Was my goof!

[tbear853]

I get up today, topped off my old VC stove's hopper, brushed the glass (natural brush, no man created bristles) of the little bit of black soot since yesterday (was almost clean as it was), scraped the burn pot after moving pellet burning back, checked the ash dump, still less than a cup full ash in it,

I then got my first cup. Two hours later, go to get a second cup. Start down from the loft, look over at stove, glass is almost all black, flame is low and sluggish, slight odor of burning pellets. Door handles look about normal. I go over to check, top fire box door is shut and latched about perfect, good and snug. Lower ash pan access door is not latched, door just opens as I grab the handle. I don't know if the latch portion just hit the steel tab it engages, or if I maybe bumped it my last visit 2 hours ago. In either case, it certainly was not shut and securely latched.

I checked the ash pan, it was half full of black charred pellet remnants and so ash now, probably enough to fill a quart jar. I lifted the lid, hit the red off button to stop feed (combustion fan still runs) and look in the hopper, it has used a few pellets in 2 hours. I clean glass again, take and empty the ash pan, make triple sure both doors are shut tight and securely latched, hit green go button,

All is now well.

It's not like I am new to this stove as I've run it every heating season since1992, but my goof will serve to remind me to check them door latches ................ twice or thrice.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I get up today, topped off my old VC stove's hopper, brushed the glass (natural brush, no man created bristles) of the little bit of black soot since yesterday (was almost clean as it was), scraped the burn pot after moving pellet burning back, checked the ash dump, still less than a cup full ash in it,

I then got my first cup. Two hours later, go to get a second cup. Start down from the loft, look over at stove, glass is almost all black, flame is low and sluggish, slight odor of burning pellets. Door handles look about normal. I go over to check, top fire box door is shut and latched about perfect, good and snug. Lower ash pan access door is not latched, door just opens as I grab the handle. I don't know if the latch portion just hit the steel tab it engages, or if I maybe bumped it my last visit 2 hours ago. In either case, it certainly was not shut and securely latched.

I checked the ash pan, it was half full of black charred pellet remnants and so ash now, probably enough to fill a quart jar. I lifted the lid, hit the red off button to stop feed (combustion fan still runs) and look in the hopper, it has used a few pellets in 2 hours. I clean glass again, take and empty the ash pan, make triple sure both doors are shut tight and securely latched, hit green go button,

All is now well.

It's not like I am new to this stove as I've run it every heating season since1992, but my goof will serve to remind me to check them door latches ................ twice or thrice.

Good thing you noticed it. These vacuum switches are set very low, and once they are closed, it seems that either the main door needs to be open, or the combustion blower to shut off for the switch to open. I have been shutting mine down to clean everyday. From full on and hot, I can start cleaning in 45 minutes. At that time the combustion blower is still running which I like as it sucks out the dust. I clear my burn pot, scrape really well, vacuum around the bottom of the glass, and clean the glass with damp paper towel. Every few days I open up my igniter cavity and bang and suck to make sure the igniter is clean. The room temperature drops but not that much as I make the room blower is on to blow the remaining stove heat out into the room (P43). I don't open the ash compartment except for cleaning the stove maybe every 3 weeks.

 

[Ricks]

I am dating myself and my profession. But the cause of that problem sounds very similar to PEBKAC

Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair.

In this case the Problem Exists Between Stove And Room.

If nothing else I hope this makes you laugh!

We have all done something similar. What is frustrating is we all know what to do, but we sometimes forget or are. In a rush.

 

[tbear853]

Good thing you noticed it. These vacuum switches are set very low ....... etc

Pretty sure it ain't got one.

It's a 1992 stove sold by Vermont Castings then, but uses Harman stuff, and I never seen mention of vacuum switches in any of the literature nor schematics, and if I am taking the ash pan out I just turn it off as it'll then still pull smoke out until it's cold (which is over an hour), and then I take the ashes outside (no waiting, just remove the ash pan and empty it since stove is then not feeding).

How long would a vacuum switch let it run before totally stopping it, or does it do that?

 

[bogieb]

We've all done similarly not-so-bright stuff. Sometimes we become complacent and don't check things as carefully as maybe we should. I had an issue with my P61a at the beginning of the season. Yep, totally my fault even though I've run that stove for 12 years. Always a good reminder that if something goes wonky after we've done any sort of maintenance, it is probably something we did (or didn't do).