Issue with Enviro Maxx (cleaning?)

[Steeve.B]

Hello all,

I have an awesome Enviro Maxx pellet stove that is running since early January. Lately it has been much hotter outside but there is still a lot of snow since I live in the north of Canada. Usually during the day I run on auto/off and high/low for the night.

My stove started to shutdown from time to time when it’s in high/low running on first setting (low burn phase). It usually take a few hour running that way before it stop. I’m guessing that the fire goes out. I have not been able to spot exactly what is happening because I always find it after it turned off (3rd blinking light). The burn pot is usually filled with unburn pellet. Sometime it run fine for 2-3 day then it will run bad for 1 or 2 day.

I clean my stove each week-end. During this cleaning I clean the burn pot, ash box, windows, heat exchanger, I also remove the metal plate behind the burn pot to clean the bottom part of the heat exchanger. I vacuum the intake tube, ignitor tube and all the inside of the stove. One or two more time during the week I clean the burn pot and windows. I love to look at a clean stove that is spotless without a scratch, my gf think I love that thing way to much lol.

I have not done the complet seasonal cleaning yet. I have burned around 90-100 bag. I’m not at 2 tons of pellet but close enough to know that I will soon need to do the seasonal cleaning.

Why I’m not cleaning it right away? Because I have the following questions and issues:

1- Since it’s pretty hot outside the stove really run often on first setting (low burn phase) and it is getting my stove much more dirty than during the cold winter. There is brown soot on the windows and wall after only 2 days. I do not always run it on auto/off because I don’t like the idea of wearing out my igniters. It depends of the outside temperature and if there is sun or not. Could this be the issue?

2- I have an OAK installed that is drawing air around 2 feet above outside ground. Maybe the humid air from the melting snow and water puddle forming is the issue?

3- Everything here is closed due to COVID-19 and I don’t think I can buy an extra combustion blower gasket to have on hand. I know I should have had one already but hey I’m new to this. Is it possible to disassemble the blower without destroying this gasket?

4- Also, I’ve read about the leaf blower trick and I’m wondering if this would be a good fix for now. I could see myself cleaning the stove 2 or 3 time during winter before doing the big cleaning at the end of the season. I think that I will burn around 150-200 bag for a full winter (next year) so around 3 to a little less that 4 ton of pellet. I plan to burn from November to April and I love my house hot at 24 degrees celcius.

5- Can the leaf blower trick replace entirely the vent pipe brushing and combustion blower vacuuming or is it just mean to be the icing on the cake?

Finally, I’m I missing something important regarding seasonal cleaning (other than removing hair, dust from the internal)? From my understanding the cavity that is in between the top of the heat exchanger and combustion blower is not accessible and cannot be cleaned?

 

[JRemington]

Your stove is running so low that the low limit switch is opening and shutting the stove down. The pellet quality right now leaves a lot to be desired. I would every couple days turn the stove up to 5 and clean it out and burn out any creosote that is building up. We’ve sold a lot of these and this stove is awfully big to run on low for hours, especially with sub par pellets. Your better off going with auto off than to try and idle it for hours on setting one. I’m assuming you have some unburnt pellets in the pot under the fresh pellets?

 

[Steeve.B]

Your stove is running so low that the low limit switch is opening and shutting the stove down. The pellet quality right now leaves a lot to be desired. I would every couple days turn the stove up to 5 and clean it out and burn out any creosote that is building up. We’ve sold a lot of these and this stove is awfully big to run on low for hours, especially with sub par pellets. Your better off going with auto off than to try and idle it for hours on setting one. I’m assuming you have some unburnt pellets in the pot under the fresh pellets?

I’d say that under the fresh pellet it’s pretty clean. No ash build up or anything. I usually just remove the pellet accumulation and it fire back up fine.

It’s funny what you say about setting because I ran on setting 4 all winter (in high low). I had lowered it to 3 at about the same time I started having issue. Last night I set it in high low to setting 4 and it worked fine all night. Then this morning before going to work I pumped it to 5 for about 30 minutes while I ate my breakfast. Then back on auto/off since then and it work fine.

Regarding pellet quality I’m on your side. I went with what my dealer recommended me when buying the stove but they are aweful. I completely fill up my ashbox every week and while it was better during cold winter day my glass get really dirty. Next winter I will try more brand to find a better one.

I will wait for other opinion regarding my other question.

Also my air baffle has to be exactly set to 1-7/8 open measured with a tape measure otherwise it will run funny. If it has to much air it doesn't light up and to little and it shutdown even on 3. 1/8 of an inch make a big difference.

 

[JRemington]

I should also add that you want to be sure the outside of the burn pot is kept smooth so it sits tightly inside the burn pot holder. If not air escapes out and causes a problem on low burn. The leaf blower will help a lot if used right with a short length of pipe. Also, how clean is your pipe?

 

[Steeve.B]

I just checked the clean-out T and I attached a picture of what I found inside. The pipe is not clean but I can clearly see the top of the chimney. There is maybe 1mm of cake on the side of the pipe. It will definitely need a brushing but it is not obstructed by any mean.

I also did a little mid week cleaning like I usually do. I joined photo of before and after cleaning. The stove was cleaned 4 day ago. There is some back creosote on the sidewall but it’s not as bad as it was. Maybe it’s working better now

It has also been working flawlessly last night (high/low) and today (auto/off). It’s still on heat setting 4.

 

[keyfred]

Hi Steve, do you find a effective solution of your problem ? I think I have the same...