I bought this used. It was a risk, but the auger worked and so did the fire blower. I downloaded a manual for this. Model says England stove works 25-pfs. Manual doesn't match anything. For one, this has only one auger. No control board. Looks hacked which I can deal with. I got the heat exchange blower working, was full of ash. Same with the fire blower(?). Auger bearing seems ok. Gave it a shot of grease. There is a snap switch on the bottom of the feed box. No other interlocks. Electrics look pretty basic. I am new to pellet stoves. Burned wood for 30 plus years. Where do I go from here?
What exactly do I have
- Thread starter banjonoise
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Wowzer, that is an ancient beater, hope you got it for scrap value...
Kind of looks like my first Pellet burner, it was an England's stove and was a single auger like yours. What they do is push the pellets into the firebox area and the burned ash overflows the sides and has to be cleaner out.... every day. Probably has (or had) rheostats for the room air fan and feed rates and they are positive draft units which means you must keep the pellet hopper lid tightly closed and sealed at all times when in operation because there is always a good chance of burnback. Modern pellet stoves are all negative draft today which means instead of pushing combustion air via the combustion air blower, they pull the combustion air in and exhaust it past the burning area, much safer.
There is no auto light and no safety switches or vacuum stuff to break. Just the basic combustion air and room air blower and they leave it to your devices whether you burn your house down or not.
There should be what is called an 'impingement plate' that fits in the bottom of the burn pot below the auger and it's bent at an angle so the pellets burn on the plate and the ash gets pushed out by the unburned fuel, sort of like the Harman works but instead of having the burn area elevated and the ash dropping into an ash pan, the stove you have just pushes it out and to the sides.
I may even have the manual for mine somewhere, I tend to hang on to stuff, has to do with age I guess, I'm 70 if that makes me an old man...
I wore mine out and got the one I have now, a USSC 6039 Multifuel but then I burn corn anyway. If I remember correctly, I put mine on CL and sold it for 200 bucks.
I bet England's Stove Works still sells parts for them,. They made a boatload, back before pellet / biomass stoves got popular. They were one of the pioneer's in solid fuel stoves.
Kind of looks like my first Pellet burner, it was an England's stove and was a single auger like yours. What they do is push the pellets into the firebox area and the burned ash overflows the sides and has to be cleaner out.... every day. Probably has (or had) rheostats for the room air fan and feed rates and they are positive draft units which means you must keep the pellet hopper lid tightly closed and sealed at all times when in operation because there is always a good chance of burnback. Modern pellet stoves are all negative draft today which means instead of pushing combustion air via the combustion air blower, they pull the combustion air in and exhaust it past the burning area, much safer.
There is no auto light and no safety switches or vacuum stuff to break. Just the basic combustion air and room air blower and they leave it to your devices whether you burn your house down or not.
There should be what is called an 'impingement plate' that fits in the bottom of the burn pot below the auger and it's bent at an angle so the pellets burn on the plate and the ash gets pushed out by the unburned fuel, sort of like the Harman works but instead of having the burn area elevated and the ash dropping into an ash pan, the stove you have just pushes it out and to the sides.
I may even have the manual for mine somewhere, I tend to hang on to stuff, has to do with age I guess, I'm 70 if that makes me an old man...
I wore mine out and got the one I have now, a USSC 6039 Multifuel but then I burn corn anyway. If I remember correctly, I put mine on CL and sold it for 200 bucks.
I bet England's Stove Works still sells parts for them,. They made a boatload, back before pellet / biomass stoves got popular. They were one of the pioneer's in solid fuel stoves.
I did get new gaskets for the door and Hopper. I was going to test it outside first. Looking at the construction I can see how it can burn back. Might rethink it. I'm 67 btw. Tired of scrounging for firewood. Paid 150 for it. You saying I should cut my loss while I still have a house?
If you are careful with it and maintain a good tight lid seal you should be ok. Get yourself some self stick low height wearherstripping and do the edge of the hopper where it meets the closed lid and keep the lid latched tight except when filling it.
If I remember correctly, I had one burnback the entire time I owned mine. Was a stinky mess though, only way to extinguish one is with water and that turns pellets into instant mush.
If you don't have the impingement plate, you'll need that for it to operate as well.
Your pictures brought back memories of a long time ago.
I don't think I'd say a word to your insurance man either. I don't believe they are approved today for home installation. For sure not mobile home.
If I understand you about the impingement plate there is a slanted metal floor that goes up past the air ports to the ash catch pan. If it works I'll use it for a season to learn about pellet stoves. Thanks for your help.
Thats it and it should be removable. It will get hard carbon built up on it and must be scraped or soaked in water and scraped depending on how much carbon buildup you get.
Compared to the more modern double auger designs with solid state controls for firing rate and infinite room fan speeds in relationship to btu output, it's primitive but you got it cheap so have fun with it and if you like pellets, buy another more modern one next year and sell that one. You won't be out much, if anything.
