Englander Pellet Stove Mashup

Post date: Feb 27, 2016 4:8:9 PM

I've been running an Englander 25-pdv for the last 6 years in the new house on Murdock. Never liked it. Besides leaking smoke (this turns out to not be this specific's stove fault but Englander pellet stoves in general), it always had a lazy flame and ash would build up very quickly in the burn pot. In the fast few years I've replaced the big convection blower (found a compatible model at Grainger for less $$), the combustion blower, and one of the auger motors. The auto-lighter cartridge failed but since it was fairly unreliable when it was working, we just use a propane torch to start the stove. Never felt it put out as much heat as the smaller 25-pdvc we had at the old house... which happened to be sitting in my garage here for the last 6 years.

I resolved to swap them and sell the larger unit next Fall. I got the older 25-pdvc (pre-2004 model with no lighter) setup in the garage and had to deal with a few things that happened while sitting.

1) full of crap from little mammals

2) the convection blower ran but screeched like a banshee

3) I suspected the combustion chamber/blower gaskets could use replacement

4) the augers weren't turning all that easy

5) vacuum sensor hose was cracked.

Cleaned it up. Pulled the convection blower, disassembled it down to the motor and took the shaft out. bearing turned but were dry dry dry. Loaded them up with sprayable dry lubricant which I figured would stand up to the heat well. Ran like a champ and quiet too.

Replaced all the combustion area gaskets. Had some new ones lying around but they are wicked expensive for what they are, cut from a sheet of ceramic cloth. Found the bulk material online at a kiln supplies store. Bought some for the future.

During this process I moved the new combustion fan from the larger stove over. Its the same fan. However, the convention blower is smaller in this stove, hence rebuilding the old one.

The auger bearing were pretty bad. However, they have grease nipples and I was able to grease the top auger with it in place. Had to remove the bottom auger because the zerk was facing a direction I couldn't get at. It was the worse of the two. Taking it out allowed me to work the grease in really well. After about 10 minutes I had both turning very nicely and quietly. I'm guessing their rough inside but they only turn at 1rpm.

Replaced the vacuum sensor hose with a new piece of fuel hose I had lying around.

Got it started up in the garage and it ran great. Swapped the small stove into the house and ran it and lo and behold, leaking smoke. I checked all the usual suspects. Took apart the whole combustion blower area again. Put it back together with the ceramic gaskets. Took the blower exit collar off (wasn't much sealant on it) and put it back together with high temp silicone. Still leaked. Looked at the chimney again. Sealed up every pipe junction with silver foil duct tape. That helped a little, but not much. Replaced the adapter that connects the stove exhaust to the chimney pipe T and sealed it to the T with high temp silicone. No joy. Couldn't see the smoke or feel it blowing because the cooling fan on the side of the combustion blower creates its own air movement back there. I found that the way the adapter is designed, there's a path for any smoke that gets past the junction to the T to come back to the stove in the outer wall. Taped that up with the silver foil duct tape. Improvement, but still leaking. Used about 1/3 of a role of the tape and went to town sealing the adapter to the stove. Made sure I got the seal all the way in to the combustion blower/chamber. That was it!