I've been having nothing but problems with my 5660. The heat switch by the exhaust fan las about 3 months. Have replaced both fans. New blower fan is off a different brand stove much better fan runs a lot quieter. Know the burn put plugs after 1 night. I, having to clean it out every night. Been noticing a lot of pellets in the ash pan as we'll. anyone know any trick to running this thing. I'm really close to putting it in my garage and buying a more expensive stove of different brand.
Us stove 5660 problems
- Thread starter Mike Sullivan
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Welcome to the funny farm.
There are so many potential issues here I'm not sure where to start but here it goes. The one that would concern me the most is the switch replacement every three months. When you said you replaced the fan with a unit off of a different stove does it have all the same specs. as the original fan? Is that fan regulated by the switch you speak of? Both fans according to your manual are called blower fans. One is an exhaust blower the other is a convection blower.
As far as the burn pot plug issue and I assume (un-burnt) pellets in the ash pan goes, those are symptoms of air flow issues (too much or not enough). First and the most important thing you can do is CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN the stove. Every nook and cranny. Completely clean the entire venting system. That includes the OAK system (I am assuming you have one of those). You had to remove both blowers to replace them so I assume you replaced the gasket(s)? Check the vacuum line and vacuum switch. Make sure they are not clogged. Make sure everything is seated right where it should be including glass door adjusted and closed to spec.(Dollar Bill test for adjustment), Hopper lid is closed and gasket is in good shape if it has one, baffle plates and burn pot are put back to specs., ash pan door is closed tight and gasket is in good shape if it has one. All these are areas where air can get in and mess with your burn.
Could you please describe your venting system. ie how many 45's, 90's, T's and feet of vertical and horizontal. What size pipe are you using.
What brand of pellets are you using and have you tried others with the same results.
This is a starting point and we can move forward once these issues are resolved. Or you can just go out and buy a new Quad or Harman stove. Good Luck!
There are so many potential issues here I'm not sure where to start but here it goes. The one that would concern me the most is the switch replacement every three months. When you said you replaced the fan with a unit off of a different stove does it have all the same specs. as the original fan? Is that fan regulated by the switch you speak of? Both fans according to your manual are called blower fans. One is an exhaust blower the other is a convection blower.
As far as the burn pot plug issue and I assume (un-burnt) pellets in the ash pan goes, those are symptoms of air flow issues (too much or not enough). First and the most important thing you can do is CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN the stove. Every nook and cranny. Completely clean the entire venting system. That includes the OAK system (I am assuming you have one of those). You had to remove both blowers to replace them so I assume you replaced the gasket(s)? Check the vacuum line and vacuum switch. Make sure they are not clogged. Make sure everything is seated right where it should be including glass door adjusted and closed to spec.(Dollar Bill test for adjustment), Hopper lid is closed and gasket is in good shape if it has one, baffle plates and burn pot are put back to specs., ash pan door is closed tight and gasket is in good shape if it has one. All these are areas where air can get in and mess with your burn.
Could you please describe your venting system. ie how many 45's, 90's, T's and feet of vertical and horizontal. What size pipe are you using.
What brand of pellets are you using and have you tried others with the same results.
This is a starting point and we can move forward once these issues are resolved. Or you can just go out and buy a new Quad or Harman stove. Good Luck!
Bioburner
Moderator
Welcome to the forum Mike.
Well let's see your newest problem is likely due to ash in the interior exhaust air paths. A good dose of the leaf blower trick will help in that regard.
If that POF switch is other than ceramic it is really not what should be where it is.
If you didn't match up the CFM when you replaced the combustion blower that can also contribute to the ash build up and the short life of any POF installed after the combustion blower was replaced.
US Stove has a newer convection blower that uses a different motor, where the convection blower is in the stove gets quite warm and tends to dry out the lubricant for the convection blower, the newer blower motor has an open cage and IIR the pictures that Don2222 posted a better cooling fan as well.
