Overfeeding!?

[Melissa220]

HI! I haven't been on the site for a long time! Hope all had a wonderful Christmas and that your New Year is a great one!

Lat night, I discovered that my stove (Harman P43) was overfeeding. It was set at the default 4 feed rate but the stove was just feeding and feeding! Pellets had spilled over into the ash pan and were burning in there and all there was in the burn pot was a LOT of unburned pellets and a few on the edges that were glowing. I scraped half the pellets into the ash pan and tried scraping the burn pot thinking the air holes were covered, but they were not. I finally set the stove temp way down to stop it from feeding until flames started and then turned the temp back up for the overnight.

Today I cleaned the stove and left the feed on 4. Stove started fine but the primary flame was on the left side of the burn pot and I was seeing mainly embers on the right with faint flames. The stove continued to feed trying to get the temp up in the room. I had to turn the feed rate to 1 to stop it from feeding and scraped the embers under the unburned pellets to start the flames. everything is burning merrily now and I have turned the feed rate gradually up to 3 with no ill effects.

Should I call my pellet stove people? Could this be the effect of damp pellets?

 

[P38X2]

Is your ESP free of ash? Are you SURE the burn pot holes are clear?

I suppose damp pellets could cause a slightly delayed auto ignite, with a funky burn pattern, but I think it would even itself out after a short while.....unless the pot holes are plugged. Get out the flashlight, small mirror and your favorite pot hole cleaning tool and check it out.

 

[jertola]

While mine never got to that point I did have some similar issues with my P61A. I let my stove cool down to clean it and found my problem. Like stated above, some of the holes were not getting air through them. I took the little plate out from under the burn pot and there was lots of ash in there. Cleaned it out and the stove ran like new again.

 

[Melissa220]

I clean once a week and every time I clean the ESP with a toothbrush taped to a pen, take off the plate under the burn pot and scrape the burn pot with both the scraper and the flat side of a screwdriver to get the most stubborn buildup off the air hole area. The burn pot holes are clear as least as far as I can tell with my fingertips, and I use my fingers to make sure I have a smooth surface on the burnpot where the holes are...and I can feel the holes. Which of course, doesn't necessarily mean they are not clogged.

Since my post, it has been warm enough outside that I haven't needed constant heat from the stove. It has turned off and on several times and I have left the feed at 3.5. I have had complete and full burn of all pellets with no overfeeding.

I still welcome any thoughts. At this point I assume I play the wait and see if it happens again game!

 

[P38X2]

If they're plugged, you won't feel it with your fingers. Try the mirror and flashlight. You can also shine the flashlight through the burn pot access door and use the mirror to see light coming up through the holes. IME, frequent low burns cause the holes to plug up faster.

 

[Melissa220]

You can also shine the flashlight through the burn pot access door and use the mirror to see light coming up through the holes. IME, frequent low burns cause the holes to plug up faster.

Ahhh. Good idea!! Thanks!