Hello from USSC 6039HF owner

[HD4Mark]

Hi, I found my way here after our 6039 that we purchased new about ten years ago started burning poorly. A Google search sent me and found my answer. Thank you.

I originally planned to burn corn but found it not so easy to get locally or expensive. As a result it has never burned anything but pellets. At first while we were still working we used 2.5 tons of pellets a year. Since retiring and spending half the year in Florida and half in NY it's more like twenty bags. It will be more this year since here it is May and it's still crappy in NY. Came back north a little too soon I guess.

The fix to the poor burn was a good cleaning. After watching a YouTube video linked here I discovered I had not been cleaning my stove properly. I had always cleaned the burn pot and scraped off any carbon build up but never thought to soak it in hot water. The ceramic brick immediately broke when I removed it, my second replacement installed now. I also put 1 1/2" knock out plugs in the two holes behind the brick as suggested in a post I read. What is the purpose of the holes and why do you plug them? BTW Amazon has the brick Prime for $40 about half of every other source. The new one seems to be a little more solid. When I pulled the draft fan to clean it the gasket pulled apart. If you plan to pull yours and use the stove right away it might be a good idea to get one first.

One other thing I had to replace was the glass. Last summer we had the siding replaced on our house and some how while banging away on the outside the siders manage to crack it. A local hardware store made up a perfect high temp glass replacement at a fraction of the cost of one from USSC.

I also learned a new acronym "OAK" outside air kit. I have an OAK. I tried it with the cap off and with three holes drilled in the cap. I burns better with it off. I also put a piece of stainless steel screen inside the intake box to prevent any insects from entering. While we are away I tape off the OAK and remove the hood from the stovepipe and cap it off to stop cold air from entering.

Sorry to be so windy. I though I would say thanks and share my experience with my stove that is keeping us toasty on an really rainy cold day. Mark

 

[alternativeheat]

Ya they say 80% of stove failures are fixed by a true and very good cleaning. Incidentally, if you did a good cleaning, then I'd think you would know the purpose of the holes you plugged. It's to gain access to the chambers back there that collect ash and plug up your stove. You don't run the stove with no plugs in the holes, if you were doing that no wonder it didn't run very well. But ya, you pull the plugs and dig the ash with wire or what ever you can get in there and then plug the holes back up. I don't own that stove but if I did I probably would clean in there once a month.

Good weather is around the corner, you will be alright LOL !

 

[HD4Mark]

Ya they say 80% of stove failures are fixed by a true and very good cleaning. Incidentally, if you did a good cleaning, then I'd think you would know the purpose of the holes you plugged. It's to gain access to the chambers back there that collect ash and plug up your stove. You don't run the stove with no plugs in the holes, if you were doing that no wonder it didn't run very well. But ya, you pull the plugs and dig the ash with wire or what ever you can get in there and then plug the holes back up. I don't own that stove but if I did I probably would clean in there once a month.

Good weather is around the corner, you will be alright LOL !

I never even knew those holes where back there until I replaced the first ceramic brick. I didn't know if they were for cleaning it out or draft so I left them alone. Still have the original owners manual and there isn't really any detailed cleaning instructions. The video linked here is very good but not something you would want to tackle more than once a year. The stove ran fine up until last week when it couldn't burn all of the pellets on the same settings I used for years. It's running right now (40° outside) and burning great. I would rather be running the a/c though.

 

[FirepotPete]

I never even knew those holes where back there until I replaced the first ceramic brick. I didn't know if they were for cleaning it out or draft so I left them alone. Still have the original owners manual and there isn't really any detailed cleaning instructions. The video linked here is very good but not something you would want to tackle more than once a year. The stove ran fine up until last week when it couldn't burn all of the pellets on the same settings I used for years. It's running right now (40° outside) and burning great. I would rather be running the a/c though.

Check the link in my signature line, that will show you even more cleaning that is needed to help keep the stove running good.

I do a very good cleaning every week. I'm burning corn clinker style and less ash gets behind the wall than running with an agitator, actually less ash gets anywhere in the stove without it being stirred up.