There is also the possibility that you have a combustion air bypass with the burn pot on that stove and / or other air bypasses. The combustion air comes into the stove through a air intake and as much air as possible must flow through the burn pot and the pellet pile otherwise the spent ash doesn't get ejected and the fire doesn't actually burn correctly leading to additional issues.
Sometimes the only problem is that the burn pot doesn't sit right in its receptacle and a gasket made of door gasket material can be used to seal the areas around the burn pot where the combustion air is flowing past the burn pot.
There are also other places where the stove is actually pulling air in from that it shouldn't. These can occur wherever two pieces of the stove get joined together that would allow air from outside of the stove to be drawn into the stove. Bad door gaskets, bad ash pan gaskets, latches that don't close correctly, even mis-adjusted doors. Some of these happen due to handling during shipping or installation.
If you have an incorrect exhaust configuration or even if you place your stove in the lowest level of your house you can get burn pot pile up issues due to the chimney effect in the house.
Burn pot pile up and its causes can also cause further damage to a stove due to the nature of the burn that is taking place, the burn pot can become a metal forming forge and even warp the burn pot.
Air flow is also what cools the stove and prevents other parts of the stove from becoming damaged or the stove going to over heat shutdown.
The cooling is done by both the combustion air flow and the convection air flow, both must be within specification for the stove to operate correctly. If either aren't correct various problems occur.
Please tell us every piece of exhaust pipe in your exhaust system, we need diameter, length, and orientation. Do you have an OAK installed and do you have a butterfly valve damper on the air intake of the stove?
Well let's see your newest problem is likely due to ash in the interior exhaust air paths. A good dose of the leaf blower trick will help in that regard.
If that POF switch is other than ceramic it is really not what should be where it is.
If you didn't match up the CFM when you replaced the combustion blower that can also contribute to the ash build up and the short life of any POF installed after the combustion blower was replaced.
US Stove has a newer convection blower that uses a different motor, where the convection blower is in the stove gets quite warm and tends to dry out the lubricant for the convection blower, the newer blower motor has an open cage and IIR the pictures that Don2222 posted a better cooling fan as well.
There is also the possibility that you have a combustion air bypass with the burn pot on that stove and / or other air bypasses. The combustion air comes into the stove through a air intake and as much air as possible must flow through the burn pot and the pellet pile otherwise the spent ash doesn't get ejected and the fire doesn't actually burn correctly leading to additional issues.
Sometimes the only problem is that the burn pot doesn't sit right in its receptacle and a gasket made of door gasket material can be used to seal the areas around the burn pot where the combustion air is flowing past the burn pot.
There are also other places where the stove is actually pulling air in from that it shouldn't. These can occur wherever two pieces of the stove get joined together that would allow air from outside of the stove to be drawn into the stove. Bad door gaskets, bad ash pan gaskets, latches that don't close correctly, even mis-adjusted doors. Some of these happen due to handling during shipping or installation.
If you have an incorrect exhaust configuration or even if you place your stove in the lowest level of your house you can get burn pot pile up issues due to the chimney effect in the house.
Burn pot pile up and its causes can also cause further damage to a stove due to the nature of the burn that is taking place, the burn pot can become a metal forming forge and even warp the burn pot.
Air flow is also what cools the stove and prevents other parts of the stove from becoming damaged or the stove going to over heat shutdown.
The cooling is done by both the combustion air flow and the convection air flow, both must be within specification for the stove to operate correctly. If either aren't correct various problems occur.
Please tell us every piece of exhaust pipe in your exhaust system, we need diameter, length, and orientation. Do you have an OAK installed and do you have a butterfly valve damper on the air intake of the stove?
Last edited:
pell it
Feeling the Heat
Have you cleaned the two openings on either side of the stove? (See pic). How is the burn pot gasket? I replace mine every year with a new length of 5/8" rope gasket. The original one had a gap where the ends met allowing an air bypass.
