Quadrafire Mt Vernon Ignitor hole be blocked with a ash clumb.

[Formulas67]

I have a Quadrafire Mt Vernon which initial start up in the morning has ashes blocking the ignitor hole. The stove runs thru the cycles correctly. It is just when the stove starts up in the morning that the hole is blocked. It automatically turned down at night to 56 and back up in the morning but in the morning it will not restart because of ashes blocking the ignitor hole. If I come down in the middle of the night and clear the clump away it will start right up in the morning. I using Great American pellets stored on pallets in my basement. We had a very wet fall and I have a dehumidifier running. The problem didn't seem to start until I to the bottom of my first pallet. I just started at the top of my second ton so maybe it will stop. Are there any subjection I can try if it continues. I did replace the ignitor.

 

[LMPS]

Is it giving you an error message? Does it do this during the day when it stops to auto-clean or does not not have the auto-clean?

 

[Formulas67]

Is it giving you an error message? Does it do this during the day when it stops to auto-clean or does not not have the auto-clean?

No error message except after the firepot fill with pellets after attempting to lite a couple times. No never after it lites the first time in the morning. The autoclean is working.

 

[Bkins]

Try cleaning out the pot right before you go to bed. I'll bet your running it on low. On low mine will create more ash and sometimes a clinker.

You don't say which Mt Vernon you have.

 

[Formulas67]

Quadra-Fire Mt. Vernon AE built July 2007. Running all the latest updates the last time is was service by a tech and new firepot installed last year. What do you mean running on low? I did not change any setting since this started. Thanks for answering my post.

 

[LMPS]

That was my next question what settings are you burning on? Also what pellets are you burning? If you run on low or medium low that means you are going a longer between auto cleans. I have had this issue before and when running on low.

Currently I run on manual and never below medium. I just adjust the temperature I am calling for a few degrees higher than I want the room so the stove continues to run. Also I do not back it down much at night as it takes more to heat the room back up than it does to hold it at the temperature I want it at.

 

[LMPS]

Are you running the stove on manual or automatic? This stove runs in both, in automatic it will automatically adjust the heat output up and down (down as it gets closer to the temperature you are calling for). So if you are calling for it to be 60 and the stove gets to 58 it will adjust the heat output down to say medium low or low, if you are calling for 60 and the temperature in the room is 52 it is going to run on medium or medium high or high. The heat output controls the feed rate on this stove. So if it is running on high it is going to call for more pellets but it is also going to auto clean more thus dropping the ash more frequently.
In manual you set the heat output and manually set it at what level you want. It really is a matter of personal opinion which way you run it, I like being able to control the stove more so I use manual.

 

[Formulas67]

I run on Auto and will want to keep it that way. Right now I'm burning Great American and have notice bigger clinkers from these. I did come down during the night and clear the pot and it started right up in the morning.

 

[LMPS]

If you want to keep it in auto I would increase the temperature you are calling for so it does not run in medium low or low, so that it auto cleans more frequently. If you are getting clinkers I would say that you are not getting a complete burn which can be caused by running it in low because the temperature of the stove is not high enough to do a complete burn.

 

[LMPS]

The other thing to look at is if you are running it softwood, hardwood or utility. Softwood will run the longest between auto cleanings, then hardwood and utility will auto clean the most. You might try switching these around also think this might change the air flow so it might also give you a more complete burn. I have run softwood pellets on hardwood before just for this reason.

 

[smoke show]

I have never even heard of this happening to anyone. I'd seriously have to blame the pellets.

 

[Formulas67]

I have my temp set at 75. I see no need to run the stove all day at 75 that would a waste of pellets and would be negate the reason I bought the Mt Vernon in the first place.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

If you want to keep it in auto I would increase the temperature you are calling for so it does not run in medium low or low, so that it auto cleans more frequently

I have been running in auto mode with the flame height set near the top of the scale. I have no proof, but my perception is that it burns cleaner with the larger flame.

The other thing to look at is if you are running it softwood, hardwood or utility.

The fuel selection may also play a big part in residues formed I was advised by the installers to leave it in utility mode. I eventually changed to hardwood when I switched to a cleaner burning pellet.

 

[Formulas67]

I'll try different setting for the pellets. I put it on utility first for a couple days. I'm leaning towards the pellets also, I just talked to a buddy who bought the same pellet I did and he is not having a problem but he also has a different stove.

 

[DexterDay]

A

I have never even heard of this happening to anyone. I'd seriously have to blame the pellets.

It's an auto cleaning stove? Doesnt it cycle before starting or shutting down?

I would lean towards pellets too. It's a Quad. I thought they just spewed the ashes out of the pot? Mine does

 

[LMPS]

I have mine set at 75 and run it on manual medium, this holds the house most of the time at between 69 and 72 depending on how cold it is out side. If its real cold I will turn it up to medium high or high. At night I turn it down to 70 and medium.

It might be a pellet issue in that they produce more ash, but in the end if the stove was auto cleaning more it would be fine.

 

[Formulas67]

I changed the fuel setting to utility and took a bag off the top of the pallet and Well I checked the fire-pot last night after it had shutdown for about an hour and a half and there were no ashes in front of the ignitor and it fired right up this morning. I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks for all your help.

 

[LMPS]

Glad it worked out. Might try a few different brands of pellets to see if you can get some that allow you not to burn on utility.

 

[tsmith]

I am currently burning Powerhouse pellets in my AE, they are the same as Great American. I am burning on manual low temp at 72 and hardwood pellet setting. I am also using the high elevation setting to introduce more air into the pot. I have never had a problem with clinkers forming and not dropping out on auto clean. What do you have your flame height set at? I am at minus5. You may be feeding too many pellets. They do produce a lot of ash but I have not had any clinker problems burning on low all the time.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

I am also using the high elevation setting to introduce more air into the pot.

That should burn cleaner, but won't it reduce the efficiency by pushing more heat out the vent?

 

[LMPS]

Be careful changing the altitude setting as it will change the fuel table setting to the original setting that game with the stove. so if you do this you will lose any updates that your dealer has done.

 

[tsmith]

I had been told by a quad tech to use high altitude for denser pellets that need more air to burn. It does default back to original settings as stated above.