This is what the burn box looks like. That slanted plate looks like it's part of the box. I got most of the carbon out. Now if there is something else that is supposed to be on top of that slanted surface then it's gone. You have been a great help, but I'm rethinking this unit. Would like to see it work though since I got most of the motors working again.
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Looks like the plate isn't removable. Mine was on my old stove. Are there air holes in the slanted plate at all? You need to look closely at the plate and see if there is a seam between it and the side walls of the pot. It could be carboned in from lack of cleaning as I've never seen one that wasn't removeable. You might want to call England's Stove Works and talk to them You can Goggle them up and get the number, they are in Cleveland, Tennessee I believe.
A fixed ramp would be troublesome in as much as removing hard carbon would be very difficult and pellets will build hard carbon from the combustion process.
A fixed ramp would be troublesome in as much as removing hard carbon would be very difficult and pellets will build hard carbon from the combustion process.
no air holes in the plate. Just on the top. That carbon is hard to chip away. Old wood chisel and hammer is working. Wire wheel on drill too. A bunch of tiny ball shaped pellets like tiny shotgun pellets in there too.
Take a rag soaked in water and lay it on the plate and keep it wet. That will soften the hard carbon so you can remove it. I still believe the plate (at one time at least) was removable. Never heard of one being not removable I wonder if the previous owner welded it in. Big mistake, you have to remove it to really clean it. There should be some air holes in it as well. If I remember correctly, 2 1/16" holes at the base about 1/2" up and 6 1/16" holes at the top of the plate about 1/2" down from the top edge and 1 1/16" hole in the center midway between the 2 rows of holes.
I know the wet rag will rust the steel but that is really the only way to soften the hard carbon. You can chip until the cows come home and not get it all off.
I used to take mine out ant toss it in a pail of warm water for 30 minutes (while I cleaned out the stove) and then take a putty knife and break off the carbon, which becomes soft.
Other issue with chiseling it off is, you put divots in the plate and those divots cause the carbon to 'grow' there. In fact, I polished my plate with fine emery cloth to make it as smooth as possible to facilitate the pellet and ash movement.
Hard carbon is a fact of life (operation) with any solid fuel stove, but with newer stoves, the parts that get the carbon deposits are all removable just like the one I have now. Everything comes right out and everything goes in a pail of warm water every time I clean the sto0ve out.
Of course people don't (clean the hard carbon) out and they don't clean the fly ash out either and the the stove don't work so they call one of the tech's that post on here regularly and pay them to do what they should have done in the first place.
Never had an outsider fool with my units. I clean them and I clean the venting regularly too.
Solid fuel stoves are not plug and play despite what people think and that includes the one you have. Nice thing about them is, they don't make creosote so a chimney fire situation is eliminated.
I know the wet rag will rust the steel but that is really the only way to soften the hard carbon. You can chip until the cows come home and not get it all off.
I used to take mine out ant toss it in a pail of warm water for 30 minutes (while I cleaned out the stove) and then take a putty knife and break off the carbon, which becomes soft.
Other issue with chiseling it off is, you put divots in the plate and those divots cause the carbon to 'grow' there. In fact, I polished my plate with fine emery cloth to make it as smooth as possible to facilitate the pellet and ash movement.
Hard carbon is a fact of life (operation) with any solid fuel stove, but with newer stoves, the parts that get the carbon deposits are all removable just like the one I have now. Everything comes right out and everything goes in a pail of warm water every time I clean the sto0ve out.
Of course people don't (clean the hard carbon) out and they don't clean the fly ash out either and the the stove don't work so they call one of the tech's that post on here regularly and pay them to do what they should have done in the first place.
Never had an outsider fool with my units. I clean them and I clean the venting regularly too.
Solid fuel stoves are not plug and play despite what people think and that includes the one you have. Nice thing about them is, they don't make creosote so a chimney fire situation is eliminated.
Got it soaking with a wet rag. I always kept the wood stoves clean. and the flue. Only one flue fire in 30 plus years and the damper killed that
Non issue with a pellet stove. No creosote. You get it running, I have many great tips for extending the life of various parts like the motors and gearboxes. Little shaded pole motors never wear out, the bearings do but they are all replaceable., Other than gaskets, I have not replaced one component in the one I have now, going on 10 years. I do have to replace a section of pellet vent this year, corn is much more corrosive than pellets are. Corn makes nitric acid vapor when it burns so it attacks the stainless liner in the vent pipe.
I have the guts out of mine and in the shop right now. Cleaning and lubing stuff and getting ready to use it (stove) come cold weather to supplement the propane high efficiency central furnace.
I have the guts out of mine and in the shop right now. Cleaning and lubing stuff and getting ready to use it (stove) come cold weather to supplement the propane high efficiency central furnace.
I am pretty sure that the impingement plate is non-removable. Also, there are no air holes in it. Plenty in the walls of the firebox. I am away for a couple of days, but I'm going to hit the carbon (thin layer) with a 0 degree power washer nozzle when I get back and see what happens. If this has been messed with and modded with welding and the minimal safety has been compromised, it's probably not going in the house. I have lubed those little motor bearings using a hypodermic with oil to keep them going. At least on power tools.
