With the 2009-2010 tax credit expiring, I finally decided to take the plunge and get a pellet stove. My neighbor has a Thelin stove and I've researched for some while so I wasn't buying blindly. I bought a small batch of 100% hardwood pellets from my neighbor so I'd be ready to burn when it was installed. We've had it on a thermostat for four days now and I have a few questions:
1) Sometimes when the stove lights itself so much smoke will build up that upon ignition it will blow smoke through the seams of the glass door, into the house. It even blows the ash pan trap door open. I have the hopper feeding at about half capacity and the fan is set to low. I've tried about every combination of feed rate and fan speed and it still does this two or three times a day (that I know of). Is this normal?
2) How long does it typically take for the glass to turn black? Mine begins turning with the first burn after cleaning it. I thought it's supposed to take weeks to get dirty.
3) I understand that Quadra-Fire does not provide adjustable flues but is there any other way to adjust the amount of wind/air in the stove? It sometimes looks as if there's a wirlwind inside my stove. The ashes and burning pellets are blown all over the stove.
4) The Quadra-fire video says that your flame height should maintain a few inches above the pot. Mine typically maintains just above the top of the pot. Obviously it's higher when it first lights, but after the first 10 minutes it dies back down to just above the top of the fire pot. I've tried adjusting the feed rate to full capacity and turning the fan on medium or high. I can eventually get the flame to maintain higher but I must turn the feed rate as high as it will go. Is this normal for this stove?
Any feedback is much appreciated. I plan to call my local dealer tomorrow and ask them the same questions. From what I've read, this forum community is much more knowledgeable then the "sales rep".
1) Sometimes when the stove lights itself so much smoke will build up that upon ignition it will blow smoke through the seams of the glass door, into the house. It even blows the ash pan trap door open. I have the hopper feeding at about half capacity and the fan is set to low. I've tried about every combination of feed rate and fan speed and it still does this two or three times a day (that I know of). Is this normal?
2) How long does it typically take for the glass to turn black? Mine begins turning with the first burn after cleaning it. I thought it's supposed to take weeks to get dirty.
3) I understand that Quadra-Fire does not provide adjustable flues but is there any other way to adjust the amount of wind/air in the stove? It sometimes looks as if there's a wirlwind inside my stove. The ashes and burning pellets are blown all over the stove.
4) The Quadra-fire video says that your flame height should maintain a few inches above the pot. Mine typically maintains just above the top of the pot. Obviously it's higher when it first lights, but after the first 10 minutes it dies back down to just above the top of the fire pot. I've tried adjusting the feed rate to full capacity and turning the fan on medium or high. I can eventually get the flame to maintain higher but I must turn the feed rate as high as it will go. Is this normal for this stove?
Any feedback is much appreciated. I plan to call my local dealer tomorrow and ask them the same questions. From what I've read, this forum community is much more knowledgeable then the "sales rep".