USSC 8500 aftermarket burn pot

[slowlymakingprogress]

I’ve read and searched many many threads and/or forums but yet to have a good concrete answer and maybe I’m over complicating it but Is there a redesigned burn pot for the USSC 8500? I keep seeing ones for other USSC models and although the may be similar to some extent they don’t look like what the 8500 has. I feel like I may have seen one before but finding it again well ain’t happened. Help please any info is greatly appreciated Thank you

 

[Jeremy6500]

I’ve read and searched many many threads and/or forums but yet to have a good concrete answer and maybe I’m over complicating it but Is there a redesigned burn pot for the USSC 8500? I keep seeing ones for other USSC models and although the may be similar to some extent they don’t look like what the 8500 has. I feel like I may have seen one before but finding it again well ain’t happened. Help please any info is greatly appreciated Thank you

The burn pot in your 8500 is different than most the other USSC burn pots due to the agitator etc. I have a 6500 that uses the same burn pot as yours.

Is there a specific reason why you are looking for an re-designed burn pot? The one in my 6500 works well as it is. I always try and ensure that I remove it and scrub it well a few times a year to insure the air holes are not clogged. If you are looking for more air flow you can always try drilling some of the holes out a little larger. You can also make adjustments in the Auto run program on the 8500 to adjust the draft motor up and down etc.

Are you having an issue, or is your burn pot just worn out?

 

[slowlymakingprogress]

I got 8500 dialed in rather good according to temp readings I take on it and rates are hr1 at 1.25pph and hr5 at 5pph. She got a real good deep clean last Saturday and I know burn pot holes are good. Draft is good, flame isn’t like a blow torch and glass doesn’t normally blacken to much So that tells me air flow through burn chamber is good and airflow through cold air return is great! and unit is hooked up to thermostat but pellets like to pile up at back of burn pot when unit ramps up to current setting hr3 than overflow but lowering pph doesn’t give the heat as good and going up a heat range is kinda worse. I’ve read before( not sure if it was here) that others have this going on also and something bout a redesigned burn pot with holes and what not different to direct air more towards where it needs to be in burn pot. I remember last year we talked about possibly reversing agitator rotation to help out but didn’t go anywhere with that.

 

[Jeremy6500]

I got 8500 dialed in rather good according to temp readings I take on it and rates are hr1 at 1.25pph and hr5 at 5pph. She got a real good deep clean last Saturday and I know burn pot holes are good. Draft is good, flame isn’t like a blow torch and glass doesn’t normally blacken to much So that tells me air flow through burn chamber is good and airflow through cold air return is great! and unit is hooked up to thermostat but pellets like to pile up at back of burn pot when unit ramps up to current setting hr3 than overflow but lowering pph doesn’t give the heat as good and going up a heat range is kinda worse. I’ve read before( not sure if it was here) that others have this going on also and something bout a redesigned burn pot with holes and what not different to direct air more towards where it needs to be in burn pot. I remember last year we talked about possibly reversing agitator rotation to help out but didn’t go anywhere with that.

I wonder if opening up the holes in the back part of the pot some and possibly increasing the upper end draft setting a little could help? It might increase the air flow a little more at higher heat settings. I get a little more pellet build up in my burn pot if I run on the higher heat setting for a while, but never gets close to overflowing etc.

I did reverse my agitator rotation for a while as a test and did not work as well as the normal rotation. Not sure if I posted about it here or not. I will have to look and see.

 

[Jeremy6500]

Here was my result of switching the agitator rotation.

USSC Agitator rotation experiment

I had decided to reverse the agitator rotation on my USSC 6500 to see if it would make it easier for the ash to dump in to the ash pan when I pulled the dampener open. The area under my burn pot is not symmetrical. There is a shelf towards the back. The dampener opening starts about the middle...

www.hearth.com

 

[slowlymakingprogress]

Very good thoroughly detailed assessment of what happens when agitator reversed. Sounds like for your 6500 and my 8500 being very similar units that it is not the way to go about it. I’m very good about keeping notes for any adjustments I make so I’ll go up 10 more on my c7(I think that’s high end draft setting) and see what happens with pellet build up as well as exhaust temps but I’m really liking the idea of drilling maybe three holes in rear of burn pot and than maybe TIG shut two or three holes on front to possibly get more air directed to rear where pellets tend to build up. Worth a thought at best?? We got a cold snap coming at end of next week so if I get to Monday that would be great!