Stove filling up with unburned pellets. Fire wont start easily.

[wally1234]

*2-3yr old Harmon accentra p52i

Lately my stove has been having a difficult time starting a fire. Unburned pellets pile up in the burn pot. I do scrap the burnpot and vacuum under the burn pot where ignitor is. The other day, there was hardly any ash near the ignitor and it was still giving me issues.

The unburned pellets do get hot, kinda burn when I try to clear them out. So i "guess" my ignitor is good? I have read on the forums (others with the same issue) people asking does it get red. I have no clue, I wasnt sure if its ok to turn the stove on with the door open waiting to watch the ignitor.

I do have a OAK (outside air intake) installed. Could air flow be the issue? If so, how can I adjust the air flow? I dont recall ever seeing a button/switch/lever that allows me to control air flow. I have a pipe connected to the OAK leading up the chimeny.

This year I have been running it in stove temp. End of the night when I turn it off, there is tons of ash. I clean it out everynight thoroughly and scrap the hell of it as well to really get the gunk out. I have the stove starting in auto mode as well.

- Any idea what my problem is?
- Also, how long does it take for your flame to turn when you start the stove?

 

[Jack Morrissey]

*2-3yr old Harmon accentra p52i

Lately my stove has been having a difficult time starting a fire. Unburned pellets pile up in the burn pot. I do scrap the burnpot and vacuum under the burn pot where ignitor is. The other day, there was hardly any ash near the ignitor and it was still giving me issues.

The unburned pellets do get hot, kinda burn when I try to clear them out. So i "guess" my ignitor is good? I have read on the forums (others with the same issue) people asking does it get red. I have no clue, I wasnt sure if its ok to turn the stove on with the door open waiting to watch the ignitor.

I do have a OAK (outside air intake) installed. Could air flow be the issue? If so, how can I adjust the air flow? I dont recall ever seeing a button/switch/lever that allows me to control air flow. I have a pipe connected to the OAK leading up the chimeny.

This year I have been running it in stove temp. End of the night when I turn it off, there is tons of ash. I clean it out everynight thoroughly and scrap the hell of it as well to really get the gunk out. I have the stove starting in auto mode as well.

- Any idea what my problem is?
- Also, how long does it take for your flame to turn when you start the stove?

Not familiar with your stove but I imagine it has holes, or slots in the burnpot that may crust over making the pellets hard to ignite. I use a screw ocassionally to clear it.

 

[wally1234]

Not familiar with your stove but I imagine it has holes, or slots in the burnpot that may crust over making the pellets hard to ignite. I use a screw ocassionally to clear it.

thanks for the reply, but yes the holes are clear.

I am trying to think of what elements help the fire...

1. air (not sure how to adjust for this)
2. fuel (pellets are dropping)
3. ignitor (its clean for the most part)
4. burnpot it self (clean for the most part) and holes are open

other than the 4 things I listed above, I dont know what else contributes to the fire starting. is it possiable I can still have a bad ignitor even though pellets do get warm?

THe only thing I havent done yet, recently that is, which I will today, is give it full A-Z, full clean (heat exchanger, etc). I will see if that helps. I did give a good clean a month or two ago. But I will do it again. These pellets are not top of the line (green team or green supreme I think?). I had these when I was a noobie when I first bought the stove. I usually burn hammers or lacrete's.

 

[SWelsch]

I have the same insert. My guess is the pellets are damp. I've been burning Hamer no problem but Lignetics are a nightmare to get lit. Started to bring then in the house ( they were in the garage) and dump a bag into a pail near the insert let them dry out ? and that seems to have helped.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

I see that all the time. Usually if you pull your igniter out, you will find the fins on it clogged with ash. Even with the burn pot holes clean, you can still get failure to ignite with just a little bit of clinkers stuck between the pot and the igniter. I’d tak the igniter our and see what you can get out then. It definitely won’t hurt anything to try starting it with the igniter cleanout open though so you can watch the color. Also, might wanna clean your pipe and check your door gasket if you haven’t already.

 

[Tim_M]

I have the same problem with my older Accentra insert the first time I go to light it after a cleaning. I’ve learned to expect it and don’t even try to light it with the igniter, I just use lighter fluid and a match. Subsequent times it starts on auto no problem. I’m not sure why this happens, but have a theory that right after cleaning there are no charred pellets left in the burn pot that would ignite more easily.

 

[wally1234]

update:

after a very detailed cleaning I got it to work. Its strange because I feel I need to give it a more detailed cleaning than usual. LIke I said, I think the igniter is fine because the pellets do get hot.

1. When you guys turn your stove on, how long does it take for the flame to kick on?

2. Is there a way I can adjust the airflow? I have a OAK installed but I do not see any buttons/levers to adjust air. Or is the air just not adjustable?

3. do I need to clean the ignitor itself on a routine basis? I never actually pulled it out to clean it.

 

[fmsm]

update:

after a very detailed cleaning I got it to work. Its strange because I feel I need to give it a more detailed cleaning than usual. LIke I said, I think the igniter is fine because the pellets do get hot.

1. When you guys turn your stove on, how long does it take for the flame to kick on?

2. Is there a way I can adjust the airflow? I have a OAK installed but I do not see any buttons/levers to adjust air. Or is the air just not adjustable?

3. do I need to clean the ignitor itself on a routine basis? I never actually pulled it out to clean it.

You need to clean your stove better. I suspect a combination of an inferior pellet and the need for a deeper cleaning more often.

 

[wally1234]

You need to clean your stove better. I suspect a combination of an inferior pellet and the need for a deeper cleaning more often.

part of your cleaning, do you take out the igniter to clean it off?

 

[wally1234]

Does everyone take out their igniter to clean on a regular basis? I never knew I had to and never did. I did of course always vacuum under my burn pot.

Also, learned a great trick from this forum... I use a air can and spray into the holes on my burn pot, I think it works like a charm because stove has been running good. I do this every night after shut down.

 

[Jack Morrissey]

Does everyone take out their igniter to clean on a regular basis? I never knew I had to and never did. I did of course always vacuum under my burn pot.

Also, learned a great trick from this forum... I use a air can and spray into the holes on my burn pot, I think it works like a charm because stove has been running good. I do this every night after shut down.

Have never done that in 11 years of having a pellet stove

 

[jzm2cc]

Vacuum out burn pot from access port.

Tapping on burn pot weekly with Harman clean out tools is usually enough to knock off ash from igniter fins. At least on my P61a it is.

 

[Zeus]

Does everyone take out their igniter to clean on a regular basis? I never knew I had to and never did. I did of course always vacuum under my burn pot.

Also, learned a great trick from this forum... I use a air can and spray into the holes on my burn pot, I think it works like a charm because stove has been running good. I do this every night after shut down.

Also check your door seals i had same issue you have due to my door gasket. Do the dollar bill test,if you decide this is your issue get the graphite impregnated door gasket it will last longer than the oem gasket.

 

[wally1234]

Also check your door seals i had same issue you have due to my door gasket. Do the dollar bill test,if you decide this is your issue get the graphite impregnated door gasket it will last longer than the oem gasket.

what is the dollar bill test? How do I test if my door seals are in good order?

Thank you for the recommendation, I will look into that gasket online.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

Shut a dollar bill in the door and see how hard it is to pull out. If your sealing good you should be close to tearing your bill to get it out.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

Have never done that in 11 years of having a pellet stove

Every stove is d signed differently. On the Harmans with the finned igniter, you get ash buildup between the igniter and the top of the burn pot if you aren’t cleaning the pot adequately. If you can get the ash out by blowing it out, you can take the igniter out.