Lazy flame causes?

[ylomnstr]

I'm on my 3rd year with my St. Croix Hastings. I've burned 3 tons each of my first 2 years, and i'm on track to do the same this year. Lately this year, my flame has been a bit lazy and I've seen more soot and dark soot on the glass than normal. The first time this happened, I noticed that the burn plate was not in level when I cleaned it. I fixed that, and it was good, but now it seems I can't get that nice strong flame. I haven't done the leaf blower trick, but I'm wondering if there's anything else that can be causing this? I've played with rear damper and it's where it always is. If I close it anymore than it is, the flame instantly gets lazier. Could my rope gasket need to be replaced? When I clean the stove, I don't notice it being burned or anything significant. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

The stove has some inner ash traps that are full of ashes/soot and such.

You need to cool the stove off well and go after it with the vacuum.

Look at the service book/owners manual and follow the cleaning regimen thats speced out.

Most of the pellet stoves made today have several internal baffles that need to be removed or covers removed to allow cleaning.

Make sure that the vent/stack are clean too.

If you have a direct vent, remove the cap and run the vacuum hose down the length of it and suck out the ashes.

If you have a high chimney, it should have a cleanout cap, remove this and clean the pipe.

Most likely then worst issues will be internal ashes that are obstructing the airflow.

Many guys make up an adapter and hook the suction side of thier leaf blower to the vent and then run the blower with the door of the stove open.

This will literally suck out every spec of loose ash.

Dont try and blow the thing out, or you will get banished to the barn for making a mess in the house.

I use a shop vac to do mine

Once clean it will run like new again.

Full cleanings should be a once at the end of the season and then at about mid season event.

Running longer than a season is just asking for a clogged stove.

Good luck

Snowy

 

[imacman]

Dirty stove

 

[burrman]

Dirty stove

x 2

 

[ylomnstr]

The stove has some inner ash traps that are full of ashes/soot and such.

You need to cool the stove off well and go after it with the vacuum.

Look at the service book/owners manual and follow the cleaning regimen thats speced out.

Most of the pellet stoves made today have several internal baffles that need to be removed or covers removed to allow cleaning.

Make sure that the vent/stack are clean too.

If you have a direct vent, remove the cap and run the vacuum hose down the length of it and suck out the ashes.

If you have a high chimney, it should have a cleanout cap, remove this and clean the pipe.

Most likely then worst issues will be internal ashes that are obstructing the airflow.

Many guys make up an adapter and hook the suction side of thier leaf blower to the vent and then run the blower with the door of the stove open.

This will literally suck out every spec of loose ash.

Dont try and blow the thing out, or you will get banished to the barn for making a mess in the house.

I use a shop vac to do mine

Once clean it will run like new again.

Full cleanings should be a once at the end of the season and then at about mid season event.

Running longer than a season is just asking for a clogged stove.

Good luck

Snowy

Thanks. I figured it's a dirty stove. The manual doesn't really break down how to really take this thing apart to clean it. I took the baffles out and got in there as best i could. Stuck my fingers in as deep as possible. I guess I'll have to rig a hose or something to get in there deeper.

 

[krooser]

be certain the clean-out rod under the versa-grate is pushed in all the way... and check to see the ash pan is closed tightly and the gasket is good...

Use a pencil as a gauge and close the damper on the pencil... that's where it should be set. If these three things don't fix it then you have a stove that's plugged with ash.

Have you cleaned the ash traps that are near the bottom of the stove's back wall? You need to remove those covers and tap the stove with a small hammer to help dislodge the ash that get's stuck behind that back wall. Or use a bottle brush and snake it thru that back wall to clean it... a small plumbers snake may also work...then use the leafblower for a final cleaning.

 

[ylomnstr]

be certain the clean-out rod under the versa-grate is pushed in all the way... and check to see the ash pan is closed tightly and the gasket is good...

Use a pencil as a gauge and close the damper on the pencil... that's where it should be set. If these three things don't fix it then you have a stove that's plugged with ash.

