I keep reading about flame height not being too tall. My stove flame changes constantly. Sometimes about 3 to 4 inches above the burnpot, other times it is hitting the top of the firebox. To get started yesterday I had to crank the damper way open. It seemed to burn fine except the constantly changing flame size. This morning I closed the damper almost all the way and nothing has really changed. Does anyone have any input on this one? I have my first child on the way here in a couple of months and the last thing I want is a fire hazard with a newborn in the house.
Flame Height?
- Thread starter big24nut
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DMZX
Member
You do not mention the type of stove you have or the age of it. Some are more sensitive to air adjustments than others. Mine is very sensitive and on low feed settings, the air damper is nearly closed. An older stove may have a air leak around the door gasket.
My flame will rise and fall until the burn pot gets hot and is filled with glowing embers, then it seems to settle out. If it is constantly changing after running for 30 minutes or so, I give it less air, but just a tiny bit less, to see if the flame height remains fairly consistent.
It seems my perfect flame is bright yellow and just licking the heat exchanger tubes, about 6-7 inches long.
After cleaning out the burn pot, I do have to give it a bit less air, as it breathing with less restriction from ash build-up.
Different things effect flame temp and appearance. Brand of pellets, outside air temp, degree of cleanliness, feed rate, etc. So if any of those variable change, I fiddle with the air adjustment unitl the flame looks right.
Hope this helped some. This is my first year, so I am a bit of a pellet stove neophyte. There are others here that have much more experience and suggestions.
My flame will rise and fall until the burn pot gets hot and is filled with glowing embers, then it seems to settle out. If it is constantly changing after running for 30 minutes or so, I give it less air, but just a tiny bit less, to see if the flame height remains fairly consistent.
It seems my perfect flame is bright yellow and just licking the heat exchanger tubes, about 6-7 inches long.
After cleaning out the burn pot, I do have to give it a bit less air, as it breathing with less restriction from ash build-up.
Different things effect flame temp and appearance. Brand of pellets, outside air temp, degree of cleanliness, feed rate, etc. So if any of those variable change, I fiddle with the air adjustment unitl the flame looks right.
Hope this helped some. This is my first year, so I am a bit of a pellet stove neophyte. There are others here that have much more experience and suggestions.
Ro3bert
Member
We've had our stove for some 10 years and the flame has always varied from nearly going out to seemingly going into the heat exchanger no matter how I've tried to adjust it and no matter what brand of pellets I've used. Except if I had the pellet feed set to 1 or sometimes 2. I If you want any heat you have to turn the pellet feed up.
It has been suggested that pellet diameter and/or length effects the number of pellets dropped at any given auger cycle.
I wouldn't worry about a new born unless the cradle is placed on top of the stove and it goes out due to a power outage.
Just my take on the matter.
It has been suggested that pellet diameter and/or length effects the number of pellets dropped at any given auger cycle.
I wouldn't worry about a new born unless the cradle is placed on top of the stove and it goes out due to a power outage.
Just my take on the matter.
It might be normal for your stove. The manual in my stove says this.
Burn Pot Cleaning
The combustion fan comes on at high speed once an hour to blow the
byproducts of combustion out of the burn pot. However, the burn pot
should be cleaned more thoroughly after burning about 10 bags of pellets.
My flame height varies from the top of the burn pot to 6-7 high depending on the variations in the pellet feeder.
Burn Pot Cleaning
The combustion fan comes on at high speed once an hour to blow the
byproducts of combustion out of the burn pot. However, the burn pot
should be cleaned more thoroughly after burning about 10 bags of pellets.
My flame height varies from the top of the burn pot to 6-7 high depending on the variations in the pellet feeder.
Us 5510 heat#2 draft #2 31 out 70 in cellar 70 living area 1400 sq. feet total
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvlX1AJg_Ow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvlX1AJg_Ow
Wi Thundercat
Feeling the Heat
X2 What the others here have said! The flame in my st.croix Rise and fall also,especially when running on lower heat settings. Seems to be more consistant on setting 3 and above but will still vary in height when there are pellets dropped. Also run mine on high for a short time daily and it seems to run cleaner and heat better! Just my $0.02 ! :-/
I have a brand new US stove 6041. Only been running two days now. I actually cleaned it yesterday because I am neurotic like that. Another big problem is the airwash for the glass sucks! Can't see clearly too much above the burnpot. I spoke with their tech dept yesterday and that was like talking to a wall! They told me to keep draft fan set 2 numbers higher than heat range and to only open the draft slide a 1/4". Meanwhile in the owners manual (which goes into very little detail) They say to start with the draft slide open an inch. For the most part, the flame is hitting the top of the stove. Drops a little for a brief tima and then goes right back up. I am heat setting #2 right now. Had it on #3 last night and I was up every hour peeking into the room to make sure no flames were shooting out of my walls! Why do they not recommend using the automatic draft fan? At some point I need to actually leave my house! I am having a hard time trusting this thing. Like I said, I am neurotic like that!! Thanks for the advice so far and anymore is greatly welcome!!
Almost forgot! The flame also burns up both sides of the burnpot. Looks like a big "U" Not much in the center!
I know the Chimney should be hot, but how hot? I know I can't keep my hand on it for more than a second or two. Keep in mind I am a welder and my hands are pretty tolerant to high temperatures.
