1 year ago I was given an old (15yrs) Whitfield pellet stove with no manual to read and the old owner moved out of state. It seems that at night and sometimes during the day the burn pot will not release the ash through the bottom of the grate. If this happens the pellets will not burn correct and they build up (Call Clinkers?) and overflow in the burn pot. The heat then will be warm and not hot and the stove will shut down.

This is what I have done so far: New gastket around the door (helped some). Changed outside flue lenghts (Note the flue is located between our house and our nieghbor house onlt about two foot away) (No help). Tried different brands of wood pellets (No help). Any ideas what the problem is? I live in an old drafty house, in such, that I was told that I do not need to connect up the cold air intake in the back of the stove. Also the stove itself seems to be working okay as far as the dampener. The pellet feed is adjustable and seem to work. BTW I always need to run the stove mostly with the dampener open all the way up and the pellet feed on minimum ( drops pellets once every 10 seconds or so). If anyone know any about these stoves pls help, it a pain to get up at night and force the ash down through the grate.

 

One thing that I suggest is if your stove is capable of burning it, is try corn. It burns cleaner than the wood pellets, but it dose have to be less than 12 percent moisture.

 

The stove pipe will probobly have to be higher than the highest point on either of the houses.
It should get a better draft and cleaner burn.

 

try the forum here : http://www.hearth.com/ great resource

 

Thanks for the great replies. I will check them out.

 

Wow, I thought I was the only one on the planet with a pellet stove. Nice to know there are others. I love mine. Only problem is there are only 2 places on Long Island that sell pellets. $8 and $9 per 40 lb bag! Anyway, Hadaford, hope these will help;
http://hearth.com/what/specific.html
http://www.butkus.org/whitfield_pellet_stove.htm
http://www.lennoxhearthproducts.com/

 

I'd try a google search and see if you can come up with instructions or a manual on your stove.

I've got a new stove that is fantastic - works great and love it.

 

Got it working right!!!!! Yea!!!! With no manual, I found out there are slides on each side of the burn pot. Found out that: 1) They are clean out slides and 2) They are suppose to be closed not open. The problem with the slides being open was that there was poor air flow up through the burn pot. Now with the slides closed, it is putting out HOT air and sounds like a jet engine with the dampiner turn open past half way. Thanks guys for all your help!!!! My wife was about to throw it out.. ;-)

 

ICEFAN71

Try Lowes or Home Depot even ACE hardware if you have any near by. I got mine for around $4.75 at Lowes last night. Others around (if they have pellets) are $6.00-$7.00 bag.

 

I pay four bucks a bag for the wood pellets (buy them by the pallet 40lb bags) and about 7.50 per hundred weight for the corn (delivered in bulk). If you can do it that way the corn is not only much cleaner burning but puts out more heat per pound and is cheaper per pound to boot. You still need to have some pellets on hand to start it if it goes out however.

 

I wouldn't mind using corn, but I was told that older Whitfield stoves like mine would jam up the auger. Oh well, the stove is now working like it should.

 

wow, theyre around 4-5 a bag here

 

and to think I bitch about paying 2.99 abag and buy them by the 60 bag pallett at around 140 a pallett.

 

my boss just got his repaired from a simular prob..inside the stove..the back wall plate is supposed to be removed and cleaned..he didnt know about it and it collected ash and kept the heater from getting a good draft