Have you cleaned the ash traps that are near the bottom of the stove's back wall? You need to remove those covers and tap the stove with a small hammer to help dislodge the ash that get's stuck behind that back wall. Or use a bottle brush and snake it thru that back wall to clean it... a small plumbers snake may also work...then use the leafblower for a final cleaning.

Thanks. I have cleaned those traps. Any idea how far across or up that area behind the trap extends?

 

[nailed_nailer]

I know the only time I have a lazy flame on my Enviro it is due to the Ash pan not fully seated on the gaskets.

I just have to pull it out and reseat it so that the door latch turns without hanging up.

The difference in flame is instant.

You may want to try the dollar bill test on your door gaskets.

Oh yeah...a good deep cleaning never hurts either

Good Luck,
---Nailer---

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Now don't you folks forget a plugged vent or air intake will be as bad as a dirty stove in causing a lazy flame.

Pay particular attention to the vent termination.

 

[krooser]

be certain the clean-out rod under the versa-grate is pushed in all the way... and check to see the ash pan is closed tightly and the gasket is good...

Use a pencil as a gauge and close the damper on the pencil... that's where it should be set. If these three things don't fix it then you have a stove that's plugged with ash.

Have you cleaned the ash traps that are near the bottom of the stove's back wall? You need to remove those covers and tap the stove with a small hammer to help dislodge the ash that get's stuck behind that back wall. Or use a bottle brush and snake it thru that back wall to clean it... a small plumbers snake may also work...then use the leafblower for a final cleaning.

Thanks. I have cleaned those traps. Any idea how far across or up that area behind the trap extends?

The area behind the trap doors runs all the up to the top of the stove and all the way across the firebox... you can run a brush down from the top and it will go right thru those trap doors.

I trust you have removed and cleaned the plate that's above the firebox and under the heat tubes.

 

[ylomnstr]

I noticed that on the manual located online, on page 11 it says that there's a clean out ash trap behind the ash tray, but mine doesn't seem to have that. Could I have an older model possibly and be missing something else?

http://www.stcroixstoves.com/pdfs/Pellet Manuals/Hastings Manuals.pdf

 

[krooser]

I noticed that on the manual located online, on page 11 it says that there's a clean out ash trap behind the ash tray, but mine doesn't seem to have that. Could I have an older model possibly and be missing something else?

http://www.stcroixstoves.com/pdfs/Pellet Manuals/Hastings Manuals.pdf

You should have two... one. On each side...maybe 3" wide...

 

[ylomnstr]

I noticed that on the manual located online, on page 11 it says that there's a clean out ash trap behind the ash tray, but mine doesn't seem to have that. Could I have an older model possibly and be missing something else?

http://www.stcroixstoves.com/pdfs/Pellet Manuals/Hastings Manuals.pdf

You should have two... one. On each side...maybe 3" wide...

Yes, that I do, but the manual shows a 3rd behind the ash tray. I don't see that one.

 

[mnkywrnch]

I noticed that on the manual located online, on page 11 it says that there's a clean out ash trap behind the ash tray, but mine doesn't seem to have that. Could I have an older model possibly and be missing something else?

http://www.stcroixstoves.com/pdfs/Pellet Manuals/Hastings Manuals.pdf

You should have two... one. On each side...maybe 3" wide...

Yes, that I do, but the manual shows a 3rd behind the ash tray. I don't see that one.

The newer stoves have that cleanout.

 

[krooser]

I noticed that on the manual located online, on page 11 it says that there's a clean out ash trap behind the ash tray, but mine doesn't seem to have that. Could I have an older model possibly and be missing something else?

http://www.stcroixstoves.com/pdfs/Pellet Manuals/Hastings Manuals.pdf

You should have two... one. On each side...maybe 3" wide...

Yes, that I do, but the manual shows a 3rd behind the ash tray. I don't see that one.

The newer stoves have that cleanout.

Figures... what would I know about new?