I know the Chimney should be hot, but how hot? I know I can't keep my hand on it for more than a second or two. Keep in mind I am a welder and my hands are pretty tolerant to high temperatures.
jtakeman
Minister of Fire
Pellet size and density will effect the flame height. If you are getting varied height during the burn and the pellets are one the long side. Try switching to a brand that has a smaller length pellet or higher density. Hamer is a noted brand that has there pellets sized to increase fuel charge. A stove feeds by volume not fuel weight. If you increase the fed volume with a smaller pellet, shorter length or higher density. You will see larger more consistent flames. You will also see the hopper empty faster as these would increase the volume feed into the burnpot.
Most of the newer digital stoves are coming out with feed trim adjustments. Increasing the feed trim will add a bit more fuel to the fire and do the same thing as adding a denser pellet to the hopper. The older analog stoves were also good for tweaking the fuel fed into the fire. Reducing the air fed to the burnpot can effect flame height as well, But likely will dirty the burn a bit if reduced to far. Again the newer stoves have adjustable trim settings on the combustion blower to tweak the burn.
If your picky about the flame height you can use the above to adjust it. But every time you change brands or even if the density/size changes within each batch of pellets. You will be tweaking to fix the flame height. I not to sure I would worry to much about a little inconsistency in flame height. If the flame is to bold turn the feedrate down or use a less dense pellet.
Most of the newer digital stoves are coming out with feed trim adjustments. Increasing the feed trim will add a bit more fuel to the fire and do the same thing as adding a denser pellet to the hopper. The older analog stoves were also good for tweaking the fuel fed into the fire. Reducing the air fed to the burnpot can effect flame height as well, But likely will dirty the burn a bit if reduced to far. Again the newer stoves have adjustable trim settings on the combustion blower to tweak the burn.
If your picky about the flame height you can use the above to adjust it. But every time you change brands or even if the density/size changes within each batch of pellets. You will be tweaking to fix the flame height. I not to sure I would worry to much about a little inconsistency in flame height. If the flame is to bold turn the feedrate down or use a less dense pellet.
I have the same stove and as a new owner I was scared to leave the house the first couple burns, I got over that when I came home and the burn pot was and had been overflowing, fire on both sides of the pot ,in the pot, and going up into where the feed comes out , on the good side , my garage was the warmest its been since the weather got cold . I run it on the #1 setting while at work ( 12hr ) shifts, and bump it up to 3 when at home , it's taken me a couple weeks to figure out how to keep it running consistant , and still learning . As for the glass (ceramic ) window, I dont think it's even possible to keep clean, I just open it , hot or not and wipe it down with a cotton rag, messed up once and used a sock that had some nylon in it, kind of melted 
IMO flame hight isn't as important as flame quality. Every stoves burn pot is a little different design so the flame pattern will be a little different. The burn pot on the 6041 has a upside down v welded in the center rear of the burn pot to block the flame from going up the auger chute which creates a v flame pattern. As for the glass the air wash does suck i just open the door every couple days put on my ove glove and wipe the glass with a piece of steel wool to knock the dust off and every saturday when i do my weekly clean i clean it with fireplace glass cleaner.
OK, here is where I'm at! Went to meet my wife at the doctor so I shut down. Got home opened it up cleaned the burnpot and glass. Started all over again! Heat range on #3, Draft fan on #4 agitator on #9! Slide draft open abot 3/8 to 1/2 inch and this is what I have! Seems OK now, but we'll see how long it lasts!! See attached picture.
Attachments
Flame is much more consistent now. Now on to my next question........I topped off my hopper before going to bed last night @ 10:00. When I got up this morning there was maybe 6 pounds left! The brochure says it holds 60 pounds, I would say when I left it, there was maybe 50 pounds. Heat setting is on #3. Does that sound like a normal rate of consumption or is my unit dumping more than it should. I know that these things don't feed based on the temp in the room if they are on a fixed setting, so I am just trying to predict my usage. I started the other day with three tons in the garage. I have only used about four bags including whats in the hopper now. Keep in mind it has not been running constantly since I started it up on monday. I would say during the 72 hours since I started it, it has actually been on about for about 50 hours. That would put me at about 2.5 to 3 pounds an hour. Sound normal?
big24nut said:
Mine is about the same I am using about 1.5-2 bags aday now that i am setting it at 3 when i am not home and 4 when i am. my flame is about the same higher in setting 4. i am having trouble with the pellets not falling i get a huge V. the stove did go out last night about 7 it is working fine just the pellets not falling is kinda pissing me off. i did try the pledge trick and it did not work for me.
Snowy Rivers
Minister of Fire
With my whitfield Advantage set on LOW the flame usually runs just about the top of the fire pot.
There are times when it will flicker a bit and rise up to 4-5" above the pot.
If I screw the feed rate up to 3 it will build a really big fire.
Now the Prodigy (very tiny Whitfield) will burn about the same as the big one.
On low the fire stays very close to the top of the pot.
Snowy
There are times when it will flicker a bit and rise up to 4-5" above the pot.
If I screw the feed rate up to 3 it will build a really big fire.
Now the Prodigy (very tiny Whitfield) will burn about the same as the big one.
On low the fire stays very close to the top of the pot.
Snowy
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