Water in hopper.

[Rachel D]

Hi. I have a Harman Accentra insert. Bought it last winter, ran it all season with no issue. At end of season I gave it a really good cleaning and put a can of damp-rid in the ash pan. I didn't think much about it all summer. Since today is a cool day I decided to throw some pellets in there and make sure it fires up and everything runs well prior to winter. What do I find but water in the bottom of the hopper (the "corkscrew" if you will). I'm soaking up as much as I can with a paper towel and leaving the door and top open to help dry it out. How do I thoroughly dry it out? Will any pellets that were left in the hopper expland and jam things up? Do I need to call a professional (hoping not)? Thanks for any advice. Rachel

 

[Pellet-King]

Only way it's getting water inside is your chimney is leaking down into the stove, tell us more on your exhaust pipe setup

 

[Harvey Schneider]

Only way it's getting water inside is your chimney is leaking down into the stove, tell us more on your exhaust pipe setup

There shouldn't be any path from the vent to the hopper. I don't see how water could get there without filling the fire box and ash pan.
The only thing that makes sense to me would be condensation inside the hopper due to temperature variations.

 

[Mr. Spock]

Or do you have kids?

 

[Big papa]

Could the water be leaking inside the chimney but not the stove vent maybe getting water on the back side of the hopper?

 

[tech tchr]

Water down the chimney is how I got my quad castille for $100. They had installed with a chimney liner but no cap at the top of the chimney and no block off by damper. During Sandy a lot of rain ended up down the chimney. Leaked into the hopper, pellets swelled then hardened up. When they tried using it, they Burned out the auger. They left it and it was kinda rusty. A good cleaning, sandblasted some rusty parts, repaint with BBQ black, new auger motor and replaced seals and gaskets.
Runs like a champ now.

When I installed it I put a flue cap as well as liner cap even though there is a slab of bluestone above that.

I would pull out the auger and make sure the tube is clear.

Check the top of the chimney. Is it sealed?