 

[ylomnstr]

So I gave the stove what I thought was a pretty good cleaning today. Shut it down, and when I took the tee off the back and look inside, I figured I found the problem. There was a LOT of ash built up in there. I gave it a thorough vacuuming. Cleaned the ash traps as good as I could, and took out the baffle and cleaned a healthy amount of ash off of that as well. Put it all back together and fired it up and things looked OK, but now after it starting and stopping again and a few hours of burning, the flame looks lazy again and the glass is starting to get dirty already. What did I miss?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Well there is the rest of your vent system, the combustion blower and the cavity it sits in (remember to have a new gasket for that before taking the impeller and motor off the housing) and from there back to the heat exchanger and towards the tee, the heat exchanger especially above where the ash traps sit.

Hopefully you didn't hit the damper and cause it to close etc ....

 

[stoveguy2esw]

Dirty stove

not always, good gasket maintenance can be as important as cleaning long term, gaskets in most stoves have a useful life of 3-5 seasons (meaning with normal use (i always figured 2 ton as a "season" less meaning less like 1 ton of "supplimentary use means 2 seasons by calender equals one 'season" according to mike.

the Op has run 3 ton for 2 years and working on a third year of that , which is not HEAVY but normal for "stand alone" use, so his door and window and possibly other gaskets which are important to his particular unit may be geting a bit long in the tooth. to the Op i would say to carefully inspect key gaskets as well as doing the cleaning and other suggestions given by the members

 

[krooser]

Your stove is still plugged....pull the fans and clean everything you can finds.... did you get all the ash out from behind the firebox?

 

[ylomnstr]

Your stove is still plugged....pull the fans and clean everything you can finds.... did you get all the ash out from behind the firebox?

OK, so I took the fan out, and did find more ash under there, so I cleaned it, and it's burning better, but still not as clean as I think it should be. The only thing I haven't gotten to is the vent. I have a straight vertical vent which goes up about 15 or so feet. I think there might be some ash up from the tee, but I'm not sure how to get to it. My local Williams Lumber has a vent brush, but it's listed for dryer vent and the brush feels soft and made from nylon or something. Would this work? Or do I need an actual brush made for pellet vent pipe?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Your stove is still plugged....pull the fans and clean everything you can finds.... did you get all the ash out from behind the firebox?

OK, so I took the fan out, and did find more ash under there, so I cleaned it, and it's burning better, but still not as clean as I think it should be. The only thing I haven't gotten to is the vent. I have a straight vertical vent which goes up about 15 or so feet. I think there might be some ash up from the tee, but I'm not sure how to get to it. My local Williams Lumber has a vent brush, but it's listed for dryer vent and the brush feels soft and made from nylon or something. Would this work? Or do I need an actual brush made for pellet vent pipe?

Lint eaters work very well, do not forget to remove and clean the termination cap, they get really crudded up and by themselves can easily cause a lazy fire.

 

[ylomnstr]

I'm going to replace the door rope gasket today. Anyone know what size rope it needs? 5/8"? The manual doesn't say. Thanks.

 

[ylomnstr]

OK replaced the rope gasket but I don't think that was the issue since it didn't look worn. I also cleaned out the venting as far as I could get, but due to the snow, I couldn't get the last 7 or so feet. There was some decent build up of ash in the venting. I'd guess a quarter to half inch thick at most. I've seemed to solve the dirty glass, but the pellets haven't been burning well since I noticed this issue to begin with. I've attached a picture of burning after about a day or so. Seems the pellets just aren't burning well. The flame looks fine when I first clean the burnpot and fire up the stove, but after a couple of bags, I have this build up. And then of course once there are so many pellets in the burn pot, flame becomes lazy again, but the glass is staying cleaner than before I cleaned it well. I never used to have this issue. I used to be able to go a week straight without having to worry about buildup in the pot. any other suggestions? Can it be that the top few feet of my exhaust still has the ash buildup and that's causing the problem? I'm not sure what else to do at this point.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Your termination cap might be plugged.

 

[ylomnstr]

I checked that last week and it didn't seem to be. I'll have to get on the roof again if this snow and ice ever stops.