Volgelzang VG5790 burning issue

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Heaterup

New Member
Jan 29, 2019
4
Michigan
Hello I am new here but have read through numerous posts about this same issue with no success. My VG5790 worked great the first year after that nothing but issues. This is our 3rd season and we can not get it to burn well. On start up it fills the burn box almost completely of pellets full before igniting it and then keeps dropping them. I can only run it somewhat efficient on 2 anything above that soots up the glass, drops way too many pellets and causes lazy flame. I thoroughly cleaned everything, entire exhaust sustem on the stove and the chimney, side chambers, and internal chambers. Went through the process of elimination, replaced the door seal, then the combustion blower no luck. Read it could be the control board, any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Have you adjusted the damper at all? Should be open about a 1/4 inch and adjusted to get a good active fire at start up. Each heat setting you need to adjust for a good fire.
 
Have you adjusted the damper at all? Should be open about a 1/4 inch and adjusted to get a good active fire at start up. Each heat setting you need to adjust for a good fire.
Should have stated that as well. Yes we have to have the damper3/4 open on 1 and wide open to burn as it should on 2.
 
What kind of pellets are you burning? Have you changed since the previous seasons? My experience, along with others I've read, is these stoves run best on full hardwood pellets. I started out with pellets that were a hardwood/softwood blend and had similar issues.
 
What kind of pellets are you burning? Have you changed since the previous seasons? My experience, along with others I've read, is these stoves run best on full hardwood pellets. I started out with pellets that were a hardwood/softwood blend and had similar issues.
Have always used propellet. I have noticed the warmer it is outside the worse it burns. Cold air inlet is to the outside and it is not plugged by anything.
 
Exhaust channel is plugged up I suspect, that or the exhaust pipe. Try removing the ash trap doors and vacuum those out first, then move onto the exhaust pipe.
 
On mine I put a switch box on the exhaust blower, so it bypasses the control board and gives full voltage from a wall outlet. Mainly to help suck out dust when cleaning, but I find it makes it burn a little better too. I just move the damper when I change heat ranges. Been running it that way for at least a couple years now. The board still does its job if I don't use the switch.

You could try that, make up a harness from a lamp cord and connectors, keep it from any hot surfaces, and connect it to the exhaust blower to force it on high and see if it makes a difference. If it's significant then it's possible the control board isn't running the exhaust blower at the correct speeds.
 
On mine I put a switch box on the exhaust blower, so it bypasses the control board and gives full voltage from a wall outlet. Mainly to help suck out dust when cleaning, but I find it makes it burn a little better too. I just move the damper when I change heat ranges. Been running it that way for at least a couple years now. The board still does its job if I don't use the switch.

You could try that, make up a harness from a lamp cord and connectors, keep it from any hot surfaces, and connect it to the exhaust blower to force it on high and see if it makes a difference. If it's significant then it's possible the control board isn't running the exhaust blower at the correct speeds.
Thanks for all the info. They need to come out with more thorough instructions for inspecting and cleaning these stoves. Its burning great now. As I was cleaning it for the third time, I noticed some ash inside by the motors. On inspecting to see where it could have came from, I saw that the caulk on top of the exhaust exchange seemed to be slightly pulled away from the firebox itself. I recaulked all around it and anywhere else that may have been questionable. Then I took an airhose and pushed it through the sideplate as far as I could and blew out the complete exhaust, I did the same on the otherside and from the backside as well until no soot came out. When we first bought the stove new we had to have the damper half open on 1 to burn, that is how is it has always been, would soot up really bad if closed, now it is completely closed on 1 and is giving off a ton of heat. Had it on 4 and only open 1/2 way. Has never been able to do that even when it was new!! Caulking and thorough cleaning was the ticket!
 
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Glad to hear you got it working well and it didn't cost anything.

For the passages on mine I use a little brush I got from a free box. It's long, thin, got a bendable steel handle, and sort of looks like a cat toy. I think it's for cleaning dryer vent passages.
 
My stove was doing this. I couldn't figure it out until my exaust motor started making noise in just it's second year. When I replaced it everything started burning 100%. Maybe yours is Getting weak