Vistaflame VF100

[sabe51076]

I have had a vf100 stove for 4 years and I have loved it until recently. I now have to dump the ash pan every day or it overflows before all of the pellets burn and there are mini fires all over the inside of the stove. Call me crazy but it makes me nervous to leave it like that and go to work. I have taken apart the whole stove and cleaned all of the parts. I can't seem to find the issue, has anyone else experienced this?? I would like any ideas that you can offer. Thanks Sabe

 

[Zick]

Wow how ironic, I also have the Vistaflame vf100. Had it for about 3 years and now it's doing the exact same thing. Although it just kind of started doing this problem this month. Past months have been fine.
I did change one thing on the stove but I can't see how this could cause it. The metal grate under the burn pot doesn't always let all the ash fall down into the ash tray and I get huge piles of ash build up. I cut out a couple of the metal bars to open it up so the ash couldn't pile up.
With mine it seems like the ashes are clumping and not shifting through the burn pot holes so it just builds up with ash and then overflows with pellets because the air can't get through. This happens in one day where as it used to take 1-2 weeks before I had to clean out the burn pot.
I cleaned the unit out pretty good last fall, but I was thinking maybe my chimney is getting blocked up. I'm gonna check it out tonight if I can.

I've been using the same type/brand pellets for the last 3 years and never had this problem. The only thing I can think of is that I keep them stored outside and then bring about 10 bags in at a time and I'm wondering if they are somehow collecting too much moisture from the house air since I have a problem with moisture in our house.

 

[Stevekng]

Have you taken the combustion motor off and cleaned behind it? I just found out that this is considered part of the semi- annual venting system cleaning. Allan Campbell of Enviro's technical support told me this last week. If the stove isn't venting completely, you will get incomplete combustion.

 

[bmwbj]

Maybe moving this thread to the "Pellet room" may help you with your answers better.

 

[Zick]

I did end up find what was wrong with mine. I put a small screen over my air intake tube to prevent bugs from making nests inside it during the summer. I never thought to check that but I looked at it the other day and found that it was full of ash that was blocking the air. I guess it's a little too close to the exhaust pipe. Cleaned it out and it's been working great again.