Enviro Maxx-M Issues

[Dave M]

My Enviro Maxx stove was working fine for about 6 weeks. Then after I cleaned it, I tried to pull the damper out a little to try to make the flame brighter. Ever since then, nothing but trouble. Not sure if its just colder, which it does suddenly happen to be...or if I have problems. The stove doesnt seem to be as hot as it was, and the green pellet light keeps flashing. The fire also dies down on its own, but then it comes back all by itself. Here and there I can hear the circuit board trying to do something, then the green light starts flashing. Turns solid again on its own, as if the stove is cycling. I have been fiddling with the damper for 2 days now, but cant seem to get it right on any setting, including my original one. I tried setting it on high instead of my normal medium, and the thing started smoking. Turned it back down, still aint right. Fuel is the same, but the outside temp dropped down about 20-30 degrees.

To make matters worse, I have been told by my crappy dealer(DJ's in Monticello, Minnesota) who never warned me about this: Because I didnt have a factory technician install it, I am on my own with problems. Not sure what to do at this point, other than reach out for help. Do I call enviro? Beg a local dealer not to kill me on a service call? Freeze?

 

[Delta-T]

green light should blink when auger is turning. is your agitator turning?

 

[Delta-T]

you have unit on thermostat?

 

[Dave M]

Yes, the agitator turns. Didnt know that blinking was normal, thanks Delta! Unit is running on manual, no Tstat. Are you supposed to hear the circuit board flicker before the flashing starts? Never noticed that before.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

First how many bags of pellets have you burned since you installed the stove?

Do you have a differential pressure gage?

Step 1 is to do a full cleaning, attempting to set the damper when the stove is dirty just prolongs the agony.

Step 2 is to set the draft according to the manual. Which is normally done when in high burn (your manual should tell you).

I can't help you with the dealer side of things but that might be par for the course.

 

[Delta-T]

i never noticed any clicking from the control board, theres lots of stuff moving in there. what is smoking when you turn it to High setting? you see excess smoke in burnpot? if so you might have feed trim up a big for the size of your pellets, or dmaper closed a bit too far...its a happt balance you're trying to achieve. Tell your dealer I said he's a joker for not giving you a hand in this, but you're prolly better off here anywho.

 

[Dave M]

Thanks Smokey and Delta, I have burned about 3 pallets of pellets so far. I dont have a gauge, but I did try to set the stove on high and adjust it, as the manual says. Worked ok the first time in october. But this time the smoke builds up inside the firebox too fast, as if the feed is going in too fast for the burn. Even pulling the damper fully out didnt help, I could even smell a little exhaust in the room. The glass got black quickly, and since then I havent been able to find a setting where it will burn off. I did give it a good cleaning just prior to my issues, but thats also when the temp suddenly dropped alot. Cant see what I could have done wrong, I've cleaned this thing every week for about 6. I dont know how to adjust the feed trim, manual doesnt mention that. Fuel is the same though.

 

[Delta-T]

when you say "cleaned the stove" this needs to include removing and cleaning the combustion blower, the exhast vent, and that huge plate of steel behind the burnpot....if you have not done those, do so, then re-evaluate.

 

[Dave M]

About the flashing green light, I dont notice the agitator running while it flashes. The agitator does turn when the light is solid. But when the flashing starts, nothing seems to happen. No agitator, no pellets feeding, just burning. Then the fire dies on its own, comes back on its own. Seems to be cycling, not sure if thats normal.

 

[Dave M]

Whats the combustion blower, I dont see that listed. Blower mechanisms? Lists as an annual cleaning, its not too soon? I clean the fire grate, agitator, burn pot liner, and burn pot. The piece of steel is listed as an annual cleaning too. I'm shuttin it down and checking to make sure I didnt do something stupid.

 

[Delta-T]

pay no attention to those "suggestions" in the manual...manufacturer wants you to pay me to fix things, and to sell you parts....I want you to keep stove alive without buying parts or paying for service.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Annual means every 2 tons or annually which ever comes first.

 

[jtakeman]

Only time my light blinks is in start up and when its in Multifuel mode during the cleanup cycle. Are you sure your light isn't amber, Not green?

Buzzing you maybe hearing is the air pump. That means it had a power blip or flicker. It will reset teh control to the #1 heat level if that happens.

Odd!

 

[Delta-T]

Only time my light blinks is in start up and when its in Multifuel mode during the cleanup cycle. Are you sure your light isn't amber, Not green?

Buzzing you maybe hearing is the air pump. That means it had a power blip or flicker. It will reset teh control to the #1 heat level if that happens.

Odd!

your auger light doesn't blink in conjuction with auger cycles? hmmm. I wonder is something changed between Omega and Maxx M....according to my service manual DHC4000 board...auger light should blink. interesting.

 

[jtakeman]

your auger light doesn't blink in conjuction with auger cycles? hmmm. I wonder is something changed between Omega and Maxx M....according to my service manual DHC4000 board...auger light should blink. interesting.

MIne is an early DHC4110 rev D. Should be the same(except program) as the Maxx M. I'll go watch it again, But IIRC no blinky during auger cycle!

 

[Delta-T]

MIne is an early DHC4110 rev D. Should be the same(except program) as the Maxx M. I'll go watch it again, But IIRC no blinky during auger cycle!

you right, my bad, i looking at wrong thing....silly me.

 

[jtakeman]

All I see is a very faint blip and you have to really watch it to see when the auger cycles.

I wonder if the high limit is tripping? That may put the board in restart but hold the heat level. Full power blip will reset the board to default heat level 1 IIRC.

 

[Delta-T]

pof/high limit...either/or I suppose. its so much easier to diagnose those things if you can actually see what happening.

 

[jtakeman]

pof/high limit...either/or I suppose. its so much easier to diagnose those things if you can actually see what happening.

Yep, Hard to get a handle on it over a keyboard. SmokeyTheBear seems to have a knack at doing this!

 

[Dave M]

Glass is covered with flaky, black sooty ash. Waste does not look like its normal grey ash. Looks almost like crushed up wood pellets, almost like grey/beige colored, damp sawdust. Fire grate has same stuff on it, not much though. Cleaned out the exhaust vent, nothing significant. Took a long time for the black soot to burn off the walls of the interior. Double checked everything when I put it back together, and the stove runs normally again. I must have screwed something up when I put it back together a couple of days ago. Rookie mistake, but I'm glad the problem seems to be solved. Thanks alot guys, I appreciate your help. Btw, my green light does stay on solid when running normally. Maybe the max-m is a little different. Best-

Dave

 

[Happy Hour]

Btw, my green light does stay on solid when running normally. Maybe the max-m is a little different. Best-

Dave

This is how mine runs, solid green light.