Harman Accentra smoking

[3650]

Wondering if anyone has any idea why smoke is rolling out from under and along the side of the burn pot? It’s not unburned pellets dropping into the ash pan. It is coming from under and the side of the pot. The video doesn’t really capture the origin.

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[jackman]

It appears to me there's hot pellets dropping into the ash pan and still burning causing the smoke swirling around the burn pot. I keep the feed rate low, mine's set at 3, to prevent this.

 

[Mt Bob]

What Jackman said.Sometimes even unburned pellets in ash pan,that catch fire after stove heats up.This can happen if stove was slow to ignite,usually from the holes above the igniter being dirty,partially closed off. Or stove is really dirty,and has some creosote buildup,from burning on low for long period of time.

 

[Lineman30]

Do you have any creosote on the door area? My FS Accentra was smoking like that the past 2 seasons and created a light film of creosote on the door at the end of the season. I ran it on feed rate of 4

 

[3650]

Yeh it’s full of creosote

 

[Mt Bob]

Yeh it’s full of creosote

Easy to fix/clean.

 

[3650]

Just cleaned it two days ago so that’s not it.

Emptied the ash pan. With no ashes and no pellets in it and there was still smoke coming from somewhere.

I’m thinking it’s time for a new door gasket. Maybe a pot gasket. I bet that ones a bear.

 

[Ssyko]

That still don’t answer what the smoke source is

 

[Mt Bob]

Is your auger,and tube full of creosote?

 

[Lineman30]

Do you have the cross over tube mod done?

 

[rickwai]

Usually it is from the flame guide not setting properly on top of the burn pot. it there creosote built up on each side of the burn pot where it bolts to the back wall? Scrape that area real good along with the flame guide and burn pot sides to get the flame guide to set down and seal on top of pot. I usually tap the flame guide in also to try to get it to seat in. The Accentra FS is the worst burning Harman in my opinion. They always want to burn out the back/sides of flame guide and creosote the area up. And creosote the lower door up. Almost like they need a bigger btu burnpot to keep the mass of the cast iron hot enough.

 

[3650]

I have not done the crossover tube.

There is creosote on the tip of the auger.

The flame guide sits squarely on the fire pot. I had the stove completely apart a few days ago cleaned everything. Baffles out, fan cover out, cleaned all of that. Vacuumed the fan port. Brushed the chimney from the top to bottom and leaf blowed it.

I think maybe the pot gasket may be leaking and smoke coming from there. It’s a head scratcher for certain. Maybe it needs the crossover tube mod.

I Know the fan is good because it’s pulling more draft then it should be. I adjusted it as low as it would go and still higher then the spec.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Interesting. Never knew biomass stoves produced creosote, mine don't and never has unless people are mistaking creosote for hard carbon buildup. Mine does that (hard carbon) but never creosote. Hard carbon is never an issue here. I just soak the carbonized parts in hot water for about 30 minutes and it flakes off with a little help from a putty knife and some Scotchbrite.

Matter of fact, my burn pot and associated parts are soaking in a bucket as I type this. Today is fly ash cleanout day. stove and associated venting plus the cleanout at the bottom of the vertical (outside venting).

 

[Ssyko]

I think maybe the pot gasket may be leaking and smoke coming from there. It’s a head scratcher for certain. Maybe it needs the crossover tube mod.

Ok im confused If there is no fuel, and just cleaned what could possibly be smoking? Has to be some kind of residual byproduct that is not cleaned off an igniter or in the igniter area?

 

[SidecarFlip]

In my not so humble opinion, igniters are just another component to fail and get replaced. If I ever bought a new stove (very doubtful and it had one, I'd take it out anyway.

Maybe the 'smoke' is coming from a failing motor. Wonder if it smells like rice paper insulation?

 

[Lineman30]

Interesting. Never knew biomass stoves produced creosote, mine don't and never has unless people are mistaking creosote for hard carbon buildup. Mine does that (hard carbon) but never creosote. Hard carbon is never an issue here. I just soak the carbonized parts in hot water for about 30 minutes and it flakes off with a little help from a putty knife and some Scotchbrite.

Matter of fact, my burn pot and associated parts are soaking in a bucket as I type this. Today is fly ash cleanout day. stove and associated venting plus the cleanout at the bottom of the vertical (outside venting).

yeah the older FS Accentra were prone to creosote in the auger tube and the feeder body. Mine was a 06 model (used) and I tore it apart and cleaned the tube etc... and put the crossover mod on it. After that never had any Build up in my tube or feeder body. Just my door always had a lite sticky creosote on the lower part. If you research you will see that they have an upgrade part for the combustion housing that’s suppose to increase the flow. Think pellethead.com has the part.

 

[SidecarFlip]

All hard carbon in mine but I mostly burn corn anyway. All the pellets do is keep the corn clinkers under control so I don't have to removed them every day. Only drawback to corn (besides nitric acid vapor) is the fluffy ash corn makes which necessitates me cleaning it once a week. For me, roasting corn is a no brainer, I grow it.

 

[rickwai]

I have not done the crossover tube.

There is creosote on the tip of the auger.

The flame guide sits squarely on the fire pot. I had the stove completely apart a few days ago cleaned everything. Baffles out, fan cover out, cleaned all of that. Vacuumed the fan port. Brushed the chimney from the top to bottom and leaf blowed it.

I think maybe the pot gasket may be leaking and smoke coming from there. It’s a head scratcher for certain. Maybe it needs the crossover tube mod.

I Know the fan is good because it’s pulling more draft then it should be. I adjusted it as low as it would go and still higher then the spec.

