St. Croix Prescott EX Pellet Buildup

[rcawyo]

We have had our St. Croix Prescott EX Pellet stove for several years. We clean it very thoroughly at least twice a year including removing the combustion fan and using a brush to reach the channels. We've replace the rope seal on the lower ash box access and done everything I can think of to eliminate the cause of the pellets slowly building up in the fire. The stove starts and runs with a good normal looking flame but after about 12-18 hours the pellets begin to build up in the burn pot and if I don't quickly open the door and knock some out will actually back up into the feed auger tube. I'm at a loss for what to do. We've also replace the contol board and the combustion fan recently. The fuel is new and dry pellets. The same source we've used for years. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks and happy new year!

Rich

 

[heat seeker]

Of course the usual - have you thoroughly cleaned the stove AND venting? Assuming that you have, I'd time the auger motor to make sure it's not over feeding pellets - not very likely though.

Does this happen on all heat settings?

It does seem like it's not burning the pellets fast enough, likely due to insufficient air flow. Make sure the burn pot holes are all clear and not closed down in size - a hand-held drill bit will open them up. Is the area under the pot clean? Is the damper open at least a pencil-width? Mark its position and open it up some to eliminate it. If you have an OAK, make sure it's clear all the way.

 

[Lake Girl]

Welcome to the forum! Any error code lights? As heat seeker mentioned, air flow is usually the problem. Is an OAK installed? Besides cleaning, are there any changes to the house environment that would effect air flow? Changes in appliances that utilize house air?

I have heard of a failing proof of fire switch causing the firepot to overflow. Those are usually inexpensive to change out ... do not run stove without the switch as it is a safety feature.

Keep us posted...

 

[heat seeker]

Lake Girl's comment reminded me: If my stove runs out of pellets, the hopper isn't quite empty. The fire will go out, and in the time it takes the POF switch to cool, the auger still runs. Pellets will eventually fall into the auger intake, and it feeds pellets into a dead burn pot, so they pile up until the POF shuts the stove down. That really threw me for a while, until I figured out what was happening. Just sayin'. 12 to 18 hours sounds about the most these stoves will run on one filling of the hopper.

 

[alternativeheat]

You say you clean it thoroughly twice a year but have you done so recently ( as in since this issue cropped up) ? I've been fooled by pellets before, where a batch has changed from previous purchases and find my stove getting dirty faster than usual. Don't know about where you are but out here in the east it's been a warm fall and early winter, ideal for added stove filth. We have a saying around here, "when in doubt clean", lol !

 

[Countrylivin]

Hello all-Im having all sorts of struggles with my St Croix Prescott. It's 2005, I've replaced the convection and combustion fan recently. It lights up, pellets drop but the room fan doesn't kick on or if it does it takes forever or there is hardly any heat. Does the prof of fire switch play in this at all? I also get an overflow of pellets quite often, despite the new fan and adjusting the damper. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

 

[heat seeker]

Is the fire normal size? The lack of heat, even when the blower comes on, tells me the fire must be small. Is it coming out of the idle mode?

 

[Countrylivin]

The fire is normal, sometimes huge. It sounds like it comes out of idle but I can't be sure. I've increased from 1-5 and I can't hear a change in the fan speed.

 

[heat seeker]

My stove will not increase the heat setting all at once. It steps up one at a time, and pauses 2 1/4 minutes at each level. So to go from 1 (idle) to 5 (hottest) takes 10 minutes or so. Yours may do the same.

Have you set the damper according to the manual's instructions? If you're burning a lot of pellets (large, active flame), the heat has to be going somewhere. If the damper is open too far, the heat's probably going up the vent.

 

[rickwai]

We have had our St. Croix Prescott EX Pellet stove for several years. We clean it very thoroughly at least twice a year including removing the combustion fan and using a brush to reach the channels. We've replace the rope seal on the lower ash box access and done everything I can think of to eliminate the cause of the pellets slowly building up in the fire. The stove starts and runs with a good normal looking flame but after about 12-18 hours the pellets begin to build up in the burn pot and if I don't quickly open the door and knock some out will actually back up into the feed auger tube. I'm at a loss for what to do. We've also replace the contol board and the combustion fan recently. The fuel is new and dry pellets. The same source we've used for years. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks and happy new year!

Rich

With the stove cold open the front door. Go to walmart and buy a $25 electric leaf blower. Tape the suction side of blower to your exhaust pipe out side and turn on high for about 20 seconds. This will solve the problem. There are areas you cannot clean any other way on that stove. keeping stove door open keeps you from damaging the vac switch.