I also added self stick flat rope gasket to the flange near the door hinge and the flange near the door latches as both sides had sizeable air bypasses because of the way the door closes.
The last thing I did was to lay a length of 1/2" rope gasket in the airwash opening.
I also added self stick flat rope gasket to the flange near the door hinge and the flange near the door latches as both sides had sizeable air bypasses because of the way the door closes.
The last thing I did was to lay a length of 1/2" rope gasket in the airwash opening.
Attachments
![[Hearth.com] Us stove 5660 problems](/talk/data/attachments/114/114701-f41249e7c05b1b64ea0b0e74a4de3b1a.jpg?hash=cOGKWppOJd)
![[Hearth.com] Us stove 5660 problems](/talk/data/attachments/114/114703-c3c0260ddbb419b96903b9b2062d4b2a.jpg?hash=WwCljXddjx)
What is the OAK system. There is no gasket on the hopper never was one. What is the dollar bill test. I have no baffles to adjust that I know of. I have tried all different brands of pellets. About ready to make it a garage heater or sell it
First of all, was this a new or used stove?
Dollar bill test is opening the front door, place a dollar between door/frame. Close & latch door and try pulling the bill out.....it should be stuck, or very hard to slide out. Try this all around the door. if it slides out easily anywhere, gasket needs replacement or door adjusted (if possible).
OAK is Outside Air Kit......fresh air from outside the house.
Dollar bill test is opening the front door, place a dollar between door/frame. Close & latch door and try pulling the bill out.....it should be stuck, or very hard to slide out. Try this all around the door. if it slides out easily anywhere, gasket needs replacement or door adjusted (if possible).
OAK is Outside Air Kit......fresh air from outside the house.
There is no downside to adding an OAK. If your house is "tight", insulation/construction-wise, it helps even more. You're not sending interior air that you already paid to heat out through the stove exhaust, and it helps eliminate cold drafts in the house.
Here's a place to get one...includes free shipping. Nice company to deal with:
www.dynamitebuys.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=1453
Oh, and BTW, this is from P. 12 of your owners manual:
"7. Outside Fresh Air is Mandatory when installing this pellet stove room heater in airtight homes and mobile homes. Be sure that the outside air vent has an approved cap on it to prevent rodents from entering. Be sure to install in location that won’t become blocked with snow, etc."
I know this post it old , But I have the same stove Just bought November 2015, I found the stove gets hotter if I open the right access panel door. Also is there any way to control the fan blower speed with out upping the heat level
LordmetalZ28
Minister of Fire
Johnny_Fiv3
Feeling the Heat
(broken link removed to https://www.usstove.com/image/manuals/Pellet/5660.pdf)
Fan is either automatic or full throttle, but nothing else. Page 8/9 answers this.
Fan is either automatic or full throttle, but nothing else. Page 8/9 answers this.
LordmetalZ28
Minister of Fire
Yes this Is normal . Mine does the same thing. That temp display is very inaccurate remember your reading the temperature of the exhaust pipe surrounding area not the room. This is a saftey feature if it gets to hot it turns off
Auger Problem!
Last month my auger "froze" and since the motor kept turning, the bottom of the auger peeled away like a sardine can. Had to replace the auger. Worked for a month, and the feed stopped again, so I took it apart, and noticed The hall where the hitch clip pin attaches the motor to the auger is enlarged. Auger turns freely in both bushings. Anyone having similar issues, or might offer a solution?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last month my auger "froze" and since the motor kept turning, the bottom of the auger peeled away like a sardine can. Had to replace the auger. Worked for a month, and the feed stopped again, so I took it apart, and noticed The hall where the hitch clip pin attaches the motor to the auger is enlarged. Auger turns freely in both bushings. Anyone having similar issues, or might offer a solution?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would suggest you make a new thread rather than posting to one that is over a year old and has not seen any action since then. You may get a better response.
Similar threads