Burnpot gasket has nothing to do with smoke. Post some close up pics of the stove with the door open. Cutting back your draft is not helping the situation either. If you have sticky stuff on lower part of the door that is likely what is burning off and smoking. Try cranking the stove up on stove temp for a few hours and let that stuff dry up and burn out. If you are insisting on replacing something, I would recommend a flame guide. When they flame/smoke out the rear corners that seems to be wghat makes the stuff build up in the Accentras.

 

[rickwai]

Interesting. Never knew biomass stoves produced creosote, mine don't and never has unless people are mistaking creosote for hard carbon buildup. Mine does that (hard carbon) but never creosote. Hard carbon is never an issue here. I just soak the carbonized parts in hot water for about 30 minutes and it flakes off with a little help from a putty knife and some Scotchbrite.

Matter of fact, my burn pot and associated parts are soaking in a bucket as I type this. Today is fly ash cleanout day. stove and associated venting plus the cleanout at the bottom of the vertical (outside venting).

Pellets are wood. If there is more fuel than air creosote will form just like in a wood stove. On the other hand, Corn does not produce creosote. Im not sure what will form if it is burnt rich for a extended period of time?

 

[SidecarFlip]

Pellets are wood. If there is more fuel than air creosote will form just like in a wood stove. On the other hand, Corn does not produce creosote. Im not sure what will form if it is burnt rich for a extended period of time?

I am because I roast it.... Clinkers and soot but no creosote. But then wood pellets for me don't make any (creosote) either. I always make sure I have adequate combustion air to the fuel bed at all times. A cold, starved for combustion air burn is very inefficient for heat output no matter what the situation is.

Pellet stoves, by design are underfire secondary combustion gasification units. Easy to see too. if a unit is running correctly (proper fuel to air ratio) looking at the fuel bed through the window, you can see the gasification taking place. The fuel bed will have a tiny space above it where there is no visual combustion, then a blue flame turning into an orange flame that extends upward. That no combustion space is the gasification space and the blue flame is efficient combustion of the volatile gases given off by the catalytic reduction of the fuel coming in contact with heat and oxygen and secondary combustion of those gases is the upper orange flames. Throttling the combustion air back causes you to loose the gasification of the fuel bed and causes excessive soot and fly ash plus it reduces btu output per pound of fuel consumed.

Just like tuning an old school carbureted gas engine, the fuel-air ratio has to be correct to achieve the most efficient operation. In the case of a solid fuel stove, you can observe the fuel air ratio in the combustion pattern and adjust accordingly tor optimum burn.

 

[Mt Bob]

Well,I would pull the pot(it is really not hard), clean every thing well,make sure no cracks in pot,or stove,where pot mounts.check to see neither are warped.Even if they are not,use 2 gaskets,between pot and stove.Then install the air bypass kit.Then fire stove and see what happens.

 

[tbear853]

yeah the older FS Accentra ... etc ... and put the crossover mod on it. After that never had any Build up in my tube or feeder body. ... etc ...

I don't have an Accentra but am told that my VC Reliance is essentially a early FS version or clone, while I get some build up on long burns, it's not bad. I did just replace the burn pot with a Harmon intended part, it fit like a glove but I made a couple simple mods just to suit no ignitor mostly. I am wondering what this "crossover mod" you mention consists of, and wondering if it is something for me to consider?

... etc ... A cold, starved for combustion air burn is very inefficient for heat output no matter what the situation is.

Pellet stoves, by design are underfire secondary combustion gasification units. Easy to see too. if a unit is running correctly (proper fuel to air ratio) looking at the fuel bed through the window, you can see the gasification taking place. The fuel bed will have a tiny space above it where there is no visual combustion, then a blue flame turning into an orange flame that extends upward. That no combustion space is the gasification space and the blue flame is efficient combustion of the volatile gases given off by the catalytic reduction of the fuel coming in contact with heat and oxygen and secondary combustion of those gases is the upper orange flames. Throttling the combustion air back causes you to loose the gasification of the fuel bed and causes excessive soot and fly ash plus it reduces btu output per pound of fuel consumed.

Just like tuning an old school carbureted gas engine, the fuel-air ratio has to be correct to achieve the most efficient operation. In the case of a solid fuel stove, you can observe the fuel air ratio in the combustion pattern and adjust accordingly tor optimum burn.

Well, I never seen it presented just like this, but yeah .... good explanation.

 

[Lineman30]

I don't have an Accentra but am told that my VC Reliance is essentially a early FS version or clone, while I get some build up on long burns, it's not bad. I did just replace the burn pot with a Harmon intended part, it fit like a glove but I made a couple simple mods just to suit no ignitor mostly. I am wondering what this "crossover mod" you mention consists of, and wondering if it is something for me to consider?
Well, I never seen it presented just like this, but yeah .... good explanation.

part number 1-00-67900 is for the feeder air crossover tube kit. Research on here about gummy stove on Accentra. It was an issue with the early models. The issue was inside the tube and feeder body and slide.

 

[Mt Bob]

I don't have an Accentra but am told that my VC Reliance is essentially a early FS version or clone, while I get some build up on long burns, it's not bad. I did just replace the burn pot with a Harmon intended part, it fit like a glove but I made a couple simple mods just to suit no ignitor mostly. I am wondering what this "crossover mod" you mention consists of, and wondering if it is something for me to consider?
Well, I never seen it presented just like this, but yeah .... good explanation.

No.Your stove is quite different,feeder,firebox,etc.Back when it was made,Dwayne Harman made some of the parts for VC,understandable,was a small company,back then.I think they only made those stoves for 3 years,then VC went under,and got bought out.

 

[tbear853]

Thank you Sir!