ENVIRO PELET STOVE IS MELTING!!!

[a330airbus]

I purchased an Enviro Empress pellet stove used 2 years ago, and have been happy with it. The combustion blower had a rumble, and eventually started to squeal this season, so I purchased a blower from Climate Control Systems, which worked great. A week later, I was awoken to no heat because of the auger motor failing.

I was going away with the military, and had to purchase a motor locally to get the stove to work prior to me leaving so the wife would be warm...... I ran the stove on low for the first day, then had a cold night, which I cranked the stove up to it's highest setting. I was awoken to a plastic burning smell, which was not plastic at all, but the back wall in the stove which is powdercoated was melting, not the metal, but the coating was liquifing. The flame in the chamber was great, the stove was really hot, but was not overtemping as to trip the 200C sensor.

The new auger motor in my opinion was being turned off and on too much, throwing too much fuel in the pot. The vacuum switch connections were good, the rubber line and oriface were not clogged, and all other connections were fine.

Is there anyone out there that may know if there is an adjustment on the empress to control the auger feed cycle, or is it automatically controlled by the vacuum switch/control board? Or, are there traits that the Enviro stoves have that would make this a predictible fix? (I.E. replace control board)

Any help would be great!

Tom
USAF, San Angelo TX

 

[Corie]

Did you replace the auger motor with the same RPM motor? It sounds like you could have jumped from a 1 RPM motor to a 2 RPM or something of that nature.

 

[a330airbus]

I have to call the store I got the motor from to see what they are selling. Unfortunately it is closed on Mondays. I did keep the old motor, and will look when I get home in September, or hopefully will know earlier if a relitive can look for me. Is this a common thing to happen?

 

[webbie]

I personally never heard of something like this happening....because the overheat or other controls would not allow it to. It is possible the hopper fires (in rare cases) could cause powder coat to melt.

What amazes me is that the stove can actually burn those extra pellets - if the motor is too fast. Most stoves would simply overflow the pot and shut down or something like that.

For beginners, I think the problem might be somewhat solved by simply adjusting the feed rate (stove setting). You (or whomever is home) should check to see how fast a bag of pellets is used, and try to limit the stove to not burn more than abut 4-5 lbs per hour at the highest. That would be 8-10 hours on a bag. Ideal setting is probably from one bag every 12 hours to one bag every 24 hours.

 

[webbie]

Overheat sensor should be checked also....I think these are normally closed in most cases, so disconnecting a lead should turn the stove off?

make sure it is tight against the part of the stove it senses - and that part is clean inside (ash can insulate). Another trick is to paint the sensor face black so it soaks up heat better.

Just throwing out ideas and seeing what sticks!

 

[a330airbus]

As far as the stove burning what is was, I also was in amazement! The whole stove was very hot, from the legs to the top of the stove, untouchable. The overheat sensor on the Empress I believe is next to the room blower motor. I have another stove that you can externally adjust the feed rate, but on this stove there seems to be no adjustment. If anyone out there knows the "trick" to adjusting the Enviro Empress feed rate, I am all ears. As far as checking the overtemp sensor, I think I will throw a new one at it anyway, for the sole reason that it is still working and not tripping. If it was the other way around, at least I could put a meter on it to see if it was open or not.

 

[webbie]

Make certain that you replace the overheat with the same type - although most I have seen were NC, it is possible that it would be NO and send a signal back to the electronics board when it reaches temp. Send a PM to Rod (the room moderator) - he knows a lot about enviro and may just have some insight.

 

[a330airbus]

Awesome, thanks!

 

[au2183]

Yes, there is a feed rate adjustment. Put the output setting at the lowest level on the control board. Then look for a little white dot at the top of the other control. (Above the on/off button.) Push this, and you will see the red lights toggle with every push. I have mine set so the lowest light, and the next to the top are lit at the same time. That is the lowest feed rate, which is a 2 second on cycle for the auger. I then run my stove on the center output setting.
Hope that helps!

 

[fletchtb]

au2183 - I believe the feed rate adjustment you are talking about only impacts the stove on the lowest setting (Level 1). The adjustment is there to make sure enough pellets are fed at Level 1 so the flame does not go out. I believe Levels 2-5 are not affected by this control and that the stove has no adjustment to the feed rate on these levels.

I could be wrong, but that is what I understand.

 

[au2183]

au2183 - I believe the feed rate adjustment you are talking about only impacts the stove on the lowest setting (Level 1). The adjustment is there to make sure enough pellets are fed at Level 1 so the flame does not go out. I believe Levels 2-5 are not affected by this control and that the stove has no adjustment to the feed rate on these levels.

I could be wrong, but that is what I understand.

Actually, it DOES affect it at all levels. The setting I suggested is the lowest, causing the auger to stay on for a 2 second interval each time. It does not affect the time between the intervals, which is controlled by the setting on the board. (1 thru 5)

 

[fletchtb]

au - sorry to disagree again, but in reviewing the manual for the Empress I found the following:

AUGER TRIM: Used to change feed rates on LOW ONLY for poorer quality fuels. Push the Auger Trim button until the number 1 and 5 lights appear on the Heat Level Indicator. This will increase the feed rate to 4 seconds ON time Auger pulse. This is done only on LOW to allow the burning of poor quality fuels. Push the button until the number 1 and 4 lights appear, this will reduce the Auger On time to 2 second. This setting is for high-grade fuel only. Push the button until just the number 1 light is on, this is for a three (3) second on time (standard setting).

The manual is located at: http://www.enviro.com/images/manuals-brochures/owners-manuals/C-11190%20Instruction%20Empress%20FS%20Domestic%20Owner's%20Manual.pdf

 

[Joe Buck]

au - sorry to disagree again, but in reviewing the manual for the Empress I found the following:

AUGER TRIM: Used to change feed rates on LOW ONLY for poorer quality fuels. Push the Auger Trim button until the number 1 and 5 lights appear on the Heat Level Indicator. This will increase the feed rate to 4 seconds ON time Auger pulse. This is done only on LOW to allow the burning of poor quality fuels. Push the button until the number 1 and 4 lights appear, this will reduce the Auger On time to 2 second. This setting is for high-grade fuel only. Push the button until just the number 1 light is on, this is for a three (3) second on time (standard setting).

The manual is located at: http://www.enviro.com/images/manuals-brochures/owners-manuals/C-11190 Instruction Empress FS Domestic Owner's Manual.pdf

The manual doesn't seem to tell what buttons to push ? mine does not have a trim button only on/off and heat level and the instructions says to adjust on the motherboard?

 

[a330airbus]

Well, the fix was nothing the book would tell me. I called a local company that deals with parts for the Enviro Empress, and they have a person that is very savy to repairs on the enviro line. After a few checks on the stove, and validating all other possible causes, the front door of the stove was the culprit. There is a new door that goes on the stove, the seal is now a bulb seal instead of the flat thing on the old door, and the vent holes around the glass are re engineered also. The glass is encased in a frame, where the old door had the glass floating. I installed the new door, and new hardware, and the stove has never worked so good! This seems to be a factory defect in my opinion, and Enviro is not broadcasting the fix. Thank you to all that responded.

Tom