Pellet Stove Shut Down - Burning Paint Smell

[jgross1185]

Need some help please. Some background info. Have a St Croix Hastings. This is my 7th year with it. I clean it thoroughly every two weeks and do full break down at the end of each season cleaning all the fans, flue pipe, etc. Last year I replaced the exhaust fan about half way through the season. I have only burned about a ton of pellets so far.

Just a few minutes ago, the house filled with smoke and bad smell. I went over and the whole stove was hot to the touch and I heard one of the fans really loud and it was whinding down. The fire was just about out as well. I took the sides off (with gloves because it was so hot) and saw the paint bubbling on the exhaust fan and that is where the smoke was coming from.

I also saw embers sticking to the bottom of the flue cap outside. Went to the roof and took off the cap. No clogs that I can see with the flashing light.

I fully intend to break the whole stove down tomorrow not sure what I will find. But now my wife and me are a bit nervous about running this while we are not home.

Any advice on what to check and what may have gone wrong? I am thinking a clog some where that killed the exhaust fan, but like I said, I give this a good cleaning every other wee.

 

[heat seeker]

I would think that if the exhaust fan had quit, you would have gotten a #2 blinking light. I'd make sure that the room air fan was working properly. It keeps the stove cool by removing the heat into the room. And I'd like to know why the overtemp snap disc didn't shut the stove down, too.

Also, make sure the auger motor is cycling properly on and off. If its triac shorts, it would run continually, over firing the stove.

And I agree, don't leave the stove running alone until you find the cause and fix it!

 

[jgross1185]

thanks for the reply. I am no good with wiring and such. How can I tell if the room air fan is working right? Just see if it is blowing the heat out after I clean the stove? I suspect if it is not working stove should shut down and I would get a error light on the control panel?

 

[heat seeker]

The room air fan should blow a goodly amount of air out the vents into the room. Compare the air volume to what it was when the stove was working properly. As always, cleanliness counts - make sure the fan itself, and the motor, are both free of dust and crud. Even if the fan is running properly, if it's clogged with hair and dust, it won't move enough air.
You'll need to remove the fan from the stove to do a proper job, and that should be done at least once a year, maybe more if you have hairy pets. Too many people overlook this process.

There is an overtemp sensor that should shut the stove down if it overheats. Some you have to reset manually, others reset themselves.

It should be covered in your manual.

 

[jgross1185]

Thanks. that is one of the fans I clean each year. Appreciate the help.

 

[jgross1185]

So I should have posted this back in the spring, but I was at the end of the season and I was out of ideas and honestly just frustrated. I woke up one morning to a horrible smell. I went outside and I could see the top of my cap on fire. Looked like creosote - it was so hot I had to hit with the hose for several minutes to put it out. My exhaust fan was still running and the fire was still going in the stove. I shut it down and made sure everything was okay.

Because this is the second time this happened I thought I was done with this as I am using the stove for heat....not to burn my house down! Anyway I did a full breakdown again, all fans, clean exhaust pipe to the outside...the whole nine yards i did back in december and that I do at the end of every season. I am religious about cleaning the stove every two weeks with getting behind all the traps with brushes, exchange tubes, etc. There was some ash build up in the pipe and there is a bit of creosote on the exhaust fan and exchange tubes.

Do I have a air flow issue, or is the exhaust fan crapping out again? is it s matter of cleaning my pipe several times during the season? For 6 years I only cleaned it at the end of the season. As much as I have read, I don't think I should have that much creosote. I was using okanangan doug fir pellets for most of the season so i don't think it is the quality of the pellet.

I am def replacing the high temp switch just as a precaution since it didn't shut down when this first happened in December.

Please help with any direction you can give. I want to use the stove but not have to worry about this happening again.

 

[heat seeker]

You shouldn't be getting creosote in your venting with a pellet stove, unless it is burning very poorly. I would hope that if the exhaust fan was running that badly, you'd get a "lack of vacuum" shutdown. Is your flame nice and bright and active?

 

[jgross1185]

Yes flame looks perfect

 

[bogieb]

How long a run do you have for exhaust pipe and what diameter? With a nice flame, shouldn't be getting creosote I wouldn't think.

 

[jgross1185]

Run is about 8 feet in side and then another 18" to 2' above roof line. Diameter is 4"

 

[bogieb]

Hoping someone with more experience chimes in - the diameter is right for the run, so that can't be it (was a long shot anyway since you haven't had issues previously).