GCI60 insert flame struggles

[stovelark]

Good to hear. Hopefully its fixed? That is a very good pellet insert, but does have to be operated and maintained properly.

 

[Webgurl]

Good to hear. Hopefully its fixed? That is a very good pellet insert, but does have to be operated and maintained properly.

No it is not. They have no clue why, even though they were out here twice for at least an hour each time. It's not so important in summer, but in winter it used to put out enough heat to do the whole downstairs. Now it barely gets the family room up to 75º
This is how it used to burn the whole time, on 3.

 

[stovelark]

Hmmm, is stove on a thermostat? If not, is control board switch in correct position? Does the unit turn on and feed at initial startup and then ignite? If control board does not change settings, maybe a loose connector from motherboard to daughterboard... Hard to know what to do if not there seeing what the stove is not doing. What did the folks say that worked on it? Is combustion motor coming on and running? If its not doing its work, then the vacuum switch will not close, that will not allow auger to feed. Pellet stoves are all about gates, one has to be met so the next one can be performed. It's not a hard system to follow, but if one does not realize what is needed to happen for the next thing to happen, sometimes too its silly stuff, we've all been there. The manual troubleshooting can help too, just some people will not bother with it, cuz "they know how it works already". Unfortunately, I've been there too. Keep at it, it'll get looked at by the right person and she'll be back to running normally. A proper, full cleaning is always, always the first step.

 

[stovelark]

Just re-read this- so stove is actually running, just on low heat/flame height? The slider switch on the heat level output (daughter board), is it in manual? Auto off and Hi/Lo positions are for thermostat usage. Is stove running at heat level one? Just easy things to check...

 

[Webgurl]

Hmmm, is stove on a thermostat? If not, is control board switch in correct position?

Not on thermostat and yes I've had both the feed and fan trim on 4.

Does the unit turn on and feed at initial startup and then ignite?

I get a great huge flame at first, but then it dies down to a glow, whereas it used to burn at a medium flame as in the photo above.

If control board does not change settings, maybe a loose connector from motherboard to daughterboard... Hard to know what to do if not there seeing what the stove is not doing. What did the folks say that worked on it?

They supposedly checked all of that.

Is combustion motor coming on and running? If its not doing its work, then the vacuum switch will not close, that will not allow auger to feed. Pellet stoves are all about gates, one has to be met so the next one can be performed. It's not a hard system to follow, but if one does not realize what is needed to happen for the next thing to happen, sometimes too its silly stuff, we've all been there. The manual troubleshooting can help too, just some people will not bother with it, cuz "they know how it works already". Unfortunately, I've been there too. Keep at it, it'll get looked at by the right person and she'll be back to running normally. A proper, full cleaning is always, always the first step.

Yes they did the cleaning the first time which did not fix it. I will ask them about the electrical connections.

 

[stovelark]

Couple of more items- The air damper slider adjustment... the unit has to be slid out to see the air control, if memory serves it usually should have about 3/4" of the slider you can see sticking out for most venting setups. Careful, it gets hot too, the air slider should be adjusted with stove running on heat level 5, flame should be bright yellow and brisk moving, tall lazy orangey flames are indicative of too little air flow, short very bright flames are too much air flow. If adjusting the air slider doesn't change the flame characteristics much, then its an air flow issue, cleaning was not sufficient.

 

[Webgurl]

Couple of more items- The air damper slider adjustment... the unit has to be slid out to see the air control, if memory serves it usually should have about 3/4" of the slider you can see sticking out for most venting setups. Careful, it gets hot too, the air slider should be adjusted with stove running on heat level 5, flame should be bright yellow and brisk moving, tall lazy orangey flames are indicative of too little air flow, short very bright flames are too much air flow. If adjusting the air slider doesn't change the flame characteristics much, then its an air flow issue, cleaning was not sufficient.

Yes I did ask them to check that. I know little about the internal workings of the stove, only how to start, stop, and adjust the settings. So I have to depend on them to fix it.

 

[stovelark]

Nothing wrong about that, you are paying them to be the subject matter expert and I'm sure it'll get fixed, just sometimes it isn't what you expect it to be, it frustrates us all. Good luck with it, its still a very viable stove, its got many years left in it.

