Smoke from top of ash box on startup on Whitfield Profile 30 FS

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jrmackenz

New Member
Nov 14, 2021
1
Connecticut
Hi everyone - I am new to the forum and have a question on my Whitfield Profile 30. The stove operates great with one exception…. occasionally on startup the stove will fill with smoke and begin to leak smoke from the top of the ash box.

I have thoroughly cleaned the stove and vent pipe, as well as re-sealed all of the vent pipe connections. Any thoughts on possible causes?

Thanks in advance for your help!
 
Not enough combustion air or a partially plugged combustion air plenum or the combustion air fan needs cleaning. You ever pull the fan assembly out of the plenum and clean it inside and/or clean the fan wheel?

The combustion fan and especially the plenum needs regular yearly cleaning.
 
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Sometimes a stove will fill with smoke as the pellets build up heat until they ignite. The amount can even vary with different pellets, dryness of the pellets, etc. Other things that can cause delayed ignition are weak igniter, clogged igniter openings, weak exhaust, etc. On my old Englander when the igniter started taking longer than usual and thus mor smoke, it was often time for a good cleaning, and in my case the leaf blower trick.
That said, it shouldn't leak into the room. I would check the gaskets around where it's leaking from.

Ray
 
Like that song goes by Joe Walsh.. 'The smoker you are, the player you get'....:p
 
Hell, I can make my manual light stove smoke if I don't put in enough starter pellets and the auger starts dropping mix on a weak flame and partially ignited starter pellet mass. Looks like fog in there but none of it ever escapes. I'm sure it stinks, probably smells like BBQ with no meat.