Combustion Air Problem?

 
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av8r
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Leisure Line Hearth with twin turbos (sounds like it)

Post by av8r » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 9:40 am

Our Hearth model is 5-6 years old. I completely disassemble it each spring to clean and lube things like motor bushings and the 4 bolts that hold the combustion fan to the stove body as if you don't treat these bolts with hi-temp anti seize compound they'll seize. Lately I've noticed that the flames coming up through the coal aren't very strong or high like they have been in past years. In the past when I've had a full tray of coal the flames would have been touching the inside top of the stove body. Now they're maybe half that height. I did find some dust collecting on the intake port of the combustion fan and cleaned it with compressed air, which helped, but still hasn't returned the flame I'm used to seeing. I'm getting hot coal dropping into the pan where it never happened before so I'm assuming the combustion air isn't at a high enough volume. The question is...why?

Is there supposed to be any gasket material between the coal burner tray (the part with the holes for air) and the lower half of that assembly? Mine has never had anything there from day one and I'm thinking it wouldn't fit properly if there were something there.

Any idea on fan motor lifespan? If it's not turning at the rated speed anymore I could see this reducing CFM. Best to just replace it every so many years?

Obviously anything like fines blocking the air holes could reduce the CFM so I'll check that when I can shut the stove down and not freeze the house.

Any other ideas?

Thanks


 
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WNY
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Post by WNY » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 9:46 am

Typically a good grate cleaning and blow the fins off on the motor helps too. You should oil the motors every spring also, typically they have oil holes on them somewhere, sometimes on the bottom, you have to remove the blower to service them.

Usually no gasket between the blower and stove.

 
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av8r
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Leisure Line Hearth with twin turbos (sounds like it)

Post by av8r » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 9:52 am

WNY wrote:Typically a good grate cleaning and blow the fins off on the motor helps too. You should oil the motors every spring also, typically they have oil holes on them somewhere, sometimes on the bottom, you have to remove the blower to service them.

Usually no gasket between the blower and stove.
Thanks. Just to clarify:

I strip the stove down to all its component parts each spring. Everything gets cleaned and lubed.

I'm referring to the interface between the burner grate and the lower piece (not sure what to call that) inside the stove. On the Hearth once it's cooled down I can reach in through the door and lift the burner grate off the lower assembly. There is no gasket material between these 2 parts since day one. Other than RTV I don't think any gasket could be used as it wouldn't go back together properly (I think)

Thanks

 
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WNY
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Post by WNY » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 10:57 am

Oh, OK. Gotcha on the cleaning! thats always good. My combustion fan just stopped after about 12 years, had a replacement which is actually louder but works, but took the old one off, lube it and let it sit for a while and now seems to run fine, will be swapping it back when I shut down.

I know mine doesn't have a gasket under it, but you may need to seal around the top/back of the grates after you install them.
I did How to on my cleaning Keystoker grates.

Don;t know if this helps.
Cleaning & Sealing Burn Grate

 
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BigJohn
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Post by BigJohn » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 4:30 pm

If it's clean I would look at draft and coal. Did you change coal supplier?

 
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Post by av8r » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 7:47 pm

BigJohn wrote:If it's clean I would look at draft and coal. Did you change coal supplier?
No change on fuel and draft is about what it's always been.

Thanks

 
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Post by Flyer5 » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 9:08 pm

Tips & Tricks

The gasket is there in the beginning. Most times it get stuck to the feeder body itself instead of the grate. Or it gets sucked into the vacuum.


 
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Post by av8r » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 2:01 pm

Flyer5 wrote:
The gasket is there in the beginning. Most times it get stuck to the feeder body itself instead of the grate. Or it gets sucked into the vacuum.
Yep..that little piece of gasket is there. I guess I thought maybe there would be something needed between the grate and the lower assembly length (sides)

Thanks

 
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Post by Flyer5 » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 2:08 pm

Do you have a lot more fines in the coal this year over past? Maybe try a different coal just to rule it out?

 
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Post by av8r » Wed. Jan. 29, 2014 10:36 am

Flyer5 wrote:Do you have a lot more fines in the coal this year over past? Maybe try a different coal just to rule it out?
Nothing out of the ordinary. We have burned Blaschak for the last 4 years. Tried some Redding (which I'm told is the same) although the Redding was *much* wetter, it burned exactly the same, IMO....which makes sense.

 
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Post by maurizziot » Wed. Jan. 29, 2014 10:56 am

And you cleaned the fines that accumulated under the grate?
These fines alway accumulate at the from of the grate and will stop the combustion air. I made rhAt mistake after 4 years, thought I was cleaning the stove every summer, but fail to lift up the burning grate.

 
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av8r
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Leisure Line Hearth with twin turbos (sounds like it)

Post by av8r » Wed. Jan. 29, 2014 11:03 am

maurizziot wrote:And you cleaned the fines that accumulated under the grate?
These fines alway accumulate at the from of the grate and will stop the combustion air. I made rhAt mistake after 4 years, thought I was cleaning the stove every summer, but fail to lift up the burning grate.
Yes, as I stated in my original post, I tear the stove apart, completely, each spring.

 
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av8r
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Leisure Line Hearth with twin turbos (sounds like it)

Post by av8r » Wed. Jan. 29, 2014 5:06 pm

Problem solved

I shut the stove down and let it cool. When I removed the burner grate there was a large (2 cups or more) amount of fines. I've never had that much build up so soon. Cleaned that, cleaned the squirrel cage on the combustion fan and everything is back to day 1 performance. Flames now licking the top of the inside of the stove.

Thanks

 
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Post by maurizziot » Wed. Jan. 29, 2014 8:21 pm

I didn't want to ask again, I saw you post that you tear the stove down every year, I did the same but I missed that part, I take my pioneer apart every year as well, but for the first 4 years I vac the chamber out and never looked under the grate.

 
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av8r
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Leisure Line Hearth with twin turbos (sounds like it)

Post by av8r » Wed. Jan. 29, 2014 9:46 pm

maurizziot wrote:I didn't want to ask again, I saw you post that you tear the stove down every year, I did the same but I missed that part, I take my pioneer apart every year as well, but for the first 4 years I vac the chamber out and never looked under the grate.
Funny thing is...I clean there every year. I've never had the amount of fines at the end of the season I had today after only 3 months!

Ah well...it's burning great now. Tall flames! At one point it was 77 in here!


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