Mt Bob
Minister of Fire
Yeah, if this stove was used in a garage or cabin where you could keep a constant eye on it....it might be worth it....bit of a safety risk.
So long as the hopper lid has a good seal and the latches secure it tightly there is little issue of burnback. I used one for at least 10 years with no issue except one burnback that was my own fault for not latching the lid down.... and, the chance of burnback increases as the feed rate is throttled down. So long as the feed rate is sufficient, the burnback issues is minimized.
When the feed rate is low is when the pellets burn up into the auger and ignite the hopper.
Stove builders went to pulled draft to protect people from themselves more than anything else. Not a stove to get stupid with. Lots of stupid people out there....
When the feed rate is low is when the pellets burn up into the auger and ignite the hopper.
Stove builders went to pulled draft to protect people from themselves more than anything else. Not a stove to get stupid with. Lots of stupid people out there....
Mt Bob
Minister of Fire
Just so you know, I am just going to test it outside. I do have a 6 inch flue from years of burning wood. Now I did see this on FB marketplace. The guy says it's like new but looking it up, it was discontinued years ago. He thinks it's gold and wants 1000 for it? Waddya think?
think
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think
For the manual? If you want a copy, I'll send you one and a copy of the manual for the one you have. Have them both. I have a 6039 -41 Hearth Focus, what I use and have used for about 10 years plus now. Good multifuel stove. I burn corn and pellets in mine.
Worth a grand, no way. I paid new for mine, 1200 bucks. All the parts are available for it on the USSC website, everything from door glass to burn pots to motors to brain box.
The 6039-41 is a simple stove, devoid of all the modern day fancy crap. If you look on this forum under pellet stoves, at the top of the page, you'll find all the tips and tricks to get the most out of it.
Might be worth 500 in very good condition with all the motors free and the digital 4 control board. Early ones came with a 2 button board, later ones came with a 4 button fully programmable board that you can manually set every parameter on plus the later boards have the remote thermostat option, which I use. My T'stat is in an adjoining room.
They aren't self lighting (cal rod), you have to manually light them but on the T'stat they ramp down to a low fire. Later ones before they were discontinued, came with a cal-rod ignitor. The 4 button board in mine has that option but none installed in the burn pot pedestal.
The 6039-41's are true double auger negative draft stoves so no chance of burnback. The fuel auger is above the burn pot so the pellets or corn drops into the burn pot and there is a second auger (or stirrer) that stirs the pellets in the pot and keeps the fire even.
The double system allows you to burn anything but oilseed. and the ashes drop through the burn pot into a huge ash drawer.
They only vent with 3" pellet vent however. I have 3 out of the stove into a 3-4 cleanout Tee outside the house and going vertical 15 feet (4") to a rain cap.
I fully expect mine to outlast me. Very well built and very easy to deal with and especially easy to clean out, which is something you have to do regularly. I clean mine (when I'm using it), every week and once a month give it a deep clean when I empty the ash pan.
read my signature line...............
Worth a grand, no way. I paid new for mine, 1200 bucks. All the parts are available for it on the USSC website, everything from door glass to burn pots to motors to brain box.
The 6039-41 is a simple stove, devoid of all the modern day fancy crap. If you look on this forum under pellet stoves, at the top of the page, you'll find all the tips and tricks to get the most out of it.
Might be worth 500 in very good condition with all the motors free and the digital 4 control board. Early ones came with a 2 button board, later ones came with a 4 button fully programmable board that you can manually set every parameter on plus the later boards have the remote thermostat option, which I use. My T'stat is in an adjoining room.
They aren't self lighting (cal rod), you have to manually light them but on the T'stat they ramp down to a low fire. Later ones before they were discontinued, came with a cal-rod ignitor. The 4 button board in mine has that option but none installed in the burn pot pedestal.
The 6039-41's are true double auger negative draft stoves so no chance of burnback. The fuel auger is above the burn pot so the pellets or corn drops into the burn pot and there is a second auger (or stirrer) that stirs the pellets in the pot and keeps the fire even.
The double system allows you to burn anything but oilseed. and the ashes drop through the burn pot into a huge ash drawer.
They only vent with 3" pellet vent however. I have 3 out of the stove into a 3-4 cleanout Tee outside the house and going vertical 15 feet (4") to a rain cap.
I fully expect mine to outlast me. Very well built and very easy to deal with and especially easy to clean out, which is something you have to do regularly. I clean mine (when I'm using it), every week and once a month give it a deep clean when I empty the ash pan.
read my signature line...............
heat seeker
Minister of Fire
Another negative of positive pressure stoves: if the door gasket leaks, you get smoke and gasses in the house.
From his return text about the 6039, he says it was his dads and it was cleaned before storing. From his attitude, he is "proud" of it pricewise. Don't know how low he'll go. Another guy has an older St. Croix that hasn't been cleaned but says all the motors work for 500. I might look at that one. Closer to home
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