a damper adjustment seems to have a little effect, but not for long.

 

[Mt Bob]

Pull out the fake fire brick,should be some access holes behind there.However,if it has not been well maintained,you may have to remove the steel plates(behind the fire brick) for a good cleaning,stuff may be caked in there.Ya,still sounds like could be a partial blockage.

 

[johneh]

Take out the fake brick and steel panels behind.
Clean the passage way to the combustion blower
Remove combustion fan check to see that the air
control plate closes all the way clean and scrap
all the ash from there
Your low intense flame indicates to me that there is
to much air the plate is not closing all the way.
The sparks are normal and you want them
That is how the burn pot is kept clean
This is how I clean my stove for the last 16 years and
it works perfect . The leaf blower trick works well to
remove loose ash but your stove can pack it in the
areas mentioned above

 

[ChrisB]

Thanks bob bare and johneh for taking the time to help. You guys are awesome.

I went over there yesterday evening and removed the fake brick panels, the steel panels behind them and the piece at the top. There was ash everywhere, caked up in every little nook, lots and lots of ash. When I got home I saw your posts. I went today to remove the combustion blower and to check if the air control plate was closing all the way. I forgot my tools, so I got a fire going just for the heck of it. Then I shut the damper rod forcefully. I noticed that it went in a little further than it has been. I did this several times, each time it went in a little further and the flame got bigger each time. Now the knob almost touches the side of the stove, before there was about 1 1/2" space between the knob and the stove when it was closed. It kept a nice big flame until I shut it off about 30 minutes later. Best I've had so far. Also, when I pull the damper out just slightly, I see the difference in the flame. So, next the combustion blower comes off so I can see and clean whatever was blocking the air control plate.
You guys were 100% correct, and thanks again.

I'm restoring a big old, two story, 13 room house built in the 1890's. Two fireplaces, 5 chimneys. Two chimneys have flue openings on each floor, two chimneys start on the second floor, and the two fireplaces share a chimney with two flues (one is on the first floor and the other is directly above on the second floor). I'm putting this insert in the downstairs fireplace. For $600 I think I got a pretty damn good stove, when I get it all cleaned up.