Older St. Croix Hastings Black Soot on glass

[ylomnstr]

I've had this Hastings stove for since about 2008. It's been great and burned tons of pellets over the years. The past few years I've been chasing the glass getting dirtier quickly. This year, I fired it up and I'm getting black soot very quickly after a couple of hours. I thought it may be my exhast so I disconnected the stove and am running it outside and it's still sooting up. So it's not a blocked exhaust. I already ran an air compressor through it before the start of the season. No difference. I have it apart outside right now and cannot find any blocks. I also replaced the door gasket this year and it passes the dollar test. I've pulled the combustion fan and no blocks. The air fan is also clean. What the heck do I check? The flame dances well when it's lit, so I just don't understand. Any other secret spots or anything I need to check?

 

[Whitenuckler]

I've had this Hastings stove for since about 2008. It's been great and burned tons of pellets over the years. The past few years I've been chasing the glass getting dirtier quickly. This year, I fired it up and I'm getting black soot very quickly after a couple of hours. I thought it may be my exhast so I disconnected the stove and am running it outside and it's still sooting up. So it's not a blocked exhaust. I already ran an air compressor through it before the start of the season. No difference. I have it apart outside right now and cannot find any blocks. I also replaced the door gasket this year and it passes the dollar test. I've pulled the combustion fan and no blocks. The air fan is also clean. What the heck do I check? The flame dances well when it's lit, so I just don't understand. Any other secret spots or anything I need to check?

Does it have a dedicated air channel for the glass cleaning? (air wash).
Is the flame nice and strong?

 

[ylomnstr]

I don't think this one has the air wash. Flame is very sharp. It's very frustrating. Really don't want to buy a new stove even though this one has paid for itself.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I don't think this one has the air wash. Flame is very sharp. It's very frustrating. Really don't want to buy a new stove even though this one has paid for itself.

Is there a spot to measure the vacuum?
Are you sure the flame is strong like a blow torch and not like a candle?

 

[ylomnstr]

Not sure how to check vacuum. Flame is very strong. I usually run it on medium speed and flame is halfway up and dances. I'll get a video.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Not sure how to check vacuum. Flame is very strong. I usually run it on medium speed and flame is halfway up and dances. I'll get a video.

My P43 has a bolt you remove to insert a hose. Check your manuals. How about pellets? Are they the same as before the soot?

 

[ARC]

How about pellets?

My first thought.

 

[ylomnstr]

Hope it's not pellets. I bought 4 tons of them. Same brand I usually get from home depot. I know they're not the cleanest but they shouldn't be this bad.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Hope it's not pellets. I bought 4 tons of them. Same brand I usually get from home depot. I know they're not the cleanest but they shouldn't be this bad.

So, as this is the start of the heating season, the pellets are "new", and the problem is "new". Also, I was going to ask if you have OAK?

 

[Whitenuckler]

Hope it's not pellets. I bought 4 tons of them. Same brand I usually get from home depot. I know they're not the cleanest but they shouldn't be this bad.

I buy my mine from Home Depot also. I was watching the parking lot where they store them. There were 4 or 5 chitty pallets from last year when the season started. Then the deliveries came, and the bad ones were blocked in by the new shipments. That is when I had mine delivered. They still managed to damage the wrap on one pallet, but I taped it up. I have no idea if this batch is good, but last year was.

 

[ARC]

If it is pellets try adding more air.

 

[bogieb]

Are you sure that the 3 ash traps are cleaned out (2 to either side of the pellet drop chute and 1 behind the ash pan). Those channels are very difficult to clean and if you haven't tried the leaf blower trick, now is the time to do so.

Make sure that the baffle on top, and all the brick panels are in place correctly.

Check to make sure that the channel where the pot cleanout rod is - I'm talking about the part that is closest to the door and mostly covered. When I bought mine used, that was completely caked with hardened ash which disturbed the air flow. I spent about an hour sticking a small screw driver in there and breaking the ash up, then vacuuming it out. It was a PITA.

Try adjusting the draft in the back. Only perform minute changes and give it 15-20 minutes for the stove to stabilize. Mine was very picky on pellets and if changed, I would have to play with the draft for a while. GS has many different "flavors" so you might have gotten a different type and not known it.

From my manual

 

[ylomnstr]

Mine is older and doesn't have that ash trap behind the ash pan. And I've done the leaf blower and also used an air compressor to get stuff out I can't see.