I run mine pretty hard here in the cold and probably could go two weeks between cleanings, but I've watched the gauges I have on the stove and can see a 10°F drop by the end of the week in output temp on the same HR setting. A clean stove is a happy more efficient stove.

I would also recommend cleaning the Room fan at least once a season. I do mine two or three times. We have cat and dog hair along with regular dust. The fan blades get very gummed up. You will see a dramatic increase in how much air is blown out after cleaning it.

To clean it you need to unplug the stove. Remove the left panel. Have a way to discharge any static. Take a pic of the control board with the wiring. You will need to remove the main wire harness, that one is easy to remember how to replace. Then there are two wires for the pressure switch. Those need to go back exactly were they came from. Once you do that you can put the panel aside. You might want to have another person help the first time as the wiring is short and you cannot put the panel down while disconnecting the wires. I can do it by myself but I've done it dozens of times.

Once you have the panel off take pics of the room blower and wiring. Unplug the motor. Carefully remove the blower. You can then take it outside as there will be a lot of dust/gunk when you start scrapping it. Use two small screw drivers. One to hold the blades and one to scrape with. Scrape both sides and into the blower housing. If you use an air compressor make sure you hold the blades in one place, damage to the motor can happen if you blow and spin the blades to fast. I usually scrape first and then blow it out as the air doesn't get the real hard stuck on crud off.

Any questions just ask, I've done it many times. Just make very sure that you don't have any static when unplugging the board and note where the wires go and it is pretty easy.

Good luck, stay warm!

 

[HD4Mark]

Check the link in my signature line, that will show you even more cleaning that is needed to help keep the stove running good.

I do a very good cleaning every week. I'm burning corn clinker style and less ash gets behind the wall than running with an agitator, actually less ash gets anywhere in the stove without it being stirred up.

I run mine pretty hard here in the cold and probably could go two weeks between cleanings, but I've watched the gauges I have on the stove and can see a 10°F drop by the end of the week in output temp on the same HR setting. A clean stove is a happy more efficient stove.

I would also recommend cleaning the Room fan at least once a season. I do mine two or three times. We have cat and dog hair along with regular dust. The fan blades get very gummed up. You will see a dramatic increase in how much air is blown out after cleaning it.

To clean it you need to unplug the stove. Remove the left panel. Have a way to discharge any static. Take a pic of the control board with the wiring. You will need to remove the main wire harness, that one is easy to remember how to replace. Then there are two wires for the pressure switch. Those need to go back exactly were they came from. Once you do that you can put the panel aside. You might want to have another person help the first time as the wiring is short and you cannot put the panel down while disconnecting the wires. I can do it by myself but I've done it dozens of times.

Once you have the panel off take pics of the room blower and wiring. Unplug the motor. Carefully remove the blower. You can then take it outside as there will be a lot of dust/gunk when you start scrapping it. Use two small screw drivers. One to hold the blades and one to scrape with. Scrape both sides and into the blower housing. If you use an air compressor make sure you hold the blades in one place, damage to the motor can happen if you blow and spin the blades to fast. I usually scrape first and then blow it out as the air doesn't get the real hard stuck on crud off.

Any questions just ask, I've done it many times. Just make very sure that you don't have any static when unplugging the board and note where the wires go and it is pretty easy.

Good luck, stay warm!

Thanks for the help Pete. The room blower was going to be next but after the gasket falling apart on the draft blower I decided to wait until we are done using the stove for the season. If we are ever done. Still looks crappy for the next week. I have had the control board out because it was replaced under warranty so I swapped it. Taking a picture of it is a great idea. Usually with something like that I will stick numbered pieces of tape on the board and the wires if there are a lot of them.Think I got that from going with my dad to the drug store with a box of tubes from the TV to test them. Dating myself with that.

 

[FirepotPete]

Think I got that from going with my dad to the drug store with a box of tubes from the TV to test them. Dating myself with that.

LOL, you're dating both of us!

The gasket on the room blower is a glass fiber, pretty easy to find and replace on the cheap. Having taken mine off many times it hasn't needed to be replaced. Yours might be different if never removed before.

Tagging the board and wires is a good way to I.D. them also.