Hot ash jumping to the ash pan. P35i

[Mike49024]

I seem to have alot of red hot ash flying out of my pot.

I have a P35i, which I've had installed for about a month. I have the outside air kit attached. I usually run it at 70*F with a max feed of 2.5. I use propellets like the ones shown below.

http://www.fiberby-products.com/products/wood_pellets.php

I've also tried the somersets and heat output, ash, and flying hots seemed very comparable to the propellets.

At times, I look down in my ash pan and it looks like I'm staring into the starry evening sky. There will be alot of small burning embers down in the pan.

Is this normal? And how do I reduce this?

Thanks -

 

[chud]

My initial guess would be that your feed rating is to high, but 2.5 is not much. What is the max fed rating on your stove? Are they jumping in or getting pushed in?

 

[Mike49024]

the max feed on the stove is 4.1lb/hr.

The settings go from 1-6.

The hots are jumping, not being pushed in.

 

[chris288]

I get a fireworks show every now and then with the XXV, a shower or curtain of sparks flying outta the pot into the pan, I think it has something to do with the expiration date on my pellets. LOL Seriously, the freedom fuel I have does it the most, probably because they are the shortest pellets I have used and therefore more little pieces at the end of the burn.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

The force of the combustion air going through the burn pot has reached the point that the very light glowing remains of pieces of pellets can be ejected from the burn pot.

Provided these pieces aren't very large it is normal.

I can always find some in my ash pan when the stove is running.

 

[ironpony]

agreed, in my stove they dance around and then some jump to thier demise

 

[littlesmokey]

Try reducing your combustion air a little to the point that the pellets appear to simply dance, not jump around. Seems like a little too much combustion air, and it is spitting out small pieces before they should go. Watch your flame to maintain an active flame, in the yellow to white range. While this is a lot better than a lazy flame, you may well be blowing a good deal of your potential heat up the flue.

 

[maglite67]

if it's an insert the I assume your going up with the venting. Look at the control board and you'll see a round white adjustable plastic screw. Take your jeweler screwdriver and turn it back just a little and watch the fire what your looking for is the small pieces to fly out and the large pieces to stay in your feed rate has nothing to do with setting the combustion air on a harman.

 

[Mike49024]

if it's an insert the I assume your going up with the venting. Look at the control board and you'll see a round white adjustable plastic screw. Take your jeweler screwdriver and turn it back just a little and watch the fire what your looking for is the small pieces to fly out and the large pieces to stay in your feed rate has nothing to do with setting the combustion air on a harman.

Yeah I was making this adjustment yesterday. It doesn't seem to have much effect. The flame will get slightly more lazy when all the way down. To be honest, on this stove, I couldn't really tell much of a difference with the screw all the way down compared to all the way up. The flame, jumping sparks, and heat output change relatively little.

So I just put it back to factory setting. I'm new to the pellet stove game, I guess it's normal operation.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[chris288]

That adjustment screw isn't your typical combustion type trim pot like on most other stoves, its a voltage adjustment screw, these stoves are set at the factory for exactly 120V, some houses run 110, 115, so this trim allows you to adjust for voltage differences, and it has very little effect on the combustion of the Harmans stoves.

 

[Mike49024]

That adjustment screw isn't your typical combustion type trim pot like on most other stoves, its a voltage adjustment screw, these stoves are set at the factory for exactly 120V, some houses run 110, 115, so this trim allows you to adjust for voltage differences, and it has very little effect on the combustion of the Harmans stoves.

That makes sense from what I was seeing. So basically the stove is monitoring and auto adjusting for combustion air?

 

[chris288]

That adjustment screw isn't your typical combustion type trim pot like on most other stoves, its a voltage adjustment screw, these stoves are set at the factory for exactly 120V, some houses run 110, 115, so this trim allows you to adjust for voltage differences, and it has very little effect on the combustion of the Harmans stoves.

That makes sense from what I was seeing. So basically the stove is monitoring and auto adjusting for combustion air?

For the most part that trim pot is used in setting the draft properly. Unlike my old whitfield I could raise and lower that combustion trim and it would have a dramatic effect on the combustion blower and have huge effect on the burn characteristics, adjusting the trim on Harmans has very little effect.

From the Harman Manual:


These units are pre-tested at the factory with exactly
120 Volts A.C., 60 Hz. They are checked and adjusted
for firebox tightness, gasket leakage, motor operation
and igniter operation. The XXV is then factory set at a
mid-point adjustment and in most cases will not need any
adjustments. nOte: the factory low draft setting may
not be correct for the unit's permanent installation
conditions.
The control board on the XXV is equipped with a low
draft adjustment port. Located on the control face just
to the left of the igniter light. This voltage adjustment
is provided to allow the unit to be adjusted for the
household voltage where the unit is going to be in
permanent operation. nOte: the line voltage varies
from area to area and often home to home.
The low draft voltage should be adjusted to achieve
the most efficient burn on low burn or "maintenance".
This voltage adjustment allows the installer to change
the low voltage set point approximately 10 volts. This
adjustment should be done by the installer during set
up because a draft meter reading is required to insure
proper set up.
If the unit is not adjusted properly, it does not cause
a safety concern. If the unit is adjusted too high, only
effiency is lost. If the unit is adjusted too low, the low
draft pressure switch will not allow the feed motor or the
igniter to operate.
A simple draft test should be performed after
completing the flue pipe installation. To record the results
for future reference:
Combustion
Motor Speed
Control
Low draft
only set
point.
The small
straight
screwdriver
slot is plastic;
therefore, the
unit can be
adjusted while
in operation.
Fig.29
1. Plug unit into a 1 0VAC, 60 HZ outlet.
. Close the hopper lid, front view door, and the ash pan.
Neither pellets or a fire are required for this test.
. With the mode selector in the "OFF" position, turn
the feed adjuster to "TEST".
4. Record the high draft_____in W.C. (Normal is -.50
to -.60) The control will be on the High Draft for a total
of minutes.
5. After minutes, the combustion motor will go down to
low draft and the distribution blower will go on high. Allow
approximately 15 seconds to pass for the combustion
motor to slow before checking the low draft.
6. If the low draft is between -. 5 and -.45, record the
reading _____ in W.C. If the reading is higher, slowly
turn the set screw counter-clockwise until the draft
lowers. If the reading is lower, very slowly turn the set
screw clockwise until the draft increases.
nOte: the test mode alternates from high to low
draft every 60 seconds. if more time is needed
for draft adjustment, wait until the next low draft
cycle.
nOte: in some cases, the draft may not go as low
as -.35 to -.45 even with the set screw completely
counter-clockwise, ideally, you should just set it as
low as possible.
low draft Voltage adjustment
low draft Voltage adjustment
Draft Meter bolt hole location
is just behind the left front
leg, near the top of the ash
pan area.
Draft Meter
Fig.30