 

[Webgurl]

Nothing wrong about that, you are paying them to be the subject matter expert and I'm sure it'll get fixed, just sometimes it isn't what you expect it to be, it frustrates us all. Good luck with it, its still a very viable stove, its got many years left in it.

Thank you. It looks beautiful in my family room. And it does put out a lot of heat since rooms like that with high ceilings tend to feel chilly if you are just sitting.

 

[Webgurl]

Started up first time since cleaning last spring. Same problem still.

 

[Webgurl]

Hi,
I've had my Harmon GCI60 Pellet Insert for over five years. I feel I know how it works year to year and have always had my settings the same (air rod out about 1.5 inches, fuel trim 5, air trim 3, premium pellet setting)

Suddenly this year I seem to be having flame issues. Even on setting 3 of 5 the flame looks like it is on 1 or 2. On five it looks like the old 3. I've messed with the air intake rod including opening it up as far as possible. My feed trim is on 5 (the highest) and i've tried all of the fan trim settings without noticing a difference. The glass is turning black so I know it's not getting enough air. I can hear the pellets coming out and I can see them burning but sometimes they are just glowing red.

Any ideas?
Thanks

This thread is 4 years old but I am going to post here because my Hampton CGI60 Pellet Insert made by Regency is STILL not putting out the heat it once did and not maintaining a high flame. I have had it professionally cleaned twice now and they still can't figure out what is wrong. I was purchased in Nov of 2016.

 

[johneh]

Could use a little more information
What mode is the stove running in ?
Hi-Low
On-off
Manual
Does it have a thermostat?

 

[Webgurl]

Could use a little more information
What mode is the stove running in ?
Hi-Low
On-off
Manual
Does it have a thermostat?

Everything is on high --- pellets dropping fine, Fan on high. Do not have a thermostat.

 

[johneh]

How well sealed is your home?
Does the stove have an OAK (outside air kit)?
Are you sure the air/exhaust path is clean (Air intake to Exhaust termination)?
Is the fire bright yellow/orange, active flame with no black tips?

 

[Webgurl]

My 2'x6' constructed home is very well sealed.

Not sure about an OAK, but I have a chimney that was just repaired, capped and all is well with that.

The flame is bright orange but only for about 15 minutes when started.

In the fall, I had it professionally cleaned and they came out a second time and still could not figure out what was wrong.

 

[johneh]

Just one thing comes to mind, and for you to try
In the room, the stove is open, a window just a crack and see if the stove works better
One more question if after the stove burns for a day or two, does the burn pot fill
with unburnt pellets or hard carbon chunks (Clinkers)?

 

[Webgurl]

Since it's 19º here now, opening a window is not an option.

I buy the best pellets and most of it burns clean. I find very few unburnt pellets in the tray. And no clinkers.

 

[johneh]

On the control board what is the heat set at (number)

 

[stovelark]

Can you determine if feed rate changes (pellets actually dropping into burnpot) with changes on control board? And does convection (room) blower change speeds when different heat levels are selected? If its burning at a low level, changing heat levels does not change the flame? Could be a control board issue... Good luck with her.

 

[Webgurl]

If it's the control board, they need to replace it under their 'lifetime' warranty.

I have everything on high... the feed, the fan, the heat. Because my family room is open to the 30' kitchen, putting it on high used to bring the room (vaulted ceiling) up to 85º and then some, with the heat traveling into the kitchen, but now, no more.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Since it's 19º here now, opening a window is not an option.

You only need to open the window a bit maybe just a half inch or so. When you open the window, which way the air move, in or out? Check your flame. Only need to have open a couple minutes.

 

[johneh]

Near the top left side of your Control Panel, there are 3 position switch
At the top -- Auto-Off
in the middle-- High -Low
At the Bottom-- Manual
It is a slide switch which position is it in
It should be in the manual position

 

[stovelark]

So, when you change heat level settings, does the convection blower change fan speeds along with the heat level changes? When you had chimney work done, did they mess with the pellet vent cap in any way? Does the heat coming out of insert feel cooler than it used to? Have you tried different pellets to see if scenario changes? I'm still wondering if air slider is adjusted correctly too...

 

[Webgurl]

I am still exploring reasons why my insert no longer holds a flame or raises the heat 15º.... I have sent the techs all your suggestions.
I am waiting for them to come out again,